I think many of us know/knew high school students like Eliza, teens who are focused on academic achievement and competition and filling in all the right boxes to get into an elite university to the exclusion of just about anything else. So you'll probably understand her total panic when she learns of a class change the first day of senior year. Instead of AP Physics she's been placed in Culinary Arts. It's a non weighted class, so even if she gets all A's someone taking all weighted classes could knock her down in class rank. When her guidance counselor tells her to not be afraid of taking it easy she thinks:
"Now is not the time to take things easy, I want to say. I can take things easy when I have a college acceptance in hand and have given my salutatorian speech at graduation to a room of weepy eyes and all the work I've invested throughout the last three years has finally turned into something real."
Actually in culinary Eliza is in a totally new situation. She's behind all her classmates, especially the obnoxious know-it-all Wesley with whom she's paired for a semester long group project.
Eliza thinks she's in for a semester from hell.
But she may be mistaken. Maybe she can acquire valuable skills. Maybe the regular (non AP) students are worth knowing and being friends with...
...and maybe, just maybe, Wesley is not as obnoxious as he seems to be.
On a purrrsonal note, I had the heady experience of something I've intuited being confirmed by science. And it has a name: post-traumatic growth aka that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger. The trauma was the stroke nearly two years ago. I never would have chosen to have one. But I've experienced far more cognitive and emotional growth than I would have otherwise. The article I read said certain conditions make post-traumatic growth more likely:
1) finances. Eugene and I aren't rich, but we're managing.
2) emotional support. Between family, friends, and the UMaine, Orono, and Greystone communities I have been surrounded by love ❤️ and support.
3) self efficacy and a sense that one's life has meaning and purpose. I have them in spades.
I'm really proud of my growth in the past two years and eager to see how much I'll grow in the third.
A great big shout out goes out to all who have contributed to my growth.
Jules Hathaway
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© SmartpEliza
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