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Aneli Godinez-Martinez

Ready

College Prep

September 24, 2019

A whole new beginning

The same 30 kids everyday, for 8 years. The required everyday school uniform,

excluding our few, very anticipated Free-Dress Days, where we didn’t need to wear our uniform.

These days were a very big deal. I wouldn’t want to just waste it by wearing sweatpants; I

needed to wear a new dress or skirt, or even jeans and a cute top. Part of the curriculum was a

religion class, which we had everyday, and attended church on Thursdays. I eventually became

more comfortable with everyone by 5th or 6th grade. The atmosphere felt more like a family,

which led me to be less introverted.

But then we all dispersed into our separate high schools, leading us to a whole new beginning...

I only knew three people going into this new high school. The first volleyball open gym

was approaching, and I knew I was going to fall back to being my old introverted self. Shy as

could be again, there was no one I felt comfortable with, like I did at St. Matthew. My first

summer going into high school consisted of attending volleyball open gyms then heading straight

home. Once tryouts hit at the end of the summer, I felt comfortable in my abilities, and that I

wasn’t being judged while playing. Volleyball, my preferred sport, always puts me in a different

mindset that can only be explained on the court.

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It was simple to talk to the girls on the court, but once we were off of it, talking to them felt

incredibly difficult. Once tryouts were over, the results were posted. There it was, my number on

the Varsity page. The next few weeks of practice were crazy. I was not only overwhelmed about

fitting in with my own class, but now on a team full of upperclassmen.

From a school of 400 kids with 9 grade levels to a school of 1600 kids for only 4 grades;

this school now having unlimited Free-Dress days. I knew this was going to be a huge

adjustment. The whole atmosphere gave me a different vibe from what it was like my last 8

years. As school started, it was nice to see familiar faces from my team even though I didn’t have

any classes with them. As the season went by, I could slowly feel myself feeling more confident

to talk to people because I was involved in a sport at school. I couldn’t relate to the public school

memories in their past, but it became easier to relate to the ones from high school. During our

volleyball games, I realized the school spirit Glencoe had, intriguing me to experience the school

spirit at other events. I became as involved as I could to see the immense opportunities that

Glencoe provided.

I was in leadership at St. Matthew but was scared to do too much, too fast, and I didn't

want to get even more overwhelmed. I waited until sophomore year to join Glencoe leadership,

and I have stayed ever since. Leadership has taught me different ways to be involved in all types

of school events; it helped create bonds with my friends that I never thought I would have.

Volleyball, and leadership especially, brought out the very-extroverted-self in me that was hiding

all those years, something that I am very happy to have. Through all my hardships, high school
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has shaped me to be the person that I am now and has lowered my expectation of needing to feel

comfortable all the time. If it wasn’t for my involvement in school, it would have taken me an

exponential increase in time to feel comfortable in the new atmosphere.

I have a wiser understanding of people, school, and most importantly myself, living

through both private school and public school experiences. Attending St. Matthew Catholic

School taught me the morals and values I needed to have, but Glencoe High School has taught

me how to put them to use in my life.