“In the beginning of my senior year, I came to the realization that I need to stop giving all of my energy to other people and be more selfish with my efforts. Through the process of making sure that I am giving myself the same attention as I would a friend, I have become so much more genuinely content with myself. I would encourage everyone to take a step back from your relationships and really look at how healthy of a situation is it. If someone isn’t pushing you to be your best self, then do they really have your best intentions at heart? It’s not going to make you a bad person if you decide that a friendship or a romantic relationship isn’t what’s best for you anymore. I think everyone needs to come to a point where they can put themselves before everyone and learn how to say no.”

Senior

Age: 18