leaving behind an old shell

By Ramon Quirarte

Alessia Vu is a student at Yerba Buena High School, Alessia started to write about her feelings last year which helped her realize that writing was going to be a really helpful way to express herself in a way that she found comfortable.

 Alessia originally didn't want to start writing but one day she wanted to try it out and she took a writing class last year which she thought was fun which got her into writing. Alessia used her writing as something she could reflect on and look back on, it made her feel like she could write about anything like her feelings, thoughts, and ideas.

Writing helped her realize more about herself and what she was capable of doing with those skills. After she decided to start writing she wrote a story for class which she had a lot of fun with because she was able to get immersed into the story which helped her expand her writing skills. The story she wrote was about teenagers going to school at night due to hearing rumors that the school had ghosts

At one point Alessia decided to start making friends which at the time she found difficult because she didn’t know how to interact with people or how to make a conversation with the person, even though this was difficult for her she pushed herself and she started to talk to people making friends along the process. Many of the friends she has now just instantly clicked when they first interacted making it easy for them to talk and hangout.

As time passed she started to get more comfortable and she now has friends who she trusts and feels comfortable with. Her friends never let bad or negative thoughts into her mind, they always encouraged her and told her positive things. Alessia doesn’t have to be someone she isn’t when she’s around her friends, she can be herself and she doesn’t need to hide anything from them.

There were times when Alessia didn’t have trust in anyone and the only person who she could go to during those times was her mom because Alessia was close with her and could trust her, Alessia would go to her mom when she wanted to talk because “she felt like she would know what she was talking about,” said Vu.”. Although sometimes her mother didn't understand and Alessia would have to explain it to her in order for her to understand the situation. Sometimes Alessia would write in her notebook about her feelings if she had no one to talk to.

Alessia’s friends would be there for her when she would have negative thoughts, she would open up to them because she feels comfortable with them and she knows they won't judge her, she can talk to them about her problems and they won't judge her at all which gives Alessia trust in them. Alessia said a favorite memory she has with a close friend is going to Great America and going on many rides together like Demon, Flight Deck, Drop Tower, etc.

Alessia said that looking back on her past made her realize that she's changed a lot. An example is she used to be really quiet and when she made friends they helped her come out of her shell more and helped her become a better version of herself.