[Indie'sOK]

Back in the winter of my sophomore year, I remember having a thought. I said to myself one day "you know, I'm not really nervous for junior year. Nothing much will have changed so I've got no reason to be." I've been a wreck of anxiety for the first day of school since starting 6th grade, and I thought that this year, for the first time ever, I might be ok.

Then I applied and got accepted to an arts academy in my town. I've known about it for weeks and have been excited, but now I'm having second thoughts. I can't go back on my decision, though, because everyone at school knows about it and my schedule is already set up. I'm supposed to be going to my regular school for morning classes and the new school in the afternoon for Language Arts, which is called my concentration. I'm so scared. Summer is almost over and I can't believe how quickly it went by. What the he** am I supposed to do now?

If I don't end up liking my new school, I can always go back to full-time classes at my old one, but I'd be coming into an unfamiliar class and I'd look like a quitter.

I don't know what to do.

[Yoda]

What is to be gained at the arts academy that is not at your other school?

I think your anxiety is understandable. Facing the unknown is always scary. A week after school starts you will feel better most likely.

[Indie'sOK]

Thanks Yoda...yeah that usually seems to be the case, after which comes the usually omnipresent social anxiety that I feel while at school. By going to the new school I'll (hopefully!) be gaining better writing skills. Hopefully being the operative word hahaha..

So I guess what it comes down to is this: I cannot let the possibility of progress become clouded by my fears and lack of confidence. I will do anything to increase my skill for the craft.

Besides, it's only two classes I'll be taking at the art school anyways. My concentration and an elective. Heck, I won't even really have to interact with many people!

Assuming my school and work schedule is as follows and I get the classes I want, I expect a typical day to look like this:

"Home" school
1st hour: Biology ll
2nd hour: Art lll
3rd hour: Gov't/Economics

Lunch is spent driving across town to the other school.

New school
4th & 5th hours: Language arts
6th hour: Elective. I haven't been able to select one yet but I'm hoping to get into either psychology, Italian or journalism. If I have to take something completely useless for me, such as Spanish, I'll be POed.

After school
Work 4-9pm

That's a lot of driving!

[googley]

Indie,

I always used to get really stressed out at the beginning of the school year. I did it all the way through college. You are not the only one. Remember that this has happened before and every other year you have made it through. You have done it before and you can do it again. It will be okay.

[Yoda]

You are going to be quite busy, I think.

It sounds exciting. Let us know what you think when school starts.