A

Under Pressure.

I find myself trapped under a dozen strings of yard. I'm trying to untangle them, to loosen the ends of each string, but if I yank on the wrong way and time, then I'll create a gigantic knot of chaos.

I don't know what I've gotten myself into this Junior year. I'm doing two sports, staying in the previous years clubs, joining new ones, then there's my relationship with boyfriend Esteban. I've never mentioned my relationships to my grandmother, but he wants us to do everything correctly. On top of that I got offered two tutoring jobs yesterday. I appear to be confident and nonchalant but not sure whether I'm cut out for all of this.

I went through a similar experience last year, but I feel more pressured this year. As if my family and friends have higher expectations of me. They want a better performance, a proper relationship, two jobs, Coach Rojas, especially Coach Noriega, coax me to train efficiently to become one of the top three runners in the Imperial Valley. Coach Noriega tells me that he foreshadows a potential in me to become the top runner in the Imperial Valley for my upcoming senior year. Fulfilling these demands and expectations to make myself feel proud is a challenge I didn't think I would ever have to endure. Challenge accepted, but I'm going to need to adapt to this new type of pressure.

~Yours Truly,