I just started going back to school after being homeschooled for about four months, and I am loving every minute of it. I get really tired by the end of the day sometimes, but I am so grateful to be back.<\/p>\n
But with coming back, there still are the challenges of teasing and bullies. But you know what, I’m OK with people talking behind my back. I’m OK with kids laughing and mocking me. No, it’s not anywhere near as bad as it was four months ago, but even if it goes back to that level, I truly don’t care.<\/p>\n
It has taken me so long to figure out that it doesn’t matter what people think. People make fun of me, but the majority of people that I know don’t. If you are feeling like everyone doesn’t want to accept you, make some friends. Go out and do something. But don’t feel bad for yourself, because the more you feel that way, the more it’s going to pull you down.<\/p>\n
I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who has helped me get back to school. But most of all, I am thankful to my mom and dad for their support through all of this.<\/p>\n
Being diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, and having it be at the level of severity that it was, was truly the hardest thing that has ever happened to me in my life — mentally, physically and socially.<\/p>\n
At first, the most of my friends and people that I’ve known for my whole life just kind of left me. That hurt me. That hurt me a lot to see that happen, and I’ve found myself feeling bad about it time and time again. And that is where my error was.<\/p>\n
I bet if you look back at your history, you’d find something that makes you want to say, “Man, if only I knew then what I know now.” Well, that is sort of what I’m feeling, but I’ve learned to let that pass. It took lots of talks from my mom and cost me so much time that I could have been doing more productive things with myself.<\/p>\n
It took forever to figure out that my attitude has a bigger say in my reputation than my Tourette’s does. And knowledge and education are the best things you can give people to help them understand what you might be facing.<\/p>\n
It doesn’t even have to be Tourette’s education, either. Education is the key to success in life. If you just take time to educate people about what you might be facing, I promise you that it will change the way that they act around you.<\/p>\n
Some teachers are good, and some are amazing, but I will never forget my choir teacher, who gave me a chance. I have had the opportunity to participate in a seventh-grade choir for the past two terms now, even though It’s only a one-term class. My choir teacher has helped me through many hard times.<\/p>\n
She’s let me be in her class when I was at the noisest stage of my Tourette’s. She’s helped me through hard times, nervousness before performances and panic attacks. She has made a difference in my life, has inspired me to be a better person and has shown me how to do everything I can to help other people.<\/p>\n
She gave me a chance, and that is all that I needed. I will be eternally grateful for that chance and hope to be in those shoes one day — in her case, high heels — and give that same chance to another kid that might just be lost in his or her social life. Thank you for all that you do.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I just started going back to school after being homeschooled for about four months, and I am loving every minute of it. I get really tired by the end of the day sometimes, but I am so grateful to be… Continue Reading