It's You

Chapter 1

Living in a small town is depressing. There is simply no other way to put it. Imagine doing the same things, going to the same places, and being with the same people for everyday of your life. Where the big social gathering of the year is the homecoming football game. Some people have even gone as far as to say it's like we're in a prison but we get access to wifi and cable.

That life is mine. I live about two hours east of St. Louis, Missouri in the village of Georgetown, Illinois. We have about 2,500 people, a single traffic light, 4 bars, and a Subway...eat fresh! There's 3 churches and one grade schools for grades k-8, so I go to high school in the next town over, about 10 more minutes east.

Oh high school... I guess that is where my story really begins. Throughout grade school, I was that awkward ginger with the gapped teeth, frizzy hair, and a short skinny body. I hate to admit this, but I was hated by almost everyone in my grade. I was that nerd that sat in the front of the class, raised her hand for every question, and was nice to every single teacher. Henceforth, I was shunned for being so weird.

How did I survive? Sports. Our school was lucky to have such generous donors, so I was able to play almost every sport imaginable to an eleven year old kid. I had always been in soccer and softball, but through the program, I was able to learn basketball, volleyball, track, and swimming. I was athletically inclined at a young age, so having that natural adaptability for sports really boosted my chances. After a year, I had made the "varsity" A-team in each sport season. Through it all, I was able to vent my frustrations and let me just say that sports was my therapy.

High School is another story. Being able to meet people from another town, I was able to expand my horizons of peers and branch out into groups of people just like me. That was the start of my revival. My molars grew in closing the gaps in my teeth, I found a shampoo and conditioner that helped control my frizz ball I call hair, and I learned that answering the questions in my head was just as beneficial as answering them aloud. I joined cross country, basketball, and track. My fitness level was maintained at it's peak, so body image was not a problem either. I was becoming physically normal. So with that, I started making more friends. It feels shallow for me to think that way, but I mean the facts didn't lie. I was making more friends because people actually could stand to be seen with me. It was goodbye awkward ginger and hello to the new Lindsey.