Never Looking Back: The Journey from Introvert to Extrovert

           Throughout my life I've experienced several different changes. I've gone from a quiet and meek kid to a rather outspoken and confident adult in, what seemed like, a blink of an eye. I grew up in the middle of, what I like to call, nowhere. I went to a school that had kindergarten through twelfth grade crammed in a solitary building. Everyone knew each other, which for meek little me, was like a prison sentence.
           I wasn't the most popular girl in my school, to say the absolute least. I was a pudgy kid and dealt with more than my fair share of bullying throughout elementary school. I found comfort (and survival) in silence. I rarely spoke to any of my classmates and could easily have been described as a 'teacher's pet'. Being an introvert in elementary school was the only way I thought I could survive, and it helped me get some pretty fantastic grades. Elementary graduation couldn't have come soon enough for me so I could escape recess, the bane of my existence. The summer between graduation and middle school brought a ton of changes for little ole me. I lost weight, and for every pound I lost, my confidence grew a ton. I walked into the first day of classes after summer break with my head held high, for the first time in my entire life. I was ready to have my voice heard.
           Life really changed for me that year, I had friends... I, Amanda Lynn Tanner, finally had friends!  I was on cloud nine. I started joining clubs,(not just the nerdy ones) I joined softball, volleyball, and cheerleading. I was considered a 'cool kid'. Before I knew it, I was headed into high school, which was just a hallway away.
           Once again, I was at the bottom of the proverbial food chain. I was petrified, every kid hears horror stories of their freshman year of high school and I was ready to be stuffed in my locker. Much to my surprise I wasn't stuffed into any lockers, didn't receive any wedgies, and I didn't have to consume any senior's spit with my lunch. Life again was looking pretty dang good. My grades were great all throughout school, and now so was my social life.
           Overall, growing up brought a ton of changes for me. I went from a total introvert to a complete extrovert and I'm never looking back!