Miranda Talavera Béjar, Grade 12
UWCRBC
The highest highs and the lowest lows. They were not kidding when they said UWC is unpredictable. It was close to the end of my first term at RBC and I found myself in a situation I would have never wished or even imagined I would be in. I had gone too far and could not find my way back until a light guided me home. The light came from a very unlikely source: a little star right across the hallway from my room. I had seen and admired her from afar but had never felt her light and warmth until I hit rock bottom and had nowhere else to look.
I got to know my best and least likely friend when neither of us knew what else to do, or where else to go. I turned to her for comfort and judgment-free advice. She understood what I was feeling without me saying a word. We bonded over ambiguity and gray areas, guilt and unanswered questions. She made me feel safe and heard. Our friendship had a deep and dark beginning, but it naturally evolved into a strong bond and a safe space. We would spend hours together talking about anything and everything. Spending time with her made me feel relaxed and lightweight, but challenged and uncomfortable in the best way possible. She showed me the importance of being straightforward and honest, especially if it makes me uncomfortable. She challenged my views and forced me to articulate my thoughts. At the end of a very long day, I would run to her corner to excitedly tell her how I had applied the advice she had given me, and we would celebrate together the progress I had made. The star that led me back home was the friend I needed in my life.
She lived between 15 to 20 steps away from me, depending on my average step length for that day. My favorite part about this was running into her in the bathroom and getting into hours-long conversations, or being in my corner after a long day and listening to her knock on my door, open it and softly say “Miranda? I just came by to say good night and I love you”, or spending my Sunday nights with her when we both needed to vent. We would resort to all sorts of coping mechanisms, my favorite being a rap one-hit-wonder.
The little star that illuminated the way back home, became a pillar in my life. Her presence made me understand that there’s a light somewhere even in the darkest of days.
Image Courtesy: https://www.space.com/whats-beyond-universe-edge
I got to know my best and least likely friend when neither of us knew what else to do, or where else to go. I turned to her for comfort and judgment-free advice. She understood what I was feeling without me saying a word. We bonded over ambiguity and gray areas, guilt and unanswered questions. She made me feel safe and heard. Our friendship had a deep and dark beginning, but it naturally evolved into a strong bond and a safe space. We would spend hours together talking about anything and everything. Spending time with her made me feel relaxed and lightweight, but challenged and uncomfortable in the best way possible. She showed me the importance of being straightforward and honest, especially if it makes me uncomfortable. She challenged my views and forced me to articulate my thoughts. At the end of a very long day, I would run to her corner to excitedly tell her how I had applied the advice she had given me, and we would celebrate together the progress I had made. The star that led me back home was the friend I needed in my life.
She lived between 15 to 20 steps away from me, depending on my average step length for that day. My favorite part about this was running into her in the bathroom and getting into hours-long conversations, or being in my corner after a long day and listening to her knock on my door, open it and softly say “Miranda? I just came by to say good night and I love you”, or spending my Sunday nights with her when we both needed to vent. We would resort to all sorts of coping mechanisms, my favorite being a rap one-hit-wonder.
The little star that illuminated the way back home, became a pillar in my life. Her presence made me understand that there’s a light somewhere even in the darkest of days.
Image Courtesy: https://www.space.com/whats-beyond-universe-edge
www.unitedworldwide.co