Embracing Change – The Rollercoaster Ride of Freshman Year

Have you ever stood back and admired your younger self and asked how much you have grown?

Adulthood is an odd and unpredictable ride. One day, you think you know what you’re doing; the next, you’re staggering from friendships, career ambitions, and unfamiliar emotions. High school, especially, is one of drastic change—new experiences, changing relationships, and a taste of absolute freedom. It’s an exhilarating but overwhelming experience during which nothing appears to remain constant for more than a short while, and survival through the craziness becomes an adventure.

In Shelli Spratling’s read’ “Freshman Year,” we track the ups and downs of Jaymie Bradley’s first year of high school. For Jaymie, change involves more than just advancing to the next grade—it brings new responsibilities, feelings, and challenges that push her beyond her comfort zone. Despite her periods of self-doubt and not knowing, she finds an inner strength that shines through her willingness to adapt and evolve. And this is perhaps the most salient reminder - that although it is difficult and uncomfortable to shift, it holds incredible potential for self-discovery.

One of the most significant lessons Jaymie learns throughout the book is that fighting change doesn’t make it disappear. The harder we fight the regular changes in life, the worse it will be for us to find happiness and peace. Instead of fearing the things she does not know, she learns to accept them, acknowledging that every impediment she comes across makes her who she is now. Whether facing the struggle of competition, coping with emotional war, or learning to cope with changing friendships, she knows that progress only occurs when we surrender fear and embrace the unavoidable routes.

We all experience moments where we want the world to freeze in place and never change, but the reality is that change is what strengthens us, teaches us, and builds our confidence. Life becomes exhilarating When we look at it no longer as fear but as something to be tapped for growth. Freshman Year accomplishes this nicely, and because of that, it is an accessible read to anyone who ever doubted the future. Jaymie’s experience reminds us that change is not something to escape—it’s something to pursue.