It's No High School Musical

"OMG I cannot wait until we're in High School Laila, it's going to be so much fun!"
 I clearly remember how excited and anxious I felt that day. With my eighth grade graduation approaching, plus the fact I considered myself top of the middle school 'food chain', I felt both unstoppable and mighty cool. Speaking of High School dreams and goals with my best friend in the library that day, my mind went wild with fictional thoughts and wishful thinking. As my excitement arose, my high pitched voice amplified, to the point where classmates' heads shot up from behind their books giving me "chill out" looks from every corner of the room.
My librarian, however, overheard my conversation with Laila, and decided to step in.
"What makes you think High School is going to be as wonderful as you perceive it to be?" she questioned me bluntly as usual, eyebrow raised and arms crossed.
I replied to her with confidence. "Have you seen the movies and TV shows?"
Apparently she didn't. And apparently I didn't watch the right movies, because now that I'm a senior, I can say with pure confidence that High School, to me, was no High School Musical.
Exams. Stress. Homework. Stress. Outside school activities. Stress. Juggling both school and work life. Stress. Catch up on PLL episodes. Stress.
I don't recall Troy and Gabriela doing homework, nor studying, nor taking a pre-calculus exam.
Although High School had its sweet moments, it surely wasn't a walk in the park- or a dance in the cafeteria.

Lara Hattab
Writer
Bellaire High School TPP
Houston, Texas