Looking back, it all makes sense

Upon ignoring it, I arrived at a scenic point that overlooked the impressive skyline of San Francisco and East Bay. I pulled over, sat on the wooden picnic bench at the lookout point, and appreciated the breathtaking view. At this moment, I slowly converted to the realization that precise planning may not always be the resolution.

I still remember walking past the cement staircase directly in front of Room S11, which would eventually become the customary meeting place for my peers and me, and through the doorway of S11 on the first day of freshman year.

Plastered on three of the classroom’s four walls were rows and rows of certificates. I took my seat, and Mr. Raisner greeted the 25 students in his only freshman English class. Mr. Raisner was also our school’s journalism advisor; those seemingly humble certificates were disguised as national awards earned by the journalism students.

I never truly excelled throughout my childhood. I participated on my school’s and club’s volleyball teams throughout middle school but rarely received playing time. I was put into swimming and dance lessons at a young age but never became stellar enough to pursue any of them competitively. And, I certainly never excelled in English as I found difficulty in finding enjoyment in reading a novel or writing assigned stories.

Despite all this, I enrolled in the English class that would allow me to participate in our school’s journalism program as Mr. Raisner promised minimal engagement with the traditional English material: analyzing Shakespeare quotes or writing an essay analyzing the author’s rhetorical strategies.

My first article poorly discussed the firing of the JV girls volleyball coach in the form of a 383 word article accompanied by a blurry photo of an outside hitter attempting to block the volleyball during a play. I received a D on that assignment.

From my perspective, this D didn’t signify my failure but rather my starting point. I was determined to improve the following article by incorporating feedback from my editor. Throughout the process, writing articles no longer felt like a chore but a way to express hidden thoughts.

My last article that semester discussed the season highlights of the JV girl’s volleyball team. Upon receiving my rubric, I gleamed in excitement as I saw the A at the top of the pink-colored page. In the comments, my editor mentioned the immense improvements in my writing he had witnessed throughout the semester. He also noted that my article was nominated for an award. Although I didn’t end up winning with that article, the surge of confidence motivated me to continue, and in January of 2020, I received my first journalism award.

From collaborating with peers to create a multimedia package regarding the impact of racism on different groups to articles that emphasized local small businesses to support, journalism allowed me to unleash and explore the depths of my curiosities. Such conversations with local small business and organization leaders that combat racism allowed me to expand my perspective like no other.

If you had told freshman me that she would come to enjoy English, that she too would receive one of the certificates plastered on the back wall, that she would become an editor for her school’s newsmagazine, and that she would have the opportunity to share her thoughts and opinions in the county’s local newspaper, she would be slapped with disbelief and humored.

Similar to my accidental discovery of the scenic point during my first drive, my inability to plan my high school career led me to experience some of my most pivotal lessons. I will forever be grateful for the people who have supported me throughout this journey and will take the lessons learned into other components of my life.

At that moment, I could not comprehend the importance of getting placed in Mr. Raisner’s first-period English class, the D on my first article or my inability to excel as a child. I couldn’t connect the story, dots and destinations on the map until I witnessed the outcomes. However, looking back now, it all makes sense.

Amber Chia is a recent graduate of Carlmont High School in Belmont. Student News appears in the weekend edition. You can email Student News at news@smdailyjournal.com.