(Analisa Jacob is a graduate of Central High School in Omaha, NE.)

Of the four years in high school, I think my junior year was the worst of all. Deadlines, due dates, and curfews were all thrown at me in one big package. “This is the one year colleges look at, so make it count!” screamed the counselors, but every time a counselor, or a peer, or teacher said that to me, I asked myself the question, “Make it count for whom?”

I wanted this year to count for me. This is why I took creative writing. Without creative writing, I would have missed out on some of the most impressionable experiences of my life. The people, the stories, the poems, and all the glory that came in and out of that class every day were impressive. We became a family, a family of writers. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars for taking that class.

I can’t say that it was fun and games; the junior year isn’t supposed to be. At one point, I never wanted to come to school. I had no desire for it, but as time passed, so did that phase.

Without creative writing, I would never have taken the time to understand people. Creative writing taught me about myself, and I studied the people around me, more than I studied the eight parts of speech. I learned to accept, respect, and observe my fellow peers. I can’t imagine my junior year without a creative writing class. I think I would’ve gone insane.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be in that class. I am grateful for the friendships I made. I am grateful for having a dedicated teacher who refused to see me as anything less than special. So much encouragement, so much love, and so much devotion came from that teacher. What did I learn? I learned respect for others and dedication to the writing craft, which I am still working on. This wonderful experience will always remain with me. “Write on.”