A pink sheet of paper, marked with two signatures and a date and my fate was sealed.

It shouldn’t have mattered so much, more sleep, more time for other things, what was wrong with that?

But I felt like the walls were collapsing in on me.

I had always been characterized by my intelligence. Always been the smart sister, the smart friend, the smart cousin. And giving in to the pressures of advanced classes was tearing me apart.

If my peers could survive Pre-AP Physics why couldn’t I? Was there something wrong with me? Did I not have what it took?

I was not a quitter, I had never dropped a class before and had remarked only a few weeks before that how I had never had a schedule change.

In my mind it was perfect, Advanced Placement this, Pre-AP that, equals bam, good GPA, good university, perfect future and reputation.

I felt like I didn’t belong anymore. If I wasn’t one of the smart kids, what was I? I could not understand what else defined me.

It took me weeks to come face to face with the answer.

I was, I am, Snovia.  With the slightly embarrassing laugh, eclectic taste in music.

Snovia, with the ability to completely immerse herself in a book and the urge to write at 2 a.m. in the morning. Snovia, who hated mornings but spent all summer trying to become a morning person. Snovia, who could rant on end about the most random things and who was lucky enough to have friends who would willingly listen. Snovia, the advice giver and chocoholic. Snovia, who at random moments felt the urge to hug the world or watch hours of TV.

Snovia, who could not be defined by a class or a number.