Taking life for granted

As a teenager, I sometimes fail to realize how easy I really have it.

In November of 2003, my family moved from South Holland, Ill., to Munster, Ind. I did not consider the move a big deal because the town was only 15 minutes away, so I could just jump in my car and go back to Illinois to see my friends.

At the time of the move, I attended Bishop Noll Institute, a private Catholic high school in Hammond, Ind. I had been at Bishop Noll since my freshman year of high school and took for granted that I would graduate from there. In December of 2003, my mother decided to transfer me to Munster High School, the local public school. I knew Munster High School was one of the best high schools in Indiana, but I had grown so attached to Bishop Noll that I just did not want to leave.

The day my mother transferred me to Munster High School was a very sad day for me. I remember crying a lot. But what I feel really bad about is taking it out on my mother; I now realize that she just wanted the best for me. The day of the transfer, I remember I was extremely mean to my mother. I thought she was the most evil person in the world to take me out of Bishop Noll just six months before my graduation. All during the day, I yelled and argued with her, feeling no remorse whatsoever. Throughout my yelling, I never once stopped to ask why she took me out.

My first day at Munster High School, I was extremely nervous. I did not know how anyone would treat me, or even if I would be accepted. I was very surprised to be welcomed with open arms. Everyone just treated me like another student, and by the end of the day, I had many new friends. When I returned home and my mother asked how my day went, I did not really want to tell her how good it was, so I simply said it was OK and went off to my room.

Then one day, I overheard my mother speaking with my grandmother about all the bills she had to pay to keep the household running. As I continued to listen, I heard her mention the cost of Bishop Noll and how much debt she had gotten into trying to send my brother and sister and me to private schools. I felt horrible listening to the things my mom had to do to keep the house we were in and to support my 14-year-old sister, 7-year-old brother, herself, my grandmother and me. I remember holding back tears and wanting to rush into the family room and scream at the top of my lungs, “I AM SO SORRY MOTHER FOR ACTING LIKE A STUCK-UP SNOB!”

I decided that I would make it up to her. The day after overhearing that, I woke up guilt-ridden. I sulked around the house preparing what I was going to wear to school and took my shower. I acted as if nothing had ever happened the night before, but my whole day at school was depressing. When I got home, I decided to tell my mother that the school day was great and I loved it. I still remember the big smile on her face when I told her that.

I have been at Munster High School for a few months now, and I absolutely love it. Deep down inside, I am glad that I made the change because it has opened up new opportunities for my education and my social life. I have made many new friends and am doing great with my grades and new high school courses.

My mother now has a load off her back because she no longer has to worry about the constant tuition payments and can now focus on just running the family and household.

I never have verbally told my mother how I have appreciated her for transferring me but, I know she knows I do. Some teenagers do not realize how their parents or guardians sometimes have to struggle to keep us in the best of schools, keep up with the ever-changing styles of clothes we wear, buy us cars, pay for the bills we run up, pay for college and the extremely long list of things we teenagers desire.

One thing I have learned is to treat parents and guardians with respect because they put up with a lot from us day in and day out. Without our parents and guardians, some of us teenagers would have no place to live, no way to get back and forth, and in some situations not be able to receive an education.

When you get home, tell whomever takes care of you, “Thank you for just being there.” You will be amazed how much they will appreciate it! They are sure to give a smile; I know my mom did!  

Brittney Tatum, 17, is a senior at Munster High School in Munster, Ind. She loves to bowl, play tennis, hang out with friends and write poetry. She plans to attend Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where she’ll major in political science and computer science.

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