High school is filled with ups and downs starting with freshman year all the way to senior year.

Freshman, sophomore and junior year were really fun.

I made my friends.

I had a reputation as a helpful and smart girl.

I was in F.U.S.E. — Freshman Utilizing Senior Experience. We helped freshmen get involved in high school.

I was a volunteer at my church in the nursery as a kindergarten leader.

I was a leader in mentoring of at-risk students.

I guess you could say I had a lot “going” for me.

Then, in February 2015 — my junior year — I was told some news that made me think the last year of my high school would be ruined.

I was told I would be moving from Moore, Oklahoma, to Overland Park, Kansas. I would be leaving my best friend Alexis to be the new girl.

I don’t know if anyone knows about how hard it is to be the “new girl” — but let me tell you.

Moving the Spring Break of your junior year to a place you’ve never even heard of is life-changing.

I got here, and I had no friends.

I didn’t really start making friends until two or three weeks into the last quarter of school.

I was invited to Prom by some people who didn’t want me to feel left out.

I spent time at a new church as a nursery volunteer, and I worked constantly the summer before my senior year.

On the first day of my senior year, I was excited but nervous. It made me realize I wasn’t going to be graduating with Alexis by my side.

It’s not very fun having to go to school for a full schedule your senior year, but if I wouldn’t have taken my full schedule, I wouldn’t have met my best friend Tiffany Tuck. We’ve done everything together: Spring Break, Sweetheart, our senior trip and, of course, Prom.

When I thought my life was ruined with the one little phrase “We’re moving,” I was so blind to the new opportunities God was giving me — a new path I was given to take.

Instead of going to the University of Oklahoma, I will attend the University of Kansas.

Instead of moving back to Oklahoma, which will always be home, I will be staying here in Kansas, my new home.

What I thought was the worst news of my life turned out to be exactly what God intended for me.

If I never would’ve moved here, I never would’ve experienced what I have now.

Moving here brought me closer with my mom and dad.

I’ve met a lot of new people and made a lot of new friends. God brought them into my life to show me everywhere I go I will have amazing people come into my life, and some will stay and some will leave.

Those who stay are who God meant for me to meet.

Those who left were a lesson to show me who I needed to be around more and who will benefit my relationship with God.

The main lesson I’ve learned after this whole move is to just trust God.

He’s doing something great even when it sounds awful at the time.

He’s going to bring you a new experience that you will never be able to understand if stay where you are now.