These 4 years taught me how  to be a better person, and a better man freshmen year i didnt care who i was hurting and i didnt see the stress i was giving my parents and i thank god everyday he hit me with reality and have me a second chance to do better.  My is quinsy smith garcia and high school was the hadrest times of my lifeFreshman year felt like everything was falling apart at once. My grades started slipping, I stopped caring about school, and teachers thought I was headed down the wrong path. Some even believed I would get expelled before making it to senior year. People doubted me every day, and after a while I almost started believing them. At home, things were not easy either. One of the hardest moments in my life was losing my grandpa. He meant a lot to me, and when he passed away, I felt lost. It was hard to focus in class when my mind was full of pain and sadness. I started missing assignments and getting into trouble. School became a place where people judged me instead of helping me. A lot of my friends from middle school went to West with me, but many of them never made it through high school. Some dropped out, some went to alternative school, and others even ended up in jail. Everyone thought I would end up the same way because of the choices I was making and the crowd around me. That path was supposed to be my future too. But deep down, I wanted something better for myself. I got tired of proving people right. Slowly, I started trying harder. I focused more in class, stayed out of trouble, and reminded myself that my grandpa would want me to keep going. It was not easy, and there were many times I wanted to quit, but I kept pushing forward. Against all odds, I stayed in school and made it to graduation. The same people who doubted me were surprised I made it. My story shows that no matter how hard life gets, people can still change their future if they believe in themselves and never give up.