Dear Joana

I am writing to see how you are.

Last time I saw you we were still in elementary school. It's been so long! How did your transition to
such a different level go?

I'll be extremely honest, mine wasn't good.

In the summer, before I started high school, a lot of people told me to change courses, either
because "it's too hard" or "it's going to ruin your mental health", and you know what? They were
right. The change really was immense and the leap I had to take was brutal.

The difficulty level increased and my goals and expectations increased even more. The fear of failure
is real, but just thinking about how I might let my parents and family down makes me extremely
worried and anxious. I really didn't want to break the high expectations they have for me and my
future, but it's been harder than I expected or what elementary school has prepared me for.

In addition to all these problems, we can still add the fact that this transition took place in a different
school. A TOTALLY different school, with people I had never seen in my life.

That was, without a doubt, the worst and most difficult part. At first I felt like I shouldn't be there, I
felt an totally outcast. I didn't have anyone to hang out with during breaks and I even thought about
starting spending breaks in the classroom or the bathroom, because think with me, I knew most of
the people at that school through Instagram, but none of them were my friends. So, they would see
the new girl, friendless, alone at breaks. Forget about it, very humiliating. Or maybe I was just
overthinking. I don’t know. What matters is that my family has always supported me and I ended up
making friends, after all I am part of a very united group.

And that's it, that's my story.

What about you? Tell me everything.

Love, Luana