Academia.  That has always been where I have felt most comfortable.  My home sweet home where I could rest and feel safely assured that I would succeed.  I have never felt more sure of myself except in the world of school.

This world belonged to me.  While my other sisters succeed in the other areas, school belonged to me.

Jamie was always so outgoing and social.  Jordan was the beauty queen of the family and excelled in that department.  As for me, I could tell you the chemical makeup of  rubbing alcohol and the reason why we lost the Vietnam war.  Although not quite as appealing, I made it my everything.

School was my place of solace.  After my twelfth birthday party when everyone wanted to hang out with my sister rather than me, I fell back into academia.  I remember feeling distraught and so upset.

So I did the only thing I could think of doing. I cracked open a book on astronomy and began memorizing the constellations so I could forget where I lacked.  I was not as cool as my older sister and the only thing I could do was work harder.

As I got older though, I started feeling more comfortable around people and I was able to let go of some of my fears.  Academia was still there and important in my life, but it fell from its original position.

All those long nights reading on greek mythology or memorizing the periodic table were behind me, but I never forgot them.

Now I am a senior in high school and academia is still there for me, like an old friend.  I get to enjoy learning like I always have, but not because I need something to fall back on.  I get to enjoy it because I love to learn.