Recently I have looked at my past. I am a grade 10 student at a public high school. From grade 5 to grade 8, I didn't know where I stood in the crowd.

In grade 5, I had dark brown hair with two blonde streaks in the front on each side, to look like Ginger Spice. You know, Geri from the Spice girls. Besides that, I was overweight, had bad acne and dressed like a tomboy. None of the boys would go out with me. I felt like such a loser. All the "popular" girls had boyfriends, except me. Sure, I was friends with guys but nothing more. Now when I come to school, I know everyone and am friends with everyone here. If you look at my style from then to now, I'm a whole new person. I dress classier than some of the teachers at my school. The truth be told, the boys who had made fun of me, now want to date me and the girls who made fun of me, well looks like karma caught up with them. The most "popular" girl in elementary school is now of the "less popular" kids.

I remember when I was in grade 6 and one girl who all the boys liked had a retainer. I longed to be like her. I went to the orthodontist for my next appointment and asked for some wax. When I got home I bent a paper clip into a straight line and made my own retainer. I wasn't going to get braces until grade 7. I wore my retainer to school and tried to look cool. I just looked like more of a nerd.

Later on during my growing years, what I like to call my "power pack" finally wore off when I got to grade 9. I was starting to fit in more. Last year at lunch time I never really had a " best friend" to hang out with. So I would race down to my friend's lockers and wait for them to hang out with me at lunch. Or at least ask me if I would like to go uptown with them. They were pretty popular too. I think they felt sorry for me, so I would hang around with them. Grade 10 came around and I started to bring up my marks and fit in a whole lot better than I had before. I became friends with a girl who had all the same classes as me, who, might I add, is my best friend now. I don't have to worry about who will want to hang out with me and what I will do if they have already left to go out for lunch.

The years keep getting better and I can't wait to find out what else life has to offer for me. Just remember that 5 letter word. Karma. Treat others the way you want to be treated.