Editor's Note: As YWP transitions its leadership from GG to Susan Reid we are interested in knowing both what YWP has meant to you and how it can be improved. Please join in the discussion by responding to the  "YWP Is ..." challenge.

 The Young Writers Project is a place for me to be free in my opinions.
 
At school, I am a confident person. I'm friends with the popular girls
I came into school at the beginning of the year as a know-it all. 
I had come from a small school, and although I had friends outside,
It was different to be in school witht them. I'm around everyone,
everyday, constantly. I found this difficult, because I had to adjust
to their friendships, and my new friendships. I soon learned that
in order to have a social life where people didn't gossip about me, I 
would have to stop raising my hand as much, act less smart, but still
be confident enough to not be a loner. I would have to dress a certain 
way. I've always been what I like to call an "athletic formality." I noticed,
coming into my school, that "cool" people wore very casual things, but
they still looked like they could be on the Oscars Red Carpet. I started 
wearing socks and sandals, sweatpants occasionally. That's what I 
mean by confident. I just recreated everything about my new friends.
I loved my friend group. Or groups, I should say. I knew that I couldn't
give up on my passion for education. I was aware of my intelligence.
So I made a decision. I share a personality with one friend group. I 
share my goals with a different friend group. One friend group makes
me happy, I think. The other group steers me forward, giving me a 
path that is destined for success, I hope. I realized, after making this
decision, that it makes my life ten times more difficult. The popular 
girls that I am friends with are mean. They gossip. But, I am still
friends with them, because they are funny, and they make me less afraid
of school. They're just good friends. They are always there for me.
My other group is friendly, but confident in a different way.
They aren't afraid of being friends with everyone, and they are more
academically confident. I'm scared of being unaccepted. I have my whole
life planned out, and I know that it isn't going to be an easy road.
I just don't want my social life to make that road any harder.

Young Writers brought me to a reality. It is a place where I can show
who I am, without people knowing who I am. By being an unknown
writer, its like I'm in a new school, where people can't judge without
knowing. Young Writers prepares me for when I finally have to step
towards the path that is going to make me the happiest in the end. 
I am driven. I push myself to the limit. When I come to Young Writers,
though, I can write down my thoughts without worrying if I will recieve
a bad grade, or having people laugh at me. 
There is always so much going on in my life. A lot of it that I don't share.
Most of the things going on frustrate me, and I can plug those
frustrations into a place where people understand, simply by pressing
a few keys. 

The Young Writers Project is helping me determine my future. 
The Young Writers Project is shaping my life. 
I am so lucky for that.