Lessons learned

VIEWPOINT OF A TEXAS CHALLENGE ACADEMY CADET

My time here at Texas ChalleNGe Academy has been bittersweet. I have had my share of ups and downs, but I made the most of my time at TCA.

Adjusting to a whole new life for the past five months has been challenging. It was hard waking up at 4:30 and having people tell me what to do and when to do it 24-7. It’s hard not having the things that I was used to like phones to scroll on and music to listen to.

We actually don’t even have mirrors as well. There is no way to tell how we look or to spend time putting on make-up. We don’t have that either. But having no mirrors has been good because I could focus on myself and learn to be better.

We only get phone calls home on Sundays, so most of our communication back home comes from letters we write or receive. I have also learned to eat new foods. We can only eat what we are served, so I learned to eat what I am served even if I wouldn’t have tried it back at home.

Even though there were a lot of things to adjust to, I am glad that I came. Before coming to TCA, I was not on the right path. I was smoking, skipping classes and making bad choices in my life. I was failing all my classes and giving my parents a hard time.

But since coming here, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my actions and have learned ways to better myself.

If I were to give teens advice about coming to TCA, it would be that yes, the program is tough, but if you decide to come, take advantage of the opportunities you are given.

Take the 22 weeks to catch up on your high school credits, fix your attitude, and learn how to be a better person. Make it count because time waits for nobody.