“Even though our date didn’t go so well, he remembered that my electric frying pan broke, and he surprised me with a new one at my doorstep. That’s when I knew he was the one.” My piano teacher has told me the story numerous times how she and her husband met and fell in love. I’ve dreamt about it I’ve heard it so many times. Every Wednesday before lessons, we talk. She tells me how she met her husband, and I tell her what happened at lunch that day.

We have an unusually close relationship. Most students don’t tell their piano teacher about their personal life, but I’m an exception. I was telling her about an ex-boyfriend and how upset I was when he broke up with me. It was hard to be friends when he wasn’t really putting in the effort. After I went into more detail about the situation, all she said was, “He sounds like a real jerk.” She proceeded to tell me that he was stupid, immature, and that I could do better. Then, she shared with me something I’ll never forget. “I have three sons and trust me, I know how boys are, but unfortunately, they don’t mature until their twenty-five. That’s the age. Twenty-five.”

I’ve had my fair share of flings, drama, and partying throughout high school. My experiences have made me want to stay in high school rather than grow up and move on. I told my piano teacher I wasn’t too crazy about going to college next year. She admitted college is more difficult, but she also said it’s more fun than high school because you’re on your own. She explained if I want to get a descent job to financially support myself later on, I have to continue my education. More importantly, she said I have to find something I can do twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. She gave me a serious reality check, and without her, I wouldn’t have changed my priorities.
I’m ready to bring my maturity to UWM. I’m ready to work hard, discover my talents and abilities, and share with others the guidance I have received from my piano teacher. Every Wednesday before lessons, we talk. She tells me to go to college and find whatever it is that makes me happy, and I tell her, I’m ready.