You learn sometimes.

I remember the first day of my Archery club shoot. I was just a freshman at North Kitsap High School. I wanted to make new friends and be a little known, so one of my friends told me to join him in Archery. Hey, shooting things with arrows. Sounds pretty cool if you asked me.

It was so early in the morning, I remember waking up at 4:50am on a cold morning, grumbling and trying to pull myself out of my bed. I knew I needed to do this; it was the only way I could make friends and be around people that enjoyed doing the same things I did. After getting ready, my mom drove me early morning to school to see the coach.

The coach was very nice. He introduced himself as I introduced myself too, and did a few basic tests to see what bow I could shoot with. He taught me the 11 important things in archery, and taught me new techniques I could adjust to, (whether I liked it or not), to better myself. When I shot my first shot, I just heard my coach gasp.

I shot a bull’s eye, and on my first shot. I was so happy. I knew right away that this is where I belong, with the archery team. I shot another arrow, and managed to get another bull’s eye. I couldn't believe it, and neither could my coach.

This moment when I was only 15 years old taught me a lot in the last 2 years, more than just standing, aiming, and shoot for the x in the middle. I learned things like determination and competition, how to be one with myself and nature…

It was very important. Without archery, there are many things I might possibly be confused about today. When I was in archery, I learned how to relax a little and have one. Let’s just say that I am not a laid back person, and that I probably care a little too much about things no one would ever care about. Archery showed me that it’s okay to let loose and be yourself, and just do what you love to do. Even though I had to wake up so early, which I quite dreaded myself, it was still a fun activity to let loose and watch the arrow fly across the air wherever you decide to guide it. It’ll only go where you want it to go, and that’s how I learned with life. You need to take control but relax, too.