This year was an odd one, not only because it was my first year at High School but also due to some of the more recent developments on the world stage. The first semester of my freshmen year was a rather decent start to my High School career, I finished with straight A's which is nice. I would like to think that I was a decent public speaker coming into High School but some of the presentations I've had to do this year have made me more a proficient speaker. I would like to think that for the most part I was a solely positive influence but to be realistic I was more of a mixed bag of being distracted and focusing on my work and trying to answer anything asked me. I believe I am able to integrate my quotes rather well and in the beginning my commentary, on the whole, is rather strong. Where I seem to struggle as a writer is when I'm completing an essay and run into a block, at which point my commentary becomes weaker and begins to lack any real substance. I didn't have any major goals for this semester but one minor goal was to make it on to the competition Mock Trial, fortunately, I was able to complete that goal and was on the team as a witness and the only freshmen on the team. With that goal completed I can say I had a mildly successful first year of High School.