Mai Dao

Memoir Project

Heart rate quickening, my best and newest clothes clad, I walked into the large
building I would get lost in many-a-times as a Gaylord High School student; fourteen
years old, and a naive freshman. I recall vividly how anxious I was to make new friends,
get good grades, and make the most of my high school experience. Little did I know, I
most certainly would, but not in the way I had planned.
I was eager to join clubs and organizations. After running cross country and track in
middle school, I intended to up my titles of Regional champion and break records at the
high school level.
Jeff Kalember, head coach of the high school varsity cross country and track team had
been talking to me and recruiting me for the high school running teams since the year
prior to my 9th grade year. From the beginning, my coach has and, not to my knowledge
yet, would always be there for me, pushing me to be a better, hard-working person, every
single day.
Coming into a new building, with older students and peers, my maturity level was very
low, to say the least. I acted out in bad ways such as underage drinking, and hanging out
with people one would be hesitant to call good influences.
I began dating a senior boy, and proceeded to move into his locker, sneak out to go to
parties with, and skip class to spend time with. I began neglecting my athletic and
academic commitments, skipping my classes and practices to seem cool and satiate my
rebellious side. All those less than wise choices culminated into a photo of me holding an

alcoholic beverage being posted on Facebook. The athletic director was informed of it
and I was forced to sit out the rest of my cross country season. At the time, I did not
mind, I would continue on this reckless path to failure. But thinking back on it now, I had
disappointed my coach and teammates more than anyone; myself, my parents, and my
friends who did not engage in those activities.

As the semester went on I acted out even more recklessly. My single mother could not
handle my antics anymore. Between the lying, sneaking out, and utter disrespect for her
rules, she sent me to live with my father. Strict as strict can be, they thought that my
living with him would straighten me out; but it only made me sneakier and cleverer in my
ways of hooliganism. As anyone would expect, other students did not take well to a little
freshman coming in and rousing everything up. I began to become bullied by a group of
senior girls. They would get their boyfriends to offer me their football jerseys as a joke,
they would write my name on their cars for away games, and even come into my work,
laughably at KFC, to harass me. As cruel as these seniors were, I do not deny any blame
in eliciting myself to be an easy target for them. It became so bad that another group of
senior girls came to my defense and reported them for their cruel ways. After their
suspension, the family I was living with, (because my father could also not handle me)
and myself decided I should get the hell out of dodge.
For the second semester of my freshman year, I transferred to a nearby school the
town over. My semester at Johannesburg public schools was a blur. I detested going to
school. Going to a smaller school, and missing my friends back in Gaylord made me
realize that I would clean my act up to get back to there for my sophomore year

And indeed I did. I did not tell many of my plan to return. And on the first day of classes,
I remember being extremely uncomfortable while being bombarded with questions of
why I decided to return. The worst part was that I opted out of participating in cross
country that year, but had my coach as a chemistry teacher. He would hint at my potential
being wasted every day during class, encouraging me to participate in the Spring. I got
through most of the year, slowly maturing and trying to salvage my deplorable GPA. I
decided to follow my coachs advice and go out for the track team. I was so excited to
prove how good I was and how I could benefit the already state title holding team. It
turns out that my endurance from not doing cross country in the fall was very low. I spent
most of the season getting back into shape and endurance up that by only at the end I was
making significant time improvements. Throughout, my coach kept telling me how
invaluable I was, that I would get back to the ranks I was in in middle school if I would
run over the summer and compete in cross country in the fall. He encouraged me to not
give up and keep striving to be the best athlete that I could be.
I took his advice to heart and worked my ass off that summer following my unsuccessful
track season. I logged the miles, ate healthy, and went to every practice. I started hanging
out with my teammates outside of practices, losing touch with those peers that would
only bring me down. Looking back on it now, I made life-long friends from my
participation in running sports. I ran cross country for him that fall and stayed in shape
throughout the winter with indoor track during my junior year. While my athletic career
at Gaylord High started to look up, my academics needed a lot more tending to. I took
three advanced placement classes that year to improve my GPA. By the time track rolled

around in the spring. I was ready. Right from the get go I was beating times that I was
running at the end of last season. I was winning races, and being placed on the most
intense, coveted relay teams, including the 4x400 meter relay. I remember that season
fondly. Working the hardest I have ever in my life to help my team eventually qualify for
the state finals and receiving most improved athlete. It was the best accomplishment that
we all reached together. I felt like a million bucks for not giving up, not taking a day off,
and making my coach proud of me.

My junior year was definitely the peak of my turnaround. But it didnt stop getting better
from there
That Summer I participated in the 48th annual Alpenfest queens pageant, getting
awarded second runner-up; a huge honor and opportunity to volunteer and represent
Gaylord throughout the year, throughout the state of Michigan. In the fall, I again ran a
successful season of cross country. I took two advanced placement classes my senior year
and two dual enrollment 3-credit classes at the local community college. My coach ended
up nominating me for many scholarships and wrote me countless letters of
recommendations, none of which would have happened if I hadnt shown him my full
potential. Voted onto the homecoming court, team captain of the track team and receiving
the award for most improved GPA were just a few highlights of my senior year. Being
able to compare and contrast that with my freshman year has just shown me how far Ive
come. Almost tangible improvements were made, and I couldnt be more pleased or
proud.

My first semester at MSU was eerily similar to my first semesters of high school.
I had a rough transition, not knowing what to expect coming from such a small town to a
huge university. Blindly trying to find my place here has taken its toll on my social life,
mental health and grades. Miserably trying to get it together gave me a moment of
eureka! I have been through this before: all I have to do to turn it around is remind myself
of my potential and my goals. It is all a learning experience.