“Magic 8-Ball: Outlook Not

So Good”
-Bella Estrada
As a child, life was simple. All my questions would be answered my trusty Magic 8-Ball. With the magical and omniscient answers depicted to me, I
would live my life through the lens of childhood bliss. What I found myself doing as I got older, around the age of eight, is shaking the 8-Ball until I got the
answer I desired. I did not want to admit to myself that I was going against 8-Ball’s almighty answers, but it became increasingly hard to accept the fate I was
given. In sixth grade, I donated my 8-Ball to Goodwill leaving me confused yet overly confident. It was fairly easy to go through the sixth and seventh grade
without the 8-Ball’s guidance. I was in a class of twelve where I was deemed the leader so whatever mistakes I made, everyone else made as well making me feel
less alone. However, when eighth grade arrived, it hit me like a brick. I was loaded with homework, several on-going projects, seven different extra-curricular
activities, and an immense amount of pressure to be the model student. I was lost and alone for most of the leaving me sitting in my room asking, “What do I
do?” to the ghost of my Magic 8-Ball. Luckily, I graduated and started my journey to high school.

Walking through the gates of Mater Dei on the first day of my freshman year seemed like a breath of fresh air. I wanted to start over hoping that I would
not long for my 8-Ball any longer. At that moment, my 8-Ball in Goodwill heaven was reading “Outlook Not So Good.” Everything that could go wrong during my
freshman year did. Every decision I made seemed to be wrong and I wished that I could know for sure that everything was going to be okay but sadly I was alone
and confused once again. On the first day of my sophomore year, I felt like a defeated solider anticipating losing the battle. Exactly when it seemed I was going
to give up, I found some truly “8-Ball-sent” soldiers that stuck with me to help me win reminding me that though the outlook may not be so good, true friends
can help you get through it and find the good in a bad situation.