My Mixtape Autobiography

(2009- Present)
By: Adriana Mamou

The Mixtape
2009- ​ABC- The Jackson 5
2010- ​Love me- Justin Bieber
2011- ​Miss Movin' On- Fifth Harmony
2014- ​Say You Won't Let Go- James Arthur
2017- ​Now & Forever- Drake
2019- ​Selfish- Madison Beer
2020- ​El Perdedor- Maluma
 ABC- The Jackson 5
2009
It was June 25, 2009. My mom told my siblings and I that we were going to go over to
my aunt's house to go swimming. I was of course, excited. It was the end of June and it was so
hot. I asked my mom if my sister and I could jump on the trampoline in our backyard. She said
yes but as I jumped around little did I know my life would change.

As I was jumping I fell off the edge of the trampoline. Lots of people fall off trampolines
but I could not feel my right arm. I honestly don't remember what it looked like but the sound of
my screams echoed in my head as I grew very tired. I screamed, “Mommy, mommy arm help
me”. My mom looked up from inside my house and was now sprinting towards me on the
ground. From what she could see I had broken my arm. She told me later how out of place the
bone was. I had no idea what would happen. My mom called my older brother to come help and
I was put into the car as we rushed to the Emergency room.

My brother tried to keep me awake. He asked me lots of questions like what my favorite
ice-cream was. At this point I was already trying to fall asleep. As my mom drove down the
freeway I was very tired and felt very weak. However, I did not cry. I sat in the car staring at the
ceiling hoping for the pain to end. When we got to the hospital my mom went inside and medics
and hospital nurses opened the car door on the side I was seated in. I begged the lady that would
help me to please not move me. She told me she was sorry and that she had to. I told her please
my arm hurts. They had no choice. They removed me from the car and onto a stretcher where I
would soon be taken to a room.

As my mom and I sat in the room watching T.V. we found out that Micheal Jackson had
passed. I asked her the guy that sings,
“All you gotta do is repeat after me
A B C, easy as one, two, three
Are simple as do re mi
A B C, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl
A B C, easy as one, two, three”

I was kind of shocked to hear that he had passed on the day I broke my arm. My mom
and I thought that it was so crazy. However, I did know my ABC’s because I would be starting
kindergarten and I could not wait to sing them to my class.
 Love me- Justin Bieber
2010
I was finally in Kindergarten. I loved my classmates and my teacher. My class was the
best and I was so young that everything was so perfect to me. I had my two best friends. Natalia
and Grace. Grace, who I am still very close with today. Since I was so young I did not really
understand what it was to love someone. I had a crush on a few of the boys in my class and I told
my best friends about it.
I remember that each of us had our own crushes and we told one another. We would talk
to the boys and one day we told them that we liked them. Grace and I would talk about how
much we loved them and wanted to be with them. How were we supposed to know that we were
in kindergarten and had our whole lives ahead of us. A lot of the kids in kindergarten got
“married”. So, it was not unusual to like someone in your class.
The boy I had a crush on at the time was Tyler. I remember that we were both so tiny
and we told each other lies we liked one another. Him and I would hold hands on the playground
and were always together. Everyone knew that I liked Tyler and that he liked me. I wanted Tyler
to marry me, I was only five and did not really understand love or marriage. Ryan soon told me
that he would be moving away.
I was so sad because I wanted Tyler to love me. Just like Justin Biber had told me in all
his songs,
“L​ ove me, love me
Say that you love me
Fool me, fool me
Oh, how you do me
Kiss me, kiss me
Say that you miss me
Tell me what I wanna hear
Tell me you love me”
I was so sad when Tyler told me he would be going away. I asked him why and he told
me his family was moving away to be closer with his family. I told my friends that I could not
marry Tyler because he was moving away. I was very sad, of course only for a day or so because
I did not understand the concept of love.
When school started back around the next year for 1st grade Tyler was gone, and I would
soon have another crush that caught my eye. But this time, he would be a 2nd grader.
 Miss Movin' On- Fifth Harmony
2011
I was now at a new school. My previous school was not a school that my parents liked.
There was an incident where a lunchy duty person had made me cry and treated me unfairly
compared to other students. I got home from 1st grade. Tears streamed down my face as I told
my mom how the lunch duty threw my orange in the trash and stepped on it when I asked him to
help me peel it. Within two days I was already at a new school.
Onto bigger and better things. However, I was so young I was sad that I had to leave
behind my friends from kindergarten. My parents told me it was okay and that I would make
plenty of new friends. I guess it was time to move on from my old friends and make new ones.
“Everything is changing and I never wanna go back to the way it was. I'm finding who I
am and who I am from here on out is gonna be enough. It's gonna be enough. I'll never be that
girl again, no oh oh. I'll never be that girl again, oh oh oh.”
I was so happy to start a new school because I knew that the people at school would be so
much nicer to me. I also liked my new teacher, she was very kind and I sat next to a few kids
who later would become my best friends. It was a good change. One that I disliked at the start
but it really did change my life for the better. I had so many new friends and amazing
opportunities. I would play tag with all of the kids during recess and we all became so close.
 ​Say You Won't Let Go- James Arthur
2014
I was only in 4th grade. I awoke to the sounds or arguing and I was not sure what it was. I
creeped over to my parents bedroom door and I wondered why they were arguing. They said
something about splitting up. I was so confused. They seemed so happy together. Maybe they
were just in a big argument and everything would be okay in the morning.
My oldest brother pulled me aside. I asked him what was wrong and he told me that him
and I had to stay strong. I was very confused. He told me we had to stay strong for my younger
siblings and that they were splitting up. My litt heart shattered into a million pieces. I was so
upset and hurt at the thought that my parents would no longer be together.
My life would no longer be the same. I asked God why me, why my family? I never
understood why. I still do not understand why. It has always affected me. I remember entering
the 5th grade so devastated. My parents now lived in separate households. I wanted them to be
back together, but it was as if it would never happen.
I asked each of them why it happened and they both told me the same thing. I still love
him/ her and we still are a family. But all I wanted was for us to stay together and have a normal
happy life. I never wanted their relationship to fall apart.
“​I knew I loved you then. But you'd never know. 'Cause I played it cool when I was
scared of letting go. I know I needed you. But I never showed. But I wanna stay with you until
we're grey and old. Just say you won't let go.”
 ​Now & Forever- Drake
2017
Highschool. Wow, time has flown by and I am here now after wanting to be in high
school for so long. Little did I know how time would fly by so fast. I picked out my outfit for the
first day. I was so excited to start highschool.
Everyone talks about highschool and everything that happens. High School was basically
you becoming an adult. Where you would find your real friends, lose your fake ones, and even
live out your teenage life. I was so excited. Although, I was so sad because I had to leave behind
my middle school friends even friends I had got to school with since elementary. However, I met
my kindergarten and young friends once again. It was all so bitter sweet. I now had to face the
fact that I would be growing up.
I put on my outfit, curled my hair, did my makeup, and got into the car. My mom and I
talked about the first day and I told her how nervous I was. She told me not to worry but come on
this is the start of my adult life. I had no idea what to expect. We were finally there. I gave my
mom a kiss goodbye and opened the door.
I stepped onto the campus as the bell rang. I was just on time. I rushed to class eager to
see the new faces and old that I would be with the rest of the year. I was kind of lost and was a
little scared that I would be late the first day. I got help from a few of the seniors who I had met
over summer.
I stepped into my first class and thought of a song I had listened to. It went, ​“I know
I'mma be alone. I know I'm out on my own. I just gotta hit the road. I just gotta know the road”.
Come on Adri, it is time to be a big girl, you will be 18 in just four more years.
 ​Selfish- Madison Beer
2019
Junior year. I was very excited for this year even though I heard it would be the hardest
one yet. I had such an amazing group of friends and I got to look forward to my Sweet 16. I was
happy about my party but I was honestly so upset. I chose September 20th because I could not do
my birthday date. Little did I know when I went to confirm it with my boyfriend that it was the
Homecoming football game.
I had told him months in advance about my big day and he said yes until he got his
schedule. I was devastated because first, not a lot of people would make it because they all
wanted to be at homecoming. Two, my own boyfriend would not be at my own party. I was so
upset as I had told him noths in advance.
I had a custom dress, we rented out a nightclub, a photrapy crew, my parents did
everything to make sure I had a good day. I had such an amazing night. I decided to put all of the
bad things behind me because nothing would ruin my day.
However, my relationship kind of fell apart after this. He put football first and did not
even try to come to my party. Things had changed so much and I saw the person he was
becoming. I was no longer happy. It made it so much worse to see that everyone was celebrating
the win and I was not with them. It was a bittersweet moment. I had to be happy for myself.
I was not sure who was elsfihs in the situation. Me for being upset that he couldn't make
it for him for knowing and acne and for not putting in the effort even after his game.
These lyrics reminded me of how I felt​. “ ​Shouldn't love you, but I couldn't help it
Had a feeling that you never felt it. I always knew that you were too damn selfish. Don't know why I
looked the other way.I wanted you to change, yeah​”. ​After we split I realized a lot of things about
myself and him.
 El Perdedor- Maluma
2020
It seems like the world is ending. Maybe that is just how I feel. I did not think Covid-19
was anything to fear. That was until its number peaked and so many people where I live and are
surrounded by were affected. Everyone was happy to not be in school. They all wanted a break
away. Now, I long for school and and my classmates.
Actual interacion where I do not have to make sure my screen is not frozen. Everything
had changed and it is as though my life has changed darstcailly befrie mt eyes. One moment
everyhing was okay. We were all happy and the next hosypials are overflowing and people are
dying more often each and everyday.
I then thought about my loved ones. Especially my grandparenst. To think that they could
be affected broke mt heart. I was not allowd over at their house for about two weeks. Which was
so usnual to me because I always spent alot of time with them. Now I have to facetime them and
call to hear their voices. The corna virus has instilled fear into the entire nation.
Everyone is so fearful of their lives. We are all bored and tired of starting at our cielings.
What more is there to do? What more can be done? Well, I enjoy listeing to music. This is why I
chose this song. This is the song that has been played so often. I hoenslty could say this sonh is
on repeat and I lsiten to it more than 30 times a day.
I love the song because my dad and I listen to it as well as my mom and I. It really makes
me feel connected with my family that I cannot always be wiht during this time. I am always
singing, ​“Dime cuál fue mi error, Si mi único delito solo fue amarte Hoy soy el perdedor Él me
ha robado el truco para enamorarte Y dime que me amas, aunque sea mentira “.