Yours, Travis.

       “ Be yourself ,” they say, but why is it that every time I’m true to myself, all I get is judgement? When I was young, I was just like everyone else— happy, playful, smileful, and mischievous. When I started studying, I was still like any other average student— sometimes noisy, sometimes quiet. I do not consider myself as a star of the class, nor did I shine bright like a diamond in my teachers’ eyes.    But everything changed when the pandemic hit. Before the pandemic, I was the kind of student who was content with just passing. But when I reached grade 9, my perspective on studying changed. I received a grade of 72 on my report card, which really disappointed me. My parents didn’t show anger when they saw the grade, but deep down, I knew that sadness had taken control of their emotions.       As a student, I was known as someone who wasn’t an academic achiever but could pass. However, at that very moment, when I saw my mom’s eyes, I...