Max Mathues Mathues 1

Ms. Wilson

3rd Period

2/27/2019

Who is going to be there? What should I take for a balanced workload? How are people

going to act? Is anyone going to like me? All of these questions raced through my head. I was a

quiet person, keeping to my own unless I knew someone well, and unfortunately, I didn't know

anyone at Heritage High. I had been a good student throughout school so far, making lots of

friends and keeping my grades up. The only difference between the past and my would-be future

is that in the past I had stayed with the same group of people for years, only to separate from

them now and have everything change in high school. High school was going to be an entirely

different experience.

When I arrived at high school, the first thing I noticed was how massive it seemed. With

its thousands of kids and seemingly countless hallways, I thought it would be easy to meet

people, similar to the way I was before. What I didn't realize at the time was that everyone had

already been in their own friend groups from middle school, as most everyone that attended

heritage high had also gone to the heritage middle school. On top of this everyone seemed to

mask who they really are, putting on a show for everyone else of what the others wanted to see.

Because of my struggles to meet people I then found myself struggling to focus and do well in

school.

I believe there may have been several reasons outside of school that I found myself

having a hard time, with a lack of ability to manage my time being at the forefront. I had several

baseball commitments outside of school, a job that wanted more hours from me than I could
Max Mathues Mathues 2

Ms. Wilson

3rd Period

2/27/2019
handle at the time, and homework and projects from school to top it all off. I was in an endless

loop of exhaustion and despair, not thinking I was able to do everything and at the same time not

wanting to give anything up. All of the activities in my daily schedule may not have been as big

of an issue if I wasn't also struggling at school. After a semester I still hadn’t made progress in

either my academic life or my social life, going from mostly A’s and some B’s to some B’s and

some C’s. Around my second semester of my freshman year, I told myself that things needed to

change and I needed to find some way to better myself at school. My dilemma was then that I

couldn’t conceivably add anything else to my daily schedule. I was stumped, waging a mental

battle over what was more important to me; baseball, school, social life, or work. It was at this

time that the problem solved itself, a baseball injury preventing me from playing for an extended

period of time. I used this time to do more volunteering for the homeless, try some new clubs at

school, and put myself out there for other people to finally see who I was, and am to this day.

Due to these measures to make friends, in tandem with the several more hours I had every day,

my grades improved some, and I was happier overall in school as well as at home.

In hindsight, I should have made changes to my lifestyle earlier in my life to prevent this

from ever happening, but I think the experience helped me grow by teaching me to adapt to any

situation and make friends in the process, whether the situation is an injury or moving schools. I

overcame my struggle with school and my grades started rising again, still not up to my standard

but still improving, and at the same time I now have many more friends at the school I am

comfortable being myself around. Even though the personal journey that I went on was not
 Max Mathues Mathues 2

Ms. Wilson

3rd Period

2/27/2019
something that I would have preferred, I do think that it grew me as a person and even got me

interested in some new things. Through the clubs I joined in an attempt to make friends I gained

an interest in technology, leading me to start tinkering with electronics and eventually building a

few computers, and even making me want to pursue a career in computer engineering. There

were some costs of these changes however, like not having as much time for some activities I did

prior to high school unless I make some extra time during my day, like baseball, or going on runs

and bike rides with friends. Overall I think my life has changed for the better in the last year or

so, and I am a much different person than I was. My endless loop of fatigue and stress finally had

come to an end.

Narrative Essay Rubric (Honors)

Score: 43.5/50
W.9-10.3​. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences.
Standard
3.a​. ​Introduction​ -
Engage and orient the
reader by setting out a
problem, situation, or
observation, establishing
one or multiple point(s)
of view, and introducing
a narrator and/or
characters; create a
smooth progression of
experiences or events.
10
Exceptional (10-9) Proficient (8-7) Emerging (6-1) Not Evident (0)
❏ Effectively hook the ❏ Hook the reader with
reader with a creative, a compelling hook
original, and
compelling hook ❏ Effectively sets out a
problem, situation, or
❏ Effectively sets out a observation
problem, situation, or
observation in a ❏ Establish an insightful
compelling and/or point of view
creative manner
❏ Introduce a narrator,
❏ Establish an insightful, characters, setting,
original, or creative and main idea
point of view
❏ Introduce a ​complex
and/or creative
narrator, characters,
setting, and main idea
 Max Mathues
Ms. Wilson
3rd Period
2/27/2019
3.b. ​Narrative​ - ​Use
narrative techniques,
such as dialogue, pacing,
description, reflection,
and multiple plot lines,
to develop experiences,
events, and/or
characters.
8 events, and/or
3.c​. ​Organization​ - ​Use a
variety of techniques to
sequence events so that
they build on one
another to create a
coherent whole.
8.5
3.d.​ ​Language​ - ​Use
precise words and
phrases, telling details,
and sensory language to
convey a vivid picture of
the experiences, events,
setting, and/or
characters.
3.e.​ ​Conclusion​ - ​Provide
a conclusion that follows
from and reflects on
what is experienced,
observed, or resolved
❏ Utilize ​two or more
(teacher discretion)
narrative techniques
with purpose:
dialogue, pacing,
description, reflection,
multiple plot lines,
etc…
❏ Develop experiences,
characters and to
clearly develop a
purposeful theme
❏ Use ​purposefully
narrative techniques
such as
foreshadowing,
dramatic irony,
suspense, and/or
flashbacks in a ​highly
effective manner​ ​to
create an original plot
structure
❏ Create a smooth
progression of
experiences or events
that is logical, ​creative,
and sophisticated ​and
that uses ​highly
engaging devices
❏ Use precise, detailed
and ​sophisticated
words, phrases, and
sensory language​ to
engage the reader ​and
convey a​ ​vivid picture
❏ Provide a conclusion
that reflects on what is
experienced, observed,
or resolved
❏ Extends the meaning
and purpose to
Mathues 2
❏ Utilize narrative
techniques such as
dialogue, pacing,
description,
reflection, and
multiple plot lines
❏ Develop experiences,
events, and/or
characters in attempt
to convey theme
❏ Use appropriately
techniques such as
foreshadowing,
dramatic irony,
suspense, and/or
flashbacks
❏ Create a smooth
progression of
experiences or events
that is logical and
engaging
❏ Use precise and
detailed words,
phrases, and sensory
language to convey a
vivid picture
❏ Provide a conclusion
that reflects on what
is experienced,
observed, or resolved
❏ Extends the meaning
to convey a theme
 Max Mathues Mathues 2

Ms. Wilson

3rd Period

2/27/2019
over the course of the connect to the
narrative. audience ​and​ ​convey a
complex and original
theme
8