My life is, in many ways, pretty normal. I'm not quite your typical teenager, but I study for school, check my Instagram, and hang out with my friends just like most teens do. That's where the similarities end, though.
First, I'm homeschooled. I know what you're thinking--"homeschooling? Doesn't that mean that you're lazy and your parents actually let you get away with it?" But it's actually just as difficult as "normal" school. Anatomy, algebra, art. French, the Civil War, essay writing. I do all of that. And, from what I've heard, a lot of schools only make you read one book a semester. To me, that's totally ridiculous! My reading list at the end of one month has at least 15 books on it. And those aren't all the Hunger Games or Twilight--although I've read those, too. I love authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, and Charlotte Brönte. The classics. I still read books by Rick Riordan and Suzanne Collins, but honestly, I'd choose Pride and Prejudice over Breaking Dawn any day of the week.
Another thing that makes me different from your average teenager is that I'm a devoted bunhead (and that's not someone who walks around with a pastry on their head). A bunhead is a term for a ballerina--in my case an aspiring one. I take class 6 days a week, wear pointe shoes (not "toe shoes," thank you very much) and leotards, and stretch every single day. Most people think that ballet is easy, that all we do is spin in circles all day. But in truth, we work harder and longer than most Olympic athletes. It takes years of training and complete dedication. We suffer through blisters, sore muscles, and horrible injuries and yet we still keep dancing. Everyone always asks me why I do it if it's so painful. I can't really put it into words. It's the feeling I get when I'm onstage, the feeling that I'm in complete control of my body, and knowing that for just a few minutes, it's just me, the audience, and the music. When I'm onstage, I can be anyone or anything. All it takes is passion, and devotion.
I love dancing. I like being homeschooled. And even though these things might make my life different from yours, I'm still a human. I still have feelings, high and low points, and a family that I love very much. I have friends, electronics, and a life. And I have God.
