Throughout your life the expectation is to grow into an adult capable of taking care of yourself. Each person's journey to adulthood is unique and different; however, some experiences are shared by everyone: high school, getting a driver's license, first dates, first jobs and independence; they are all rites of passage in today's society before they can be considered adults. The journey to adulthood begins in high school as a scared freshman. The soul-searching journey begins when new classes, clubs and opportunities arise. Therefore, the first year is full of firsts of all kinds; the first time you fail a class, the first time you stay up all night studying, or even the first time you secretly go out with friends. Whatever the first time in the first year, the ability to change a person, whether for better or worse, is the individual choice to make. The next stage in the journey of choices towards adulthood is the second year. While it's not as full of firsts as freshman year, it's still full of firsts and new things to learn. A first in your sophomore year might be getting your driver's license and your first car. According to a forum on AutoGeekonline, most people love their first car and keep it for many years (AutoGeek..). Many patterns develop during the sophomore year that will remain, not only for the remainder of high school but also into college and beyond. These patterns and habits may include: exercising, eating healthily, and doing homework ahead of time. Developing good habits like these will impact you for the rest of your life. As you enter your freshman year of high school, the mood shifts from fun and games to learning to manage your time with homework, extracurricular activities, and... ... middle of paper ...... live every moment. The learning experiences and choices you make during high school prepare you for future success or failure. However, even if you fail in high school, you still have the power, now as an adult, to change the game and succeed throughout your adult life. Works cited "Auto Geek Online Car Detailing and Car Care Products Discussion Forum. Learn tips and tricks on how to polish, use car wax, remove streaks and more." Auto Geek's online auto detailing RSS forum. Np, nd Web. December 30, 2013. Deutsch, Robert. “USATODAY.com – Full activity, study schedules cause many teens to simply say no to work.” USATODAY.com - Full activity and study schedules cause many teens to simply say no to work. USA Today, April 7, 2005. Web. January 1, 2014. Ondrasik, Giovanni. "100 years." Five to fight the battle for everything. Aware Records LCC, 2003. CD.