Loud and Proud
I believe that many say, time changes
It molds, grows, shapes, scrapes,
You
I, with tired limbs, heavy eyes, a crazy sleep schedule
Am a first generation college student
Just finished my first quarter at UCSC
I with more back and hip problems than and an elderly
Because I row more miles than ever
I with more words and knowledge than ever before
Because I have opened my mind to a whole new world
I with more friendly faces and sunsets memorized
Because I have met more memories than before
Change is never easy
Everyone knows that
It’s because you can feel it in your bones,
The air, the food, the words
Change becomes you
On the drive away from college,
I passed miles and miles of trees
I looked at myself in my bathroom mirror,
To catch a loud and proud girl staring back,
Dyed short hair with double ear piercings,
Makeup done well
And a whisper of a smile still on her lips
Her eyes crinkle
As she smiles to see herself still there