Shelbi Provence
Ms. Lehmann
English 2-1A
4 October 2019
Goodbyes Are Not Forever
My oldest brother, Jadyn, went away. I didn’t hear everything that took place in the phone call, but my mom arranged everything. Jadyn began hanging with friends as much as possible. He went out and tried to enjoy the time he had before he left for the academy. When I first found out that my brother, my best friend, was being sent away, I was devastated. I didn’t want him to leave at all. He was the only thing that got me excited living with my mom. We did everything together, and went everywhere together. “I need you to still focus on yourself while I'm away.” Said Jadyn.
Eventually, the day that I had been dreading had finally arrived. Waking up that morning was awful. We got all of his bags and put them in our car, then began our 8 and a half hour trip. The way up was nothing but tears and sobbing. Finally, we arrived at the academy. I refused to get out of the car because I was so upset. I didn’t want to let him go. After a good ten minutes or so, I eventually got out and fell into Jadyn’s arms. I cried on his shoulder for the longest time. “I love you. You’re going to be okay and do great things,” I repeated into his ear.
Everyone said their goodbyes, then we watched him march away with the other cadets. The academy was surrounded by a forest of trees and animals. It smelt of pine and smoke. There were small white buildings, and the sergeants explained to us that that was where the cadets bunked at night. There were little razors parked everywhere, and that’s what the sergeants would drive around in to check the camp. As we were driving back, the weather got really bad, so we had to stay in a hotel in Boise. All the way there I had been crying so much, that by the time we reached Boise, my eyes were so swollen and I couldn’t see straight.
Jadyn was away for six whole months. I feel like that was the longest, most miserable six months of my life. Things at home were rough, and going to bed every night knowing he was still not there was the worst feeling. Around Thanks giving, up at the academy, they held a day called “Family Day.” We all drove up to Pierce and visited Jadyn for a whole day. When we went up there we brought so much junk food, soda, stuff that Jadyn had requested us to bring, because they weren’t allowed to eat bad, only healthy.
We eventually went back home and of course on the way back home again, I was bawling my eyes out but I was a little more relieved because I knew we only had a couple more months until he finally came home.
Another month and a half or so, just a week before Christmas, came the time where Jadyn was graduating from this academy and could finally come home. The drive up there was normally about an eight hour drive, but because of the snow, it took us a whole twelve hours to get there. Traffic was backed up in Boise because of the weather and we had to take a different route. When we had finally arrived to the academy, it was packed. There was over a thousand cadets in the system so all their families had been there. When we got Jadyn and drove back home, Jadyn had came to a realization. “This was what was best for me.”
Personal Narrative Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
I had to brainstorm. I wrote an outline. I had to determine where I was going to put dialogue, show don't tell & imagery. I had to type up a rough draft and have it checked by the teacher.
2. What qualifies this paper as a narrative? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
The paper has dialogue, show don't tell, and it has imagery. It tells of an actual event.
3. What is one part of your story that you think turned out really well? What do you like about that part?
The part where we arrived at the academy. I feel like it was well written out.
Ms. Lehmann
English 2-1A
4 October 2019
Goodbyes Are Not Forever
My oldest brother, Jadyn, went away. I didn’t hear everything that took place in the phone call, but my mom arranged everything. Jadyn began hanging with friends as much as possible. He went out and tried to enjoy the time he had before he left for the academy. When I first found out that my brother, my best friend, was being sent away, I was devastated. I didn’t want him to leave at all. He was the only thing that got me excited living with my mom. We did everything together, and went everywhere together. “I need you to still focus on yourself while I'm away.” Said Jadyn.
Eventually, the day that I had been dreading had finally arrived. Waking up that morning was awful. We got all of his bags and put them in our car, then began our 8 and a half hour trip. The way up was nothing but tears and sobbing. Finally, we arrived at the academy. I refused to get out of the car because I was so upset. I didn’t want to let him go. After a good ten minutes or so, I eventually got out and fell into Jadyn’s arms. I cried on his shoulder for the longest time. “I love you. You’re going to be okay and do great things,” I repeated into his ear.
Everyone said their goodbyes, then we watched him march away with the other cadets. The academy was surrounded by a forest of trees and animals. It smelt of pine and smoke. There were small white buildings, and the sergeants explained to us that that was where the cadets bunked at night. There were little razors parked everywhere, and that’s what the sergeants would drive around in to check the camp. As we were driving back, the weather got really bad, so we had to stay in a hotel in Boise. All the way there I had been crying so much, that by the time we reached Boise, my eyes were so swollen and I couldn’t see straight.
Jadyn was away for six whole months. I feel like that was the longest, most miserable six months of my life. Things at home were rough, and going to bed every night knowing he was still not there was the worst feeling. Around Thanks giving, up at the academy, they held a day called “Family Day.” We all drove up to Pierce and visited Jadyn for a whole day. When we went up there we brought so much junk food, soda, stuff that Jadyn had requested us to bring, because they weren’t allowed to eat bad, only healthy.
We eventually went back home and of course on the way back home again, I was bawling my eyes out but I was a little more relieved because I knew we only had a couple more months until he finally came home.
Another month and a half or so, just a week before Christmas, came the time where Jadyn was graduating from this academy and could finally come home. The drive up there was normally about an eight hour drive, but because of the snow, it took us a whole twelve hours to get there. Traffic was backed up in Boise because of the weather and we had to take a different route. When we had finally arrived to the academy, it was packed. There was over a thousand cadets in the system so all their families had been there. When we got Jadyn and drove back home, Jadyn had came to a realization. “This was what was best for me.”
Personal Narrative Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
- Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
I had to brainstorm. I wrote an outline. I had to determine where I was going to put dialogue, show don't tell & imagery. I had to type up a rough draft and have it checked by the teacher.
2. What qualifies this paper as a narrative? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
The paper has dialogue, show don't tell, and it has imagery. It tells of an actual event.
3. What is one part of your story that you think turned out really well? What do you like about that part?
The part where we arrived at the academy. I feel like it was well written out.