When I arrived at the Deck House School I was wary, fully disillusioned with boarding schools. I had been involved for over three years in a school that attempted to help kids with similar behaviors and of similar intelligence. It didn't work. I was often angry and confused. I wanted support, but didn't want to be smothered or fed dime store psychology from other students. The first thing I noticed at The Deck House School was how funny the teachers were. It almost seemed to be a requirement to have a sense of humor. The school was small, relaxed. The academics were interesting and challenging. Unlike my old school I could maintain continuous contact with my family, and go home for vacations. (These will be my first Thanksgiving and Christmas that I spend with my family in four years.)

My teenage years have not been pleasant, yet I find balance and a sense of place here. I'm not in love with this school, or any school for that matter. I'm not always grateful for what I have here. I experience constant confusion and changes in my life, but at least I'm treated as a person here. And I'm happy. Happier than I've been in a long time, coupled with the relentless guilt, restlessness, and disillusionment that comes with being seventeen. This school is different from the others I have attended. There are no unnecessary or oppressive expectations. There is no hidden agenda. There is no vague arbitrary theme that everything seems to fall back on. I don't feel resentful or suspicious of this school's presence. I encounter reality, and gradually learn.