The Big Picture

People at Oxnard High School talk about their perspective on life

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Teenagers have to experience maturity in order to reach adulthood.

Vitaliy Kostylov and Tatyana Sharpe

“Life is one big question…You have to find the answer,” said Oxnard High School junior Cisco Rangel. Some people go through difficult situations in life. It is the attitude that counts.

On the other hand, junior Mike Villalobos, said, “Life can be fun but then it’s also difficult.”

There are different challenges and obstacles during the process of living. One particular challenge that Oxnard High School junior, Juan Rodriguez had to face was the absence of a parent. Rodriguez said, “It’s just me and my mom…Wherever my dad is, I don’t care anymore. He never helped me…he’s not gonna’ help me now…Don’t let it hold you down, it could be as bad as it seems but, the fact that someone still loves you, is enough to hold or keep you up.”

According to Rangel, the purpose to live is to be congenial. “Making someone smile is probably the best thing you can get out of life. Just knowing that what you do makes someone else happy and that…that just gives you a meaning that gives you something to live for…Happiness is always where your home is.”

With adolescence, new responsibilities, opportunities and experiences come. “Well, I know that later in life I will have bigger responsibilities. If I will ever have children or get married that would be a whole bunch of responsibilities,” said junior Alicia Gonzalez.

At some point, every teenager has to start deciding for himself. “It was about tenth grade…That was when I first felt I wanted to be a teacher. I would call it a calling…It gave me a goal to shoot for as far as my education,” said Bible Club adviser and mathematics teacher, Mr. John Reynolds.

Some adults, as well as teenagers, go through a change in life. “When we moved it was a big change for our family…It was both positive and negative,” said Mr. Reynolds.

“Looking back…There was a lot of loose morals in a lot of ways and my family had raised me…fairly strict but I think it was a good moral upbringing and they can see that I was starting to..really kind of stray from those things…Later on in life…We talked about those rocky years…I came around, and it was kind of like sorry I screwed up guys,” said Mr. Reynolds.

Whether it be a positive or negative experience, difficulties and beneficial experiences define a person’s life.