Everyone has a range of ups and downs in life. With senior student Marissa Mansanas, she has a variety of experiences in high school that helps her grow in life, but most importantly builds self-assurance.
“My biggest life-changing moment was when I was accepted into LVA, because for my freshman year, I was at my zone school. I knew I needed a change of environment, so when I got accepted to LVA, it was really pivotal for my skills and social surroundings,” says Mansanas, a graphic design major at LVA.
High school plays a significant role for Marissa, mentally and socially. Life-changing experiences come with life-changing lessons.
“Some things that are out of my comfort zone are public speaking. I wasn’t really a leader when I first came into high school and stuff. So in order to be able to publicly speak, I would just have to practice my speech in my head all the time, and make sure or just reassure myself that it’s okay if I mess up.”
She slowly built confidence in her speech when coming into LVA and overcame fears, setting a change in her mindset. But she also expresses concern for others when exiting their own comfort zone.
“You just need to remember to not be mean; not everything’s about you. It’s okay to make mistakes because no one’s paying attention that much,” says Marissa.
With her experiences of exiting her comfort zone for public speaking, she reminds others to not be afraid. It’s okay to mess up, because no one focuses on the mistakes made. However, don’t be too confident or underestimating yourself when attempting to overcome boundaries; just be you.
“I heard that, you know, you should fake it till you make it. Well, when I was doing a graphic design competition in Reno, I really wasn’t feeling what I was making, but I was acting confident. I was telling everyone ‘oh yeah, I definitely feel good.’ And, you know, I got a silver.”
Nervousness overwhelms Mansanas when being in a big moment. She often underestimates her abilities and attempts to be self-assured, just like many of us. But she learned that real self confidence can let us go further than we already are. LVA was a stepping stone for her journey of building courage, but also for her future.
“My biggest goal was to apply and get into college, and I already achieved that. So, be adaptable and flexible, because not everything’s gonna go according to plan. You should just be okay with things.”
Now nearing the end of her senior year at LVA, she learned something about herself from this journey.
“I’m not stoic or standoffish. I’m just really reserved and kind of shy,” Mansanas says. Many of us can relate to this type of personality, but Marissa adapted and learned how to exit the barriers of her comfort zone, making her become her own leader.
“I would tell my younger self: it’s now or never. So, cut my hair, dye it, have fun.”
