My name is Joseph.. Joseph Barroso and I’m not your ordinary teenage boy- well it’s what I think. Where do I even begin I’m from the Bronx.. in New York obviously (I know not the prettiest place but oh well) I lived there for awhile until I moved down to North Bergen when I was 13, my life started from there. Growing up I was never the popular kid or the smart one either, I was mainly the “I stay to myself” kind of guy and that was only because I didn’t know anyone in the town I moved to.. other than my neighbor. Freshman year of high school I did play junior varsity football until Covid struck, and well march of 2020 was kind of a wild era, 2 weeks off from school turned into the whole school year, what a way to end freshman year. High key I did enjoy online school, (it’s probably why I passed freshman year, yes Quizlet was my bestfriend), summer did feel a little longer during home learning. So, towards the end of my summer I moved.. once again, but I left the state. It wasn’t my favorite because I was leaving somewhere where I felt comfortable, but I had no choice. You won’t believe where I moved to.. Florida, and no not the Florida where the waters clear and the palm trees look so healthy.. I moved to Duval. Let me tell you not the best, it is so hot down here that when it rains it’s hot and sticky. I can’t even be outside for 10 seconds without sweating, and pray that the wind blowing isn’t hot. However, Covid? Yes, was still a thing so in that case I even did 10th grade year online, 10th grade year wasn’t that bad I actually had fun staying at home doing school. So let me explain the part where I said I wasn’t ordinary. Fast forward to junior year, I went and I still am attending Westside High School Class of 2023. When I started junior year I gained a lot of popularity sorta everyone was talking to me and questioning me asking where I was from, so in the middle of junior year I knew the majority of the school, I even started to play baseball. I played Left outfield for the varsity baseball team, I also became known by all the teachers in my school, So my confidence to talk to people grew (I still hated the school only because I felt like I didn’t fit in), So towards the almost ending of Junior year, I met someone.. Someone that I’ve liked for while in school and her name is Maddy, she’s like my MJ, I met her and we clicked she made me so nervous to talk to her and during that time she’s made me so happy and the reason why I looked forward to going to school. She was and still is my true love, my person. She loves me like no other person has, and I plan on having a future with her. Do I regret my life choices? No. Do I regret coming here? No. Do I miss my home town? Absolutely. So, I leave it all here, now currently a senior at Westside Highschool class of 2023, it’s hitting me now and when I leave this place to start a new chapter I’m gonna miss it, I’m gonna miss the faculty and the memories I’ve made. However, I do know good things always come to an end, and my high school experience was great, but as I start to turn pages in my life I grow. So, if you want to know how I got here you’re going to have to press rewind ..not literally I meant like re read it- never mind. My name is Joseph Barroso and this is where my journey actually begins.

North Bergen

New York.