“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” -George Bernard Shaw

Destination Imagination was probably the best thing that’s happened to me since moving to Texas. For the longest time I didn’t know who I was or what my strengths were. But last winter my life changed forever…

   It wasn’t love at first sight though. When my dad first suggested the idea I was really reluctant but signed up anyway. When I didn’t hear anything, I was overjoyed! Until one afternoon, I was in my English class when I got a hall pass telling me to report to Mrs. Reese’s room during Wildcat Time. I wasn’t really sure why she needed me there, but I had a hunch it was for DI. I was right. And so it began. After meeting with the people on my team (Vivian, Mara, and Stephanie), we really should’ve gotten to work considering that Regionals was only a month away. But we didn’t. We met everyday during Wildcat Time but still no progress was made. Two weeks before the competition Mrs. Reese sat us down and asked us probably the most life-changing question I’ve ever been asked: Do you really want to do this? I still wonder what would have happened if I said no. She e-mailed our parents with our decision and that’s when things got serious. That weekend I spent about 14 hours at Stephanie’s house. While we worked and worked, we also had a TON of fun. That’s when I started to realize that I really did love DI. We came out of that weekend with a whole new attitude. There was HOPE.

    I went to Regionals convinced that after today it would all be over. If I gave you all the details, this post would be more like a book. We were really nervous before performing. Everyone around us looked so much more prepared. And they were. We did our best, and it wasn’t that bad. Then it was time for lunch (McDonald’s) and Instant Challenge practice. An Instant Challenge is a challenge that the team is given, and then immediately asked to solve. The team has no time to practice or think about the challenge. They can only practice based on past Instant Challenges. Mara’s dad is a really extremely good IC coach. And it paid off. Our challenge was a lot easier than I thought it would be. It was hands-on, for one thing, which is always easier than verbal, and we really worked well as a team. Turns out the Appraisers thought so too. Even though I couldn’t go to the award ceremony, it wasn’t long before I heard the news. Team Blank (our name courtesy to the fact we started so late) had tied first place with another West Ridge team! We were advancing to State!

    After that things got even better. We met in the mornings, Wildcat Time, and the weekends. It was the best part of 6th grade. April 12, I missed school and carpooled to Katy, TX with Mara and Vivian. We would be staying at Holiday Inn and going to the pin trading later that day. Basically, everyone brings pins and then we all come together and trade. I tried SO hard to get a turtle pin but no such luck. I still got some really cool ones, including one featuring an armadillo playing the bass! I went to bed super nervous that night. We’d be performing at 8:30 AM. The first people in our challenge. Chances weren’t high that we would advance because when you go first you set the standard. While things didn’t go perfect during the performance, no one knew but us. After a day of running around the building, swimming in the freezing hotel pool, and watching other performances, we finally got our results. They weren’t high, but not low. Just as we’d expected.

    The award ceremony was amazing. While I’m pretty sure everyone was filled with nervous energy, you couldn’t feel it. Everyone was screaming and laughing and jumping up and down. It was perfect. Our challenge was the last to be announced. While I sat there, squeezing Vivian’s hand so hard I thought I must be cutting off her circulation, I thought back on everything that’s happened since I got that hall pass and how it changed my life. And even if we didn’t make it, even if this was the last night, I would always remember how amazing it felt to be part of it all. (Wow I just got really deep there.) We didn’t make it. We didn’t even place. I felt like my world was crashing down. I tried smiling, to trick my brain into thinking I was happy, but nothing could stop the tears trickling down my cheeks. Now I could tell you every little detail of that night, like how depressing it was to see people standing around holding trophies or how I took a huge gulp of buttermilk (long story), but I’m not.

   It took me a long time after to get used to life without DI. No more morning IC practices, or meetings in Mrs. Reese’s room. But that was then. This is now. And now is the start of the new DI season! When I went to Mrs. Reese’s room to get the challenges during Wildcat Time (last season she told us to come to her room as soon as the new challenges came out, so I went before the official meeting you might have heard about on the announcements), I felt a rush of déjà vu. The smell of the air. The sight of Vivian waiting for me. The chair that I always put my backpack on, already turned to the side. I am so psyched to start on time this year! But the only problem is my team. I don’t know what Stephanie’s doing and Mara is 50/50. Lucy might join, too, but I don’t know for certain. The only people I know for sure are Vivian and Lily. Even though my team isn’t definite yet, I’m 100% positive that if this year is anything like last year, it’s going to be a wicked time!

To learn more about DI, you can visit the link on my blog. I really encourage you to do it, and it’s never too late to join!