January 2023

About our editor
My Not So Normal Journey
by junior , Chelsea Hughes
Growing up, I never had a so-called normal life. I was moved around from school to school my whole life. That’s difficult
enough, but during mid second semester in 8th grade I finally stopped moving around. Now here I am a junior at Ben Davis.
That’s not my story, that’s just my background. But let’s go a little farther back. Back to elementary, specifically second
grade. I had just started wearing glasses. Telling the teacher I couldn’t see from the back of the class, hearing the laughter,
and already being the shortest in the class, bullies always found me to be an easy target.
That never stopped, even to this day. Everyone makes fun of my height, the way I talk --
everything. I’ve been the laughing stalk my whole life. Never helped that growing up I was
abused until three maybe four years ago, I packed up everything and moved in with my
loving and caring mother.
Let’s get into my middle school years. It was not so fun, but what built me up mainly to who
I truly am today. This is not a “let’s give her pity” writing, it’s an oh, she’s (they) stronger
than you think. As this goes on now, please mind the name and pronoun changes, key points
will fall in, I promise.
Middle school the abuse was getting bad, I was catcalled all the time. Trying to cover up,
but nothing worked… EVER! From that day to present day, I still fear coming to school. No
matter what higher authority tells me, it’s to the point my mom wants to homeschool me.
My friend group was never really that supportive, never has been never really will (well in
my opinion).
Throughout middle school, I’ve been a shy, non talking little girl. Only thing that went wrong was again, I was seen as an
easy target. Yes, the things I was told broke me down, made me cry -- belittled me. Last time I was abused, 09/11/19 I had
to go to the hospital, looked dead at my father saying “ I’m moving out.” Now I have a happy life living with my mom, my
dad now lives out of state, which yes watching my little siblings leave ripped me apart from the inside out, but knowing he’s
around 11 hour round dive from there to here -- I know I’m safe, and I have no more worries. As my favorite movie says
“hakuna matata” (yeah, now I’m sorry if that’s stuck in your head, please forgive me).
Well, enough about that poor ol’ Chelsea. Here’s the birth of River. Well, oops Covid hit, I did nothing but draw, write and
figure myself out. I decided she/her wasn’t me. Well, I said maybe she/they… that lasted 4 months… I said they/them, and
River and that’s been lasting for maybe two years. I’ve felt so much better as a human. There is sadly one downfall of highschool
-- and say it with me, teenage boys. I agree, not all are bad, hints my boyfriend who has helped me through a lot, but
I won’t get into that, it gets a little too dark.. Well sit down, edge of your seat, lean over the table and take a deep breath in ,
because boy do I have a story for you.
End of my sophomore year I started getting more comfortable, and wasn’t so scared of always hiding. So I started talking
more, I made new friends -- yes you read that right, I made new friends. Well, the joke was on me. That new “friend” decides
harassment is “ okay”. I told him how I felt, he didn’t get the memo. I sought help, I found it where I needed it. Long story
short that dude is out of my life.
Well, here is the part everyone has been waiting for. All because of those life events that you have read above. I’ve become
a writer here at Ben Davis in our Spotlight, along with a photographer and running the Giant Visions magazine. I want to
thank Mr. Hayes for making that all happen. He’s always been a teacher I was able to talk to and he’ll listen, no matter how
dark of a subject I was on.
So the morale of the story is, find yourself here at Ben Davis. Don’t let the negatives keep you down. Everyone has a place
here, you just have to find yourself. I found myself in this magazine. I hope you enjoy our content.
24BEN DAVIS HS GIANT VISIONS JANUARY 2023