"Who’s In, Who’s Out?” was the second discussion board prompt we were given for the quarter. For the Writer’s Choice, I chose my main post from this board, “A lengthy little story about how I almost let the “tribes” get the best of me.” I felt that my portfolio would be incomplete without this piece because it is an extremely personal account of how my own experiences related to those in Emily White's essay, "High School's Secret Life."I feel this piece really helped me open up and develop a voice in my writing. From the darkest of days to overcoming the cliques, the story of my high school years is comprised of many events that lead to an epiphany that become a defining moment in my life. It is the closest I have ever been to truly understanding the old “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” adage, and although living it was nothing short of a nightmare, rising above the adversity to make myself a better, happier person will always keep these triumphs close to my heart.