I remember it w as just one year ago when I wanted to try to ski, just like my dad did. So, my parents signed me up for skiing lessons at Lost Valley in Auburn. Even though I was so excited about skiing for the first time, I was a bit shocked about how the lessons went. I was on a very tiny hill, one that you can just slide down and nothing big happens. Yet, as everyone was nice and easily going down the hill on their skis, I on the other hand was not. I tried to go fast, then I went slow, then I crashed into the ski instructor! I felt like I was the worst in the class. Yet, I didn’t give up. I was determined I would someday ride up on the chair lift and zoom down a black diamond, the hardest trail, just like my dad could.

Then the day came. I had been waiting five weeks of skiing lessons to finally be on the chair lift for the first time. As I got in line with the other people who were taking the class, I felt nervous. I felt like I wasn’t ready, but I wanted to be so bad! As it came my turn to hop on the lift, I suddenly felt nervous and a bit sick to my stomach. Before I even realized it, I was sitting on the chair that was bringing me to a real slope. There was no turning back.

I got off the chair lift and met up with the group. The “crunch, crunch” underneath my skis made me panic more, but I tried to remain calm. My ski instructor told us to follow him to a green trail. Green trails were very easy. As I followed the group, I felt like I was going fast, yet I wasn’t. As I kept on going, the wind hit my face, and I really felt like I was doing it right. I did just as my ski instructor told me. I turned my skis in to stop and turned my skis out to go. It was easier than I expected. Five minutes later, I was at the chair lift again, ready to go back up. This time we were trying a harder trail and idefinitely felt like I was ready.

Even though that was a year ago, I still ski today. I can even ski on the hardest trails called black diamonds. I never gave up, and that’s what caused me to be in love with skiing.