Paper 1 introduction.

The grades were in, the diplomas had been printed, and my shackles had been unhinged. As I walked toward the stage, it felt as if my feet hardly touched the ground. Mandatory schooling was over. I knew from then on that the rest of my life rested in my own hands. I took a deep breath of independence soaked in achievement while glancing up at my tassel. The golden "2004" sparkled in the sunlight and the maroon and white threads danced in the breeze. At that moment, I closed the door to high school, teenage drama, and proms. From that moment on, every choice was mine. I was finally on my own. Freedom. Nothing made me feel more alive.