Heart pounding, breath frozen, scared and impatient, all these feelings were coursing through my veins as I sat there, simply terrified. I was one of six candidates waiting for the results of this once terrifying interview, with so much at stake. Hungry for results, but afraid of the truth. A few weeks earlier, I had written an essay. Surprisingly, mine and three other classmates had been chosen to interview during a trip to Washington DC. The interview invitation was something I didn't expect. My writing style could only be described as sloppy and disorganized, I never imagined winning an essay competition. Maintenance was not something I could call a skill but simply a weakness. The day of the interview arrived and I sat in terror, adrenaline overwhelming me. My name has been called, I'm next. Panicked, I got up, walked to the door, I was prepared as I always will be. In an instant, a last-minute surge of confidence came over me, I became unstoppable. What convinced me to become confident, I will never know. Only the hand of God could change the direction I was heading. Speaking with confidence and clarity, I rocked that interview, daring them to ask me another question. Now sitting, waiting in absolute terror. Was it enough? Did the final boost of confidence get me the interview? Would I be chosen? My heart broke when I heard my name called. Joy and relief washed over me like a wave. The feeling was surreal, I couldn't believe what had just happened. The suspense was over and everything was fine. My classmates and I all won the trip. We represented Cimarron Electric Cooperative for the Oklahoma Youth Tour. This will be the trip of your life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The weeks leading up to the trip were exhilarating, I couldn’t wait. The idea of ​​making new friends excited me, but also scared me. Packing and preparing for this trip couldn't have excited me more. Arrival at the hotel to meet my future roommates, and soon to be best friends. I could never have anticipated the memories that awaited me. That evening there was a farewell banquet. As all the students introduced themselves, they looked around to guess who my new friends would become. The next morning we checked out of the hotel and lined up alphabetically by last name. Queuing alphabetically wasn't a big deal, until it became the reason I met my first new friend of the trip. Since my last name is Hansen, I was in row H. That's when I met this girl, she was amazing. Words couldn't express it well enough, she was special. Her name, Shayden Hanes, we just clicked. She and I had a relationship in many ways, we talked from the moment we got on the bus to the airport to our gate. I couldn't contain the joy that filled my heart. Later, when we arrived in Dallas for our connecting flight, I met another person, Caleb. At first he was a good guy, almost a friend, but I didn't consider him a friend because of what the future soon had in store for me. My jealousy of him becoming friends with Shayden would eventually tarnish our friendship. This journey has been full of wonder and new experiences, it has also led tonew difficulties and challenges in my social life. At that time, I only saw the good and looked forward to the future. The uncertainty and excitement of the future is what made me want to move forward with the week, to see what other opportunities awaited me. Six o'clock in the morning, alarm ringing, the first official day of the trip has begun! The feeling of excitement filled the air. I was ready to start exploring the nation's capital with my new friends. Thoughts of the potential of my new friendships filled my head. As we headed to our first location, Arlington Cemetery, thoughts of friendship temporarily left my mind as I passed through the bus window. Words cannot describe the massive beauty of the park where our fallen heroes slept. As I explored this magnificent and immense tomb, I had more than just the eagerness to learn on my mind. The desire to build on a friendship slowly returned to my mind. Of course, I wanted to explore and learn as much as possible, but I was very excited to make new friends and share these experiences with them. Soon we arrived at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where I finally caught up with Shayden. It didn't take long and we talked. We shared a great experience here, as we met one of the guards. After visiting Arlington Cemetery, we went to the Newseum. A museum about the free press, our first amendment rights. As exciting as this museum was, I wanted to spend time with Shayden. Shortly after, she found me looking in awe at a piece of the Berlin Wall. The wall was imposing, one side covered in a vast layer of graffiti, the other as plain as day. The Newseum was full of famous headlines from hundreds of years ago to the present day. As these wonders unfolded before my eyes, a friendship was slowly born. This friendship could only be described as indescribable. The wonders of our nation were magnificent, but as the week progressed, my focus quickly shifted. This girl, she was great. A wonderful person who I could call my friend. We shared so many experiences together. Such as the Holocaust Museum, the National Spy Museum and the Smithsonians. We both had a desire to learn, combined with the passion of our friendship. We became inseparable, soon to become best friends. Of all the beautiful things about Washington DC, it became the highlight of my trip. My essay, the heartbreaking interview, it was all worth meeting her. I was so happy to have been chosen to go on such an adventure, because our paths would never have crossed otherwise. At the peak of our friendship, Caleb came into our world, my world would soon be crushed, the friendship that had blossomed so beautifully during this journey suddenly began to fade. As a new person diverts his attention. It was obvious, our friendship wasn't really fading. I was just being a jealous jerk, his attention was all I craved. This jealousy caused Caleb and I to struggle to remain friends because we barely got along. Soon the week progressed. Countless memories were made, but one unforgettable evening really stuck out in my mind. The Lincoln Memorial Sunset Parade. Our group of friends, Shayde, Caleb and I sat down. We watched the soldiers march past us, as the sun set behind them. Caleb walks away, we have no idea where he went. The parade was beautiful and the sunset even better. Mady, one of my classmates who also took part in the trip, told us..