Finding My Path: Joshua, Adolescent Skills Center Participant
Finding My Path is a series of first‑person stories that share the triumphs, challenges, and growth of participants of Vibrant programs.
Joshua, a participant of our Adolescent Skills Center program, reflected on how finding the right support helped turn loneliness into focus so he could earn his GED with confidence.
Finding My Path
By Joshua, Adolescent Skills Center participant
When people hear the word isolation, they usually think of being lonely, cut off from everyone, and feeling disconnected. On the other hand, solitude is something people choose, like being alone to think, learn, and focus on what they want to do. These two things may seem similar, but they affect people in very different ways, especially students in GED programs.
I know what isolation feels like. Before I joined the Bronx ASC, I felt like I was all alone in school. I was not like the other kids and that made it hard for me to make friends. I did not choose to be alone. It just happened that way. Being different made it hard for me to connect with others and after a while, I started to feel really isolated. It changed how I thought about myself and how I felt about school.
Then something changed. The isolation I felt started to slowly turn into solitude. Instead of feeling completely alone, I started using that time to think about my life, focus on what I wanted to do, and imagine my future. It helped me become more independent and stronger. What was holding me back started to push me forward.
When you use solitude in a healthy way, it can make you stronger.
Many GED students go through difficult things. They do not always have the same schedules or friends as kids in traditional high school. Some students have had to leave school because of things that happened in their lives, like having to take care of someone, or having problems at home. Because of this, they might feel like they are all on their own.
This kind of isolation can make it hard to feel motivated, confident, or happy. Without people to support you, it is easy to feel like you are doing everything by yourself. Still, just like what happened to me, isolation can transform into something good.
When you use solitude in a healthy way, it can make you stronger. It can help you be more disciplined. It can help you to know yourself better. A lot of GED students learn how to rely on themselves and stay focused on their future when things get tough.
Programs like the Bronx ASC are important because they help turn isolation into connection. They create places where students feel supported, understood, and valued. Even small things, like talking to someone, sharing concerns, or getting encouragement, can make a huge difference.
GED students are not just trying to catch up. They are moving forward with determination and strength. Understanding the difference between isolation and solitude helps us see what they are going through and reminds us how important it is to have people who care about us.
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