Every passing period, I walk into Manzanita Hall and head to the fruit bowls where a small mound of bananas waits patiently. I grab one or two and head outside before running into a friend. “Which banana are you on?” my friend asks. “Fourth,” I respond, and we both laugh. 

By now, nearly all of my friends and teachers always associate me with walking around, snacking on a banana. It’s a silly reputation but also a comforting one, as behind the jokes, I’ve found something to believe in.

What started as a practical habit at the end of ninth grade to satiate my taste buds and prevent cramps during track practice evolved into a ritual that helps me feel calm and stay grounded. When I’m weighed down by fatigue or the stress of exams, I know that I can always count on a banana waiting there in Manzanita Hall, ready to carry me through another day.

In a banana, ethylene gas slowly converts green pigment and bitter starches into yellow and sweet sugar, creating the banana’s signature flavor and texture after a slow yet constant transformation. Like the banana, I’ve learned that showing up every day, even in small ways, is what leads to growth. Consistently attending and persisting through track practice despite tiredness and sore hamstrings strengthened my discipline, and even the simple habit of acknowledging people I walk by has gradually allowed me to become more thoughtful and outgoing. 

People often assume their purpose in life is pursuing some grand goal. But most of life repeats itself, whether through the same hallways, past the same faces or, in the case of the banana, along the same tiny decisions that shape us. Although we usually don’t notice these repeated patterns, they are what ultimately define our lives. Instead of wishing the world to be different or trying to outshine your fate, embrace it and learn to see the beauty in what already is.