Thank You Harry...

When I was 8, my mom insisted that I needed to read and I reluctantly picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the first time. At the time I didn't care for reading, but my attitude towards reading changed when I read that book. I became enchanted by the universe that J.K. Rowling had created and I was completely hooked. I quickly read through the rest of the books and eagerly waited for the last two books to be released. Reading Harry Potter really ignited my passion for reading, and it's something that has stuck with me today.

I was a quiet kid, but I stared talking about Harry's story and that helped me open up and find friends. As I got older Harry became one of my closest friends and I carried him as I grew up. Harry Potter really defined my childhood, and we both grew up together. I was 8 when I first started reading the series, 12 when the last book came out, and 16 when the last movie came out. Harry is somebody that I've shared many experiences with. Any time I was feeling down, I would open one of his books and be transported into a world of spells and potions. I was able to learn so much about love, bravery, and acceptance through reading him. I fell in love with so many of the characters and absolutely hated others, I was (and still am) so passionate about the story.

I can honestly say that reading Harry Potter changed my life. It's had a huge impact on me, and I don't know what type of person I would be if I hadn't have connected with his story. It's something that I'm constantly inspired by, and I still love learning new things about the Wizarding universe. I have so many fond memories of midnight releases, reading each book for the first time, the countless times I've reread each book, visiting the Wizarding World and trying Butterbeer for the first time. I'm especially proud of being voted "Most Likely to go to Hogwarts" during Orchestra superlatives, and placing 3rd out of 98 teams in Harry Potter trivia. Even though Harry's story is "over," I've still stuck with him after all these years and I plan on sticking with him for the rest of my life. So to wrap up all my feelings, thank you J.K Rowling and Harry Potter for everything. - Jessica