Posted on March 14, 2015 by Maryrose Croddick
Over the past few years I’ve watched my sister Bridget transform from a shy little girl into an engaging young woman. Not only did she grow about a foot taller and have her braces taken off just this past year, but she has also matured emotionally, becoming a more confident and outgoing individual.
This fall Bridget and her field hockey team won a gold medal in a national showcase tournament. In a just a short time she has developed into an exceptional athlete who impresses everyone watching from the sidelines with her speed and agility on the field. She is a force to be reckoned with when there is a stick in her hand, a tough and determined competitor.
Nevertheless, while she excels in sports she unfortunately suffers through school. A few years ago Bridget was diagnosed with ADD. She struggles significantly with her academics and school is a constant source of stress in her life. Despite this set back however, she is learning ways to better handle her studies in order to succeed in the classroom.
These photographs capture not only who Bridget is as both a student and an athlete, but also as an adolescent. The teenage years can take such an emotional toll on a young woman. Her battle to fit in but also be herself is very painful and confusing at times.
Life is propelling her forward on this journey to adulthood, yet Bridget still clings to her childish innocence. She possesses such youthful virtue and spritely energy and her happiest moments come when she is being her silly immature self. However, there is simultaneously a curiosity in her that compels her to explore her new maturity, her forming figure, and her developing sexuality.
And although Bridget has matured quite a bit recently, she is still only thirteen and has a lot more growing up to do. Very soon she will be graduating from middle school and going off to high school as a freshman in the fall, an exciting but also daunting thought for any eighth grader. She is thinking about pursuing a career in fashion, potentially as a model. It is definitely hard for me to see her growing up so fast because in my eyes she will always be my baby sister, but I’m excited to see what an exceptional young woman she will become in the future.
Photography and Text by Maryrose Croddick, Copyright 2015
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About The Author: Maryrose Croddick is a senior enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2015.