Adolescence

The start of puberty marked my entrance into adolescence at around age 13, with the development of primary and secondary sex characteristics. At this point, I based my morality around the expectations of others, meaning I was in the conventional morality stage.I also entered the formal operational stage*, which allowed me to think in more abstract ways than I could before (which was great prep for AP English later on). On a social level, my transition from childhood to young adulthood was defined by the rite of passage in my culture: my quinceañera.

I opted for a trip to Disney World instead of a big party for my quinceañera.

*The last stage in Piaget's theory. He believed in continuity in development, therefore this stage occurs gradually and continuously from about age 12 until death.