The following article relates a reflexive ethnographic research project that focuses on youth voice in relation to the process of choosing a high school and a language of instruction in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this methodological article is to relate a story of research and explore the tensions between theory and practice experienced by a young researcher during and after fieldwork. To do so, I explore the theoretical and epistemological underpinnings of the relevance and importance of youth-centred research and uncover some of the complexities of conducting participant observation, interviews, and co-analysis activities with youth participants.