As a student at Saint Ignatius, I was forced to overcome multipe setbacks in my highschool career. The one with the greatest impact on me, however, took place at the beginning of my sophmore year and has lasted to this day.
It began in November during the first snow of the year. My older sister and I convinced our parents to let us go sledding late at night. We jumped into the car excitedly, not knowing how that night would change my life
I won’t give you the gory details, but mid-sledding I managed to slam my head into the sled and then the ground in rapid succession. I thought it was nothing. It was too dark to see my nose and face bleeding, and I dismissed the sudden throbbing headache. I wouldn’t be diagnosed with a concussion until two
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The summer before my junior year I went to a neurologist. I wouldn’t finish testing until the end of October, and I went through a final dark spot before I battled my issues. I was officially diagnosed with chronic depression and anxiety in November, a year after my concussion.
I started going to therapy. Therapy opened my eyes and began to help me get a healthy handle on social and mental problems.
I began to regain my once sharp mind. Unfortunately, not in time for the grade reports come the end of first semester, Junior year. Socially, I still struggle, but that doesn’t stop me from striving to mend bridges and opening myself up to others.
The concussion wasn’t all bad. Yes, it brought out the worst in me, but it made me see what truly mattered in life. By becoming a lesser version of myself, I realized who I didn’t want to be. More importantly, I saw the type of person I needed to become. It was, and still is, a complicated and difficult issue, but I learned hard lessons that many of my peers won’t understand until later in life.
I’m glad I got a concussion, and I’m glad I got diagnosed with chronic depression and anxiety. If I didn’t, I would never have been able to grow into the strong independent woman I am