Although all odds were against him, he had to fight and developed an insatiable desire to not quit. The same fight that was instilled in me at an early
This disorder altered my life in ways I could never imagine. I felt dismantled, confused, hurt, mad, and scared all covered by a cloud of anxiety and sadness that hovered me throughout the day. I wasn’t the Kaitlin that glowed with optimism and passion. I had become a shell of her but I’m trying to fill that her in again.
Before World War 1 started, the United States was forced to abandon its neutrality and that is when congress voted in favor of the U.S. entry into World War 1. The government had abandoned its neutrality that America had maintained for three years and the United States felt many pressures that would also end up leading the nations of Europe to a devastating warfare. The western world were deeply influenced by the concept of nationalism because nationalism led was what led to the competitive and antagonistic rivalries among the nations. Many different colonies had supplied the European imperial powers with raw materials and manufactured goods. The growth of nationalism and imperialism led to the increased military spending and the imperial powers
I might always have health issues, and I may not ever be able to relax. However, that struggle and that desire to overcome has inspired me not only to get back to the person I was before the surgeries, but to better myself because of it. It’s that drive that inspires me to stay up studying well after the sun has set, to endure the pain during my physical therapy sessions, and most importantly to see that everyone must overcome adversity no matter how much it may affect their life. I see the way my mother put her entire universe on hold to care for me, and how agonizing that must have been to watch her daughter nearly slip away. I see the little girl with the plaid comforter, she was so tough, hoisting a smile onto her face when the rest of her body was in so much pain.
All the pain I had to endure, however, was not in vain. Everything I underwent was only a test of faith. In my religion, we are taught life is a test and that only intending the righteous of deeds will go a long way. I faced the challenges that haunted me. I did not falter, and I certainly did not give in.
One challenge I have persisted through is my father's substance abuse and how it effected me. Growing up, I watched as my alcoholic father turned abusive. Eventually, after years of witnessing domestic violence and fearing for my life, my father was incarcerated. Although I thought he was gone for good, he returned from prison after a few years. However, I was convinced that he was changed.
One instance that sticks in my mind took place in middle school track. Within the first week of practice, my coach told me that I wasn’t strong enough to be a distance runner. This cut me deep but I decided that instead of being disappointed, I would do whatever it took to prove that coach wrong. With the awards I hold today, I feel that I can justifiably say that I am a very strong distance runner.
I was born with a rare craniofacial syndrome and have had multiple surgeries to correct my skull. Living with this is difficult especially if you have no one to share the same experiences. Luckily, I have friends nearby that have similar syndromes and scars. I know the importance of supporting one another, so we don’t’ feel alone. I met Hannah while attending a craniofacial retreat.
Most importantly, I learned how to persevere. On the first day of band camp, I went home after five hours of rehearsal and thought I was dying. Everything ached: my legs from fifty-yard sprints, my arms from burpees followed by flag technique, and even my scalp from the too-high ponytail I had subjected my hair to. The next morning, I crawled out of bed and limped back to the field with a newfound determination. I was exhausted and discouraged, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from succeeding.
My biggest challenge so far has been focusing on myself rather than others. I would like to become more self-confident and accepting of myself and others, but it’s difficult when I’m always worrying about how my fellow students see me. “ (Telemachus:) I think what you have said will not be accomplished. What you mean is too big. It bewilders me.
It taught me to make the best out of a difficult situation.
I have gone through periods of my life when I finally break out of my shell and gain the confidence to be who I am. But, an incident has always come up that put me right back in my lonely and unhappy shell. It is like a rollercoaster: the high points are when I am confident and the low parts are when I am sad. But along the ride, I have found what I value most. I value leadership and I aspire to be a leader, a role model, for my peers and even for people who have no idea who I am.
Disease Core Paper Rough Draft The media has a reputation to present and exaggerate things that are of little importance; however, in an ironic twist, it seems that the most common inherited peripheral nerve disease in the United States seems to still elude the awareness of many. Charcot Marie Tooth disease, or CMT as it is quite commonly abbreviated, is a serious genetic disease that impairs many in the country. Named for the three scientists that discovered it in the late 1800s, Charcot Marie Tooth disease actually has nothing to do with teeth, but rather a very important part of our body, the Peripheral Nervous System (“Understanding CMT”).
My dad’s motto and strict mindset about education molded me into the exemplary high school student that I was. If it wasn’t for all the hard work I wouldn’t have graduated at the top of my class. I would’ve never learned to not give up when things get rough. I probably would have settled for less.
I acquired to simply stay true to myself. Throughout the rest of my high school years, I was my true self while conversing to other peers and serving as a leader to the younger gymnasts on my gymnastics team. Staying true to myself positively impacted me. I ended up earning the gymnastics mental attitude award and was nominated as a Character Counts representative for Crawfordsville High School. As a representative, a poster with my picture and a personal quote about Trustworthiness was hung on the wall in Crawfordsville Middle School.
