College Admissions Essay: My Greatest Challenges Of My Life

Growing up I didn’t have the life of a normal kid. Yeah, I played sports, went to school everyday, and struggled with the dilemmas of being an eight year old girl, but on the side I was also attempting to memorize the names and dosages of all of the new medications I was being filled up with. There was so much new information being thrown at me. At the end of my second grade year I was diagnosed with a chronic muscle disease called JDMS, I felt very lost and confused. I didn’t realize it at the time but I was being faced with one of the first and greatest challenges of my lifetime that would shape and mature me into who I am today.
Being in the hospital as an eight year old was challenging to me at first, watching my friends grow while I stayed a sickly child was heartbreaking. Watching them I learned quickly that it is better to be happy for their success rather than feel sorry for myself. After a couple long trips to the hospital it became a second home for me. I learned to memorize all of the hallways, floors, doctor’s names, food booths, and most important to me, the gift shop that was filled with Webkinz. Although those three years were a very tough time for me, I look back on them fondly because I gained some of my best qualities
All of the confusion in the first year prepared me for a tight and tough schedule. During this time I learned to be patient with other people and myself. After I was diagnosed I was immediately pumped up with loads of medication, including small dosages of chemotherapy. I always felt sick, but knew that I would have to keep up on my school work after missing so many days. It was a struggle to do all of this at first, but then I began to succeed. Once I got a taste of success I could not get enough. This unfortunate situation gave me a want to strive to be the best at everything I do, and find success by doing whatever it