Last summer, I had the unfortunate experience of needing to have brain surgery due to a brain bleed caused by a cavernous malformation. I lost a lot of confidence in myself because of this and questioned if people saw me differently. However, instead of giving up, I used this to my advantage and worked hard in school and cross country. I continuously pushed myself to show how setbacks don’t have to define you. My greatest accomplishment came out of this when I qualified to run in the state meet. I will never forget the moment I crossed the finish line in 19th place instead of 54th, which was what was predicted for me for the regional meet. This experience taught me how important self-discipline and perseverance are when you want to achieve a goal. Because I also had the opportunity to be the top runner for my school, I learned how to step out of my comfort zone and be a leader who encourages others to be the best that they can be.
