Graduating college is a symbol of a commitment I made to myself. A commitment I made myself all the way back when I was twelve years old. Yes, twelve years old. At the age of seven years old I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. Now this did not come as a surprise to my parents or teachers. They noticed something was different in the way that I studied and took on tasks. They knew that it was not the same way other children worked. It wasn't bad, it was just different. Upon taking notice of this for a few years, my mom had me tested at the age of seven and it was determined that I have ADD. Receiving this diagnosis allowed my parents, my teachers and myself to find ways to conquer it, and highlight my strengths, not my disorder. I tried several different types of medicine over the course of a few years, but found it didn't really help and the side effects were unmanageable, and so I told my doctor I didn't want to try medication anymore. It was at that moment in my life that I made a choice, a choice that would define the course of my life. It was a choice of determination, courage and self love. I told my doctor, my parents and my teacher, that I was going to rise above my disorder, and find a way to succeed. I had people around me that doubted me. They told me that I wouldn't be able to do it. And this only made my resilience greater. The road that lied ahead was not an easy one. It was one with many twists, turns and bumps. Almost every night involved me spending three plus hours on my homework by myself (because I was so stubborn I never let anyone help) then spending another hour correcting my mistakes with my parents and this all usually ending in yelling, crying or both. Let's just say it definitely wasn't easy. And there were days that I doubted myself and asked myself whether I could do it. And the 12 year old voice would come creeping back into my head, and remind me of the promise I made. Graduating high school was a big accomplishment. It had taken me so much hard work just to get to that point, and the celebration was big. Going to college after was never a question. It was part of the commitment I had myself at twelve. It was part of my dream of becoming a teacher. And as I sit here, a week away from graduating from college I can proudly say that I never gave up on myself and have kept that promise all the way through.
Graduating college is an honor for my parents. My parents have done a lot for me. They have raised from the time I entered this world, and they will continue raising me until they die. They have guided me, supported me through everything I have done. They have taught me important lessons and encouraged me to always try my best. It is there life dream, to see me succeed. There careers and passions aside, seeing their children succeed is the most important thing they can ever bear witness to. They have already watched my brother graduated college, and now I am last. And it means so much to them.
Graduating college is a new step into the unknown. When I graduated high school, yes there were unknowns. I didn't know what friends I was going to make or what experiences I would have. But I knew where I was going, I knew what I was going to be studying and what career my major would lead to. Now that I am graduating from college. There are far more unknowns. Where will I get a job? How long will I work there? There is no formal path laid out, and that makes it both exciting and scary.
And so as I take this leap into the unknown I think about the many people in my life who have helped me get here, my parents, grandparents, brother, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends and the countless others I have yet to meet that will be an important part of my life. I thank them, and I thank myself for never giving up on me.