When I was just 9 years old I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. I was too young to fully understand what that even meant. I was forced to change my way of thinking and my way of life in general, however everything that’s happened to me is the reason I am myself today. In the beginning of my diagnosis I struggled to understand why I was the one to be diagnosed. I couldn’t even stand to say the word diabetes and if anyone asked me about it I would shy away out of embarrassment. When I got my first dexcom G6 I would do anything in my power to hide it on my arm or on my stomach. As I got older and learned to live with my diabetes I encountered many challenges with late night lows and high blood sugars from malfunctioning pumps. It wasn't all bad though, because as I got comfortable I learned to show off my CGM and my pump. My siblings used to call me a robot because devices were basically keeping me alive. Being called a robot taught me to be able to joke around about my struggles and it helped me cope with a lot of my problems. All of these struggles have shaped me into me, and I’m not ashamed of that at all. I am quite older now and I have been forced to mature faster than my friends and family because I needed to learn how to take care of myself and body. My quick maturing has allowed me to get ahead of people my age. I was able to get a job and manage my money. Instead of spending time partying and doing normal teenage things, I am looking for scholarships to help me in the future. In the future I’m positive that diabetes will look much different because of the many progressions that happen everyday . Although no amount of progress will remove the fact that I’m a type one diabetic, and I’m ok with that. In the future I will continue to take care of my body and continue to educate people about what type one diabetes is because many people are very uneducated. Diabetes will still continue to have a lasting impact on me in the future, but if I keep my positive mindset, then anything is possible and the possibilities are endless. Diabetes is with me forever, making my life forever interesting.