Struggling with undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder and anxiety throughout most of my life has taught me the importance of identifying one’s abilities, recognizing how vital accommodations are, and knowing that growth is not a one-size-fits-all. Just as various plants require specific amounts of sunlight, water, and fertilizer to grow, neurodivergent people must be provided with a healthy environment and personalized resources best suited for them to thrive. Through elementary school, I remember preferring to swing on the swing set for the entire recess because I felt that sitting with the other girls and attempting to socialize was too exhausting for me, even at a small private school. Kids would often ask me, “Why are you so quiet?” and quite honestly, I didn't know the answer either. For many years, I thought I was just “shy”. In addition to social difficulties caused by ASD, I also struggled with physical health issues during my elementary school years, such as severe asthma, a severe concussion after being in a car accident, and developing MRSA on one of my eyelids. Despite my physical and mental health struggles, I persevered and still made honor rolls. Middle school through freshman year of high school were especially difficult for me as I went to public school. During these years, I was not yet diagnosed with ASD or anxiety disorders, but struggled with them immensely. My struggles were so overwhelming for me that they drove me to depression by the age of 13. Despite going to multiple counseling appointments, I did not get diagnosed with anxiety and ASD until my late teens and twenties. I was one of those kids who fell between the cracks. I continued pushing myself into freshman year of high school with every day feeling like a battle as I would often face panic attacks before walking into school. It was also in my freshman year of high school when I developed scoliosis and kyphosis in my spine, which caused me to be in pain daily. Due to my numerous health struggles, and my grades declining from my missing school, I transferred into online schooling. Unfortunately, the online school that I attended did not provide me with adequate structure on how to complete my courses. I became depressed, discouraged, and fell behind to the point where I was not able to graduate with my initial graduating class. In addition to dealing with ASD, anxiety, depression, and spine issues, I also developed a severe dry eye disease that affected me for two years until I was finally given successful treatment. Once I received more successful treatments and was given a new school counselor who provided me with a more structured plan for graduation, I began to thrive again to where I began making straight A’s through my senior year. I then realized that I thrive best through structured online learning environments. After graduating high school, I earned an Associate of Arts in English degree through Pima Community College online, joined Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and graduated with high honors. I am currently a Grand Canyon University student pursuing an online bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing for New Media and have joined Alpha Chi Honor Society while ranking in the top 10%. As a Professional Writing major, I hope to raise awareness of high-functioning autism as much as possible within my specialty and personal life. A desire of mine is to write a research article on why many people, such as myself, have been silently struggling with ASD throughout most of their lives, and to emphasize the importance of getting evaluated as soon as possible.