Out of my 25 years of life, I spent 13 years of it addicted to marijuana. It is a drug that some would say is harmless and perhaps if used responsibly for medical reasons. However, for me, it led to 13 years of prioritizing a drug over my relationships, my responsibilities as a student, and my ability to feel confident in who I am. It started when I was 12. My best friend was adamant that I tried it, and I did not really have other friends at this point, as I'm very introverted. He persisted for months to get me to try it and eventually, I succumbed to peer pressure. Before I made it to high school, I was at a point where I wanted to be high as often as possible. I skipped school to smoke, I resorted to stealing from my parents at times or pocketing the money given to me that was supposed to be for field trips or high school football games just to smoke. I prioritized being an addict over being a kid, and I now see that I missed out on much as a teenager, consequently. By 16, I began smoking cigarettes as well. I was in basketball, football, and marching band at the time, and I had to work twice as hard to keep pace with my peers. I never truly let myself see my full potential, something I regret until this day. This all eventually led me to failing the first time I tried to complete my associate degree. I am naturally intuitive, so I was able to scrape by for a few semesters, but I was definitely not trying my best. During covid-19, I lost myself. The isolation took its toll on me, and I no longer cared to even scrape by. I failed the last three classes I needed to graduate and began life in the workforce. It killed me every second to know that I had years of knowledge that I let go to waste, but I had no desire to quit. I eventually made my comeback at Wake Tech. I was smoking less so, I figured I was healthy but this all came to head in late 2025. I had a break-up in the summer, largely because I wouldn't quit, that led me spending the next five months straight, high. I went to class high, I stopped hanging around friends, and shut myself in. I stopped eating consistently and developed a cubital tunnel in both my arms and numbness began to spread throughout my arms and legs. I'm not sure entirely what caused this, but my doctor insisted I quit immediately. I found out that smoking can cause neuropathy, and this paired with poor nutrition and over-exertion is the likely culprit. This past year was the hardest year of my life, but I am better from it. Immediately after quitting, my symptoms began reversing. I had a great deal of depression and anxiety that troubled me that seemed to dissipate, the numbness began to subside, and my nerves began to heal. I began to feel more confident in who I am because I no longer had to hide anything but, most importantly, I proved to myself that I am more than an addict, and I am ready to reach my full potential. I want to prove that second chances exist, if you commit yourself to growth and let go of the things that hold you down. With this second chance, I'm going be an electrical engineer and the first in my family to get a Bachelor's degree.