Throughout my life as an athlete, numerous injuries have led to a lot of care to recover my body. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patient. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Joining clubs, connecting with faculty, and providing resources to fellow students will enhance my ability to boost the wellness of the community. My experiences with incredibly helpful physical therapists led to my strong desire to become one myself, and I know that college programs can help me fill in the shoes of being such a high role model. The heat towels that melted my muscles into a state of relaxation, the specific stretches intended to reduce the pain, and the reassurance relayed throughout my period of recovery constructed my admiration for this profession. The passion and care physical therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about, and I have done research to discover the subjects necessary to enter DPT programs, such as kinesiology, physiology, and biology. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. I will keep a strong relationship with my current anatomy/physiology teacher to answer any questions that I am curious about and have support towards my dream career. The final step is to use my expertise to support similar athletes with the pain and time that comes with injuries and recoveries. Whether it is at a school to assist student athletes, or at a professional level with high risks, I will be committed to becoming the role model that inspired me at a young age.

Throughout my life as an athlete, numerous injuries have led to a lot of care to recover my body. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patient. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Joining clubs, connecting with faculty, and providing resources to fellow students will enhance my ability to boost the wellness of the community. My experiences with incredibly helpful physical therapists led to my strong desire to become one myself, and I know that college programs can help me fill in the shoes of being such a high role model. The heat towels that melted my muscles into a state of relaxation, the specific stretches intended to reduce the pain, and the reassurance relayed throughout my period of recovery constructed my admiration for this profession. The passion and care physical therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about, and I have done research to discover the subjects necessary to enter DPT programs, such as kinesiology, physiology, and biology. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. I will keep a strong relationship with my current anatomy/physiology teacher to answer any questions that I am curious about and have support towards my dream career. The final step is to use my expertise to support similar athletes with the pain and time that comes with injuries and recoveries. Whether it is at a school to assist student athletes, or at a professional level with high risks, I will be committed to becoming the role model that inspired me at a young age.

Throughout my life as an athlete, numerous injuries have led to a lot of care to recover my body. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patient. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Much of this hunger is derived from the loss of my friend at the age of 11. I was alone, isolated, defeated. I was numb to any feeling. I had to hide my pain from my family because I wanted to prove to myself I was strong. I lost the feeling of what smiling was like - it was all fake. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. This experience also revealed to me one of my core values, patience. I began to understand that everything takes time. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me.

As an athlete, playing soccer and volleyball, I often encounter injuries which have led me to seek help with my own recovery. My experiences with incredibly helpful therapists led to my strong desire to become a physical therapist , and I know that the certain college/university programs can help me fill in the shoes of being such a high role model. I want to assist fellow athletes with their recovery in the same way my Physical Therapist has assisted me. I developed Osgood Schlatter at a young age, and my physical therapist’s support at this time helped me get back to where I really wanted to be- in the game! The heat towels melt my muscles into a state of relaxation, the specific stretches intended to reduce the pain, and the reassurance relayed throughout my period of recovery constructed my admiration for this profession. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. The passion and care Physical Therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Joining clubs, connecting with faculty, and providing resources to fellow students will enhance my ability to boost the wellness of the community.

As an 11 year old, witnessing the death of your best friend, perhaps your only true friend, can leave a big scar in your mind. The deafening sounds from that moment became burned into my memory. I have nightmares to this day. I was alone, isolated, and depressed. I was numb to any feeling. Night is what I dreaded the most. The darkness made me feel alone. The silent sounds of sleeping were intimidating. I became familiar with the taste of salty water. It would put me to sleep soon after consuming it, but my nose would be clogged by morning. Daytime was no better. I felt I had to hide my feelings from my family. I wanted to prove to not only them but to myself that I was strong. Slowly, I lost the feeling of what smiling was like - it was all fake. I came to believe I would live the rest of my life alone. I refused to seek any help in fear of grabbing unwanted attention to myself and needing any "special accommodations." I was afraid of appearing weak to my own parents and my younger siblings; I was meant to be the role model of the family with perfect grades and a happy life. I buried my true feelings deep inside and left my joyful persona on the surface that everyone knew me by. My teachers knew no better than the hardworking student they always had. Once I was by myself, I could physically feel the joy shedding from my body and I drowned in sorrow like I had always been. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. This experience also revealed to me one of my core values, patience. I began to understand that everything takes time. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. I learned that the potential inside of me could grow if I focused on myself and gave it time. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me.