I've always been the child who cried about the dogs feeling getting hurt rather than the main character dying. My passion has always been for animals; it's never changed. Veterinary Medicine is the path I’m meant to follow, and I will chase that calling until the end of the world. One reason I am confident I can make a positive impact on the world is that I've already started. I am the founder and president of my high school's first pre-vet club. While it might be a small group from a random high school, we are changing the lives of animals through volunteering opportunities and fundraising. I've created an environment where people who are just as passionate as I am about the field collaborate and work together. We change the world by sharing the same passions. Another way I've already started changing the world is by volunteering at my local wildlife rescue hospital. Sure, it's not a significant impact on the world, but ensuring our natural wildlife is thriving is essential to ecosystems. I was allowed to be a part of that experience. The last way I've involved myself in changing the world is by working at an animal hospital. I am so thrilled to get my career started that I'm already engaged in the field. I am privileged to take samples from our patients and medications and monitor their health. Overall, if I can change the lives of the community at the age of seventeen and eighteen, imagine what I can do in the coming years. My most extensive plan for the future is curing Feline Leukemia. There is a vaccine for the disease, but once the patient is diagnosed, it's a waiting game for their fate; I will change that. This passion of mine was aroused when I lost my cat to Feline Leukemia. My father breaking the news that Moe would euthanized the following day was terrible. I was mad at my dad. I could tell he was sick. I was instinctive that something was wrong, but my father decided not to act. When I finally ordered to take him to the hospital, that's when the news was delivered. Moe will always have a special place in my heart for saving everyone's pets, even though Moe wasn't able to be saved. I am incredibly confident about the field I am pursuing, which sounds cliche, but I haven't met someone more passionate about veterinary medicine. When the topic is brought up, my eyes are electrified with ambition; many people have told me multiple times they can see the passion in how I carry myself. I am highly eager to get started; I can't wait to see how I grow as a person and continue to change the world and my community.

Lauren.Swear4

I like to describe myself as a person who is approachable, bubbly, and always there for anyone who needs a good laugh. I cheer for my school, I'm involved in soccer and gymnastics as well; imagine the shock when I told my friends and family I was going to go out for girls wrestling. I started my season with a big accomplishment of the fasted pin at the competition with a fall of twelve seconds-- I even got my own tweet! It was my last match of the tournament and we were wrestling for first place, I tried for a single leg which I found successful, but afterward, I have zero recollection of the events that followed. I was rushed to the hospital, we arrived at 7 pm. I was put into a room with a glass wall where I could see all of the nurses running back and forth, there was a comfy chair for my mom, and machines all around me. I was encased in these thin blue walls until 6 am; my diagnosis: severe concussion. My entire life was flipped around, I couldn't go to school for months and was stuck at home doing number paintings and puzzles so I could get some stimulation for brain activity. This ripped away my entire athletic life, Cheer: gone, Soccer: gone, Wrestling: gone, Gymnastics: gone. I struggled with this first layer in my journey for a few months until a doctor prescribed me a nausea medicine, we wouldn't find out later that I was severely allergic. So, once again, I was rushed to the hospital so they could drain it out of my system. This reaction is called akathisia, my neurologist explained this to me as " one of the worst things a person could go through.' and he isn't wrong. Akathisia is the inability to sit still but on drugs, when an episode flares up my entire body shakes, I develop tourettes, kick, and have body jerks so I could get some type of relief. After this, you would expect me to finally be on the road to recovery right? Wrong. The concussion gave me a traumatic brain injury, and the allergic reaction gave my brain PTSD, this intertwined with my anxiety and OCD and produced; Functional Neurological Disorder. This is the deepest layer my story goes, and I still suffer from FND every day, but I'm working tirelessly to get back where I used to be. My episodes mirror Akathisa, the first time I got Akathisa was from the medicine, and after it was out of my system I was so relieved it was over, but now I live with it every day. I will never regret this terrible disorder developing though, it has taught me how strong I am, how even with a brain disorder I defy the odds and play soccer again and cheer for my school. I will never let people think less of me, I'm going to continue to get straight A's, continue to strive to be a veterinarian, and most importantly, go back into sports and not let the fear overconsume me. I have high standards for myself, I have overcome adversity, parental divorce, and continue to live with very severe social anxiety and OCD. But that is not who I am, I am the person who strives to cure feline leukemia, always hug my family and expresses my love for them, work hard in school, and always believe in myself. This experience has let me learn that I can trust myself and overcome the vigorous routes life takes me.

I have always been the underdog on my soccer team, yet my passion for the sport was the MVP. A always attend extra practices and always strive to be my very best, not only for myself but for my team. I have been playing soccer since the age of five, and my best representation of my best and worst times is in the same season because I believe no one is perfect. The worst time in my soccer career was when I got a severe concussion; I was out of all sports, school, or any kind of stimulation. This means I was stripped of my high school season, I was out for nine months trying to build back up my stamina to even go outside for more than fifteen minutes. It was hard, with constant migraines, fatigue, and being super nauseous and dizzy I had zero motivation to do anything. During my concussion, I was proscribed a medicine which we found out later, I was severely allergic to. I was rushed to the hospital where I was put on an IV to drain it out of my system. Afterward, I thought it had just been a one-time thing and I was going to continue my path of recovery; I was wrong. Functional Neurological Disorder developed soon after and has taken the best of me, I still struggle with it to this day but was released for sports over the summer. I am starting my journey back into the sport I love most, and I know the people around me will help me succeed in where I need to be. The best moment I had in soccer was a couple of games before my injury happened, I am so grateful I could have had a big accomplishment before my neurological disorder developed. It was my mom's birthday; October 22nd, my friends and family came to watch me play as we were going against our club rival. For most of the game, it was 0-0, even with chances from either side, it was still neck and neck. But then, my teammate went into a tackle and she was down, a cart came on a took her off. But it's fine, we have subs right? Wrong. We were playing one girl down with seven minutes left to go, we had all lost hope. Until, one of our teammates made an amazing run, a perfect delivery from the six, and a perfect touch, until, she went down, another person down. we were now playing a nine v eleven with three minutes left; it would be a tie. Since we were two people down my coach decided to move me up to mid-- I usually play outside back-- everyone assumed the game was over until my left forward had an amazing carry, I knew what I had to do, I made the run into the box where she then passed it to me, I scored the game-winner against our rival club, with two girls down. I will forever remember this memory as my team screamed in joy and the parents went crazy, my coach somehow kept his cool but I know he was exhilarated. overall, my journey over the past year has been tough, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. My experience with all my injuries has let me grow as a person and fueled my passion for soccer even more. Having soccer, I had something to work for and look forward to while everything else in my life was turned around backward, I will forever be grateful for soccer.

In every family, there is a child whom takes the role of medically expensive; that's me. This resulted in multiple trips to the doctor; my least favorite trips were when I had to get my throat swabbed or my finger pricked. But, since I am an athletic individual my favorite trips were when I had to get an X-ray. Now, I'm sure my mother has a very different opinion and would rather steer clear of both; I, on the other hand, found X-rays fascinating. Ever since the age of five, I had pure confidence about pursuing Veterinary Medicine. While nothing has changed, I've been thinking even more in detail; what specialty. This summer I had the opportunity of volunteering at a local wildlife sanctuary, and it was amazing. I got hands-on experience with species I've never been able to come up close to, not only was I able to observe I got to serve a purpose and provide care for them as well. these animals ranged in species from opossums, raccoons, bald eagles, turtles, and squirrels whom were all different ages. While I loved being able to help my community and the nature around me, I didn't feel in place, it wasn't analytical enough. Along with volunteering I also work at an animal hospital, and while this could sound corny; it feels like home. I love this type of environment because not only am I blessed to create a relationship with the animals around me, but I'm also able to develop bonds with the owners too. I understand the feelings owners obtain when they know their fur baby's life is in jeopardy; my own cat passed away from feline leukemia. This is now my career goal; cure feline leukemia. I was a competitive gymnast for twelve years, along with soccer, cheer, and wrestling; injuries were just a matter of time for my position. In my time of being an athlete I've broken my shoulder, foot, three fingers, toes, and also had a severe concussion. Whenever the doctor came into my room to read the x-ray I was so engaged because to me, the detail that goes into reading each picture is so interesting and an principal when it comes to medicine. Now, I'm sure you can anticipate where this is going, but it wasnt until this year when researching the different kind of specialites I came to knowledge about Veterinary Radiology. I can comprehend the fact that you never know what the future holds and how it changes at anytime; but with full confidence I am able to say Veterinary Radiology is my calling. While treating animals still facisinates me, with radiology, you have to search for the cause of conflict, you have to know details about every kind of everything in the body, and to me that is the coolest thing in the world. Overall, I want to be that person who can give the patient that sense of release when they are being educated on what is wrong with their pet. I know its not going to always be good news, but that sense of the unknown aggrivates me yet also is so intruiging. I am going be the person who can stand before someone, find the problem, and compose a treatment plan so no one will have to go through that expierence of not knowing what they can do.

I have always been the stereotypical type A person; I follow rules, I get things done on time, I’m focused and I’m not the most social. While someone can look at my personality as “boring”, I see it as excellent. I strive to accomplish all my goals, wether that be clean my room or cure feline leukemia; my passions will always remain a motivation. By the age of five I was expressing to my parents my dream of becoming a veterinarian, And to this day I strive for the same goal; and I am confident I won’t stop until it’s reached. One way I give back to my community is by volunteering at a wildlife sanctuary. We take in injured wildlife species the community brings to us, we nurse them back to health, to eventually rehabilitate them back into their environment. Not only do I get to expand my knowledge working with animals I also get to ensure my environment and community around me flourishes. One other way I give back to my community was volunteering for Salvation Army as a kid. Every year me and my gymnastics team would fill up hundreds of backpacks full of school supplies to give back to children who are in need. Not only did this teach me a valuable lesson of being grateful for everything I have, but it’s also another way I can help people around me. The backpacks were full of notebooks, pens, highlighters, pencils, and pencil cases. I always felt good afterwards knowing I was helping many kids my age who were less fortunate; I will definitely have my future children volunteer for Salvation Army so they can learn everything I did. One specific example of how I exemplify a spirit of excellence in my every day life is by carrying one dollar in my purse wherever I go. I started doing this at the age of thirteen, and the reason I do this is so if I see a person who is homeless, I can help out just a bit. The reason why I do this is the homeless, whom are usually asking for money, constantly get looked upon. Whether this be because people assume their money will be used for drugs or other negative purposes, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. One dollar isn’t a lot, but being consistent of having a dollar in my purse wherever I go, can help many. Along with this I always pick up trash I see around me and recycle to ensure a clean and safe environment for every living creature around me. Overall, I like to look at myself as a selfless person, and everyday I strive to be one too. While sometimes you might not have a lot to give, all you need is a single dollar. It’s not always about the amount, I believe it’s more about that your willing to remember to put a dollar in your purse each time.

“You have to have big dreams, to achieve big things.” Is the quote I came up with one night while I was trying to fall asleep, and now I live by it every day. The perfect example being, if I didn’t dream to climb a mountain and leave wisdom on the top, I could’ve never achieved such ambitions. I have always been an outdoors kid, from volunteering in my community, to attending an outdoors camp my whole childhood, to just overall being an advocator for everything environment related. There are many different ways you can advocate for your environment, there is the horticultural aspect, recycling, donations but the one that has always acquired my taste would be wildlife. From the young age of five, my parents already knew I was going to work with animals when I was older, and nothing has changed. And the perfect example would be volunteering at my local wildlife sanctuary, we have injured or sick animals brought in to us, we nurse them back to health so we can release them back into the environment. This is so crucial because wildlife keeps ecosystems functional, regulates our climate, and animal agriculture produces 65% of the worlds nitrous oxide emissions which has a global warming impact 296 times greater than carbon dioxide. So being able to not only expand my knowledge in the animal field, I get to help my environment and all of the life cycles too! One of the strongest memories I have from my childhood would be Earnie Miller Camp. It was a summer long nature camp where we would get education on different species of wildlife, the trees growing around us, and also exploring our environment. The most important thing they wanted us to get out of camp was to be in touch with the nature around us. I specifically have a memory of one time finding the jaw bone of a deer in a creek; which they still have on display to this day. I found it electrifying that I could help educate my fellow campers around me with a physical piece of wildlife. We would always go on creek walks, pick up trash around the campground, host donations, tell each other spooky stories, and make lifelong friendships. I full heartedly believe this camp is one of the many things that fueled my passion for wildlife. I help advocate for my environment by being a teacher assistant in my schools student naturist class. I get a deeper dive on insuring all of the animals health, and also being a helping hand for students around me. In this class, we learn about trees, animals, insects and moreover everything that’s living around us. The last way I advocate for my environment would be always reposting different environmental related issues on my Instagram feed. I don’t have an absurd amount of followers but over two thousand is enough to start a chain where I can get more and more people posting it on their story. Overall, I have very big dreams for my future, I want to ensure my environments wildlife flourishes, while also helping local animal hospitals too. My career goal would be to find a cure for feline leukemia, which I know I can be successful at as long as I remind myself that “you have to have big dreams, to achieve big things.” (Thank you for your time in reading my work, I hope this can paint a picture for you to ensure my passion- Lauren Swearingen)

Wrestling is a sport that requires physical strength and mental stamina. The adrenaline rush you experience with each match makes it such an exciting extracurricular. Life will often present us with a role where we are seen as the underdog where we have to face challenges we have never acquired the skills to do so, I embraced this role when I stepped onto the mat for the first time. Joining my high school wrestling team was a swerve ball as I’m also a cheerleader, soccer player, and participate in gymnastics; a lot of friends and family took this by surprise. I loved the title of being a wrestler, I felt powerful, and respected. Something I’ve never gotten from my classmates while being a cheerleader; we get the stereotype of dumb blonde. This is one of the reasons I fell in love with the sport; the respect you gain from your peers. I have never wrestled before, I was the newby who was still trying to catch onto the warmup. I worked my butt off in practice, surpassing boundaries I thought my body would never be able to handle while keeping the best mindset I could. Some of the time, I was mad my friend convinced me to join this team, I was always drenched in sweat even though we were only twenty minutes into practice. But as I prepared for my first match, I could see myself getting stronger and catching onto moves that I couldn’t even follow a week ago, I was ready. Through-out the school day I wore our warmup with pride, on the outside I was seen to be confident and thrilled to compete in my first match. But as the day went on, being the underdog consumed me, everyone expected my defeat; I was wrestling a girl who was on varsity and had been wrestling for three years. I even expected my defeat as well. It wasn’t until we walked into the gym, I told myself I was going to look at the underdog role as an opportunity to grow and learn, no matter the outcome, but I was deep down hoping I would surpass expectations. As I walked onto the mat, every thing fell silent, it was me and my component; with adrenaline was so high, I could faint. My hands were shaking— even right now I’m shaking writing this because those emotions are something I will never forget— my brain reminded myself with how inexperienced I am. I shook her hand, trying my hardest to look tuff, even tho I’m pretty sure I smiled at her. The ref blew the whistle, immediately she came pushing towards me. My head immediately filled thoughts with “i’m loosing, she’s beating me, I’m done.” But, I did the move I caught onto best in practice; head lock. It worked in my favor, and she was pinned in twelve seconds, a meet record. My entire team jumped up and were shocked by the outcome, even my coaches were getting the crowed hyped up. I got first place and a meet record in my first ever wrestling tournament. Soon after, I was asked to move up to varsity and continued to succeed. My experience wrestling taught myself that being seen as the underdog shouldn’t be looked at as a disadvantage. During my first match everyone sought my defeat, and if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have a motivator to prove everyone wrong. I will never regret joining wrestling, not only did it teach me a lesson, but fueled a new passion.

A teacher holds a special place in our lives as they shape and mold us into the individuals we become. In my case, there was one teacher who impacted my life in countless ways— Mr. Enright. Not only did I benefit from him as teacher, but he was also my high school soccer coach. His influence went beyond the field, serving as a makeshift father figure when my real Dad couldn’t always be there for me. From the moment I stepped onto the soccer field, Mr. Enright saw my potential even when I doubted myself; I wasn’t the best player on my team and Mr. Enright never treated me with less respect; that is one of my favorite things about him. He instilled in me the importance of perseverance, hard work, and kindness. Through his unwavering support, he showed me that failure is not the end but rather an opportunity to learn and grow. And on our last game I would have him as a coach, he gave me a hug that will always be instilled in my soul. Beyond being a coach, Mr. Enright played a significant role in my personal life. I could talk to him about anything, including the difficulties of my parents divorce, he offered a sympathetic ear and supportive advice. Even when he didn’t know what to say, it was nice to have someone who was listening. During those tough years, he provided a safe space where I could share my emotions without judgement. Mr. Enright understood the impact of family struggles on a young persons life and helped me navigate through the complexities with maturity and understanding. Friend drama is a common occurrence in high school, and I was not exempt from such experiences. Wherever I found myself caught in a mindset of misunderstandings or conflicts, Mr. Enright served as a mediator and wise counselor. He reminded me the importance of empathy, forgiveness, and maintaining healthy relationships. His guidance helped me navigate the often turbulent waters of teenage friendships, enabling me to develop strong bonds based on trust and respect. Above all, what truly touched me were Mr. Enright's words: “ if my daughter were to grow up and be just like you, I’d be happy.” These words resonate deeply within me and served as a testament to the profound impact he had on my life. It was through his mentorship, unwavering support, and genuine care that I began to believe in myself and embrace my potential. Mr. Enright saw something in me that I couldn’t see at the time, and maybe still don’t. But, his belief has given me the courage to strive for excellence in every aspect of my life. In conclusion, my high school coach was so much more than a teacher; he is a role model, a confidant, and truly a second father to me. From the soccer field to the personal challenges, he guided me with compassion, wisdom, and support. His positive influence extended beyond the realm of school and sports, leaving an indelible mark on my character and shaping me into the person I am today. Mr. Enright’s commitment to my growth and well-being remains unchanged, reminding me of the immeasurable impact a dedicated teacher can have on a student’s life. I love you Randy Enright, and thank you for everything you have done for me.

While I haven’t truly found what I want to specify in, my dream was to always help animals. Wether that be, small animals, wildlife or marine; I can’t wait to get started. I have always been drawn to the ocean and the beautiful nature it exemplifies; I’ve gone scuba diving a couple times and never wanting to come up for air. I live in Kansas which makes it hard to have any marine experiences, which is why I haven’t explored the field as much; but it is at the top of my list for fields I’m wanting to explore. While exploring marine biology, I would want to focus on rescue and conservation; I want to help save different species and protect all of the natural habitats. Ocean wildlife is beautiful and I want everyone to see it; protecting wildlife and the breathtaking ocean floor is something everyone should see in their lifetime. While you’re under water, everything is silent, it’s simply you and everything around you; this creates a bond between you and the water. No voices to interrupt the sound of water moving and moving slow enough in the water to where you don’t have to be in a hurry: that is what is most beautiful about the ocean. My dream for my career is to find a cure for feline leukemia, this is from a personal loss to my cat. No matter what field I want to specialize in, that is my main goal. And adding onto that, cleaning up the ocean would benefit the aesthetic and the atmosphere for every living creature underneath the waves. I want to advocate to the world how important it is to conserve our beaches and help create a sustainable environment for all marine mammals. Even with all of the beach clean ups, rescue boats, and informational videos, it’s not enough. there are still mammals injured by trash and beaches cluttered with cigarette buds; I want to change this. The way I would complete this goal is create a huge platform on all social medias, have a sponsor with high authority, and have a mascot so people can grasp onto a picture while understanding the meaning behind it. We would create huge campaigns advertising for one day every other month or so, to go to a body of water, and clean anything you can. It will be such a big event and tradition each month, people will be want to get out of the house and help their community. I believe people will be more committed and motivated with this approach because it will be in routine, you don’t have to worry about signing up, and you can go anywhere local. Since this generation is so heavily dependent on social media, we would create a hashtag where people can share how they contributed to their community. Overall, I have big plans for the future and want to succeed; I have very dependable follow through and can confidently say I will be motivated to change the world. I have had the same career choice since I have 6, I am a very determined individual who wants to do good in this world. Im going to end this essay with a quote I created one night while trying to go to sleep: “ You have to dream big things to achieve big things “- Lauren Swearingen.

In the beautiful jungle terrain of Costa Rica stands a pink treehouse hundreds of feet up in the air. Around the huge wrapping deck, windows galore, and trees that are hundreds of years old; My Barbie Dream House is embodiment of Costa Rica’s natural scenery, filled with red and orange flowers to contrast the green topography and the vibrant blue ocean view. Let’s take a closer look into this stunning retreat of which embodies the role of paradise. As soon as you walk in the door you are greeted by immense amounts of wildlife; towards your right you can see a huge enclosure full of brightly colored birds that are nestled amidst lush greenery. The kitchen is filled with bright white cabinets with an orange patterned backsplash, the chef is already making us some fruity drinks. Now making the way to the living room, you can see fairy lights strung all across the ceiling, vines are weaving in and out through the ceiling boards to continue the jungle feel. As you make your way through a vine curtain, we have now entered the bedroom, on the left side of the wall you are met with floor-to-ceiling windows to allow in all natural light. The bed frame is made out of light colored wood, and the comforter is a light pink hue. The bathroom is spectacular, a huge walk in shower with a pink wallpaper, a vanity with fairy lights strung around and a LED sign hung up on the wall that reads “BARBIE”. It truly is the perfect “get ready” space for anyone; not to mention the gorgeous crystal chandelier that hangs from above. As you make your way downstairs you enter the animal hospital, where it is home to hundreds of animals in recovery to soon be released back in the wild; The species range from monkeys to zebras and all the way to a small pink butterfly. There are huge enclosures to ensure all needs are satisfied for the animals. Huge fridges are also accompanied with huge countertops to prepare all of the animals food. As you make your way outside you are greeted with monkeys swinging from tree to tree, red and blue parrots resting on perches, and a crystal-clear blue ocean front view. Overall, this Barbie Dream House is an exquisite taste to which only view people would take interest too, which makes its beauty all the more remarkable. This Costa Rican oasis combined with the beautiful wildlife, greenery, and an enchantment feel will serve as a reminder to anyone of the beauty this earth holds.

My favorite song from the album 1989, would be “Wildest Dreams”; The reasoning is because of the nostalgic and dreamy vibes it carry’s. It will always remain an iconic piece of art with its infectious beats and relatable lyrics, which resonate deeply within me. One of the reasons I chose this song is because of the enchanting beginning with background melodies resembling a haunting tone. “Wildest Dreams” truly sounds like an ethereal atmosphere, her vocals blend effortlessly with the creative instrumental aspect as well. Not only does the instrumental and vocals not disappoint; but the evocative storytelling is so powerful that it can paint such a vivid picture in any listeners head. Lines such as “He’s so tall and handsome as hell” showcases the mastery Swift’s ability of songwriting really is. Another one of my favorite aspects of “Wildest Dreams” would be how it’s a perfect song for when your driving around with friends, family and even just you and your dog. Mostly because everyone knows this song so it creates such a positive environment when you are singing with others. Swift’s ability to write a song and giving a story at the same time allows for people to relate to certain situations and can use that emotion when they are listening. Above all, you can feel the dopamine and adrenaline release when the lyrics “ you’ll see me in hindsight, tangled up with you all night” play. Screaming these words in the car while the volume is cranked all the way up is a feeling only people who listen to “Wildest Dreams” experience. Moreover, the music video of “Wildest Dreams” is definitely a top 10. The detail they put into this production is so creative and imaginative. You truly feel you are there with them; above all the setting is absolutely breathtaking. The yellow dress contrasting with the desert sand works beautifully together and paints the picture exquisitely. Her dress blowing in the wind represents the dreamy feel you get from the music, and her black hair adds unique dimension to all of the neutral colors in the background. Overall, “Wildest Dreams” will always stick out in her 1989 album, due to its enchanting tone and evocative storytelling. The feeling of putting in headphones and having this song playing is an experience of excellence. You feel like the main character because the song truly sends you to a different dimension; I have full confidence Wildest Dreams will continue to captivate audiences and cementing it’s place as one of the best songs created.

Wrestling is a sport that requires physical strength, agility, and mental fortitude. The adrenaline rush with each match makes it such an exciting extracurricular for those who participate. It was my last match of the tournament, I would soon find out, my last time feeling adrenaline so high; I could faint. As I stepped onto the mat, I knew I had to perform well; we were wrestling for the first place. I could hear my mom chanting for me as I shake the other girl's hand, and my teammates banging on the floor trying to get me out of my head; the ref blew his whistle and everything fell silent, I decided to try for a single leg which I found successful. But after that, I have zero recollection of the next moments that took place; she had performed an illegal move that ended with both of our weights combined, falling, and my head bracing the fall. I found out later, I had to forfeit due to injury; my mom rushed me to the ER. Diagnosis- moderate to severe concussion. While on the road to recovery, I was seeing a doctor specifically to get me back into sports. He prescribed me medicine to help out my nausea; I took the medicine that night and started to experience an allergic reaction called akathisia. My doctors explain it as one of the worst things you can go through. The only way I can explain this reaction would be; wanting to jump out of my body, and constantly moving like a seizure. I was rushed to the ER; they drug-tested me and took all of my vitals, of course, the drug test was negative. They explained the allergic reaction and voiced that I would never be able to be prescribed a dopamine blocker medicine as it would give me akathisia. This was scary because dopamine blockers are used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. After the previous events, I was starting to get better; I was back into a modified version of my daily routine. One night, my boyfriend and I were watching a movie when I started to feel akathisia – that's impossible, I didn't take any irregular medication – We ran upstairs tog my mom and it only got worse, it was my previous reaction times five. My mom rushed me to the Hospital, where I started developing Tourettes; the doctors gave us a private room instead of the lobby. We weren't seen until 5. My doctor; Dr. Coffman, the head of neurology at Children's Mercy. He diagnosed me with Functional Neurological Disorder. A disorder that syncs with anxiety and OCD -- both of which I have. In the simplest of terms, it's a condition where you have a traumatic brain injury, and your brain somehow gets PTSD from a situation; mine being the allergic reaction. Functional Neurological Disorder -- commonly FND, doesn't have a cure; there are ways to minimize the episodes from happening, but it's always there with you. My episodes; present with Tourettes, difficulty balancing, and of course, mirroring an Akathisia reaction. This made school very difficult for me; I still struggle with speech and memory; most of my teachers handled the situation like angels. I still have FND episodes, but my road to recovery is looking upward. I have multiple doctors who have gotten me to this point, whom I will always cherish. As I keep pushing, my dreams haven’t changed; I aspire to become a veterinarian and find a cure for feline leukemia. As long as I keep doing what I love, FND can’t beat me.