Being raised in a single parent household had many positive impacts on my upbringing, such as the very close bond I have with my mom and the relationships I formed with other family members who were instrumental in helping us when we needed. I have many fond memories from my childhood and would not change the past if able. However, there were a lot of setbacks throughout the years caused by our situation. We lived on one income, which wasn't much, while my mom went back to college to get her degree and try to get a good paying job. I am from a small rural community where everyone knows everyone, so the amount of teasing and bullying because I was poor became an issue. I did have a solid group of friends growing up, but the comments about living in a trailer and being low income definitely have a negative affect on a child. My mom finished her degree, got a better job, and we slowly started experiencing financial security. The amount of hard work, sacrifice, and determination my mom showed was a great learning experience for me to try hard, never give up, and not to let circumstance determine your future. My mom and I are still very close, and I have learned so much from our experience. An event that led to a new understanding of myself was when I suffered from a sports injury during basketball season. This experience provided me with a chance to practice what I had seen from my mom growing up- to keep going, work hard, and use your negative situation as a stepping stone, not a stopping point. During a basketball game, I was going up for a shot and came down tangled with my opponent who was guarding me. As I attempted to get up off the floor, my leg gave out and I had to be helped off the court. Many doctor appointments, x-rays, and an MRI later it was found I had separated tendons in my ankle and a severe bone contusion. My season was over. Resolved not to get discouraged, I remained a part of the varsity basketball team and attended every practice, game, and tournament. I assisted the coaches in keeping stats, encouraged my teammates, and did everything I could to support my team from my crutches. I had never experienced this side of the game before, and as much as I hated not playing it was a very valuable lesson in patience, sportsmanship, and how hard work and determination can make a great comeback story. Another unexpected blessing from this injury is the way it opened my eyes to my future career. During my physical therapy, I was intrigued by the therapy process and the human body’s ability to recover and heal and began speaking with my therapist about a possible career in this field. I am an Eagle Scout and one of my merit badges I earned during my injury was in Physical Fitness. Many of the research topics covered for the merit badge coincided with my personal injury and recovery, which I found extremely interesting. After a lot of research, conversations with family, and prayers, I feel I have been led to a career in Exercise Science and Sports Performance. I would like to be able to use my own experience to help others during their physical recovery and fitness journey