I have always valued a great challenge. However, to my surprise, my own passions became my greatest barriers. Growing up, my parents threw me into a variety of sports: basketball, volleyball, and softball. My interest in basketball and volleyball flourished into my high school years, the time I began to play at a more competitive level. As a three-sport varsity athlete, I balanced academics along with club sports. During the winter season, I juggled both high school basketball and club volleyball together; I had practices right after games or practices after tournaments. Such dedication to my athletics had made it difficult to maintain satisfactory grades. However, being grounded in this tough situation has allowed me to understand why I commit so many hours into my sports. Being so intensely passionate about something has forced me to maneuver around difficult times, which ultimately has endorsed me to mature entirely. Encountering late night practices and games, I learned how to manage my complex schedule to advocate for homework and study time. As I took ownership and responsibility for my schedule, I became very independent and resilient. Not only have I gained self-discipline, but I also developed good organization, having to balance all activities at once. While I am so grateful for my parents for fueling my big interests, I am also proud of myself – for not only my accomplishments, but of who I became to be.