One of my favorite parts of playing golf is how not only every round, but every shot is different. Even though sometimes luck can change a round, golf is a sport that relies solely on skill and mental preparation. I also enjoy helping people learn about golf. I have been a captain on my high school golf team both my junior and senior seasons, so I learned that golf is much more than personal success, but it is more about encouraging other people and helping them become better. Golf has had a great impact on my character, teaching me patience and consistency. Over the past six years, I have learned that improvement does not happen overnight. Hours of practice and over 200 rounds played I learned that golf is all about consistency and trusting your own process. These lessons do not only apply to golf, but I also apply these lessons to my school life and my everyday life. One challenge that I have faced is having a severe peanut allergy. Even though this may not seem very serious to some people, one slip-up and I could never breathe again. Many golfers rely on protein bars during rounds for quick energy, but I have to find other ways to fuel my body which takes more time and also adds unnecessary stress to my daily life. Even though my peanut allergy is not anywhere near beneficial, it has still taught me responsibility and the importance of always being aware of what is around me. Recently, my proudest accomplishment in the game of golf occurred. For the past 2 years, in my sophomore and junior years I placed 3rd in my county tournament. With this always being the last event of the year, it was something I was looking forward to in my senior season. The round was nowhere near perfect however, mainly due to a double and a triple on both par threes on the back 9. Going into the 18th hole I was one shot back from the lead with a 2-way tie for first. Needing a birdie on the last, I thought I had to hit my drive as far as possible. Everything was routine, from teeing up the ball to picking out my landing area, but when I went for my drive, disaster struck. I played a low fade that was going to end up in the fairway but it hit a low hanging branch which kicked my ball severely to the right. Now, about 300 yards to the hole and having to hit over a forest, I still knew I had a chance. I hit the best 5 iron of my life and left me with 85 yards to the pin. With my 56-degree in hand and the entire county watching my approach shot the pressure hit me. I hit a stock shot which landed about 10 feet to the pin but unfortunately spun about 10 more feet back away from the pin. With a 20 foot breaker for birdie, my whole world stopped. I hit my putt, and all I heard after was cheers. That putt still goes down as my best shot ever, even though it was not the most flashy or anything. Forcing the playoff, I managed to hit a much better drive which set me up for an easy approach and a 30 foot putt for eagle. Golf has shaped me into a more patient and consistent person, and I take the lessons I learn from golf and apply those to my outside life as well.

It was a beautiful day in Philadelphia. Sesame Place, water slides, how could it get any better for a six year old? Running from attraction to attraction, I grew hungry. To me, it didn’t matter what you put in front of me, I was starving. My brother offered me a granola bar, I thought nothing of it. But something was off. I thought I had swallowed some water, or maybe I was just tired. As things were getting worse, I tried my best to keep it together. I was too afraid of ruining everyone’s time. I’m thinking all of this through and starting to panic when I begin to feel my throat closing. I couldn’t stop coughing and hives were taking over my skin. It was too much, I had to get my dad. As soon as he noticed, we left the park as fast as we could. My worst nightmare. We were leaving the amazing Sesame Place. After rushing to St. Mary Medical Center and a thorough examination, they believed it was something in the water. With this, I resumed life as normal. That was until about a year after the incident. We visited a family friend’s house and I saw a jar of peanut butter-filled pretzels sitting on the counter. Like any normal seven year old would, I grabbed a handful. Everything was fine, but fifteen minutes later and all the symptoms I experienced a year ago were coming back. Stomach pain, hives, fatigue and worst of all, my throat was closing again. Enough was enough. With this second scare, we needed to see an allergist. I was given a skin prick test and the results indicated that I was highly allergic to peanuts. Something no one in my family even considered. With this, I was told to carry an EpiPen everywhere I went. In the following years I took multiple blood tests only to find out that if I were to eat enough of the protein of a peanut, it could be life-threatening. Worst of all, there was little to no chance of this ever improving. Once people began to find out about my allergy, I was made fun of for being the kid at the peanut-free table, or the kid who couldn’t enjoy a PB&J after sports practice. I’ve been called all different types of names, such as peanut boy, and sometimes even have peanut M&M’s thrown at me. Once a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was thrown at my lunch tray while I was eating. All these distractions in school did not make my schoolwork any easier. The constant fear of having an allergic reaction due to an accident or to someone just wanting to turn me into a joke. Dealing with my peanut allergy for nearly 18 years has taught me the importance of proper diagnosis, treatment, and medication for people with various chronic conditions. I am aware of just how costly an accident can be and am compassionate with those living with long-term health conditions. It’s scary living every day in constant fear of having an accident lead to the end of my life. This fear and understanding of chronic conditions is why I am motivated to pursue a career in the medical field, more specifically in the field of pharmacy research. I want to help people like me that deal with chronic conditions, get access to the medication they need to prevent potentially life-threatening situations.