“You can make it Sammie, only 500 feet until you’re in the building”, I told myself as my stomach painfully twisted. I desperately needed the bathroom, and the closest academic building was in sight. Every step felt like a mile and the door only seemed to get further away the more steps I took. I thought I had a chance to make it as I gripped my stomach, but when I was only ten feet from the door, I realized it was too late. No one expects to develop a chronic illness, and when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis, I knew little of the journey ahead of me. Since my first year of college, I have cycled through several treatment options including pills, enemas, Entyvio, Tremfya, and most recently Remicade. Each new treatment gave me a spark of optimism, hoping for relief that never came. My persistent symptoms have been one of the most challenging aspects of my condition but have also taught me how to be resilient and to choose to always try again. These medical symptoms have adjusted my daily life, as I live in a constant state of unpredictability. My sudden urgencies to use the bathroom, severe pain, and frequent accidents require me to be prepared at all times. My routine walks across campus have become a strategic event of planning out the quickest route to the nearest restroom and packing extra clothes and wipes in my backpack in case things go south. While these changes were extremely discouraging at first, I have learned to face my vulnerability head-on and use a sense of humor and personal grace. Resilience for me is having the strength to take a deep breath, work through deeply uncomfortable experiences, and being able to continue on with my day with a rebuilt sense of dignity. I don’t want to stop attending classes, dancing with my school organization, or volunteering with kids after school because of my chronic illness. These experiences, while painful and embarrassing at times, have taught me how to rebuild my confidence and have shaped my character tremendously. Developing patience with myself has been one of the few positive outcomes of my illness, but I am grateful for the strength to continuously move forward through uncertainty. I have developed a deeper compassion for all individuals facing invisible struggles, as living with a condition that affects every minute of your day is a constant battle that deserves recognition. It takes strength to simply show up and keep going. Resilience is a constant search for answers and not giving up hope despite the numerous challenges you face. Ulcerative colitis has been my greatest battle in life, but I continue to fight every day with the hope of a treatment that works for me. While I don’t always make those last ten feet to the bathroom, resilience has shown me that the moments we fall short are not the most important, but rather how we rise from them.