Going into my first year of college, I was eager and determined, and in my mind, nothing could have stopped me. I became a culture writer for my school newspaper, I became editor-in-chief for a literary magazine on campus, and I sought out job opportunities in my field of interest. Then my diagnosis came along. I was finishing my spring semester when I started having symptoms, and after several tests and doctors visits, I was diagnosed with Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma. I promptly finished my spring classes and had a life-saving major liver-resectioning surgery in May. Although I am now cancer-free, I am undergoing adjuvant immunochemotherapy this year to prevent disease recurrence. I have decided to continue my education during treatment, mostly to prove to myself and others that cancer can't bring me down. Although my diagnosis is oftentimes the only thing that I can think about, I won't let it impact my future plans. Although it is easy to think about all of the negative ways that my diagnosis has impacted my education and career goals, it is also impossible to ignore the new sense of purpose and direction that I have gotten. I have become extremely passionate about patient advocacy and awareness surrounding the healthcare industry, and as a writer, I want to shed light on the experiences of patients who are navigating the healthcare space. I have guided my class projects to focus on my rare cancer and the other survivors I've spoken to. I also want to work with nonprofit organizations that help cancer patients because of the immense help that I have received from FibroFighters, the organization that assists FLC patients. I am now volunteering for Firbofighters, and for the first time in my life, I feel like my actions have a purpose. I never knew what I wanted to do after college, and I struggled with finding a career option that would combine my interests in writing and social media with my desire to help people. I was constantly worried about the amount of money that I'd make after graduating, but my diagnosis taught me that there is more in life than money and monetary success. Although my diagnosis has been extremely physically and emotionally taxing, I am pushing through it, and in the end, I know that this is all part of my life plan. I have never been an extremely religious person, but I do believe that everything happens for a reason, and although my journey has shown me the lowest points in my life, it has also taught me to be a fighter. At times, I thought that my life was over and that I would never be myself again. In a way, that was true. I will never be who I was before my diagnosis, but that isn't a bad thing. Cancer has given me purpose, strength and faith that I never had before. These traits will carry me through college and eventually to a fulfilling career where I will hopefully be helping people like me.