The whistle blows. Ten minutes of hard work, sweat, and determination flowing through my veins. In a split second, I collide with another player and the rest is in the past. I ended up with a fractured wrist on October 5th, 2008, my last year in junior high. Two weeks later, I notice clumps of hair falling out as I brush my hair every morning like usual. It was hard to imagine that the changes about to come would shape who I am four years later.

Losing my hair almost seemed like the end of the world to me. In a way, I’m glad I caught Alopecia (when your immune system attacks your hair follicles) because of the various learning experiences it has presented to me. I learned to relax more and to enjoy life as it comes to us because you never know what hardships might fall on us on any given day. I have started to not care what other people think of me even though I may look different than everybody else. When I lost my hair, I had a difficult time being in large crowds because I felt like everyone’s eyes were on me thinking the same question. Does he have cancer? People have even asked me in person that question and I had to politely correct them and explain to them what alopecia is. Today, that doesn’t bother me as much. That’s one of the aspects I love about Drake. The campus isn’t too big or too small for me. I don’t feel as though I would be overwhelmed. Drake University is definitely a place where I can make an impact and hopefully start my career.

I have also begun to accept me for who I am. I learned that in order for me to be happy, I need to be with friends who don’t care how I look and share the same interests as I do. That’s how I am approaching my college search. I want to be around students who accept me for who I am. I have not been on a visit yet, however, I plan to in the near future whether it is on spring or winter break. From what past graduates and current student have said, Drake University sounds like a place where I would fit right in. They have also said that Drake allows its students to continue to be who they are and to work towards shaping, not only their future, but the surrounding community as well. I can see myself being a part of the community at Drake University. I can imagine myself relaxing in the student lounges, meeting and getting to know new people that can possibly make an impact on my life. I can see myself attending classes working towards that PharmD degree and graduating looking to succeed in life. I often look back at the moment I fractured my wrist. I wonder how things could have been different if I didn’t break it. In a way, I’m glad it happened because I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Hopefully, in a few months, I will be setting foot on campus and scoring goals at Drake.