Challenges will be present at some point in a person’s pursuit of their end goal whatever that may be. Oftentimes, I would loathe the presence of challenges in my life. It seemed that once I overcame one hurdle, another one was waiting for me. I began to realize the beauty that lies within every challenge that I was presented with. Every challenge I ever faced served a bigger purpose and has shaped me into the person I am today and will continue to influence who I become in the future.   

Family means everything to me. I lean heavily on the support of my family, and I can truly say without them I would not be where I am today. They have been there every step of the way, giving me confidence during the best times, and helping me maintain optimism and positivity during the worst times. Additionally, I have met many friends and mentors along the way and we’re able to impact my life for the better.  

When I reflect on my time in college, I am happy with the person that I have grown into. My college experience has been different than a traditional student. I have gone and played basketball for three different schools, in four years. At every stop, I learned different things and have grown in different ways. I am very thankful for all the people I was fortunate to call teammates and all the lessons I have learned from the game of basketball.   

  As this chapter of my life is coming to an end, I feel a great sense of gratitude. I’m grateful for my family, for the friends I’ve been able to make, for the places I was able to see, and for the invaluable lessons I was able to learn. I am excited for what is to come, and everything I have experienced has prepared me for what is to come.