Ever since the first KLS episode in the beginning of junior year of high school and when I was eventually diagnosed with KLS, life has been remarkably difficult and stressful, but what I have gained and learned is invaluable.
Throughout the latter half of high school, I missed a significant portion of school days, curtailed most social and extracurricular activities, and simultaneously caught up on “old” coursework and tests while staying up to date on the “current” assignments. Yet in the process of addressing these challenges, I became stronger, more tenacious, and resilient. This experience, which was unfortunate and demanding, has benefited me for the rest of my life, and it has already paid dividends to me in the first semester of my college career at Emory.
I missed many days of school, majority of my basketball season, parties and social events with my friends. Indubitably, I felt overwhelmed and anxious as I was robbed of a huge part of my adolescent life. My tendency as a typical teenager had been to balance “wants and needs.” I realized that to minimize the impact of KLS I had shift from balance mode to one of proactive engagement. My mindset was simple: KLS would not win; I would not let KLS control my life. I certainly made necessary trade-offs. My social life was non-existent and my time commitment to personally important community service activities was limited. Varsity basketball season was pretty much lost, and in the spring, when I was on the edge of not being able to catch up, I withdrew from the Golf team. (I was flattered when the coach insisted I serve as a manager/mentor to our younger players on an “as available” basis, and then named me a captain for the 2013 season.) I had to accept that lack of continuity in school made it difficult for me to fully achieve my academic goals and attain the SAT score I desired.
When it came to depressing times and hard choices, I reminded myself that personal conviction and inner strength define individuals. And these qualities are revealed at the moment a person is confronted with a difficult choice, burden, or misfortune. Facing KLS has been my first significant “moment.” Living with KLS has validated the lessons my parents, teachers, and coaches stress about how successful I can be by pushing myself and attacking adversity head on.
My experience with KLS has been uniquely severe. While I may experience episodes in the future, their magnitude and duration should be lessened because I am proactively taking steps through nutrition and exercise to boost my immune system and minimize a reoccurrence. Dealing with KLS has taught me two important life lessons: to be preemptive in attacking challenges and to keep fighting even when a goal seems unachievable. I expect the worst of this disorder is behind me, but if KLS or any other challenge knocks me down, I know I am more than capable of getting right back up.
Throughout the latter half of high school, I missed a significant portion of school days, curtailed most social and extracurricular activities, and simultaneously caught up on “old” coursework and tests while staying up to date on the “current” assignments. Yet in the process of addressing these challenges, I became stronger, more tenacious, and resilient. This experience, which was unfortunate and demanding, has benefited me for the rest of my life, and it has already paid dividends to me in the first semester of my college career at Emory.
I missed many days of school, majority of my basketball season, parties and social events with my friends. Indubitably, I felt overwhelmed and anxious as I was robbed of a huge part of my adolescent life. My tendency as a typical teenager had been to balance “wants and needs.” I realized that to minimize the impact of KLS I had shift from balance mode to one of proactive engagement. My mindset was simple: KLS would not win; I would not let KLS control my life. I certainly made necessary trade-offs. My social life was non-existent and my time commitment to personally important community service activities was limited. Varsity basketball season was pretty much lost, and in the spring, when I was on the edge of not being able to catch up, I withdrew from the Golf team. (I was flattered when the coach insisted I serve as a manager/mentor to our younger players on an “as available” basis, and then named me a captain for the 2013 season.) I had to accept that lack of continuity in school made it difficult for me to fully achieve my academic goals and attain the SAT score I desired.
When it came to depressing times and hard choices, I reminded myself that personal conviction and inner strength define individuals. And these qualities are revealed at the moment a person is confronted with a difficult choice, burden, or misfortune. Facing KLS has been my first significant “moment.” Living with KLS has validated the lessons my parents, teachers, and coaches stress about how successful I can be by pushing myself and attacking adversity head on.
My experience with KLS has been uniquely severe. While I may experience episodes in the future, their magnitude and duration should be lessened because I am proactively taking steps through nutrition and exercise to boost my immune system and minimize a reoccurrence. Dealing with KLS has taught me two important life lessons: to be preemptive in attacking challenges and to keep fighting even when a goal seems unachievable. I expect the worst of this disorder is behind me, but if KLS or any other challenge knocks me down, I know I am more than capable of getting right back up.