As my freshman year at the University of Cincinnati has come to a close, I can't help but feel that it took more unexpected turns than I ever imagined. From UC not being my first choice, to surprisingly liking the first semester, to wanting to transfer the second semester, and having one of what seemed the worst academic moments of my life, I cannot help but feel grateful for the experiences I had. While much of my experience was full of opportunity and achievement, my second semester seemed to drown out any of this success. Despite how perilous it may have felt, I am grateful that the semester went as it did. I learned more about myself in those 15 weeks than I think I would have otherwise. My first semester was filled with so much promise and a passion for academics that I had never experienced before. I was involved on campus, striving to make new friends and taking advantage of the numerous opportunities at UC. I had a drive like no other to build my resume and create a strong foundation as a competitive applicant to what I hoped would be medical school. I ended the semester well and proved to myself that I was capable of success. As the second semester came, it was as if a switch flipped. I noticed myself trying to become a student that was consumed with work but lost sight of self-care and a day off. I would spend countless nights in the library and while this seemed positive, I realized much too late that all-nighters began to take a toll on my performance in school and my mental health. The semester was no longer filled with drive and want, but thoughts about transferring schools and a feeling of "just barely getting through it." In the final weeks of the semester, I realized that I could no longer go on with thoughts of wanting to leave UC or thoughts of quitting and that my attitude would be the only thing to get me through. Through reconnecting with my faith and trusting in this higher power I began to see a new light at the end of the tunnel. I trusted in my faith to guide me to better habits, a focus on self-care, and learned to have confidence in myself. The semester did not end as I hoped, but I learned that it is much harder to tackle difficult moments alone. I have begun to change my approach to school and am focusing on making time for myself to just live life. It is much too short to be consumed by work alone. As my second year approaches, I am excited to build new opportunities for myself and my career at UC. I have a new focus on relaxing in school and giving myself a chance to focus on projects outside of academics, which are ultimately just as important. I look forward to continuing work with UC Health and have several other community project ideas in mind. Not only this, I have recently fallen in love with Half-Marathon running and am excited to explore this sport further! I know there are great things ahead for myself and at UC.