Freshman Year at Bowling Green State University

On August 28th, I applied to do the Disney College Program for my spring semester of my freshman year. On October 10th, I found out I had a tumor on my ovaries and I thought my life had ended. My doctor reassured me that she believed the tumor wasn't cancerous and all I would need was surgery. On October 11th, I found out I was accepted into the program and I started to have hope. I knew that this little bump in the road was only temporary and in a couple weeks I would be able to go back to school and finish off my first semester of school and then go to Disney in the spring. I had it all planned out. Two weeks of school work would be a piece of cake to make up.

On October 28th, when I got the dreadful news that I in fact had cancer, I knew school was out of the picture. So was Disney. There was no way I could make up a semester's worth of school work and plan on going to Disney the start of my next semester. I had lost hope.

But with the help of my family, friends, teachers, doctor, and guidance councilor, I was able to achieve what I once thought was impossible. My doctor set up my treatment plan so I would be done in time to go to Disney and my school worked with me so I could still try to finish up my first semester and not have to drop out.

I was taking six classes my first semester. I was able to finish three of them by the end of the semester. My English class I had to drop and my professors for my other two classes gave me to the end of the year to make up my work.

While in Disney I decided to take two online classes. One was my English class and the other one was a class for my major. I also was going to finish up the two classes I couldn't do last semester. So I was technically taking 4 classes! I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. It was too much work plus with my health and Disney I thought I was biting off more than I could chew!

Well I am proud to say with one week left in my first year of college, I was able to pass my English class and pass ALL five papers that were due. AND complete ALL of my classwork from last semester. I still have one more week left in my other class but I am so proud of myself. I have beat the odds and I don't have to retake my freshman year.

I never wanted cancer to ruin my life. Even though I am not your average teenager, I still wanted to be. I am sad I missed out on most of my freshman year...but I am happy that I am going to be able to move on and be a Sophomore when I start school in the fall!