This year was an intense struggle as I constantly battled with sickness. Throughout high school, I remained healthy and active, but as junior year arrived, my health worsened suddenly.

The beginning of junior year was filled with high academic expectations. I enrolled in mostly AP and honors classes, despite prior knowledge of their difficulty. The first few weeks of school were great, I was well organized, healthy, and successful.

Even though the AP classes were incredibly intense, I tried my absolute best to achieve greatness. But then, I missed a week of school because I caught a cold. I made up my most of work and attended school the next Monday.

The following week, I came down with the flu. I attempted to finish my late homework, but the amount seemed overwhelming. Little by little, a pile of late homework formed.

This vicious cycle of sickness plagued me throughout the year. Not only was I catching every possible cold that passed through the hallway of FCS, I struggled with weekly migraines and had breathing difficulties which caused me to miss more school.

I also lost over fifteen pounds in a very short period of time because of the side effects of the medicine I took. I was in constant mental and physical pain. Even after numerous visits to the doctor, my health issues remained undiagnosed. I was only given more ineffective pills which seemed to worsen my condition.

My teachers became concerned due to my large amount of absences and decided to remove me from my AP and honors classes to lessen the work load.

I became frustrated and discouraged by this change. I tried to achieve excellence, but why was my health preventing it? I had never felt so helpless in my whole life. It was like my own body had turned against my dreams.

After I stopped asking “why?” and dismissed my bitter attitude, my outlook of the unfortunate situation became better. I became motivated once again and despite my poor health, I finished the year with a 4.0, something almost unheard of when a person is rarely at school.

Everyone will go through hardships that prevent achieving certain goals, but don’t ask “why.” There is a reason for all things. Although the reason for my negative situation has not revealed itself, I have a strong motivation for success, even if things go different then planned. Poor health may affect my current life, but I will no longer allow it to deprave my hope of a bright future.

For more columns, read the May 17 article, Senior accepts Christ, discovers new perspective on life.