Frederick Douglass once said, “Without struggle there is no progress.” I am a true reflection of this quote. Frederick Douglass is right because if I never had any struggles in my life I would not be who I am today. These struggles shape who I am and help give me the strength and wisdom I need to be a better person and in life in general. Challenges are a part of life and I have had my share. Overcoming these struggles can be difficult, but necessary.
    My sixth grade year was a struggle. I think more often than not I was in trouble because I had a meltdown, didn’t do my homework or for throwing a fit towards a teacher. In fact, I know I was in trouble more often than not. I remember one time that I was extremely upset. I was sitting in class and had a essay to write but didn’t understand what exactly was being asked of me. The teacher just kept saying to look at the board. I read and reread the board but nothing made sense. I would ask the teacher again and got the same response. By this time I  had become very frustrated. The teacher came and asked me to ask a question on what I needed her to explain, my response… I told her I understand none of it. The teacher looked at me and told me that I did know something because I knew the title. Often it was like this for me where in the end I would have a full blown meltdown and end up in the office or counselor’s room. Sixth grade is also when I was diagnosed with ADD and Processing Disorder.
     There were many things to help me overcome my struggles. As soon as my parents and teachers found out that I had been diagnosed with ADD and Processing Disorder, we instantly got together an IEP plan. In other words an Individualized Educational Plan. This plan allowed me to have an extra teacher to help me with assignments and give me somewhere to “cool off” if I get frustrated in a class. My IEP also allows me to leave class two minutes early to avoid the over crowded halls when the bell rings. Part of the processing disorder is touch sensitivity, so when people in the halls bump into me, I freak out. If I am in an overcrowded store I get overwhelmed or freak out. Not only do I have in school help, but out of school help. I go to counseling and physical therapy. Counseling lets me talk about my feelings or let out my frustrations to someone who will listen and give good feedback. Physical therapy helps me with the touch sensitivity  part of my disorder. I do all sorts of activities to help me, like brushing. Brushing is when I have a weird brush like thing that I “brush” my arms and legs with. Brushing helps desensitize me to certain things touch wise. The most important thing that helps me is my friends and family that support me no matter what.
     Today I still have many struggles and new ones appear each day, but I have started to learn how to overcome a majority of them. Now I am in eighth grade and my life is very different. My grades are all A’s and B’s instead of E’s. When my parents go to parent teacher conferences they don’t come home irritable because all they got were bad comments, they come home glowing because of all the great and wonderful comments they got. I’m not saying I’m perfect because I’m far from perfect. At school it’s rare that I get in trouble, unlike sixth grade where I was always in trouble. School used to be a very miserable place for me and home was only a little better. Now though school is a place for me to see friends and besides from the schoolwork, school is good. I have a special ADD doctor who helps me with medications so I don't have as many mood swings or meltdowns. School isn't as much of a struggle as it used to be and is sort of fun.
     Challenges are a part of life, and overcoming these struggles is difficult but necessary. If I had not overcome these struggles I would still be the same person I was two years ago. More struggles come each day, and figuring out how to overcome them and thinking outside the box to do so becomes second nature. Like Frederick Douglass once said… “Without struggle there is no progress.”  And I am a true reflection of this quote.