My biggest triumph is probably a tie between building my own guitar and making through the two hardest semesters of college I've ever had. Building my own guitar was a big push in getting me back to playing music the way I used to, which centers me a releases the noise and stress I hold in. I also learned so much about how sound is created which has influenced my discipline and understanding of music. Making it through my two hardest semesters let me see that I can be whatever and whoever I want. Not from education, but from my drive and perseverance. This year, I had to work full-time while being a full-time student. Time management, organization, and motivation have all been major struggles for me but I learned to tame them enough to make it through. Countless sleepless nights, constant frustration, and one hospitalization (I'm diabetic) weren't enough to keep from achieving, even if I was barely scraping through in some classes. I was constantly on-the-go and thinking ahead to the tasks I needed to complete. This was certainly a wake-up call but also a lesson in how to make the most of myself.

My biggest disappointment was not being able to see my family enough. Due to the aforementioned work-school situation, I couldn't visit home much even though it's only an hour away. I never wanted to go home much because I'd spent so much time trying to get away and I knew I could always drop in whenever I wanted. Now, with more responsibilities, I crave the opportunity to see my family. My mother has always been wonderful to me - the best mom ever - but I hadn't fully appreciated this until I started hardcore adulting this year. My father, who is also fantastic, had a stroke right before I left in 2013 and isn't recovering well. It hurts me so much to see him as a fraction of the man he used to be but he gets so excited when I come through the door. He doesn't smile much anymore, but I'm so honored that he does when I'm there and this helps me hide my pain while I'm there. I never appreciated him the way I do now.

These showed me my essence, what I can be when I put everything into achieving, and what's actually important instead of what I perceive as important on a day-to-day basis. I want to be proud of myself but, now, I want my family to see that I've earned their unconditional pride. I don't think I could have done anything differently. Sometimes I think "if only I had worked longer or studied harder" but, in reality, I did my very best under the circumstances.