rmauzy

Hi, I am writing an essay for college admissions, and any feedback would be great! Prompt: There may be personal information that you want considered as part of your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment. At the age of sixteen I was diagnosed with a skin condition known as psoriasis. Up until that point, I did not have a “wooden leg”; something we blame that is keeping us from being successful in life and our goals, whether big or small. Psoriasis is my wooden leg and whether I like it or not, I have to find a way to deal with it and not let it affect my life. Psoriasis is a non-contagious skin condition where the immune system mistakes the skin cells as pathogens and attacks its own cells. The effects are red, scaly, itchy patches on the skin that most commonly appear on the elbows, knees, scalp and hands. Stress, the weather, and other factors can cause a flare-up of these symptoms. The first flare-up occurred in the winter of junior year. I began sporting red, irritating patches of skin on my elbows, knees, and hands that greatly impaired my ability to concentrate on school. I began wearing jackets to cover up my elbows and hide my hands in fear of being judged for my differences. The stress of the upcoming SAT didn’t help and only caused it to spread to other parts of my body. I could barely bear to look down when writing because the red patches all over my hands only made me feel worse. After months of oatmeal baths and topical ointments that made no difference, I had long retreated inside myself, becoming quiet and reserved. I would walk around school with my big jacket on just wanting to get back home so I wouldn’t feel so out of place and cut-off from everyone else. Fear of the future is what scared me more than anything else. Fear that I would have to bear these hideous itchy patches on my skin for the rest of my life and that they might define me. But help soon came in the form of my Robotics teacher. He noticed the red patches on my hands and informed me that his wife has psoriasis as well. He told me “Everyone has a wooden leg. This is yours and you have to learn to live with it.” For some people, it may take a lot more than a few wise words to change how they feel, but personally, these words hit home. Over the next few days, I pondered these words in my head, and the more I thought about them the clearer they became. I no longer felt as if I was alone with my problems, and knowing that other people were going through the same situation I am gave me hope but was also troublesome. To have this skin condition is irritating, agonizing, unfortunate, and hard to live with. Shortly after this, I began taking the medication Enbrel. It suppresses the immune system and lowers the number of flare-ups. Since being prescribed Enbrel, I am blessed to say my skin has cleared up almost 100% and I am much more able to focus on school. Knowing that psoriasis is a genetic lifelong condition, I am aware that it will come back with a vengeance; but this time I will be ready for it. I have accepted that this is me and I’m determined to not let it slow me down. Despite having psoriasis, I’m comfortable in my own skin.