Personal Narrative: The Determination That Canceled My Anxiety

Have you ever had something happen to you that made you think you couldn't do what you loved anymore? Well I have. I thought I would never be able to play the sport I loved, basketball, anymore. When I broke my arm in fourth grade in 2012 taught me to persevere,that you can do what you love no matter what, and no matter what bumps you hit in your life you can always come back better.

Walking away from everything you once knew and starting over is never a picnic. Leaving Iraq, and moving to America has impacted my life more than anything. I was only 4 years old at that time, and the only English I spoke was “excuse me, water please.” My family and I did not know it then, but our lives were going to change; we would become “Americanized”. Learning English was one of the massive changes that occurred, the way I dressed (culture), and even the way I had power to go to school and educate myself.

It was the day the junior high volleyball girls played Madison Grant! They were the only team that we lose to last year.We were going back and forth and back. It was a really good game. Who won the biggest rivalry in Frankton JH?

Over my years of school, one big influence on me has always been sports. Ever since a young age, I have always enjoyed playing and watching sports. In my four years in high school, I have fell in love with the sport of lacrosse.

I woke up and took one bite out of my pop tart but that one bite was all I could eat. My legs were shaking, and my heart was pounding. My dad told me, “It is a true honor to even make it this far so go out there and have some fun.” Once I heard this statement, I knew I was ready to go. I arrived at school and boarded the bus. The car ride was an hour and fifteen minutes of hearing the squeaking of the wheel on the bus. My teammates were getting their heads ready for the big game.

That was the phrase that had been assaulting my ears for the last half an hour. Although it wasn’t odd that someone was telling me that specific phrase, this time it was different. My grandmother, whom I thought had understood my problems, had just proven to me that she actually didn’t. At the age of 12, I was heartbroken.

I quickly swallowed my homemade authentic Indian food leftovers and gulped down my chocolate milk. Looking down at my watch that read 11:28am, I knew that I only had two minutes until my most favorite part of the day: recess. This particular day in 5th grade, I had run a lap around the playground before getting the rest of recess to myself. As I started walking for my warmup, another student ran up and said, “My parents said that your people caused 9/11.” Completely caught off guard, I held back the tears in my eyes and tried to shake off his comment. I had never encountered something like this.

“Casey, your group needs to do the stunt one more time!” coach said imprudently. It happened March 26, 2015; it was at the end of a two hour practice. During the summer months in South Georgia, it is utterly hot and humid, especially in our cheer gym (a warehouse with no air conditioner); it only has two heavy-duty fans and a roll-up door. With this in mind, my group became slightly irritated. Everyone was exhausted; nevertheless we still had to do the stunt anyway.

Growing up with a father in the military, you move around a lot more than you would like to. I was born just east of St. Louis in a city called Shiloh in Illinois. When I was two years old my dad got the assignment to move to Hawaii. We spent seven great years in Hawaii, we had one of the greatest churches I have ever been to name New Hope. New Hope was a lot like Olivet's atmosphere, the people were always friendly and there always something to keep someone busy. I used to dance at church, I did hip-hop and interpretive dance, but you could never tell that from the way I look now.

When you told the class about our assignment and how apart of it was going to be not using our phones for 6 hours, I felt a rush of anxiety jolt through my body as you said those words. I know that sounds terrible that I physically could feel anxiety in my body after hearing that, but it’s true, I was anxious and honestly a little annoyed. My phone is my lifeline, basically it’s like a baby to me. I have it with me for almost twenty-four hours a day and have it right beside me when I sleep.

People have fears: spiders, snakes, tight spaces and more. My fear is public speaking. It is so hard for me to go up on stage and talk to all those people out on the audience. I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach, and I can't think straight.

The wheels of my almost falling apart luggage where obnoxiously squeaking as I paced down the busy and rather lengthy airport hallway. Intimidated by frequent stares and unsettled by the lingering feeling of uncertainty, I tried my best to not attract any more attention than I already was. My scrawny arms struggled to lift my grey worn out bag, and I avoided eye contact at all expenses to not feel the rapidly flourishing feeling of embarrassment and regret sitting at the pit of my stomach. If you couldn’t already tell, this was the first time I have ever proceeded to fly alone, and at the inexperienced age of 13, I wasn’t too hyped about taking that step in my life, but for some stupid reason I thought I had the balls to do it in the first place.

Determination is a suitable character trait to describe me.When there is something I genuinely want to accomplish, I will fulfill it no matter how many times I fail. Failure is what fires my inner desire to work hard and to my fullest potential until my goals are achieved. For example, in my Jazz dance class, my instructor instructed the class to do switch leap jump, which is a jump that launches a dancer up and forward into a split in which the extended legs switch places in mid-leap. In my mind, I’m thinking to myself how impossible that sound and fear started taking over my body since it was my very first time being instructed to do such jump. When the instructor played the music for the jump, I decided to stand at the end of the line and

The biggest thing i overcame is was my 6th grade teacher she was my biggest challenge.the first thing she was disrespectful to me.She was also would get in my face and violate my personal space and make me feel uncomfortable. She would also would attack my integrity and she say all would are lies and then made me feel sad. she would just be straight mean but only to me. No one else she would make exceptions for some students.Those are are some of the reasons i made this how i overcame it was. Khan Academy it was that because she didn't teach me much her teaching style wasn't very good for me she. i would have my step brother help me with my homework.I also would use my resources such as the internet friends and family they were my biggest

I was exhausted after the project work. My glasses were smudged and it was getting dark, so I moved upstairs, to my room. It was still a mess, clothes strewn over the boxes that were supposed to prevent this from happening. The boxes weren't full or anything- it was me who made it wrong. Something itched. I sat down to investigate. No- it wasn't a itching, it was more of a numbness. I felt around my jugular and found something not quite right. It was- felt- wet, and something told me it was flowing. It couldn't be, right? But when I felt it again, ripples and waves came from under my skin, like an alien heartbeat. In a bit more of a panic now, I reached down a little. A splotch of that same skin covered a good part of my torso. A true bout of anxiety and fear started up in my stomach. I stood up, trembling a little, and walked to the bathroom.