My greatest accomplishments

Accomplishing any task can be difficult. Some are definitely harder than others, but I think any accomplishment can be seen as a huge feat, especially when it comes to shaping someone's future. For some people, it's a massive accomplishment to wake up in the morning, and for others, it's a difficult task just to go to bed at night. No matter how big or small, each and every accomplishment does a lot to shape you into the person you are, because each decision made to make that accomplishment shows a lot about your personal character.

I've personally had a lot of important accomplishments in my life, big and small, that have turned me into the person I am today. There are a few particular ones that especially stand out.

1. The first, and by far biggest accomplishment for me has been graduating college. It took me a long time to even find a college that I fit in at. I started school at Towson University, and although at the time it was my dream college, it turned out to be a horrible fit for me. In a drastic turn of events, my family moved to Connecticut, and I decided to try my luck at getting into the University of Connecticut. By my surprise, I got in! I started out at a regional campus, which was great, but didn't feel like college to be honest. All the classes were in one building, I didn't hang around and make friends, and there weren't a lot of options in terms of clubs to join as the campus itself was so small. After a year there, I finally moved to the main UCONN campus, and it was amazing. My major was officially changed to animal science, and I was taking classes that I not only loved, but challenged me to really think about my future and how hard I was willing to work. I took classes that tested my knowledge, and I persevered through so many challenges, and finally, in May of 2019, I got my diploma. It was one of the best days of my life, and I felt so amazing when the actual diploma finally came in the mail. It opened up so many doors for me and proved to me that I really can do anything I set my mind to.

2. The second big accomplishment in my life is probably when I bought my car. It was my first big, adult purchase, and it was something that I could honestly say was MINE. I worked hard to save up money for a down payment, and I was able to get a nice car. My 2015 Nissan Altima wasn't brand new, it wasn't perfect by any means, but it was mine, and I knew that I worked my butt off to be able to get it. It signified a lot of things for me, but mostly it showed that I was able to be financially capable, because I was able to get my monetary priorities straight to get something I wanted/needed. The fact that my parents bought me my first car made it slightly more satisfying for some reason. Maybe because it just felt good to do something so big for myself.

3. Third, I adopted my first pet. About a year and a half ago, while living in Florida, I got very homesick and thought having my own pet would make me feel a little less upset about being so far away from home. After talking to my family, they agreed that I could adopt a cat and bring it back home to Connecticut with me. The cat was supposed to be my birthday present, but one day in September, I was walking around a pet store and saw this adorable, one eyed, grey and white cat. Her name was Avocado, she was about 4 years old, and while I was hanging out with her in the pet store, she was so sweet. I could tell she was tired of being pent up, so that night I brought her home. Her name is still Avocado, and she is such a diva, but I love her to death, and she will always be my first baby.

4. I took a leap and participated in the Disney College Program. One cold day at the end of January, my mom, aunt and I packed up my life in my tiny little Ford Fiesta and started the trek down to Orlando. They dropped me off at my hotel and headed to the airport, and suddenly I was all alone in a brand new place. As scary as it was when I started, the program ended up being one of the best decisions of my life. Sure, I made some mistakes here and there, but along the way, I found myself. I learned to be independent. I learned what it really meant to work hard, and I learned a lot about financial responsibility. It probably helped a lot that I was in sunny Orlando, FL. After finishing my college program, I went through my final push of college, started a full time, "grown up" job, and moved into an apartment with my cat, puppy, and boyfriend.

5. My most recent great accomplishment is probably my, hands down. greatest accomplishment. As stated in a previous article, I have thought about joining the Army for a long time. Well, I decided to take the plunge. I enlisted in the Army. Just the enlistment process was long and hard, and I know it's only going to get harder from here, but I am so excited for the opportunities it is going to open up for me. My dad, my grandfathers, and countless other members of my family are military veterans, and I am so happy to be one of the couple members of my family who will keep the family legacy going. With this, not only will I be able to work towards being financial stable and comfortable, but it will also significantly help with vet school costs.

People accomplish great things all the time. But sometimes it's good to sit down and really focus on the big, great accomplishments you've been able to reach. Give yourself the credit you deserve every once in a while, and honestly, it will make the great accomplishments feel even greater.