# data[].attributes.body
The first thing that I think really had an impact on me that has lasted all the way up until now is the kindness and love of my parents as they raised me. I am grateful to say that I was raised in an environment that was full of love, and I never lacked attention from my parents. That isn’t to say that I could do no wrong, my fathers morality was strict and I spent much time in timeouts and received a spanking or two in early childhood, but I always felt supported to try new things and given opportunities to meet new people.

# data[].attributes.body
As early as I can remember, I was participating in sports. My parents used to run triathlons, and some of my earliest memories were of trying to keep up with them from the moment I saw them to the finish line. I was encouraged to participate in all types of sports, and stuck with them for as long as I liked. I especially took to running, swimming, and baseball. These sports, and the people I met through them have created some of the most important memories and relationships in my life, from meeting friends in tee ball that I still contact until today, to being on teams that won state championships.

# data[].attributes.body
Another important aspect of my childhood was my education. I feel confident in saying that my teachers enjoyed and believed in what they did, and I believe that my love for learning new things comes from their efforts. As I transitioned into middle school, I did not go through the combination of multiple elementary schools into a singular middle school, my school was both an elementary and middle school. In this way, I was able to keep my friend groups and see the same teachers I had during my earlier years

# data[].attributes.body
In fifth grade, I convinced my parents that we should get a dog by making a power point presentation. They agreed, and the next month, I had a very energetic puppy in my arms for an hour ride back to my house, during which, she threw up on me. Walking and feeding the dogs was my responsibility, and I learned a lot about taking care of animals. Four years later, my parents would get another dog (without me even knowing they were doing it), and they have been part of my family ever since

# data[].attributes.body
Either through coaches or teachers, I had a variety of role models as I grew up. I was involved in swimming for many years and not only did I learn about the sport, but I grew to look up to the coach, who was also my high school teacher. She eventually wrote one of my letters of recommendation for high point and various employment, and provided me with a job over the summer. Another positive influence was my high school baseball coach. A graduate of the citadel, he was a very stern man, but his character and discipline was very noticeable, and I still look up to him to this day. The most important role model in my life, however, is my father. A naval officer, entrepreneur, triathlete, and many other things, my father is was a beacon of how to persevere and approach life.

# data[].attributes.body
Transitioning from living at home to going to college was a very rapid and drastic transition to my life. I had lived in the same location for my entire life before going to college, and suddenly being on my own was a bit scary. The only remedy to this was time, as well as meeting new people. Getting involved in club baseball and meeting people around my dorm gave me a support group of friends to talk to. Through this I learned to enjoy the distance and independence college gave me.

# data[].attributes.body
The most academically challenging course I have taken at HPU is physics 2. I've never pulled an all-nighter before, but the closest I got was studying for 10 consecutive hours before each of the 5 physics exams I had during the course of the semester. It taught me about how to focus completely on a subject, and when it is ok to give up on certain portions of units in order to study more effectively for more important concepts. Overall, I would never take a course like that again, but it did teach me that sometimes it's necessary to study until you're falling asleep, and sacrifice fun opportunities for the more important goal of getting a good grade.

# data[].attributes.body
My current goal is to graduate High Point and complete graduate school. Beyond that, I want to become a physical therapist and work in that field. This stems from seeing my friend tear his ACL in high school football, and over the course of a year, go from barely being able to walk to playing again. Watching what he went through gave me a good idea about what being a therapist is like, and gave me a goal to strive for. I view it as a beneficial profession for helping others, and I being raised by people who encouraged athletics has influenced my decision to pursue this.