When I started my undergraduate degree in History at Bristol, I knew it was more than just an academic decision—it was the next chapter in a story that had already been filled with challenges, growth, and hard-won resilience. I've always been passionate about history because I believe that if we can understand our past, it helps us make better decisions for our future. But my path to university was anything but straightforward. In fact, I can honestly say that I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for my Learning Disability.

I first began to notice that I learned differently in early elementary school. I understood the material, but things like copying from the board or staying focused during math were unexpectedly hard. I'd forget what I was writing before I even got it onto the page, and I often reversed numbers or lost track halfway through a problem. I didn't understand why, and it left me feeling like I wasn't as capable as the other students around me. In Grade 6, I was finally assessed and diagnosed with ADHD, inattentive subtype.

The following year, I switched schools and was given more support—but I struggled to accept it. I had seen how some students in the community class were treated, by both peers and teachers, and I didn't want to be seen as "different." Looking back, my biggest challenge during that time wasn't the ADHD itself, but my mindset. I was so focused on wanting to learn the same way as everyone else that I couldn't yet see the value in learning differently.

Things began to shift when I discovered music. As the only cello player in the band, I could just be myself—there was no one to compare myself to, and I started to realise that being different could be a good thing. At the end of Grade 7, a teacher nominated me for a leadership program at the Ontario Education Leadership Centre (OELC). Being surrounded by like-minded students, many of whom also had learning differences, was incredibly empowering. It helped me focus on what I could do, instead of always worrying about what I couldn't.

When I started high school, I auditioned and was accepted into both the Specialist Music Strings Program and the Theatre and Drama program. Music continued to be a source of strength for me—I worked hard to become the lead cellist and even mentored beginner cellists. I also took on leadership roles in school, which gave me more confidence. One of my teachers, who also had ADHD, helped me develop strategies for learning that actually worked for me. That's when I really started to appreciate my own way of thinking. I began to realize that my Learning Disability made me more creative, more empathetic, and more resilient. And I became more comfortable asking for support, while also being someone others could turn to for help.

With a lot of hard work, encouragement from my mum, and support from amazing teachers and mentors, I graduated as an Ontario Scholar with a 95% average. I earned my Music Strings Program Certificate and was accepted into the university program of my choice.

The early years of my diagnosis were tough, but I wouldn't trade them. They taught me how to problem-solve, how to keep going even when things felt overwhelming, and how to ask for help when I needed it. Those are life skills that I use every single day. Studying abroad has been a huge adventure—sometimes difficult, but also incredibly rewarding—and I know that the tools I've gained from living with ADHD have helped me navigate it all.

I'm proud of where I am today. I'm proud of where I came from. And I'm especially grateful to LDAYS for helping me get here. They believed in me, supported me, and gave me the foundation I needed to thrive. My Learning Disability has shaped who I am, and while it hasn't always been easy, it's taught me so much about myself and the world around me. I wouldn't change that for anything.