I was having a panic attack, couldn’t function, and felt like I was going to collapse. Then I had to call my mother from the audience to have her calm me down. She told me to take a deep breath and made me realize that I had to conquer my fears. I ended up going up in front of the entire crowd, walking across that stage despite the most dreadful fears Overcoming anxiety has had the biggest impact on my life and my family who has been there for me. Everyone in my life was affected by my anxiety with me missing class and driving my parents, friends, and teachers crazy by asking them if I was going to be okay. Also, my grades were dropping because of my anxiety as I had trouble studying from being so nervous and could not focus as much as I would have liked during class. I had to go into many classes after school, skip some of my sports to be able to keep my grades where I wanted them. That is why I am extraordinarily proud of myself for being the honor student that I am today. Today, since overcoming my anxiety my way of looking at many things is very different. My grades have increased significantly, and overall I believe that I am generally a nicer and happier person. My parents have gone from taking me to counselors, paying money for medication, and staying up all night to calm me down. My friends and family have the biggest impact on my life and are a major reason why