The aging of man and the trials and tribulations he must occur through the quest of knowledge and becoming his ultimate is nothing close to a new concept. My journey compared to other humans exists as a shortened version. For me, a seventeen year old adolescence there are a limited amount of time periods thins far in my life however I give credit to my time at Indian Ridge Middle School. These years in particular were most influential to me due to the massive breakthroughs in mental maturity and will power. As any middle school would offer, major bullying exists. I fell victim to such crime regardless of my size (I am 6'2), I constantly played errand boy, ordered around by students and condemned upon speaking out by teachers. "Your appearance and size make you responsible for your actions" - the words teachers fed me, to keep me at bay from acting out towards others. One day I followed a few supposed preteen "friends" through the hallway during a trip to the bathroom and subsequently was trapped in a corner by the three of them. Screeching for help, my one hope for escape, calling for any teachers passing to come to my aid as the students spray me with the popular body spray axe, I started wheezing, my asthma acting up. Finally a teacher by the name of Ms. Greenberg noticed the disturbance and investigated the plea for help. After shooing away the students she called the ambulance due to my unconscious state, thanks to my asthmatic tendencies. Paramedics rushed me to Memorial West Regional Hospital and thanks to an Epipen and a swift driver, I survived. Upon returning to the school, I did not receive an apology, instead a suspension for causing a scene in the hallways and disturbing ongoing classes. From this point I had come to realize that I cannot control things such as the most ridiculous of discriminations, therefore I learned that regardless of the challenges I face, whether they be social, physical or mental I must stick to what makes me happy as I forge through my quest to become my ultimate. It is as Bill Gates stated in an interview "The bullies will be the ones working for you one day." That is why i possess will-power, the defining factor that keeps me going to this day.