Before I broke my dominant hand wrist during the winter of freshman year, I was used to successfully learning on my own for my courses and confident in sharing my ideas with others. After the injury, I was forced to compensate for even the most rudimentary skills such as practicing writing with my left hand. I was embarrassed to be struggling in the competitive academic environment that my college provided, and I didn’t want to hold back the progress of others. I suffered in silence. Upon recovery, a course, Strategic Thinking in Global Health, opened my eyes. Our group had to present a strategy to tackle mental health illness in Afghanistan. The students I worked with had extensive public health experiences and I agonized over what I could contribute.
