Accepting my diagnosis and learning how to be confident was a tough process for me, although not at first. I was diagnosed young, so at the beginning it wasn’t too big of a deal for me as I was mostly with my parents. It was when I started going to school that I realized other kids weren’t like me and they always wanted to ask me questions. I enjoyed this because I liked to educate people on Type One Diabetes, however when they started to make jokes and believe in the misconceptions, it really took a toll on me. People talked, and I heard. Around fifth grade I started to hide my diabetes from people, because I knew that people thought I couldn’t get good grades or participate in sports with my friends. A few of my friends stopped inviting me to their houses because I was too much of a responsibility, a burden for them. I started to ask why this was happening to me, I felt sorry for myself. This went on for a few years. People wouldn’t know I was diabetic until a couple months into our friendship. I didn’t want them to judge me for it up front, I preferred they get to know me first. I didn’t quite realize it then, but I was hiding who I was and that had a negative impact on me. Whether I like it or not, diabetes is a part of who I am. It has helped shape me into the person I am now. Recently, I decided I don’t care what people think. I wear my pump sites and CGM on my arms to school without covering them up, I answer people’s questions, and when people say rude things about it, I don’t hide and feel bad about myself anymore, I educate them so that they think before they speak to other diabetics. I don’t feel awkward when I tell people I am a Type One Diabetic, I am proud of it. Accepting it and gaining confidence has been so good for me and I no longer feel the need to hide who I am from people. It is an incredible feeling to just be yourself without any regrets. Being able to accept my situation has in turn helped me be sympathetic and understanding of what anyone else may be going through in life, which is always a good thing.