<h2>In the space provided, please write a concise narrative in which you describe a meaningful event, experience or accomplishment in your life and how it will affect your college experience or your contribution to the UF campus community. You may want to reflect on your ideas about student responsibility, academic integrity, campus citizenship or a call to service. </h2>
<p>All my life I have been the fat kid. I have been tormented not only by others, but by myself. It is really frustrating being a fat kid growing up in Miami, flanked by pools, beaches, and oceans. A few months ago during a doctors appointment, I discovered that I weighed a tremendous 220 pounds. Though I was too scared of the scale to have known that prior to the appointment, I was by no means surprised. I thank God that that day existed for me, because it was the day everything changed.</p>
<pre><code>Ever since that day six months ago, I placed myself on a self-managed and self-initiated weight-loss program. My focus was to run on the treadmill every day and monitor what I ate. At the outset I was only able to walk briskly for about two miles, but, as time progressed, I increased my endurance and speed. Though it is definitely not easy, I can now run approximately 6.5 miles in an hours time nonstop. Achieving this was a process full of exhaustion, struggle, and perseverance. Throughout those six months of stringency, I ran each and every night, sometimes making that whole trek twice in a single day. I often found myself avoiding dinner with my family because, though they supported my endeavor, what they ate at dinner was not something I wanted to be around.
Today, I weigh 165 pounds. I lost 55 pounds of fat, but, more importantly, I gained 55 pounds of confidence. These days I feel like a whole new person. Not only is it great to be much healthier, but the personal satisfaction I gained is that much greater. I have no problem taking off my shirt and enjoying the Miami sun anymore. But I think what is important is not what I lost from all this, but what I gained. Excuse me for boasting, but I feel that I need to stress that I did this all on my own. My doctor always mentioned that I needed to lose weight, but he never emphasized it. Nobody ever told me that I absolutely needed to go on a diet and exercise. Nobody ever made it easy for me to choose the right foods and the right lifestyle. I took care of that all on my own. In fact, more often than not, I found myself being negatively influenced by those around me.
I have learned and proven so much to myself thanks to my journey. I do not need anyone to tell me anymore that I am a diligent, determined, proactive, and responsible individual; I showed myself that. This new (insert my real name here) is a brand new person I will be taking with me to college with pride. I know that on campus I will be a lively Gator who will be a leader in the UF community. While I will never allow myself to neglect my academics, I will no longer be afraid to put myself out there as a character, to have fun, to meet new people, and to further myself as an individual. I now know that, away at college, on my own, I can trust myself to not only survive and take care of myself, but to grow and prosper as an individual.
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<p>Thanks again! What I'd really like help in specifically is in cleaning it up; it feels rather sloppy to me. Just general revision would be great. I think I have a good essay in terms of content and the prompt, but that it is lacking in terms of structure and organization. But, please, tell me whatever you think it is I can improve upon! Every little bit helps. :]</p>