Representing Planet Photo
Photographer | Janet Taub
New Milford, CT
Web | planet-photography.com
Instagram | @planetphoto_jp
Erinn tells us her story, in her voice.
How to describe me…that’s a tough one. It’s always hard to think about what you would say when asked to do this. My name is Erinn. I am a high school senior who is so excited for college.
I love the color pink, my family, and my dog and 3 cats. When I asked all of my friends to describe me, most of them said I was outgoing. I have always been very social, and I enjoy talking to and learning about others. I recently got to go to my first ever sleep away camp, and I met some really awesome people. It was a week that changed my life.
If I can back track for a second, the reason I went to this camp is because I have ulcerative colitis. It is a form of an irritable bowel syndrome, that causes me to have infusion treatments every 6 weeks. I was diagnosed the day before my 16th birthday, and it has definitely changed my life. At first, it was pretty upsetting, but it has actually helped me grow. This is how I got to go to camp and meet so many others that are just like me. It was a humbling and emotional experience, and also incredibly fun. Having a chronic illness changes you, but I refuse to let it define me. Overcoming these obstacles has helped me in everyday life as well. I think that’s why my friends also said I was resilient.
Aside from this, I would say that I love to help people. I am a hard worker (when I want to be), and find that if I am passionate about something, I’ll work harder. When I was in the second grade, I met a girl who was deaf. Our teachers thought it would be good if we all learned a little sign language so we could communicate with her. I was hooked, and decided to keep going with it. I was able to effectively communicate with her, and I liked that I could help her feel more integrated in our school. Up until recently, I wanted to be a deaf educator, because of her. Although I have switched to wanting a degree in business and marketing, I know I will always be grateful to have my signing skills should I need them.
Lastly, I am looking forward to this trip and the chance to meet more new people. I love to laugh, I love to chat, and I love to connect with others. Mostly, I am excited to do this with Janet, who has been such a wonderful influence in my life, and who supports me in everything I do.
