Some things come easier to people than others. Some people have trouble with mathematics, while others excel in it. Some people have trouble in biology, while some are great at it. For me, I always had trouble making friends. I never really actually tried to make friends, most likely due to my anxiety. My anxiety made it hard for me to approach others, and because of this I never really interacted with other kids my own age.

When I was about ten years old I started to really get into sports. I began following football, baseball, and hockey religiously. I knew every player on my favorite teams, I knew their numbers, how many years they had left on their contract, and how much money they would make in those remaining years. I even memorized some of their career statistics as well. Then I eventually began going to games with my father. He would take me to Jets, Mets, and Islanders games. Which was usually disappointing because throughout my childhood those teams were not all that good. Despite the fact that the teams I cheered for, and still cheer for to this day, were not very good I still loved attending the games. Giving random strangers high fives, screaming joyously when your favorite team scores, or wins the game. Nothing can beat that feeling you get when your team wins a very important game.

One of the greatest moments of my young life was when My friend Steven and I attended game 1 of the National League Championship Series, between the New York Mets, and the Chicago Cubs. We both shelled out 150 dollars for standing room only tickets, and I still to this day do not regret spending that absurd amount of money to stand for three hours at Citi Field on a cold October night. Matt Harvey put on one of the best pitching performances of the whole season, Daniel Murphy homered for the third straight postseason game, and did it off of another Cy Young award winning pitcher in Jake Arietta. The Mets won that game and would eventually go all the way to the World Series. That October was probably one of the best months of my life.

Sports can tear you down, your favorite teams will break your heart. Yet even after going through tough, excruciating, and very painful losses I knew that there was always next season. Sports made me, and still makes me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself. Sports made me feel as if it did not matter whether or not I made friends because at least I had something to cheer about all year round. Sports helped me get through one of the toughest times of my life, and I honestly would not have it any other way.