In my previous article, I mentioned I have Ullrich Muscular Dystrophy. I am the only person in South Carolina to have it right now and at the time of my diagnosis, I was number 96 in the world to have it.

I am very unique! 

I have to use a power wheelchair to help get around to places because I am unable to walk far. I am able to walk some if I have my walker with me.Even though I have my disability, I don't allow that to define me. My disability does affect me but that's just only my body. Not my personality.

I am a freshman at Furman University. Furman has always been my dream college since I was a little girl when I came to visit because of the Muscular Dystrophy Association Walk. Furman just stuck with me during the years and nothing ever changed. 

Knowing that I am here today at my dream college, it makes me happy and sometimes I still can't believe it. What I can say is that Furman University has been a great place for a person with a disability.

When I was in middle school and a little bit in public high school, I would get bullied for my disability. During those times, students were trying to fit in the crowd and overdo things so they can seem "cool" or "normal."

Since I had to use a wheelchair, I wasn't cool or normal. I was actually a weird crippled freak to them. They would call me nasty names, guys would tell me no guy would ever want to deal with me or love me, and no one really wanted to be my friend.

I went through a hard time because I couldn't understand how a wheelchair or a disease that I couldn't control would make me get treated so poorly. I told my mom about the situation because I hated feeling depressed and angry. I thought the world would be better off without me. 

My mom told me counseling and I was able to express how I felt. With the help I got, the faith and love of my mom, and also my faith, I was able to overcome that bullying. I started seeing my self-worth. I saw that my disability didn't define who I was as a person. I define myself.

During my senior year of high school, I had worries about if Furman University would be the place for me because I didn't know if people would accept me. I am the type of person if someone doesn't want to talk to me because of my disability, I just say, "forget them. They aren't worth my time because my disability doesn't define who I am nor does it affect me from being a friend."

I went to Furman for summer orientation. I was so afraid of meeting new people because most of those people were going to be around me for the next four years. 

Will I be accepted? Will I be able to make friends? 

What if they see my wheelchair instead of Nila? During the orientation, I saw people being nice to me and actually talking to me which shocked me in so many ways. That helped me become more comfortable with Furman and have more confidence about making new friends.

On move-in day, I was excited and nervous at the same time because I was starting a new journey in my life and I was realizing that I will have to meet new people!

Yes, summer orientation was fun but the thing is, they were just a few freshmen. I haven't met the other freshmen and upperclassmen. My mom told me I was going to be okay and if I just am myself then I will be fine at meeting new people.

She was right because, at the fall orientation, I met a lot of great people. They wanted to understand my disability and even wanted to hang out afterward.

Not only that, but I actually became great friends with my roommate. I was nervous because there are times I need help with certain things, and I didn't know if I would have a roommate that would be willing to help or understand. 

Luckily, I love my roommate to death. She is such a sweetheart. I am so happy and blessed to have her as my roommate because not only does she help me but she always there for me as a friend.

I started meeting with the upperclassmen and they are really nice. They are always willing to help and make conversation with me.

The whole time this was going on, I learned a lot. The reason most people at Furman are nice to me is that they are mature enough to understand the difference between a disability and a person.

They saw Nila instead of the wheelchair because they know that wheelchair is just a tool to help me get from place to place.

There are some people here who are still learning and understanding that it's okay to just get up and talk people with disabilities. I had to be the one to make conversations which I don't mind because I do love to talk!

I wanted to share this because I wanted to show that people are different in many ways. There are times when you can see the differences and there are times when you can't.

We shouldn't judge just because we aren't able to understand that person's situation. The only way we will know is to just ask questions and get some knowledge of what's going on.

I am a girl who has so many goals in life. I want to live in Paris one day to pursue a modeling career so I can show what true beauty really is. I am taking French this semester because I want to learn the language so I can be prepared for Paris. My French professor even told me I should go for it because she believes in me.

People with disabilities aren't freaks. They are human beings. They just have something that makes them different from the rest of the world. Society has made these stereotypes about people with disabilities that make people want to just look at us in a pitiful way, weak, and just negative. in reality, we are just people. 

We love to do the same things other people do. We love shopping, go out to parties, and do other things. We are strong people because we have to work so hard to see another day and we can still put a smile on our faces like nothing is wrong.

There are going to be people who are different from you and me. We should just talk to them instead of judging.

Everyone should make a conversation with a person with a disability because you will learn so much from them and learn things that you didn't even know. School isn't the only place to learn. Sometimes we can learn just by a conversation.

My experience so far with Furman have been pretty positive but I want to continue to show the people at Furman who Nila is and what she is going to accomplish at Furman. Furman itself is a great place because when I came in they saw a girl who wants to get her education so I can go out in the world and pursue my dreams. 

If you want to know more about me just come talk to me. I can tell you my life and you will see Nila. My wheelchair is just a tool for me to get from place to place. I see my chair as something to help me get to my dreams faster.

I can't wait to see what Furman and of course, God, has in storage for me. Okay Furman, LET'S RIDE!