I grew up learning how hard it was to use right-handed scissors and seeing that many tools were not in my favor. In the classroom, I watched as the other students used these simple tools without problems while I always struggled just to use a pencil. As I progressed throughout the years, writing for long periods of time would be painful and I would often have a long black blob of ink on the side of my hand afterwards.

Buying school supplies was also extremely tedious, as all the notebooks would be right-handed ones. These school supplies designed for right-handed people, compounded with the desks only made for right-handers, were devastating. I remember walking into gym class and seeing that we would be doing softball or baseball, for example, and already knowing I would have to play with a righty mitt. Of course, there are some nice things about being a lefty in a sport, but it is hard to learn if the equipment is hand-based.

Even the little things, like handshaking, I’ve learned to do with my right hand just to appease the people around me. When I enter the workforce, I know that school will send me into a life where I will constantly get minor injuries from work tools and other annoying appliances. When I was younger, I hated when I had to tell people I was left-handed; people would say to me that I was so lucky and that I was unique. I would thank them but always disagree.

As I got older I slowly realized that I was worthy of being left-handed. I smile in pride now when I tell people I am left-handed, bragging about being so rare in my family’s bloodline. I know that life will not be the easiest for me, but I will face it and all those annoying injuries I encounter head-on.