“The impact having a peanut allergy had on my life was exponential as it gave me a voice and encouraged me to speak up about my needs, even if it acts as a mild inconvenience to others.”

It’s not nuts that I have the most common food allergy, but it is nuts that I’m allergic to. Since I was little, I’ve seen the “Nut-Free Classroom” signs posted on every door of my elementary, middle, and high school. I’ve sat at “Nut-Free Tables” in the lunchrooms. I’ve been taught how to let adults know that I couldn’t have a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on Halloween. Unfortunately, I haven’t always vocalized my allergy.

My freshman year of high school, I was determined to make money. Like millions of other teenagers, I turned to babysitting. After posting on a neighborhood site, I found myself taking care of three children, aged one, three, and five. I was completely out of my depth and had no idea how to communicate my needs with the parents. One of the things I forgot to mention was that I had a deathly allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. As a result, around my fourth day of babysitting, I was asked to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Instead of speaking up for myself and asking if I could make something else, I attempted to make, cut up, and feed the children the sandwiches without having a reaction. Cutting up a sandwich should have been simple, but instead I found myself scrubbing my hands every thirty seconds. Thankfully I was successful, but the experience was traumatizing. At the time, I did not realize the risk I was taking, nor that the consequences for my actions could’ve been life-threatening.

Since then, I’ve improved my communication skills, as well as my courage in making others aware of my limitations. In order to do this, I tried to understand where my hesitation stemmed from. My attempts at introspection made me realize that I had a serious fear of inconveniencing others. This fear, when blended with a small amount of stubbornness, made me ignore the advice of my parents, who suggested that I simply alert the parents to my allergy. Clearly, I would rather put my health at risk than make a family change their dinner plans. Looking back, I realize that this choice was unnecessary and dangerous. I avoided a potential disaster by sheer luck. On the whole, having this experience has made me more vocal in expressing my opinions.

I’ve extended this life lesson to other areas as well. Although I still censor myself when needed, I participate in clubs and activities that center around being vocal about major issues, such as the debate club. The impact having a peanut allergy had on my life was exponential as it gave me a voice and encouraged me to speak up about my needs, even if it acts as a mild inconvenience to others.

- Sophia B.