Don't Sweat the Small Stuff - by Kaitlin Cohen

Hello, my name is Kaitlin Cohen and I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I currently live in Willow Grove, Pa with my two cats Stella and Shadow. I have classic Turner syndrome (TS) and was diagnosed at the age of 10. I will be turning 33 in 2023! I am very fortunate to be able to do things that I love which include spending time with family and friends, going to the movies, and going to the beach.

I am so proud of how I persevered in my late teens to now. I as well as many others have gone through big changes. I have been figuring out who I am and what I want in life. I have graduated college, started a job that I have been with for eight years, and have learned how to drive, got my own apartment and car, have my two cats, and even left an abusive relationship.

I went to college in 2009 for early childhood education, but my in 2013 I had to change my major as I lost my 3.0 GPA. I changed my major to disability and community services and graduated college in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

The person I admire the most is my mother. I have admired my mother from the time I was a child, as she was always taking me to my doctors’ appointments and surgeries, taking care of me and my two sisters, put me through college and did all of this while working full time. My mom has shown me that hard work pays off and that you can do anything and everything you set your mind to. I have been able to go to my mom for anything and everything.

My favorite book is Twilight by Stephanie Meyer as I have always felt different and out of place. I love books that are mostly fantasy or romance. I have dealt with insecurities my whole life from when I was in middle school to high school due to my TS. I worried about my weight, how I looked, and if I was smart and pretty enough.

In 2009 I went to college and I started gaining more self-confidence and became an overall independent person by paying my bills, cooking and cleaning, and working. I have come to accept myself as I have gotten older but continue to worry about my weight due to having bariatric surgery in 2016. The best I advise I would give my younger self would be not to sweat the small stuff and to pick and choose your battles because it doesn’t do any good to worry yourself when things are out of your control.