Path to Acceptance: Senior finding his way with measured steps

There was a time when senior Joel Hunt felt lost. He was stuck in a place of anger, shame and denial. Every day, he would wake up and stare at his reflection, but he didn’t recognize the person in the mirror. All he saw was someone who was broken—someone who wasn’t good enough. He had been carrying around a heavy load of unresolved pain and trauma, but instead of dealing with it, he buried it deep inside. It felt easier to push through the day pretending everything was fine. “No, I don’t need help,” he’d tell himself. “No, I don’t need therapy.” But deep down, he knew he was lying.

Hunt had spent so long hiding from the truth, convincing himself that if he didn’t confront his struggles, they wouldn’t affect him. But they did. Hunt said, “The feeling seeped into my everyday life, from how I viewed myself to how I treated others. The more I ignored my feelings then, the worse things got. The anger, the pain, the frustration—they piled up, becoming harder to ignore.”

In March, Hunt had long hair that he felt defined him, but he realized he was holding onto it for all the wrong reasons. He wasn’t keeping it because he liked it; he was holding onto it because it felt like a shield. Hunt said, “I use to be ashamed and hid my face behind my hands or filters in photos. I still do that because I think it looks cool, but it’s not in place of insecurity.”

One day in March he  made a decision—he buzzed it all off. The result was freeing. It wasn’t just about the hair; it was about shedding the old version of himself—the one who hid from his problems. Hunt realized something. He wasn’t just running from the world; he was running from himself. He had been holding himself back, letting his fears and insecurities dictate what he could and couldn’t do. That was the moment it clicked: nothing was going to change unless he decided to make it change.

The first step was hard. Admitting he needed help was one of the toughest things he’d ever done, but once he started talking to someone everything began to shift. He said, “I know people deal with personal things and have depression or anxiety, but you have to find somebody. For me it was my mom and grandma. If they were looking at me right now they wouldn’t want to see me crying, feeling lost. No, they would want me to just soldier through it and keep doing things that are good for myself.” They didn’t judge him; they just listened. Slowly, Hunt learned to unpack the anger and trauma that had been weighing him down. He stopped denying himself the help he needed. Hunt said, “I advise people to talk with someone or get help if needed. It’s never too late to start doing that. It’s so sobering and eye opening literally because I was complacent. I was in denial of events happening in my life. Do not deny yourself what you need and what you can achieve.”

As he began to heal, Hunt also started to take a hard look at his physical health. He realized that he had let his self-image spiral out of control. He had gained weight, something he’d never been comfortable with, and it only made him feel worse. But instead of hating himself for it, he decided to take action. He started eating healthier, exercising more and, most importantly, changing how he thought about himself.  Hunt said, “I thought I was fat, and I’m not gonna deny that I wasn’t. Today people tell me that they were surprised that I lost a lot of weight. The truth is I let myself get to me, not other people. I looked at myself and saw what I needed to change about myself.”  The road wasn’t easy, but every small victory made him feel stronger.

As time passed, Hunt noticed a change. He started feeling more confident, more like himself. Hunt said, “People can tell me I’m still fat or ugly or whatever, but I don’t let that get to me. I’m proud of what I look like now.” Even though people still made comments about his appearance, he doesn’t let it bother him. He has learned to love himself, flaws and all. No longer does he hide behind filters or his hands in photos; now he is comfortable showing the world his real face, his real self.

But Hunt’s transformation wasn’t just about physical changes. He also realized the importance of his education. For years, he had slacked off in school, thinking that grades didn’t matter. But now, with a renewed sense of purpose, he understood that his future depended on the choices he makes today. He began focusing on his studies, determined not to let distractions and negativity take him off course. It wasn’t easy, but he knew the effort he put in now would pay off in the future. Hunt said, “Life starts now. I know it sounds cliche, but if you’re not locked in on school, it’s gonna affect you in the long run. You may not realize or give it a second thought right now, but in two, five, 15 years, you’re gonna wish you were paying attention. Just try in school and don’t hold yourself back. You can’t get better until you want to get better because it starts with you. You can’t just say you will; you have to act on it because at the end of the day nobody can tell you what to do., so if you want to move to some exotic island and start a braiding business or even a coffee bean business, who’s stopping you. You. If you want it, get out and achieve it.”