In June, I committed to DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. I planned on being a double major in Spanish and Biological Sciences with the hopes of becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) Spanish and Biology Teacher. However, this dream has faded away since then and opened up a new one. Ever since reading The Hot Zone by Richard Preston in my first year in high school, I have developed a fondness towards biology, microbiology specifically. The global pandemic and the year 2020 definitely had its benefits and devastations for me. In the end, the most important thing it taught me was to appreciate everything you got, because once it’s gone, it’s gone. I was very nervous when I first heard about the COVID-19 strain. My IB Biology teacher was informing the class about a new virus that emerged from China. I was fearful that something like this would happen. I knew that it was a virus and one of the amazing, yet terrifying, qualities of a virus is its ability to reproduce quickly as long as it has a host. I have become fond of viruses and bacteria ever since my freshman year of high school when I read a book called The Hot Zone by Richard Preston for my biology class. The book graphically explained the effects Ebola Zaire, Sudan & Reston have on humans when infected. I have been able to learn a lot more about the Coronavirus and some of its characteristics. Unfortunately, many individuals did not take any precautionary measures and the inevitable quarantines followed. It was hard not having a senior prom and proper graduation like I always dreamed I would. It was hard having to deal with my title as valedictorian nearly being taken away from me. Nevertheless, all these things allowed me to realize my interest in microbiology and are the reason why I decided to pursue a degree in biological sciences. This pandemic solidified my decision on majoring in biological sciences with a concentrated study in cellular and molecular biology. There is a growing demand in this department because many people do not take diseases seriously. Many individuals feel as if they are immune and do not have to wear masks. It’s hard to see someone being blissful towards a serious matter, especially when I lost my grandmother back in August last year because of the pandemic. I want to become a microbiologist for two reasons: I absolutely love working with microorganisms and I strongly believe that there needs to be more awareness spread. This virus is a serious issue that people need to understand. We can not grow and expect society to change if people can not abide by the simple rules of wearing a mask and washing their hands. Receiving this scholarship would mean so many things for me. It would mean that I would not have as many financial obligations that have to be repaid. It would mean that I can further advance my education and knowledge and achieve my dream occupation. Most importantly, it would mean that I can return the favor back to my community. Surprisingly, Hot Springs has many bad stereotypes associated with its residents. In 2018 when I attended the National FBLA Conference, many of the other competitors were shocked that I even made it to the national level considering that “[we’re] ignorant country folks”. I know that being a first-generation college student in my family is something to be very proud of. However, I want to take it even further by proving that opportunities are limitless and should never be determined by one’s demographics.