Growing up, my grandpa always emphasized how important it was to embrace change and find strength when facing difficulties. He would say, "Prati savālu edagaḍāniki oka avakāśaṁ, nā biḍḍa. Teliyani vāriki svāgataṁ, endukaṇṭē adi mīru evarini kāvālanē uddēśantō mim'malni tīrcididdutundi, or “Every challenge is a chance to grow, my child. Welcome the unfamiliar, for it will shape you into who you're meant to become." His words meant a lot to me as I went through the experience of being "the new kid" at multiple schools. It all started when I failed seventh grade at BASIS Phoenix and could not continue to eighth grade there. This setback forced me to transfer briefly to BPA for two weeks before landing at Veritas for eighth grade. Entering the mostly white environment at Veritas was intimidating. As one of the few minority students, I felt very isolated and scared at first. However, my grandpa's words echoed in my mind, reminding me to view this challenge as a chance to grow. Slowly but surely, I started to find my way. I made connections with other minority students who understood what I was going through. Together, we formed a supportive group, a safe space amid the unfamiliar surroundings. The next year, I transferred to Arcadia High School, another predominantly white school. But this time, I felt more resilient and confident from my previous experiences. I refused to be defined by my background or the challenges I faced. Instead, I embraced my uniqueness and used it to make a name for myself. Along with my new friends from diverse backgrounds, we started the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) club. This club became a sanctuary where our voices could be heard and our cultures celebrated. It gave us a strong sense of community and belonging. My journey didn't stop there. Inspired by my grandpa's spirit and love for the arts, a friend and I co-founded a non-profit called "Our Ode to You." Our goal was to reintroduce art and music to senior citizens battling dementia, reigniting their creative spark through those healing activities. Looking back, I'm so grateful for the lessons I learned as "the new kid." Those challenges shaped me into a resilient, empathetic and compassionate person. They fueled my drive to pursue sports medicine and medical anthropology, combining healthcare with an understanding of diverse cultures. My grandpa's words became my guiding light, reminding me that every obstacle provides a chance to grow, build connections, and make a lasting impact. As I move forward, I carry the wisdom and strength I gained from welcoming the unfamiliar—because it truly shaped me into who I'm meant to be.

Clam Blitz Craziness: Splatoon's Ultimate Cousin Teamwork Test "Ashni, get over here now!" I yelled, sweat dripping down my face. My little cousin snapped to attention, ready for action. With a shared yell, we jumped into Splatoon 2's intense Clam Blitz mode at Shellendorf Institute. Ink explosions filled the air as we scrambled for clams while dodging enemy attacks. "I'm splatted!" Ashni cried out from beside me. I looked around for any sight of a killer, but it was ABOVE ME! I could feel the charger aiming for me. No way was I losing my star clam collector so soon. We battled hard, grabbing every clam we could. I laid down covering ink while Ashni raced the clams into our basket at top speed. The bass music intensified as the timer ran down to overtime. But we weren't fazed—we actually thrived on the pressure. "Ashni, duck!" I super jumped to take out the enemies camping our basket. Ashni instantly capitalized, unleashing a barrage to smash their defenses. A volley of clams splattered home, giving us the lead in an incredible multi-burst sequence. But this was only the beginning. We pushed ourselves to the limit, fighting for every inch of territory. I called out precise instructions that Ashni followed perfectly, our shouts carrying across the room. We could read each other's minds through glances and positioning. With seconds left, I saw an enemy going for our exposed basket. Straining my ink reserves, I painted a barrier to stop them. "Not on my watch!" I shouted. The final clam blitzed home at the buzzer. Yes! I pumped my fist, savoring the sweet victory music blasting from the speakers. That hard-fought win was so satisfying. Ashni and I had laughed, screamed, and worked seamlessly as a team to secure the shellfish supremacy. As we grinned at each other, I realized my little cousin was a splat prodigy—my earlier doubts about her skills were shattered. Those intense, heart-pounding Clam Blitz sessions took Splatoon 2's co-op to the ultimate level. We'd pull off the craziest comebacks through pure teamwork. Our strong bond was permanently inked. So keep bringing the fresh co-op action, Nintendo. Just be warned—Ashni and I will rise to any challenge and claim supremacy through our unstoppable cousin teamwork!

Feminism is more than what people think. It is not just replying to misogynistic comments online. It is realizing that people will always be bolder while anonymous and maturely closing the device. It is not just sporting a colorful appearance and ticking off everyone. It is about the mentality of helping women succeed. When you are a feminist, you have every woman in mind, of all colors, of all sexualities, no matter what. A feminist is not afraid of telling people they’re wrong, but also knows where the boundaries are. A feminist has to be mature, no matter the age. A feminist is not just a label for women, but for men, and every other person. Feminists can only succeed when in groups, like every other movement. Most of all, a feminist has to keep in mind that they are not the only movement in existence. We must not go back to the days when feminism was separated by color. Modern-day feminism involves everyone. Feminism is so important because it yearns to remove misogyny from everyday life. While equality cannot realistically be fully achieved, feminists keep on going. An inspirational person to me is Jane Goodall, as she is one of the leading female animal scientists who has achieved breakthrough discoveries in primates. She has inspired me not only with her work but with her mentality. Goodall does not refer to herself as a feminist, but she has said one key thing: Women do not need to emphasize their masculine characteristics to succeed, feminine characteristics in male-dominated fields can succeed as well. This is so important to me because as a woman heading into a male-dominated field, I know what I am getting myself into. I am contributing to the feminist movement in my community by simply not tolerating any kind of behavior that does not aid women. As a person of color, I am also aiding the movement by providing a diverse opinion to society. As I have attended PWIs with little to no representation, I yearn to create an open environment to make everyone feel involved. To succeed as a feminist, I take into consideration everyone’s opinion, even ones that I do not agree with. Today, I take advantage of the opportunities of our current advancements in society to further advance feminism as a whole. This includes, but is not limited to social media and online services. As time passes, feminism has no choice but to get stronger and stronger each day.