I am currently a journalism student at Hofstra University, and I am looking to go to law school after receiving my undergraduate degree, and hopefully work in immigration law. My parents are both immigrants from Albania who came to America in order to give themselves and their children better lives. I watched my parents struggle for years through legal affairs to get their green cards, and I got to watch with pride as my father received status as a US citizen last year. After spending hours on end helping him study for his test, it was a heartening experience to witness his joy at receiving his citizenship, and this has fueled my passion for helping other immigrants make their way toward becoming U.S. citizens. My parents have already put forth so much of their time and money into helping me go to college, and the idea of law school is both incredibly exciting as a next step toward my career goal, but also terribly daunting. Education is a privilege that my parents have always given me, and I know they would find a way to make sure I achieve all of my dreams, even at the expense of their well-being, but that's a sacrifice I can't force them to make. Even though I work part-time during the school year to cover as much of my tuition as possible, the privilige of education would absolutely not be a possibility for me if it weren't for the help I receive from my parents, and I am grateful beyond words for what they do for me. In return for their generosity, I want to do everything I can to make them proud and ease any of the extreme weight that my tuition has put on them and myself. If I were given this scholarship, it would be one chip of my tuition that could make a huge difference in easing my anxieties, and helping me take one step closer towards my dreams. As of now, my dream law school is Columbia University. Receiving an education that prestigious would not only aid me in reaching my goal of working in immigration law but would also, without a doubt, make my parents proud of me. The idea of my parents getting to watch me graduate with a law degree, knowing that I'm making them as proud as they could be, is something that I want more than anything to transform into reality. For this to hopefully happen one day though, I'll need a lot of help to get there; help that this scholarship could provide. I think I am a worthy candidate for this scholarship because I will ensure that it won't go to waste, and I'll do everything I can to not only excel in my studies, but to one day achieve my goal and get to have the career that I can only envision as a faraway dream right now.

"And I try to ignore it, but it's everything I see/ It's on the posters on the wall,/ it's in the sh**ty magazines"- Pretty isn't pretty In this song, Rodrigo goes into depth about the teenage female experience of never feeling pretty or good enough despite the extreme efforts girls go to to try and gain more self-confidence. The lyric I chose resonated with me because throughout my teenage experience, I've spent days on end looking at models and celebrities who are undeniably beautiful and trying to see glimpses of myself in them, but ultimately failing. I envied the self-assurance that came with being beautiful, and though I tried to convince myself that there was value in other attributes such as intelligence, humor, and wit, I never felt in touch with my femininity because of my lack of beauty. To me, being beautiful meant more than just getting attention from boys; beauty was a trait shared amongst women, and I would never be able to see myself as a part of that girlhood as my insecurities about my looks festered. I felt left behind watching my friends grow into their bodies while mine stayed awkwardly the same, and as they learned to use makeup to enhance their features, I painted my face to hide what was so painfully there. I tried so hard to tell myself that my time would come and that I would look in the reflection one day and see one of those models I both envied and admired staring back. But day after day, nothing about me ever changed, including my habit of obsessively stalking the new 'it' girl of the month, looking at the glaringly obvious contrasts between us. I avoided mirrors, and refused to let my friends or family take photos of me unless my face was obstructed by a hand or object. I learned to live with my lack of beauty, but that gut feeling of inadequacy always lingered over me like a cloud of perfume. The pressures put on young girls to be almost unnaturally beautiful are so heavily enforced because of online media today. So many celebrities and influencers get plastic surgery or edit their photos to recreate themselves into this 'perfect' woman, and young girls in turn tear themselves down for not looking like these counterfeits. Beauty is a struggle for women of all ages, as beauty seems to go hand in hand with success in almost all trades and fields. But the damage that is done to the mental health of teenage girls can be so extreme that it drains any confidence a lot of girls have, including me. When I listened to Olivia Rodrigo's album for the first time, I was shocked at feeling so seen, as though Rodrigo took my insecurities right out of my mind and put them into her music. The line I chose encapsulates flawlessly what it's like to be an adolescent girl who is surrounded by the consumption of glamorized media that causes them to feel like they're not enough. It was a comfort and surprise when I realized that someone as beautiful and talented as Olivia was plagued with the same feelings of insecurity I was, as well as the millions of other young girls who resonated with this song; girls who I thought were beautiful. This line showed me that nobody is alone in their feelings, and that I am just as worthy of confidence over my self-image as any other girl who relates to that line.

@_alexapepa

In my opinion, to be a good writer is to be able to leave people rethinking how they live or what they believe in because of what they just read. Whether it be a political piece, creating writing, or even a factual-based report, I think all good writing can and should have the ability to shape or alter someone's thinking. As an aspiring writer myself, my goal is to be someone who can change people's minds through my writing, or leave them impacted enough that they're thinking about what they just read even after the fact. We live in a world that is filled with hateful and prejudiced thinking and I think good and impactful writing is crucial in helping progress our society towards a better future and will be a necessary component to the survival of society. As a writer, it may be optimistic to believe that I can completely alter one person's way of thinking through a writing piece, but if I can at least leave them to reconsider something that they had believed to be true, or even just thinking at all over something specific that they read, then I would consider that to be a goal of mine accomplished. I want to be able to leave any sort of impact, which means setting stepping-stone goals for myself along the way too. Reworking my writing, allowing myself to receive criticism, and learning to pay attention to detail are among the goals I have set for myself to become a well enough writer to eventually leave a lasting impact on someone. "So You Want to Talk About Race", by Ijeoma Oluo, covers chapter by chapter racial issues that are most commonly relevant in America, and how to have these discussions about these issues in a respectful way that clearly acknowledges where the root of these issues lie. I recommend this book for everyone to read because it helps to provide people with more understanding of why it's so important to have these conversations on how to discuss race in a way that is beneficial to all parties. This book is what I would consider to be a prime example of good writing. Oluo incorporates both her personal experiences as a black woman in America, as well as the experiences of others around her, and statistics and factual evidence to convey her points about race. Oluo acknowledges that it's not easy to change a racist person's mind through one conversation, but her book serves as a way to help people who do want to have these discussions about race and to leave people with an idea of the struggles that people of color face in America. I think Oluo not only accomplished her goal, but her writing is so influential that it has the ability to change the minds of people and leave them having thoughtful discussions over the many topics that this book delves into. For that, I think this book would not only be influential for everyone to read, but it provides an understanding of what is wrong in our country and how we as individuals can help to fix it. Oluo is an undeniably amazing writer, and her work in this book deserves recognition.

Each actor brings a unique twist to the character of Spider-Man that makes each one just as beloved as the next. However, my favorite Spider-Man actor would have to be Andrew Garfield. Garfield's portrayal of the two sides of the character, Peter Parker, the awkward high-schooler, and Spider-Man, the hero of New York City, was done so in an almost flawless manner that is true to the original comics. Garfield's acting easily enraptured me as an audience member, and I think his performance is worthy of the title of the best Spider-Man. One of the common arguments against Garfield's portrayal is that his character was too 'cool' and did not represent the awkward character that is Peter Parker. However, I disagree with this belief, and I think Garfield portrayed both spectrums of Peter's personality excellently. In "The Amazing Spider-Man", one scene shows Peter attempting to ask Gwen out on a date, but he ends up stumbling over his words and not saying full sentences, nervously laughing through the entire scene until Gwen puts together what he's asking of her. In "Spider-Man: No Way Home", Garfield's awkwardness is still present, like the scene where he tells the other Spider-Man variants that he loves them in the heat of the moment before a fight scene, to which the other two characters subtly change the conversation. Alongside Peter Parker's goofiness, Garfield also is able to portray the seriousness that his persona Spider-Man takes in protecting his loved ones and the people of New York, and the ferocity with which he helps others. Garfield's portrayal of Peter Parker fully captured the awkward and nervous energy that fans love about the character, as well as his protectiveness and strength as Spider-Man, making him my favorite of the actors. Garfield's rendition of Spider-Man was not only one of his best performances but, in my opinion, was also the best of the actors who played Spider-Man. Among his top-tier comedic performances were his chemistry with his love interest, his ability to delve into all aspects of Peter's character, and his capabilities as an actor that made him stand out as Spider-Man.

While all of my friends dreaded the day that summer would end and the upcoming year of school would begin, I spent my summer counting down those days until the beginning of fall. For others, fall meant colder weather that signified the end of a relaxed period as the stresses of school would come again. But for me, fall meant crisp weather, the crunch of leaves on the ground, oversized sweaters, and seasonal drinks from Starbucks. Fall signifies a new beginning, as well as returning favorites, like my pumpkin spice latte that accompanies me wherever I go for the 2 months it's in stock. The comforting flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon start my days off with an energizing shot and serve as a pick-me-up at any time throughout the rest of the day. This drink is a staple in my fall routine, and all of the other seasons are spent with me waiting for the time I can have my favorite drink again. Every morning during fall, the smells of coffee and sweets welcome me as I step into my favorite Starbucks, filled with orange and yellow fall decorations. The worker greets me with a smile as I recite my order, occasionally including a snack to go with my pumpkin spice latte. The familiar faces of the workers and other customers who are always there at the same time as me provide me with a comforting start to my mornings, and as I walk out with my drink, I feel ready to start the day. The familiar taste of a pumpkin spice latte always brings me back to good memories associated with fall. Family thanksgivings, walks in the park, Halloween festivities with friends; all of these good memories come back in the presence of my favorite fall drink. My pumpkin spice latte helps remind me that good times and sacred moments are always approaching, even in the stressful haze that the beginning of school can bring every year when fall comes around. When I have my pumpkin spice latte in hand, I always find my mood to be exceptionally brightened. The caffeine helps enhance my productivity throughout the day by energizing me, and the fall flavors balance out that energy by providing a peacefulness that comes with the familiar comforts of my pumpkin spice latte. When I go a day or two without it, that sense of routine is taken away from me, depriving me of what is one of the best parts of the fall season for me. The pumpkin spice latte is a very integral part of the fall season because of its many comforts and supports it provides me through every day. For that, it holds a very special place in my heart, and even when I try different season drinks, I always find my way back to my pumpkin spice latte, making it a special character in my fall narrative.

"The Hunger Games" is a dystopian novel published in 2008 by author Suzanne Collins. The setting, Panem, is set on the remains of North America and is made up of 12 districts. As punishment for a past rebellion, each district is forced to sacrifice a boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18, to fight for their lives in the annual Hunger Games. The novel follows a sixteen-year-old girl, Katniss, and her experience in the arena after she volunteers to save her sister. This novel is nationally loved and was even made into a movie franchise, and for good reason too. While entertaining, the novel also discusses many issues that are relevant to the real world, which is why I think everyone should read this book. One of the important topics that this book discusses is inequality between social classes. In the book, children of lower economic standing can enter their name an extra time into the games, so that in return they could receive aid to help feed their family. Children can put their names in as many times as necessary, like the character Gale, who entered his name 42 times by the time he was 18. This means that when drawing names from each district, those who are rich are less likely to be picked since they haven't had to enter their names as many times as those who are poor. This is an unfairness in the games, as those of lower economic standing are put at a disadvantage, creating animosity between social classes. This relates to inequalities between social classes in real life, as there are many examples of the rich having an advantage over the working class that we see every day. In America especially, people of higher economic standing are subject to better health care, better working conditions, and other privileges that should be universal. Amongst inequality between social classes, Collins also delves into many other relevant topics to the real world concerning poverty, corruption of government, violence, and more. I think this book can serve as both a warning to the public on the extremes that governments can go to to obtain control, and provide insight into the struggles of the working class that those who are more privileged may not be knowledgeable of. Overall, this book is an interesting and thought-inducing read, which is why I think everyone should read it.

As someone who has both watched the movies and read the books of the Harry Potter series, I have spent lots of hours deliberating what house I would be in. Like most children, I immediately believed myself to be a Gryffindor, for that was the house of all the main characters, including Harry Potter himself, making it the most desirable option. As I've gotten older and had more time to assess myself, I've come to believe I would be sorted in Hufflepuff instead. Most Hufflepuffs are described as patient, hardworking, and loyal, and I think that these are traits that I share, making me a perfect candidate for the Hufflepuff house. Patience is a virtue that I, like most Hufflepuffs, possess. For example, when dealing with younger children, I found it relatively unchallenging to not lose my temper over any small mistakes or accidents that kids may have, which is something I was surprised to find was uncommon amongst a lot of individuals. When helping my sister with schoolwork, I don't mind going over a concept that she's struggling with several times until it clicks for her, even if it starts to become tedious for me. Overall, I would consider myself a patient person which is reflected in various aspects of myself, making me a perfect fit for Hufflepuff. Hard work is not something that always comes easily to me, but it is always something I strive for, which I think is the behavior of a Hufflepuff. In my classes, if I'm having a day where I can't bring myself to write all of the notes from the lesson, I'll always at least make sure I have the lecture saved for me to study later, or take basic notes in class that I'll then add onto afterward when I'm feeling more up to the work. When I get home from what can be an already exhausting day of school and work, I still drag myself towards a chore that needs to be done, even if it's something as undemanding as setting the table for a family dinner. These little tasks help to keep me hardworking, which shows further why I would be sorted in Hufflepuff. Being loyal means being there for someone through any difficulties or struggles, which is a quality I believe I have. When I know a friend or family member of mine needs any sort of support, I immediately want to be there for them, even if what they need help with is something completely out of my control. I feel a compulsion to check in with them and be there to help in any way that I can, even if it's in the smallest of ways. When I see a peer being brought down by others, I don't have any hesitation in defending them against attack, because I know it's the right thing to do. These acts of service are what make a person loyal, which aligns with the morals of Hufflepuffs. Essentially, to be a Hufflepuff means to have a nature inclined towards helping and sticking up for others, which is the type of person I am. Even when watching and reading the series, I found myself drawn towards Hufflepuff characters like Tonks and Cedric, sometimes even more than the main characters of the series, because of the similarities I saw between myself and them. These are all factors that make me a perfect fit for the Hufflepuff house, and I without a doubt believe that if I attended Hogwarts, I would be sorted in Hufflepuff.

I am a first-generation college student, whose parents moved here from a small village in Albania. My dad is the fourth of five children and grew up working on a farm to help support his family. My mom was the eldest of her siblings and worked to support her family after her father died when she was only 15 years old. My father moved to America before he even finished high school so that he could begin a career working in construction in a new country. My mother soon followed after her high school graduation and tended to their home, eventually taking care of myself and my two sisters. My dad worked long hours to support his family, coming home every day with reddened hands and scabs across his arm that caused him to flinch when touched. My mom took on the job of raising my siblings and me; packing our lunches, cleaning after us, and taking care of every minor sickness or injury. As a child, I could never fully understand the sacrifice that they had made for me by coming to this country. I figured that they were content in their new home, and were maybe even glad to be away from their home country. But as I got older, I began to see the struggles that my parents went through. My dad put every earned dollar that he could into ensuring a good life for my siblings and me, while also sending money back to the family he and my mom left behind in Albania, which meant there wasn't always enough left afterward for themselves. Despite moving to what was supposedly the land of dreams, money was still an ever-present issue, and the older I got, the more guilty I felt for the struggles my parents went through because of me. My parents always encouraged us kids to follow our dreams in college, even if it was a more unconventional one so that we could live the life that they weren't able to have. My parents may have had regrets about not getting to follow some of their dreams, but they never made us feel as though we got in the way of their lives. That didn't mean though that the urge to pay them back for all they had done for me was gone; in fact, I wanted even more to repay them a debt that I knew I never fully could. I worked part-time jobs and tried my best to help around the house, but I still never felt like I was doing or contributing enough. It was staggering to think of the money that my parents would be spending on my college education, let alone my sibling's education as well, and they deserve more than what they have been given for their labor. If I were given the money, I would use that money to go towards my education and give my parents a slight reprieve from the task of funding my schooling. When my mom left Albania, she left behind her whole family, including her mother, and my dad left behind many of his cousins and other family members. With this money, I would want my parents to go back to visit their homes and see all the loved ones they haven't seen in years. They, more than anyone in my life, deserve a break from the endless work they've done every day since they came to this country. If I could help give that to them, it would mean another small sliver of my debt to them could be paid back.

In "The Summer I Turned Pretty" series, both Conrad and Jeremiah have moments where I loved and hated them. Jeremiah's sweet nature made him a lovable character, but his jealousy and impulsive moments made me strongly dislike him at times. Conrad on the other hand is an intriguing and kindhearted character, but his inability to communicate with Belly at times made him hard to root for. However, by the end of the series, I found myself on Team Conrad for multiple reasons, which all stem from him ultimately being better suited for Belly than Jeremiah. Conrad and Jeremiah's realizations that they loved Belly showed drastic differences in their character that made me Team Conrad. In "It's Not Summer Without You", the second novel of the series, Jenny Han switches the narration from Belly over to Jeremiah, where he reveals the moment he realized he was in love with Belly. He had watched an intimate moment between Belly and Conrad and said "I was jealous. Crazy jealous of Conrad. For as long as any of us could remember, she had loved Conrad. All I knew was I wanted her to look at me like that." However, "We'll Always Have Summer", the third book of the series, which includes Conrad's perspective, when he's asked when he knew he was in love with Belly, he says "There hadn't been one specific moment. It was like gradually waking up. You go from being asleep to the space between dreaming and awake and then into consciousness. It's a slow process, but when you're awake, there's no mistaking it. There was no mistaking that it had been love." As reflected in these two quotes, Jeremiah's love for Belly revolved around his jealousy of his brother, and his desire to beat Conrad. Jeremiah spent his whole life feeling inferior to Conrad, and he only began to show interest in Belly when he noticed Belly and Conrad getting closer. Conrad however had no other reason for loving Belly than that he loved her for her. He felt that way about her long before she and Jeremiah got together, and couldn't fall out of love with her even after believing she no longer felt the same. Additionally, when comparing the two relationships, it's clear that Belly was much more in love with Conrad than she ever was with Jeremiah. With Jeremiah, she was constantly finding herself annoyed over the little details like Jeremiah not remembering that she doesn't like Indian food, Jeremiah ordering an expensive meal knowing Belly's dad would be paying, and other small moments that bothered her enough to include in her narration of events. However, when she was with Conrad, every moment they spent together was described from a place of love, like Conrad and Belly driving up to the summer house one winter together, Conrad teaching her infinity on Valentine's day, and other instances throughout their relationship that Belly viewed as essentially perfect moments. Belly's love for Conrad is much deeper than her love for Jeremiah, as Belly undoubtedly believes that Conrad is her soulmate, and she admits to still loving him even while she is with Jeremiah. Jeremiah is a flawed character, who tries to do right by Belly but ultimately fails largely due to the pressure to live up to the standards that Belly had because of Conrad. which is why I'm Team Conrad. Conrad loves and knows Belly more than Jeremiah ever could and is the better choice for a multitude of reasons, the main being that Belly is more in love with Conrad than she ever was with Jeremiah.

Growing up, I lived off of Disney movies. I forced my friends at school to play as different Disney characters during recess and reenacted my favorite scenes with me as the director. I would spend hours rewatching my favorite princesses, especially Rapunzel and Jasmine, and incorporate Disney storylines and characters in any school project that I could. Like any child, I loved the happy endings and romantic storylines of Disney movies, but I also found joy in the various mystifying worlds each movie had to offer. I filled pages of my notebooks with stories of myself in these different worlds; interacting with my favorite characters, and imagining what role I would play. Would I be the heroic protagonist? Or perhaps the witty sidekick? I reinvented myself into any part I could think of and found each to be as exciting as the last. As I got older, I figured my love for these stories would begin to be replaced by more dull interests, like all the older adults in my life. Yet, I still found myself engrossed in these films, and finding even more things to love about them. The depth in the antagonists that the younger me hadn't been able to see, the moral dilemma and ethics in various movies that I found could apply to the real world, as well as other details that led me to be more and more fascinated by Disney movies. Not only that, I found these movies to be a comfort as I rewatched my favorite scenes on days when I felt down, to recapture that magic that I felt when watching them as a child. I could spend days getting lost in these stories, breaking them up part by part and coming up with my own twists and additions to these already captivating films, giving my imagination a place to continue to grow and manifest into itself. When it came time for me to decide on my college major, I struggled with honing in on how to transfer my interests into an actual career. The only thing that ever truly intrigued me enough to want to make a living out of it were Disney movies, and the excitement I felt at unraveling each new story. After much deliberation, I found that a career in publishing sounded right to me. I could have the opportunity to read hundreds of new stories and even potentially add my own ideas for the world to see. Disney helped me discover my love for stories through its movies, and I'm not sure if without it I would be the same person that I am today. For me, Disney movies represent my dream of the life that I want to live through its exciting and enjoyable storytelling and the idea that I too one day can play a role in the world of storytelling. Its movies are a place of belonging for me, as I still find myself returning to those same movies that I enjoyed even as a child, which is why these films are my favorite thing about Disney, amongst its other magical parts.