Adversity is a word that is defined as "difficulties; misfortune" by Oxford Languages. However, I believe that adversity is nothing more than an opportunity. It is an opportunity to grow, change, learn, and appreciate. How would you feel if you had no control of your life? How would it feel to not want to accomplish the things you have been dreaming of? Unfortunately, the answer "terrible" would accurately answer the questions that pertain to my life as of six years ago. Let me elaborate, I have been struggling with chronic illness and chronic pain for the past six years. It prevents me from going to class, doing extracurricular activities, and virtually any other daily tasks a person does on a day-to-day basis. I struggled with accepting the fact that some things just aren't right for me right now. However, as of about a year ago, I have been trying to branch out and try new things. I started dancing and challenging myself physically by getting myself to go to dance no matter the symptoms that face me. I also try to gauge my body and see how much I can and can't handle for the day. I have learned to overcome difficult situations and manage myself as best as I can so I can try to participate in new things. I also started going to a class in person. This is an opportunity for me to learn in a classroom again as I have been doing online high school for three semesters now. Being able to adapt and be resilient towards something I can't control is a skill I have had to learn with every new step that approaches me. I have also learned to be more compassionate. I always try to be considerate of others because just as I have difficulty doing some things that may be easy for others, some things I may find easy might be difficult for others. It is important to understand that we are all different, and that is okay. I have also gained a new appreciation for the people around me who care for me on my worst days and encourage me to chase my dreams every day. I am forever grateful for my loved ones who have shown me immense love and care. I think that I have grown to be stronger and I have learned to face challenges not only alone; but with my whole community. To someone out there facing the same circumstances, I want to say that you are not alone. You can do hard things and you can keep looking forward. It is okay to have bad days because there are always good days ahead. It is okay to cry from the pain because soon tears of happiness will be falling out of your eyes instead. Continue to work towards your dreams no matter the circumstance because you don't want to look back in regret. I sincerely hope that one day you and I can look back with pride and thank ourselves for the hard work we put in.

"Tell us about a time when you helped someone in need" is a topic I have pondered on for weeks. I realized that even after everything I've been through, it is hard to identify instances when I helped someone. I find that I am always being helped by others and I am always finding support from the amazing people around me. After thinking for a few weeks, I realized that support, love, help, and care are all a two-way street. Not every action always has to be reciprocated in the same way and to the same person, but everyone receives help and gives support in similar ways to what they received. In my mind, I see it as a color wheel. Although each color is widely different and is 100% unique to itself, they all look beautiful together and complement each other in different ways. Whether it is having the colors side by side, across from each other, or on opposite ends, all the colors can be appreciated for their distinctive attributes. I lost a wonderful and very meaningful friend of mine last year. She was such a positive, funny, and incredibly joyous person to be around. She brought a vibrant color to my palette and gave the things around me meaning. She always motivated me to do better and improve in any way that I could. She would make funny jokes about my flaws and would remind me that the flaws are what give me a special charm no one else has. We would meet up to talk and sew and we would exchange our knowledge and experience with one another to try and be as supportive as we could be. There was a day like any other when we were planning to meet up and chat about crafting; sewing, and any ideas that had occurred to us. On this day, unfortunately, she had got into a car crash and had just enough energy to send me a text message letting me know. I ran to the ER to see her. I found her lying alone on the hospital bed with what seemed to be her eternal smile faded. I could see that she was in pain and sadness. The look of relief on her face when our eyes met was enough to ease me a bit inside. She told me it was nice to see a familiar face and that I was the only person she could contact as she didn't have any close family around her. She said I was her only close family. I helped her place her hearing aids in so she could hear the doctors and I assisted her in calling her daughter who lived out of state. I stayed by her side for as long as I was permitted and I am grateful I got to see her that day. I got the news that the surgery was not successful and that she had passed away from blood clots a couple of weeks later. I spent days locked in my sewing room doing the most difficult projects I could find for I feared I didn't manage to make her proud when she was still with me. I am sad she is gone but grateful we had spent the time we did together. Now when I look back, I don't see how I helped her or all the ways she helped me. I see life, I see bonds, and I see how if we were to make helping others the norm, our lives could be filled with beautiful new shades, tones, and unique colors.

The character I resonate the most with from "The Office" would have to be none other than Jim Halpert. I found that although he is dedicated to his work and the people he values, he also is witty and isn't afraid to play games to liven up the spirit or try to purposely make someone a little off-put, out of love of course. "The Office" is a great example of being able to have fun in a professional setting. Although the show leans a bit on the extreme side, I think that it shows the value of enjoyment and liveliness in an otherwise strict setting. It made me believe that you can build strong connections with colleagues and make memories that can last you a lifetime. I find that the pranks and jokes made with one another reflects the personality of each character. Seeing the reactions of each character is not only funny to watching but it shows the differences of personalities that come together under one roof and all under the same company. The dynamics between characters also makes a big difference in the mood and environment of the work space. Dwight and Jim are good examples of two people with a strong but unobvious bond. Although they may seem to hate each other at times, to me it seems like brotherly love. Growing up with brothers, it is the type of dynamic that will make you laugh, cry, hate, and love all within a few minutes of something happening. I can relate to Jim's sense of humor as he feels affluent joking and making the people he is comfortable around a little uncomfortable, as ironic as it sounds. I also enjoy the fact that Jim has a bigger vision for his future. He has his own goals for investing at a sports marketing company. I find this inspiring as he has desires to grow and is willing to work many years at a company that is not necessarily ideal for the long term. He learns to have fun with the work he is at while slowly working more and more to his goals. Being able to have fun, be professional, and grow on a more personal journey are all qualities that Jim shows throughout the show. He is able to keep his own personal sense of humor through all the struggle and growth which makes him a character I always drift to on screen.

Oh My Oh My God!, one group that makes me Super Shy while having new hair and a new tee is none other than NewJeans! Did you see what I did there? Although I am sorry for my cheesy hook, I am not sorry for my love for NewJeans, and find the impact they have had on global culture is second to none. I love their style, their execution, and the vibes that the group gives off. Just because their songs are trendy, doesn't mean that they follow the trends. Since their debut, they have been able to set themselves apart from the rest of the industry and create their style. I find this interesting as not only their debut was unannounced, but their music was something unexpected from what you might think of when you first think of K-Pop. I like that the group as a whole is not scared of steering away from the norms. I think that their whole image and career is something anyone can take inspiration and courage from when trying to find their path in their careers. Not only their music is different and unique, but their singing styles, fashion, and dancing are very different from any other artist. I enjoy that each member has a distinct voice and each voice suits their style perfectly despite being different. This makes each member stand out and just as important as their fellow members. Their fashion is also admirable and inspirational as it is not seen often by other artists. You can see clear inspiration through their clothing from other generations but still make the style their own. They wear different clothing than what you would expect at different events and make it look like a whole new event. I appreciate that they don't become Super Shy even when they may stand out by their different drift. I think that the way the group can carry such a distinct style and make it completely theirs is unique and rare to find. Their dancing is also very interesting to watch and observe as it is clear to see how it stands apart in its own way. NewJean's music is a good representation of chill, unique, catchy, and very listenable to anyone. I think this type of music creates a canvas that is open to similar choreography. I like that their choreography is eye-catching and hooking to anyone that sees it but it also matches their music and the personality of the group as a whole. The choreography is easily adapted to each member with each member's unique style of dancing. I think that this is interesting because you would expect that a unified group does a group dance completely in sync with all the same angles in styles. However, you can see that the dance is adopted by each member in a different way which makes the dance more personal to each member. When each member dances the choreography together, you can see one bigger picture with many different styles and textures which gives a unique sense of depth to the dance as a whole. Although NewJeans does not fit the typical mold of a K-Pop group, they can make a mold that is so unique to them and makes them easy to spot in a crowd. They have a deep influence on the Eastern and Western media because of their artistic distinction. I am personally constantly amazed by their ability to bring something completely new and exclusively "NewJeans" with everything they manage to bring to the table.

"Can I do this?" is a common question anyone suffering from autoimmune disease comes across. The doubt of achieving something you desire is always lingering in the back of your mind, and unfortunately, can be expressed by your symptoms across your body. Finding ways to live your life while being debilitated by your own body is challenging and can make you spiral into a hesitant state of mind. I have Celiac disease and have been suffering from chronic pain and disease for the past 6 years. As I am only 15 years old it is scary to see how it has swallowed up close to half of my life. I have been to clinics across the country to try and seek help. I have had to endure many painful procedures and examinations, all to reach one goal, a life free of pain. Everything that has happened throughout my health journey has made me reflect deeper and deeper on myself. Finding reasons to learn and grow through pain is an ability I have cultivated throughout these 6 years. Although the tears come down my cheeks as I type this, I am proud to tell my story and show my development. Since I was little, I loved to create things. I loved making things that would make people happy and feel special. I would often dive into art to create beautiful sensory adventures for people to see, feel, and hear. I loved selling my products and feeling a sense of accomplishment when people loved what they bought. I often felt lost however when gauging how much I could accomplish with my symptoms. In August of 2022, I went to a clinic for kids suffering from chronic pain and illness. We had a group of 6 kids and I became dear friends with them all. Although we all struggled, we were always there for each other and understood each other's pain as we all had our own. There were days when at our school work time, many heads rested down, hiding from the rest of the room, while tears ran down our faces from the struggles and frustration that came from our daily experience with our respective illnesses. I remember never knowing whether or not I was capable of comforting them as they had done for me. Many days they would sit and watch me doing the thing I love most, creating. I loved drawing, crocheting, knitting, and playing the piano as those were things that I could do easily with the resources I had at the hospital. I would constantly knit and crochet while sitting and listening to the therapists and doctors and when we were sitting in our psychology group. I would notice the other kids looking at me but never understood why. Then they would notice that I noticed them and they would tell me "I love watching you create things". From then on I would create things for them to comfort them when they were not feeling well mentally or physically. I noticed that playing a song on the piano made them happy and excited, and the drawings I would make for them got valued and loved. Although that was a rough experience, I learned that art, which I love so dearly, could not only make me happy but others as well. I now create things to cope with all the pain and to be able to accomplish even bigger things than ever. Despite all the challenges, I now run a small business selling beaded necklaces that I make with love and care which spreads happiness to many people!

I feel that all of her roles on screen and off screen are what makes Zendaya more unique. Her ability to do many things all at once and show her ability to wonderfully execute each one. I personally think that this quality of hers is reflected and shown wonderfully through my personal favorite character, the one that is near and dear to my heart, Rocky Blue. I love how every aspect of Rocky's life was expressed through Zendaya's acting. Although early in her career, she still managed to play a character like it was her own. I grew up watching "Shake It Up!" and the memories of watching each and every episode still lingers in my mind like it was just yesterday. Being able to see Rocky's balance between school, dance, family, friends, and challenging moments only made me fonder of her. I appreciated how Zendaya was able to show affection for CeCe and her brother Ty. Although they fought and went through challenges, they always managed to stick together. However, one thing I love about Zendaya was missing from the list, not only does she wear all the hats listed above, her dancing is beyond joyful to watch. I love how she has fun while looking confident and having the skills to make technical dancing look easy. Her character in "Shake It Up!" loved to dance and express herself through dance. I always admired the work that was put into the dances and performances. As a dancer myself, I can understand the work and struggle put into even the simplest of moves, trying to make it look clean and sharp while also maintaining a smile under immense stress of performing. Seeing Rocky have those same emotions and struggles made me feel more connected to her. I began to think about how not only Rocky would have those emotions, but Zendaya does as well. Zendaya is someone who lives off of performance. She has to perform on stages singing and dancing, stand in front of thousands of people in a custom-made outfit with flashing lights from every angle, and perform her best acting skills on set. I gained a new appreciation for everything Zendaya does once I realized that it's not only what she does, but how she does it. She is human and struggles like the rest of us, but none the less, she manages to do so many things and inspire so many people. Rocky also has a good sense of balance, being able to do so many things all the way from school to dance makes me think of Zendaya as a person. Her character in real life is someone who always takes on new challenges much like Rocky. I enjoy the similarities they both share as I find inspiration from the both of them. Rocky being one of the earlier roles in her career but still being a character full of positive traits was almost a foreshadowing for the rest of her career to come after Disney Channel. Her characters on and off screen show so much development that you can see from Zendaya and her whole career so far. I look forward to seeing her shine even brighter in the future.

Your first time doing anything can be scary. You will probably fail, get discouraged, and find frustration within your self. In reality, nothing is scarier that doing nothing at all. Moving away from things that challenge you brings you nothing and you end up missing out on learning and growing in ways that you could only imagine if you shied away from the challenge in the first place. That is why the one particular activity that holds a special place in my heart and in many Minecraft player's heart is the very first night. There is nothing like being spawned into an unknown island with nothing but your own creativity and willingness to keep you going. Knowing that the days are short lived and that night time will undoubtedly fall soon gives you a sense of urgency that can only be felt truly in Minecraft. Your own ability to use the resources around you to survive at least the first night makes your head spin and go into full survival mode, which makes sense as you are in a Minecraft survival map after all. Having no tools to harvest wood makes the urgent process much slower and nerve wracking. It teaches you to look around and find anything that can help you stay alive to see another day, Quick decisions also come to play on the first night especially. Having to prioritize your needs is important. Is it important to find wood to make your house (if the time even allows), make weapons to fight off zombies, skeletons, spiders, and creepers, or try your luck at making a bed to sleep through the night quickly to awake at day once again. The limited decisions are based off of your personal preference as well as the environment around you and how easily you may or may not find materials. Although it may seem as though Minecraft is about strategy, one of my favorite parts of the whole game is being scared, screaming, and ultimately laughing at the end. Sounds a little odd doesn't it? Let me explain, being able to play with loved ones makes the game all the more fun. I adore playing with my older brother on the first night and screaming as I turn around to find a zombie right over my shoulder. I have fun running away and trying to keep one another alive as we both scream and yell. Nothing feels as fun as trying to find a suitable space of dirt to dig a hole and wait out the night. Not knowing if day has come or not, you carve out a block of dirt hoping to see the sun, and find that the sky is darker than the keys on my piano and you are surrounded by monsters still. The chances of a monster falling right into your "safe" little hole are a lot higher than you would expect. Adrenaline pumping through your veins in the most positive way you could imagine is the true Minecraft experience. Whether you survive the night and live to build a beautiful little house or you die on the first night, the experience is always enjoyable and I never get off the game unhappy.