The calluses on my fingertips and slight pain in my left wrist stem from hours of learning difficult chord progressions and picking patterns. The song Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper is the first song I taught myself on the guitar. Figuring out how to swiftly change from one chord to the next and how to properly time the next pluck of the string is a challenge I enjoy. Now, as my fingers dance across the strings, I am reminded of how I felt after learning that first song. It was as if I could feel my neurons firing, and I wondered how my musical passions affect my brain. Arguably the most vital organ, the brain functions as a developmental workhorse, dictating each action and reaction through thousands of chemical and electrical signals. From the moment I was born, synaptic connections started forming. My neural circuits became stronger, even by performing everyday tasks like practicing an instrument. My fascination for neurobiology started with a research paper on how music affects maturing brains and developed after learning how my experiences influence my neuroplasticity and create neural pathways. This is only one example of how music is an ever-present inspiration in my life. Music connects so many of my fascinations, whether that be learning intellectually, challenging myself during a fencing competition, or singing at the top of my lungs with my friends. Whenever I take on new challenges or encounter new opportunities, I am reminded of learning Shallow.

I want to become a doctor in the fields of dermatology and immunology to work with patients, predominantly children, who are experiencing autoimmune diseases, including alopecia totalis or areata and celiac disease. My goal is to be able to help these children by conducting medical research to identify causes and treatments for diseases like alopecia whose etiology and remedy are unknown and to apply it to the best of my abilities. I hope to accomplish my goals by working hard in college and thereafter, attending medical school. As a driven adolescent, I believe I can achieve my goals by conducting research with professors and working with physicians in various internships and shadowing opportunities. I want to take part in internships at research laboratories and apply for Biology fellowships to conduct research, especially in the fields of immunology and neuroscience. I plan to take advantage of the endless opportunities the college path has to help me reach my goal as a future medical doctor.

As I come from a long day of schoolwork, fencing practice, and afternoon mock trial practice, there is nothing more I long to do than strum the strings on my guitar. Music in itself is a creative outlet that allows me to process stressful times and absorb powerful lyrics from Taylor Swift or Beatles songs. The callouses on my fingertips and the slight pain in my left wrist stem from the hours of learning difficult chord progressions and picking patterns from my computer. Figuring out how to swiftly change from one chord to the next or how to properly time the next pluck of the string is a mind game that I love to play. As a self-taught guitarist, I do not reckon I will be on the front page of a music magazine, but I love just simply playing guitar for myself or for my friends. There have been more than a few times where I show some of my friends a guitar chord, and we all laugh about the suddenly in-tune sounds. Every note on the string that produces harmonious melodies lessens the worries in my mind and brings contentment. This calm composure is carried throughout the following day, as I often find myself humming a tune from the night before. It is a peaceful pastime, often done at night, that fills my heart and mind with serenity.

Fencing is both physically and mentally taxing, requiring continual development. Navigating through the skill preparation and endless drills was not getting me the results I wanted at regional and national competitions. I was enervated by my seemingly futile attempts to achieve lofty goals despite being a top fencer at my club. I voiced my frustration with my coach and told him that I did not feel I was training hard enough. He countered that I put in a surfeit of physical training. With his help, I realized that I had to work on my mental preparedness for high-stress moments during competition. Changing my focus from worrying about results to my training, I set incremental goals focused on improvements in technique and specific actions. More importantly, I changed from a results-oriented mindset to a growth mindset. I persisted and was more resilient when single bouts did not go my way so that I could stay focused on the next touch. I learned that I have to trust myself and my coach while fencing. This trust allowed me to reflect on how my technique and mindfulness were preparing me to succeed at tournaments, rather than distressing over why my goals were not being reached. We set daily and weekly targets that included the practice of mindfulness techniques like meditation, and the season results started to change. Rather than getting frustrated by my setbacks, I learned from them, and my confidence and resilience grew, sparking a love for simply improving myself.

A twenty-second hug is scientifically proven to make you happy. It releases oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin to the brain - three hormones that literally bring sparks of joy. When I hug someone I love, I hold them close. I can smell the detergent on their newly washed sweater and feel their soft cashmere scarf on my flushed cheek. The tight squeeze sends a safety signal to my nervous system, easing anxiety and stimulating serenity. Hugging is a safe haven that brings me contentment. Scientifically and practically speaking, hugs bring me joy. Yet it is more than the act of wrapping my arms around another being that releases chemicals to my brain and drives positive emotions throughout my day. It is also the bond that forms from this simple, natural act of love that warms my heart. Just as Alcott’s Jo embraces her sisters in the crisp air, I make myself vulnerable in another’s arms to build stronger connections, lessening the weight on my shoulders. My favorite beings to hug include my mom, Lia, Mia, and my dog, Bentley. Every day, I come home to see his black snout poking through the saliva-stained glass. I run inside and ambush him. As I envelop him with my love and affection, I am filled with gratitude for this amiable creature and his endless exuberance. I feel my sore muscles relax, and the wave of stress ebb. I move through the remainder of my day a little happier than I was moments ago.

The act of helping others not only brings joy to you but also to your community in need. Whenever I have tutored a child or worked to give others tutoring opportunities, I have felt this joy firsthand. I initiated this engagement in my community by helping tutors and students when I managed teams of tutors and students in need of free support. I started a Teens Tutor Teens chapter in Rhode Island, and as Chapter President, I made sure that the students who were struggling with their classes knew we would support them. I joined the tutoring sessions to check in on students and families. One student that made me recognize my impact firsthand was a boy who had a medical condition. His smile at the beginning of each meeting was a subtle reminder of my impact on the lives around me, and it made me happy. The boy’s mother thanked me for helping her child with his education. I was thrilled that I had not let the opportunity to help others pass me by, as it brought joy to me and my struggling peers.

Attending a Catholic school, I did not expect to encounter discrimination, as the root of Catholicism is built on love for one’s neighbor. A freshman year trip left me aghast. I had earned a spot as a lawyer on the renowned Mock Trial team, led by our tea-loving and book enthusiast coach, Murph. As a bonding experience, our team attended Harvard University’s Mock Trial Seminar. One night, a boy on our team spoke about the LGBTQ+ community in an insulting way, offending a transgender teammate. As a group, we talked to the boy and made sure he understood that what he said was unacceptable. Thinking of Atticus Finch’s wise words to Scout, I put myself in this transgender student’s shoes and imagined what it would be like to have my identity questioned with cynicism and derision. I wondered how I would respond to aggression and how it would affect me, but the truth is I would never know. I realized I had to take my compassion and empathy further, by listening to those whose situations I will never fully understand. I must be an avid listener and a beacon of light, so those different from me can feel loved.

Arguably the most vital organ, the brain functions as a developmental workhorse, dictating each action and reaction through thousands of chemical and electrical signals. From the moment I was born, synaptic connections started forming. My neural circuits became stronger, even by performing everyday tasks like making my bed or practicing an instrument. I started playing piano at six years old; neurons were firing in my brain, and I didn't even know it! Now when my fingers dance across the keyboard or pluck a string, I wonder how it is affecting my brain. My fascination for neurobiology started with a tenth-grade research paper on how music affects maturing brains and developed through mental toughness techniques learned from my fencing coach. Just as I learned to focus on what I can control at competitions, I discovered there are parts of my brain that I can and cannot control. Although I have the ability to cultivate a positive mindset by directing my thoughts, I have no control over how my experiences - fencing and music - influence my neuroplasticity and create neural pathways. I cannot govern how signals are sent throughout my body, like ones that tell my immune system to attack hair follicles due to my autoimmune disease. While I can meditate and use the power of my resilience by having a “vouloir, c’est pouvoir” attitude, I cannot dictate how my immune system reacts. I hope to study immunology as it relates to the brain and how my attitude affects my body's reactions. Through these studies, I can connect my love for neurology and apply it to situations in my life and help others with autoimmune issues. I wish to thrive in an environment that engenders growth by helping me uncover the “why” of the sparks firing my neurons.

I want to become a doctor in the fields of dermatology and immunology to work with patients, predominantly children, who are experiencing autoimmune diseases, including alopecia totalis or areata and celiac disease. My goal is to be able to help these children by conducting medical research to identify causes and treatments for diseases like alopecia whose etiology and remedy are unknown and to apply it to the best of my abilities. I hope to accomplish my goals by working hard in college and thereafter, attending medical school. As a driven adolescent, I believe I can achieve my goals by conducting research with professors and working with physicians in various internships and shadowing opportunities. I want to take part in internships at research laboratories and apply for Biology fellowships to conduct research, especially in the fields of immunology and neuroscience. I plan to take advantage of the endless opportunities the college path has to help me reach my goal as a future medical doctor.

I want to become a doctor in the fields of dermatology and immunology to work with patients, predominantly children, who are experiencing autoimmune diseases, including alopecia totalis or areata and celiac disease. My goal is to be able to help these children by conducting medical research to identify causes and treatments for diseases like alopecia whose etiology and remedy are unknown and to apply it to the best of my abilities. I hope to accomplish my goals by working hard in college and thereafter, attending medical school. As a driven adolescent, I believe I can achieve my goals by conducting research with professors and working with physicians in various internships and shadowing opportunities. I want to take part in internships at research laboratories and apply for Biology fellowships to conduct research, especially in the fields of immunology and neuroscience. I plan to take advantage of the endless opportunities the college path has to help me reach my goal as a future medical doctor.

As a self taught guitarist since age ten and self-taught ukulele player since age twelve, I love simply playing for myself or my friends. On the other hand, playing piano and viola within a larger orchestra are surreal moments that fill me with warmth. Music in itself is a creative outlet that allows me to process stressful times and absorb powerful lyrics from Taylor Swift or Beatles songs. The callusses on my fingertips and the slight pain in my left wrist stem from the hours of learning difficult chord progressions and picking patterns from my computer. Figuring out how to swiftly change from one chord to the next or how to properly time the next pluck of the string is a mind game that I love to play. Every note on the string and key that produces harmonious melodies lessens the worries in my mind and brings contentment. My grandmother started teaching me her native language, French, by the time I could start walking. Yet only in the past three years, after taking a deeper dive into the French culture and cuisine through French class and Alliance Francaise club, have I garnered a closer relationship to my grandmother's Canadian roots. From listening to French music, YouTube videos my grandmother sends me, and French-learning podcasts, I have almost met my goal of becoming fluent in French. I hope that I will be able to take this skill to France. For almost nine years, I have been fencing at Rhode Island Fencing Academy and Club (RIFAC), where I train both physically and mentally with my teammates and coaches. The skills I hvae cultivated, from a succinct lunge attack, to a meditative ten-minute toughness, I am proud of how I have grown in my fencing skill and will continue to improve throughout college.

My favorite piece of art hangs above my bed frame in my room. It is a beautiful painting of a woman with luscious blonde hair in a white gown, guiding a strong horse through the woods. My parents and I hung it above my bed frame in my room as a gentle reminder to find one moment of tranquility in my day. The soothing peace this artwork engenders an appreciation for balance in my life. After a long day at school or a taxing fencing practice, I need to find the time to relax and reflect on my day. This meditation allows me to process my thoughts and be grateful for my day’s triumphs and areas for improvement. I can detach my mind from worries by sitting down to plan my week. I can spend parts of my day away from busy work and complicated calculus problems. I can make moments of peace. I often find that if I have not taken time to relax or de-stress, I overcompensate and waste time. Either I take a ludicrous amount of time to brush my teeth or I lounge to rest my sore arms and legs. Whatever the case may be, I realize that I did not take enough time out of the day for myself. The woman above my bed serves as a gentle lesson. It has taught me to be creative, to find peace in my day, and to take care of myself. Even if it is just a five-minute walk outside or frisbee time with Bentley (my dog), I can lay underneath the woman in the creamy, white gown at night and remember with satisfaction my moment of peace for the day.

As a young student, I was sure of one thing. I was an aspiring interior designer, living vicariously through Chip and Joanna Gaines’ weekly house renovations and other HGTV remodeling stars. When I grew out of the designer phase, I became less sure of my career path. Through the La Salle scholars program, I answered online aptitude tests and talked to adults in various careers. High school allowed me to branch out, especially concerning television shows. One show, Grey’s Anatomy, opened my eyes to the world of medicine. I watched intently as the steady hands of Dr. Grey saved a child and listened with fascination as the surgical interns conversed in medical lingo. I became fixated on how physicians make an impact, and I gradually changed my mindset to think that being a doctor would be a fulfilling path. The major tipping point was my alopecia areata diagnosis. With little to no knowledge of why my hair was falling out, I asked my dermatologist about her experience in becoming a doctor. She told me, “Angeline, I love working with patients, and I think one day you would be an amazing doctor.” These words have echoed in my mind ever since.

Fencing is both physically and mentally taxing, requiring continual development. Navigating through the skill preparation and endless drills was not getting me the results I wanted at regional and national competitions. I was enervated by my seemingly futile attempts to achieve lofty goals despite being a top fencer at my club. I voiced my frustration with my coach and told him that I did not feel I was training hard enough. He countered that I put in a surfeit of physical training. With his help, I realized that I had to work on my mental preparedness for high-stress moments during competition. Changing my focus from worrying about results to my training, I set incremental goals focused on improvements in technique and specific actions. More importantly, I changed from a results-oriented mindset to a growth mindset. I persisted and was more resilient when single bouts did not go my way so that I could stay focused on the next touch. I learned that I have to trust myself and my coach while fencing. This trust allowed me to reflect on how my technique and mindfulness were preparing me to succeed at tournaments, rather than distressing over why my goals were not being reached. We set daily and weekly targets that included the practice of mindfulness techniques like meditation, and the season results started to change. Rather than getting frustrated by my setbacks, I learned from them, and my confidence and resilience grew, sparking a love for simply improving myself.

Every day after school, I fence at Rhode Island Fencing Academy and Club (RIFAC). I train, compete, laugh, and even cry. The fencing strip is where I work my hardest to improve my fencing skills and where I commit to becoming the best I can be. It is where I lead by example as a mentor. By refereeing at club tournaments and going to open club night, younger fencers know and see me all the time. I never realized how much these younger fencers looked up to me until one club night. A girl came up to me and asked if she could stay near me during that fencing night. I immediately saw myself in her: a shy, nervous girl standing in the corner waiting for someone to ask her to fence. I realized how much I have grown and how my confidence has radiated to other youth fencers. At RIFAC, I am a mentor because I give younger fencers the confidence and ambition to step out of their comfort zone. Whether it is giving others advice during a bout, lending a hand during a club tournament, or being a mentor at practice, my confidence helps me to be a passionate and caring leader. I hope that this confidence is how I impact young athletes to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals.

The fire burns in the red brick chimney and warms the cozy room. I am squished between my aunt and my cousin, eagerly watching as my family opens their gifts. As we near the end of our annual Secret Santa exchange and my aunt starts to bring out the Pictionary, my grandfather comes up to me. He hands me a heavy, rectangular gift wrapped in nondescript brown paper. It is a beautiful, soft-colored painting of a woman with luscious blonde hair in a white gown, guiding a strong horse through the woods. The cream-colored frame accents the velvety green trees and the woman’s flush skin. My eyes were immediately drawn to the pink flowers sewn into the trees. It was so peaceful. The ambiance of the fairy-like forest and the magical feel of this unknown place with such a beautiful creature exuberates tranquility. My parents and I hung it above my bed frame in my room. It is a gentle reminder to find one moment of tranquility in my day, even if some days it is a little harder to do so than others. The soothing peace this artwork engenders an appreciation for balance in my life. After a long day at school or a taxing fencing practice, I need to find the time to relax and reflect on my day. This meditation allows me to process my thoughts and be grateful for my day’s triumphs and areas for improvement. I can detach my mind from worries by sitting down to plan my week. I can spend parts of my day away from busy work and complicated calculus problems. I can make moments of peace.

The fire burns in the red brick chimney and warms the cozy room. My grandfather comes up to me and hands me a rectangular gift wrapped in nondescript brown paper. It is a beautiful painting of a woman with luscious blonde hair in a white gown, guiding a strong horse through the woods. My parents and I hung it above my bed frame in my room as a gentle reminder to find one moment of tranquility in my day. The soothing peace this artwork engenders an appreciation for balance in my life. After a long day at school or a taxing fencing practice, I need to find the time to relax and reflect on my day. This meditation allows me to process my thoughts and be grateful for my day’s triumphs and areas for improvement. I can detach my mind from worries by sitting down to plan my week. I can spend parts of my day away from busy work and complicated calculus problems. I can make moments of peace. I often find that if I have not taken time to relax or de-stress, I overcompensate and waste time. Either I take a ludicrous amount of time to brush my teeth or I lounge to rest my sore arms and legs. Whatever the case may be, I realize that I did not take enough time out of the day for myself. The woman above my bed serves as a gentle lesson. It has taught me to be creative, to find peace in my day, and to take care of myself. Even if it is just a five-minute walk outside or frisbee time with Bentley (my dog), I can lay underneath the woman in the creamy, white gown at night and remember with satisfaction my moment of peace for the day.

I could probably choose a hundred different quotes to talk about, yet one in particular stands out to me when I think about my future. Kristin Lohr said, "Growth is uncomfortable because you've never been here before." How simple these words may seem, but they hold much significance for me. Whenever I think about growing and improving to reach a goal, despite the excitement I feel, there is sometimes an inner voice that incites doubt or fear. My thoughts may turn to, "I'm scared I'll fail," or "I can't do this, people will think I'm odd." If I find myself succumbing to my negative thoughts, I always redirect them to this simple quote that means I will only grow if I step out of my comfort zone. I train my mind to think, "I am comfortable being uncomfortable." My goals to become a top fencer, graduate from medical school, lead an adventurous and happy life may seem scary to me at times. I may even have extreme moments of doubt and start to worry about what others will think of me. These moments of discomfort are what give me the strength to go the extra mile by studying a little longer and practicing a little harder. I am able to remind myself that growth only comes when I am in a new territory. Yes, I may have never been in this situation before, but the next time I am, I will be 100 times more confident. So each time I step onto the fencing strip to face a new opponent, or I find myself overwhelmed with my studies, I redirect my thoughts to this quote. I tell myself over and over again, "Growth is uncomfortable because you've never been here before."