The biggest challenge I faced during school occurred during my first two years of college, when I felt completely unsure about what I wanted to do with my future. Throughout high school, I had always been a strong student. I maintained a 4.0 GPA, earned straight A’s, and had a clear structure and sense of purpose. However, when I entered UCLA as a Business Economics major, that sense of stability quickly disappeared. I suddenly felt as though the structure and direction that had guided me for so many years had come crumbling down around me. Being a commuter student and simultaneously chasing my athletic dreams didn’t afford me a social support system of friends that could relate to any of the feelings or experiences that I was going through. I ultimately suffered in silence, kept all of my stress, imposter syndrome, and severe anxiety to myself. I felt that if I showed or told anyone how unstable I was feeling I would be seen as a disappointment, especially by my family who had always had high academic expectations for me. Despite dedicating countless hours to studying, I failed multiple midterms and struggled to grasp the material in my courses. At the same time, I felt external pressure suggesting that if I did not pursue certain internships, join specific clubs, or follow a particular career path, I would not be successful. When I realized that I was deeply unhappy in my major and decided to change directions, I felt even more lost. It seemed as though everyone around me had already discovered their passions and mapped out their careers, while I felt uncertain about where I belonged. I initially applied to switch into the Communications major, which is highly competitive at UCLA, but I was denied admission. Sociology had been my backup option, and I entered the major unsure of what to expect. However, after my first quarter of sociology courses, everything began to change. For the first time in two years, I felt genuinely excited about what I was learning. I had finally found a field of study that sparked my curiosity and allowed me to think critically about society, institutions, and human behavior. More importantly, I felt that I had found a place where I belonged academically. Overcoming this period of uncertainty took time, but I was fortunate to have an outlet that helped me manage my stress: kickboxing. Throughout college, I chose to be a commuter student so I could continue training and competing. I competed nationally and internationally as a member of Team USA under the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO). The discipline and mental resilience that I developed through kickboxing became a stable pillar in my life during a time when I felt academically lost. My coaches often emphasized the importance of mental strength and perseverance, lessons that became essential as I navigated my academic challenges. When I felt like I was failing in school and disappointing my family, it was the discipline of the sport and the mindset it cultivated that reminded me not to give up. Now, as I complete my fourth year at UCLA and prepare to graduate this spring with a degree in Sociology, I can see how that difficult period ultimately shaped my path. My experiences as a competitive athlete, coach, and student have inspired my goal of pursuing the Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership master’s program at the University of Washington. The program presents an opportunity to intentionally merge my passions for sport and education while preparing me to support student-athletes in their academic and athletic development. With the right support and opportunities, I hope to establish myself as a leader in the field of sports administration. Through this entire journey—the countless training sessions that ran late into the evenings, the weight cuts, the extreme discipline and organization—I have stayed dedicated to finishing my degree at UCLA and am proud to be the first generation in my family to graduate from an esteemed university with a bachelor’s degree. I have been a commuter student all four years to continue training at gyms closer to home. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it has shaped how I lead by example, particularly emphasizing accountability and preparation. This experience also taught me that challenges do not define failure; rather, they provide the opportunity for growth and self-discovery. The foggy uncertainty I faced during those early years ultimately strengthened my resilience and clarified my goals. It reminded me that success is not always a straight path, but one shaped by persistence, reflection, and the willingness to keep moving forward.

My passion for sports developed through my journey as both a competitive athlete and a coach. I began my martial arts journey in 2022, competing in karate forms and point sparring before discovering my love for kickboxing. What began as a recreational passion quickly evolved into something far more meaningful. After transitioning fully into kickboxing, I traveled to Florida for a national tournament in hopes of earning a spot on the U.S. kickboxing team. That tournament was my first sanctioned amateur ring fight, and the nerves were unmatched. Since February 2024, I have competed in multiple sanctioned fights under the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) and have had the honor of representing Team USA, traveling both nationally and internationally to compete. While pursuing this athletic career, I remained committed to completing my degree in Sociology at UCLA. Balancing academics and training required discipline, organization, and resilience. As a commuter student, I structured my entire schedule around both responsibilities—taking classes between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. so I could return home, study, and prepare for evening training sessions. Managing these competing demands taught me valuable lessons in accountability, preparation, and time management. More importantly, it showed me how powerful sport can be as a space for personal growth, structure, and leadership. My inspiration to pursue a career in sports grew even stronger when I began coaching. During my early years in martial arts, I had the opportunity to help coach younger point-sparring teammates, and I quickly realized how much I valued mentorship. Today, I coach boxing and kickboxing at my gym, working with young athletes between the ages of three and eight through private lessons and leading a teen boxing class focused on both technical skills and discipline. Coaching has taught me that leadership is not about authority, but about understanding how each athlete learns and grows. Every student responds differently—some learn best by watching techniques in the mirror, while others respond to verbal explanation or encouragement. Learning to adapt to these different needs has strengthened my patience, communication, and leadership skills. Through these experiences, I have seen firsthand how sports can shape confidence, discipline, and personal development in young athletes. The opportunity to watch my students grow—not just as athletes but as individuals—has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey. It has also inspired my long-term goal of working in collegiate athletics, where I hope to support student-athletes as they navigate both the academic and athletic demands of their lives. I believe intercollegiate athletics is a unique environment where education, leadership, and sport intersect. My goal is to contribute to programs that help student-athletes succeed both academically and athletically, while also preparing them for life beyond competition. Having experienced the demands of balancing school, training, and competition myself, I understand the challenges student-athletes face and the importance of strong support systems. Ultimately, I hope to make a difference in sports by creating environments where athletes feel supported in their development as both competitors and students. Whether through mentorship, leadership, or program development, I want to help ensure that athletes are given the resources and guidance they need to thrive during and beyond their athletic careers.

Although I'm not a track runner and have never had an interest in competing in track, I find it one of the most entertaining sports to watch during the summer Olympics. This past Olympics, a new favorite athlete of mine to cheer on was, and still is Noah Lyles. I had found out about Noah upon chance. The mens 100m trials for team USA track just happened to be playing on TV. I had initially noticed Noah out of all of the other runners due to the sparkly choker-style necklace he wore. I thought to myself, "That's such an interesting necklace to wear to a track meet; doesn't that limit his breathing?" I kept that tiny intrigue in the back of my mind as I watched the meet only to find that Noah ended up placing first in his event despite him starting off behind the other runners. He made a phenomenal comeback towards the end of the race, and that was only the beginning. After his striking performance, I tried to make sure we didn't miss any of the meets on TV, but we never knew which channel was going to have which sports. As a result, we started a subscription to Peacock just to keep up with all of the events. With the newfound ease of streaming all of the sports and events, I didn't miss a single track event with Noah Lyles. While I was cheering on all of our competing team USA track runners, I especially wanted Noah Lyles to win first place. After each of his events, he would jump, scream and pump his fist in the air. It was infectious display of emotion to any athlete watching, including myself. Noah showed such an energy that you could feel through the screen; it made you feel like you could win anything you put your mind to. With our Peacock subscription, we were able to watch a documentary called "Untitled: the Noah Lyles Project." It was the story and history of Noah Lyles' journey to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Noah opened up about how his mental health plummeted during the pandemic, how he was dealing with depression, anxiety, and other health complications including catching COVID before his debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The entire documentary was so inspirational for lack of a better word. His story has motivated me as an athlete and has shown me that while Noah had all of these bumps in the road, he still got back up and chased his dreams. Noah's story was truly moving and has continuously encouraged me to pursue my dreams in my own sport and has reminded me that no matter how many barriers there are, to not let them bring me down and to always get back up.

Hi, my name is Annabella Powell and I am a second year at UCLA, majoring in Business-Economics. While both of my parents have attended college, neither of them finished or earned their degree. I am passionate about learning and am fueled by both the support of my family and the fact that I will be the first in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree. I am a very family oriented person as my family is the first thing I will always consider in every decision and I am genuinely grateful for all that my family has given me, whether it be helping me with general life skills or supporting my secondary education. I live with my parents, younger sister, two grandparents, uncle, and two dogs. I wasn’t born into the family I live with now. My dad married my stepmom when I was seven years old and she quickly became the mother I never had. To me, she is the only mom I have, know and love. Even though I wasn’t directly born into the family I know now, they accepted me in their home, they raised me, taught me, cared for me and loved me with all their hearts. There was a time before my sister was born that my parents and I lived in a separate house from my grandparents, and every weekend I would stay over at their house. I loved spending my weekends there with them, and they loved having me running all over the house. They had a beautiful two story orange house, and when I first came over, it was like a magical castle that I was so curious about; I wanted to uncover all the nooks and crannies and run around in their enchanted garden (because they have a beautiful garden in the backyard). Once my sister was born, we moved in with my grandparents, and we all lived under one roof, happily together. My grandparents raised and took care of my sister and I most of the time when our parents were off at work so you can imagine the unbreakable bond we established after all these years of still living together. My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer in December of 2022 and I’ll never forget that talk that we had to have when my sister and I finally found out. My family and I were deeply saddened, but grateful that doctors had found the cancer early on and were able to develop a treatment plan for her. For six months my grandma went through chemo and radiation; she was a strong beacon of light that kept us optimistic during one of the darkest times of our lives. After those first six months we were hopeful that she had beat it and that that would be the end of it, but unfortunately, about two months after she rang the bell, we were notified that it had come back. My grandmother had to endure another seven months of treatment. This year in February was her last month of treatment and we are awaiting the results of her recent PET scan. My grandmother is one of the strongest women I know and I don’t know where I would be without her. She has inspired me in more ways than one and has taught me one of the most important lessons in my life: when all seems hopeless, be the one to see the light in the dark and make it brighter, because there is hope, it just takes us to believe in it ourselves.

Influencers have indeed weaseled their way into creating the ideal book community via Tik Tok. They know just how to open each of their videos and hook viewers, either by saying “read these books if you’re into…” and then they’ll name a genre, or they create a stack and leave the cover of the Tik Tok as a picture of just the pages so that it’s a mystery, making their choices seem all the more enticing and prestigious. All of these influencers have gotten so creative with how they promote their favorite reads, saying things like “Books I would sell my soul to read for the first time again” of “Books that made me think I wasn’t reading” which, of course, lure’s me in and makes the book(s) all the more appealing. My ideal bookshelf, inspired by the marvelous #BookTok community, would include the entire "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series by Sarah J. Maas, the "Six of Crows" duology by Leigh Bardugo, the standalone that has been getting all of the hype and attention right now, "If He Had Been With Me" by Laura Nowlin and so many others. That is only to name a few of the titles that I have seen circulating on #BookTok as of recently. Although I am biased in the sense that I love to read more fantasy than any other genre, I have come to find that because of #BookTok, I have browsed outside of my comfort zone and read other books in genres that I don't tend to read like "The Silent Patient", a thriller by Alex Michaelides; it’s unusual for me to be interested in a thriller book considering how easily scared I get. I have indeed been influenced by many readers giving their recommendations via Tik Tok; they recommend and I will most likely add that title to my TBR. Naturally, I notice all the books that are being consistently recommended with 4 to 5 star reviews and so does my brain. It is absolutely astounding to me how the mere exposure effect comes into play here. So I feel as if it is more natural that the biggest books that have gotten popular are because of the amount of circulation they get. The book then continues to grow due to other people experiencing the mere-exposure effect, hence further promoting its media broadcast by either sharing the video with a friend or creating their own tik toks about the same book(s).

I am lucky enough to have two inspiring and heavily supportive women in my life, my mother and my grandmother. I have written countless essays about my mom because she is truly a force to be reckoned with, but this time around I'm going to focus on my grandmother. My grandma is one of the strongest women that I know and although many people use that adjective to describe many people, I can whole-heartedly say, with full and complete confidence that my grandma is the embodiment of what it means to be strong. In december of last year my grandma was diagnosed with cancer. It took so many calls, emails and hospital visits for the doctors to finally figure out that she had cancer. During that time she was constantly exhausted from the pain and discomfort of her body. My entire family, including myself, were agitated and anxious about my grandma's wellbeing, especially because the doctors seemed incapable of finding her source of pain. After finishing the first cycle of chemo and radiation, my family and I were hopeful because the doctors had said that they were able to kill the cancer in its early stages. However, after eliminating the cancer in one area, it came back three months later in another. My grandma just started her second cycle of chemo to treat this new area of cancer. Throughout these eleven months that my grandma has been dealing with treatment, the frequent visits to the hospital, medication, pain and other externalities with family, she has remained the core strength of our family. When we were saddened and worried about my grandma, it was she who would hold our faces, dry our tears and tell us that everything was going to be just fine and that we had to remain positive for her. For my grandma to speak such enlightened words of encouragement said so much to me about her character and who she is. It showed me what true strength looks like. Other people in my grandma's shoes would probably depend on other people for strength, but it was my grandma who showed us how to remain optimistic and hopeful. My grandma has been my source of inspiration. When I feel like I can't do something in school, or when I doubt my abilities to learn something new, I think of her and that if she can remain positive, then so can I; I can overcome my self doubt, I can overcome this temporary boundary. In addition to being a constant source of inspiration she is also one of my biggest supporters. She supports me in all I dream of, whether it be my dream of being successful in business-economics or my dream of becoming one of the greatest female kickboxers, she is right there in my corner, cheering me on, no matter what. There is seldom a day when I don't worry about my grandma, how her appointment went, how she's feeling, if she has an appetite today, but she is always there to quiet my worries, she is always ready to crack a joke, and despite everything going on with her, she remains positive. So, as I have already said and will continue to say, my grandma is one of the purest embodiments of strength and an unrivaled example of positivity. It is my hope that everyone in this world has a woman of such resilience and fortitude in their lives, as I am so blessed to have in mine.

I am currently a second-year looking to major in pre-business economics. While I am a first generation student that is a part of an underrepresented minority, I feel as if I can confidently say that I am very fortunate to be in the place that I am today. I have not had as many adversities as other college/university students may have had; I have never had to worry about when my next meal might be or where I'm going to sleep each night; I have never experienced any of these things and for that I am very grateful and owe it all to my parents. However, that isn't to say that I haven't experienced any adversities at all. Indeed, I have had my share, but haven't we all? After all, my mother tells me that there is truly no growth without failure. When I was in high school, I was a straight A student. I found staying on top of everything easy, the semester system was a friend of mine. I took multiple AP courses and college classes from sophomore to senior year. I thought myself so prepared going into UCLA with almost all of my GE's done. I was truly confident during my first quarter. Then the first midterms rolled right around the corner and so I took them all thinking I was doing amazing. Then the scores came and all that fluffly, ignorant confidence, plummeted. My anxiety levels were at their max, my stress levels were at their capacity. It was almost as if I had entered a state of paralysis caused by the amounts of stress and anxiety that plagued me. All the while I saw my classmates so happy about their courses, making plans to go out with their friends, going out, and just enjoying life while I was just there, absolutely stunned. At this particular time in my life I encountered what is known as imposter syndrome. It actually took me some time to figure out what I was dealing with, but with a lot of journaling and introspection I was finally able to put a name to it. I was severely doubting myself, my abilities and my intellect. I was restricted by these feelings and they truly hindered my self confidence in my capabilities. I think of my first fall quarter as one of my worst times in my life because up until that time I had never failed a course. Looking back I have also learned to live with it and to accept it. I'm reminded by that time in my life to be better, to push myself to be the best that I can be. I never want to feel that way again, and I use that feeling to learn from the mistakes I made: to not stop simply because I get a minor ounce of discouragment, to stop being embarrassed about asking questions, to socialize and ask other people for help, to utlize the convenience of the internet in order to research better study habits, to plan my time accordingly, to make time for myself and most importantly, to learn that it is ok to take breaks, because if I do overwork myself I will become burnt out and I will have to endure that miserable time in my life again. It is still taking me time to regain my footing, to find confidence in myself again, but there is one thing I am confident about: that is that I am going to be able to make a comeback, a blindingly fierce one.

I myself have always enjoyed being outdoors and staying active. During my freshman and sophomore years of high school I played water polo and was on the swim team. I was constantly in the pool doing drills and practicing. Since this sport had such a high intensity level that required my entire body, I also needed to eat healthy and correctly in order to maintain my bodies needs when I went to practice. Come March of 2020, school and sports were all put on pause. I noticed a steep decline in my mental health. The pandemic not only heightened my anxiety about my schooling, but it also gave me a fear that I would lose my family to the virus. Even though we were completely isolated, I had no idea what to expect from such an unfamiliar and foreign virus that was suddenly devastating our population numbers. Simultaneously dealing with all of the anxiety from the pandemic and my classes was not one of my greatest experiences. It left me metaphorically paralyzed in a way. I felt unmotivated to complete any classwork, it took a strenuously long time to wake up in the morning, and I was utterly desperate for the pandemic to be transient phase that the US would go through and pass. Not to mention, water polo and swim season was on a complete pause and I had to rely on workouts that were at home and taught via zoom. I tried to maintain the routine, but there was nothing invigorating about it. It started to become like an extra chore that was wasting time I could be using to work on the loads of homework that I had, so I ended up dropping the class. While it left me a lot more time to complete classwork and such, I missed being able to practice in the pool everyday. After I quit the team, I started to gain weight and started compiling unhealthy eating habits. It left me insecure about the weight my body was gaining. After about a year of not having any daily workout and eating very unhealthily, I started doing private kickboxing classes. After two months of kickboxing, I started karate. I joined the team my dojo had there called the Hurricanes and started point sparring and learning katas. I loved what this sport brought to me, not only a good workout and ways to defend myself, but the team and community I found there was so amazing and supportive. Finding this tight-knit community, ultimately saved my mental health, and I noticed that a lot of my anxiety started to relax. After a change in location of my dojo, I started taking kickboxing classes again. I started out small, only taking the beginners classes, then I gradually started getting the hang of it and started taking the advanced classes. I regained my sense of a healthy diet and have focused on sculpting my muscle by eating lots of protein and drinking lots of water. I go to karate three times a week and I kick box five days a week. Now, I continue to notice new growth and progress in my endurance, my muscle gain and my skill set which I'm extremely proud of. It's oddly ironic to say that I am now addicted to the lifestyle I've been leading, compared to my lifestyle before.

In reality, I think that everyone's dream is to be rich in the future. However, in my dream future, I want to be happy with myself and my accomplishments. I want to be self reliant on my own income and be able to live happily without any anxiety caused by financial issues. Looking past lack of financial resources to fund my post secondary education at UCLA, the only thing that stands in my way is myself. My lack of confidence in myself, my fear that I will not be good at my chosen major and my anxiety about being indecisive and constantly changing my major. The scariest thing is not being prepared for the future and the possible consequences that could come because of that unpreparedness. I've always been a very independent person which has its pros and cons, one of the cons being that I am reluctant to ask for help. I have learned though, that asking for help is a necessity sometimes and that no matter how proud I may be, it is best to set aside my pride in order to allow myself to learn for the better. I've had to teach myself that not everything has to be done alone, which has been hard for someone that basically grew up teaching themselves how to do things while their single dad was at work most of the time. Teaching my stubborn self these things wasn't the easiest, but as I have grown more confident in asking for help, I have realized that it makes so many things more clearer. I have grown as a scholar, as a martial artist, as a sister, and as a daughter. As I am the only block that could possibly hold me back from my future goals, I am learning that the best way to get past myself is to teach myself that I am not alone in reaching my goal, no matter how badly I want to become self reliant. Becoming self reliant doesn't happen without help and I am learning to accept it. One of the hardest things most likely are the battles that we fight with ourselves. Only after we overcome these battles with ourselves can we grow and learn which is what I am coming to know and accept. I know that if I remember that the only way that I will reach my goal is to allow people to help me, then I will continue to grow and overcome my inner battles.

As I am an up and coming college student at UCLA a lot of my challenges that I have experienced have been in high school. During my freshman and sophomore years I attended Daniel Pearl Magnet High School which was a very small campus compared to my large middle school campus. My class comprised of approximately 100 students or less, each of my classes averaged about 15 per class and there weren't very many teachers, nor were there a variety of classes that were offered to me while I was there. Fast forward to my second semester of sophomore year when I took my first AP history class and was suddenly forced to move to online schooling in March of 2020 because of what we would soon find would be a deadly virus amongst us. During those months, my teachers were ultimately unprepared to keep our schooling and education afloat online, which left me completely clueless as to what to expect on the humongous AP World History exam I had to coming my way. I was filled with anxiety at the thought that I was probably the only one who would possibly fail this exam and not receive credit because my teacher had no idea how to teach us the material online. The pandemic not only heightened my anxiety about my schooling, but it also gave me a fear that I would lose my family to the virus. Even though we were completely isolated, I had no idea what to expect from such an unfamiliar and foreign virus that was suddenly devastating our population numbers. Simultaneously dealing with all of the anxiety from the pandemic and my classes was not one of my greatest experiences. It left me metaphorically paralyzed in a way. I felt unmotivated to complete any classwork, it took a strenuously long time to wake up in the morning, and I was utterly desperate for the pandemic to be transient phase that the US would go through and pass. Preparing for my AP exam was the last thing that I could focus on. I instead reverted my attentions elsewhere in attempt to break me out of my slump that was sucking all of the motivation out of me. I completed unfinished art projects that I originally hadn't had time to focus on because of school and even though I was looking for a mere distraction from school, I found myself more calm than I had been before. Being my first year in an AP class, I had no idea what to anticipate. I wasn't sure what the amount of homework would be like, nor the amount of studying time it would eat out of my schedule. I essentially went into that class blind, not knowing what to expect. While it didn't occur to me that an AP class would put me under extreme amounts of pressure, I had also signed myself up for college classes that Daniel Pearl was offering to invited students only. I didn't second guess taking the opportunity and jumped on it immediately. The schedule that I compiled in my sophomore year were nothing like the classes I had taken in my freshman year. They were all easy for me, relaxed even. They didn't provide me with any intellectual challenge compared to the classes I had decided to take in my sophomore year. Sophomore year was one of my hardest during high school because I had never dealt with that level of intensity regarding my education. The pandemic didn't have spectacular timing either. It made it ten times as hard for me to mentally and emotionally deal with everything that was happening around me. In short, I found a way to channel all of seemingly combustable feelings. I took time to myself to focus on something crafty or art related, whether it be water color or a simple sketch. It allowed me to take my mind off of everything that was happening and to center myself away from the loud chaos around me. Dedicating this slot of time to myself put me in a better mood to do more school related work, which in turn gave me a little more motivation to get things done. It took a lot of willpower to get myself through this struggle, but I found a way. I was introduced to a YouTuber that was an AP history teacher and was able to provide me with a lot of preparedness for my exam. I studied his videos and took notes on everything that was taught to us before the pandemic and a lot of the material that wasn't taught to us. Luckily, the Collegeboard acknowledged the struggle that most teachers were going through and decided to focus the test on specific years that were guaranteed to have been taught. At the end of the semester I had passed all of my classes with an A, including my AP and college class. This time of my life was painful, but it taught me one of the most important lessons that I hold true to this day: hard work always pays off. I saw it then, and I see it now that I am attending UCLA. My constant motivation to get through hard times prevailed and I kept fighting for myself to stay above the surface of my emotions and anxiety, lest I be sucked under again. I will always remember what this point in my life taught me, because it has helped me achieve so many of my goals since the pandemic, and for that, I am beyond proud of myself for getting back on track and for reacquiring the part of me that is good student and hard worker.

I was raised by a single dad who worked his hardest to do two things: maintain custody of me and also provide for me so that I never went to bed hungry. My dad, who graduated high school and never attended college, tried to keep us afloat with decent jobs that accepted a high school degree and a resumé with work experience since he was 16. Fast forward to present day and my dad is a thriving real estate agent/broker who worked so diligently to achieve both success and a break from being financially unstable for so long. Not only has my dad's work ethic inspired me, but it has sparked something in me. I grow more curious every day and I yearn to learn more about the inner workings of not just real estate, but also our economy. Going into UCLA, I am planning on majoring in Business Economics, whose main focus is corporations' finances as well as the external issues that may affect them. With the threat of global warming on the rise and the frequent controversy about resuscitating our economy after the global pandemic, I feel that there is a connection between the two and a solution that can simultaneously solve these issues. In my perspective, America's huge conglomerate businesses are one of the highest influencers of our economy, but are also some of the biggest wasters. By broadening my understanding through a business economics lens, I want to find a way to help huge corporations make economical decisions that benefit the planet and the businesses' statistics regarding the average amount that consumers buy from the business. I want to be a part of the change (no matter how small), that helps our planet. Take plastic bags for example, which are some of hugest pieces of waste and one of the hardest substances to decompose. If the corporation were to fade out their use of plastic bags by creating a store policy where their costumers would have to bring their own bags for groceries etc., this would highly benefit the environment and turn the business into a greener corporation. On the other hand, if a customer forgot to bring their own bags, to combat costumer forgetfulness, the corporation could create more jobs by hiring people to help customers load their groceries into their cars. By eliminating the money spent on the manufacturing of plastic bags, this allows the corporation to allocate this money elsewhere, while also possibly creating more jobs which can help the economy. Not only would this theoretical policy be a good look for the brand name, but it would simultaneously help annihilate a certain portion of detrimental waste. While, I'm still new to figuring out my educational endeavors at UCLA, I still plan on using whatever I learn to apply it to major issues in our society, like global warming and consumer waste, which are just a few topics that intrigue me and some that I want to help solve in the future. I believe there is a connection between such issues such as global warming and regaining economic stability in America, but to accomplish these problems there need to be well-rounded solutions. I want to be a part of the change that helps our future find these solutions.

My education is important to me because it represents a force I am in charge of, something that is my own and cannot be touched. My education is essential to helping me rise above a societal norm that highlights women as incapable and is henceforth important so that I may help empower other soon-to-be women who dream big. Being a woman of Hispanic heritage, I should think there is no better tool than my education that is the most essential in my battle against deep-rooted oppressive norms of a Hispanic woman. Having an education is a privilege that not everyone gets, and because I have this privilege, I want to make good use of it by rising to the highest position I can get. To show all the little girls who look up to me what they are capable of with their education. Our world has long pictured a woman in a kitchen at home, taking care of the children, when they are capable of so much more. Virginia Woolf once wrote in her Collected Essays: Volume Four, "... there is another way of fighting for freedom without arms: we can fight with the mind." Woolf wrote this piece during the Blitz in London and one of her main claims was about deep-rooted gender norms. She argued that neither men nor women have a choice in their life; the men are bred for war and the women are told to hide and stay home. She emphasized how capable all women were and that they too should have a choice to participate in what society see's as a male-dominated field. This piece stood out to me because Woolf acknowledges women as limited and a force to be reckoned with. She argued that women had no important positions in "the Cabinet; nor in any responsible post" and that "All the ideamakers who are in a position to make ideas effective are men." While Virginia Woolf may have written these ideas many years ago, they are still very prevalent today, as women struggle with workplace discrimination. The point is, is that through the education that I have been gifted, I want to make use of it by achieving the highest position that I can receive. I want to show all little girls what they can do through their education and the power of their minds. My education is important I want to be the best that I can be, so that I can inspire little girls like my sister, to rise above the standard in hopes that someday my little sister will rise above me and set the standard for women even higher.

There are many barriers in life that we have to take head-on and most of the time they aren't the easiest. I've personally experienced my share of hard-to-reach obstacles. When I'm in a slump, the quote that I look too, to motivate me is: "I think, therefore I am." said by René Descartes. This quote has been a huge motivation for me to pursue many of my goals that I feel I can't accomplish. It is a reminder to me that no matter how hard the obstacle in front of me is or how hard I am put down by discouraging thoughts or comments, I have the potential to put my mind to something and the ability to learn it. It motivates me to remind myself that I am capable, and that I am just as qualified as other people are. Not only is this quote a vibrant reminder to me that I am able to do harder, more advanced things just like everyone else, but it also reminds me that if I really put my mind and 150% of my effort into something, then there is nothing stopping me to accomplish that task. I don't always apply this to learning new things like when I'm in school or having difficulty doing homework, but I use it in everyday tasks that I want to try. Whenever I'm learning something new like how to draw features on a face and the turnout is not at all like what the instructor showed, I'll remember to not get discouraged and that eventually I'll get it.

You never really know the density of certain things until you have a bursting realization, and that was what happened in my case. One of the most important quotes that is very special to me, is a quote from the book "Crescent City: House of Blood and Earth" by Sarah J. Maas. In the book, Maas writes, "'That's the point of it, Bryce. Of Life. To live, to love, knowing that it might all vanish tomorrow. It makes everything that much more precious.'" In the book, the main character, Bryce, loses her closest friends, which casts a toll on her mental and emotional state in which she struggles with consistently throughout the book. This quote is said near the end by Bryce's best friend Danika, who appears in a magical sort of afterlife vision. Danika reminds Bryce that just because her and her friends are gone doesn't mean she should continue mourning them, but that she should instead realize that she is alive and because she is, to live her life to the fullest. When I was reading this book, it was near the end of 2020 during quarantine, and by then, my days seemed robotic and stagnant. Every day seemed to be the same as the last. During this time, the news was always on in my house, and every day the news reported on the thousands of lives that had been lost each day. At first, those numbers scared me, and I feared for my family's health, but as time went on and the days mushed together, the information didn't seem to process anymore. I just seemed to be in a slump, unaware of how lucky I was. Reading this quote, I had a realization, and I was enlightened about just how quickly people can go. It made me think about my family, and how quickly they could be gone. This quote touched my heart because it showed me how much we have to appreciate our lives and the people surrounding us and to never take them for granted. Being in quarantine and knowing the stakes and riskiness of catching COVID-19, elevated the meaning of this quote to me. It opened me up to the possibility of actually becoming one of those people who had to endure losing their family members, and I couldn't imagine losing something like my family, which I care deeply for. The quote was a vibrant reminder to me to be grateful that I have my family who are all in good health and to know that everything could vanish within seconds. I guess you could say that this quote brought back some consciousness into my life about how dire the situation we're living in is. It reminded me to be aware and to cherish every living moment we have.

One of the most important people in my life is my little sister, Sofia. She is "the light in my darkness", the one who brought fun back into my life and the one I will love until the ends of this earth. I am so thankful for my little sister because no matter how hard things get in our life or when something happens to me, I know she will always be there to help me through it and I for her. Because my sister and I are nine years apart, I used to be an only child and I remember hating it so much. If I could describe it in one word I would have to say boredom, because aside from going to school and living a very routine life, I was bored. I remember not having anyone to play with and I remember I so badly wanted a sibling in my life to keep me company. I pictured my sibling and I playing at the park or doing each other's hair or just playing and being around each other in general and I fantasized about it daily. Finally in 2013, I got my wish, and what I had been calling "little peanut" in my mom's belly, was a girl and she was my sister and I remember that moment when they handed her to me I was overfilled with so much joy that I cried because my wish for a sibling had finally come true. I am so thankful for my little sister because I love her so much and I do everything with her and/or for her. During quarantine, when times have been stressful, she has made me laugh and just made me forget all about my worries and it's because of those little moments that I am thankful for her. She makes me laugh, she makes me cry (in the happiest, best ways) and she loves me, and I love her back. In fact one of my favorite little books is called "Sisters" by David McPhail and it's about two sisters who are very different, but in many ways the same, and the end reads "But the way they were most alike was the most special way of all. Because you see, they loved each other so very much." and I would say that those two sentences are the epitome of me and my sister's relationship.

One of the most important role models in my life would have to be my mom and although that might sound cliche, it is very true. Ever since I was younger I have always looked up to her and I have aspired to be like her. She has taught me the meaning of hard work and that those who work hard always end up with the best results in the end. Growing up, my mom was always a hard worker and she would always emphasize the meaning of hard work to me and that if you worked hard in the beginning, the results would always be in your favor. Not only that, but she was always adamant with me about being on top of my homework and getting work done early and always telling me to take advantage of extra credit. Besides school, my mom was such a great influence to my sister and I, because outside of her guiding and advising us about things in school, she was a very ethical person. She made sure to teach me that I always needed to be kind and respectful to anyone and everyone that I meet. Wherever we went if she saw a person in trouble or in need, she would make sure that they got help. I remember this one time when we were sitting in the car, we witnessed a hit and run car accident. My mom immediately went over to see if the elderly man was alright and that he got help. He couldn't speak English very well, so my mom was translating what happened to the police in order for the elderly man to be able to file a report. A couple weeks later my mom got a call from the elderly man that the police had filed the report and that they were looking for the other guy who had hit his car and that he was thankful for her helping him. It was the greatest feeling that I had felt and it came from helping someone. When I see someone in need, I will always remember what my mom did and I'll always remember how good it felt to help that elderly man. My mom is definitely the reason that I am the way that I am today, she is why I have good grades, and she is why I am the hardworking person that I am today. She taught me to be a leader and that being a leader is very important in life, which is why when I participate in group assignments I fall into the leader position so naturally. Before I met my mom (who is my step-mom in reality, but who I consider my real mom because she basically raised me) I wasn't the greatest student in school, but thankfully she met me at the right time in my life, when it wasn't too late to turn those bad habits around. When we moved and I had to go to a new school, that's when my school habits turned around. I suddenly loved to read, I was so passionate about writing and I had this whole perspective about school. Not only did my mom save me and put me back on the right path in school, but she taught me other habits that I will never forget and always use in my life. My role model and also my loving and caring mom, turned me from a path that only led downhill to a new path that now has unlimited opportunities. She taught me about hard work and why it is important to stay in school and to learn new things. She opened up my eyes to a whole new perspective about school and for that I am forever thankful.