When I was four years old my aunt told me that she was pregnant and that I would soon be a big cousin! I, along with the rest of my family was absolutely bouncing with joy at this news. We planned baby showers, I made my mom stop in the infant section every time we went to the store, and I loved to hold my aunt's belly. But, much to my obliviousness, as the pregnancy progressed the happiness my adult family members felt was accompanied by fear. When my little cousin was born, I wasn't allowed to see him right away. I actually wasn't allowed to see him for a bit of time - much to my dismay. At the time I wasn't aware of the full story, due to my young age my family obviously didn't tell me. My little cousin was born with a congenital heart defect and spent many of his first weeks in and out of surgery and the neonatal intensive care unit. I don't recall the logistics of this. But as I got older, I began to understand more and more about my cousin's condition as we spent more time in the hospital as a family. Many of the specific moments are a blur to me, maybe due to my young age, maybe as a way for my brain to cope with all of the sadness and anxiety that was surrounding my loved ones. One thing that remains consistent in spite of all of my limited memories is the kindness that each and every nurse bestowed upon my family. I remember nurses taking me outside to color while my family received bad news, I remember nurses surprising my little cousin with toys as he grew older, I remember nurses making my aunt feel like a real person again. I want to be a nurse so that I can be that person for somebody. My family still felt immense emotional pain every time we were in the hospital, but the nurses were always able to lighten the emotional load. If I could lighten the load for anybody, I want to take that opportunity. I want to make troubled families members feel like people again; even if only for a second. I want to be that rock for someone. I want to be a nurse because the differences they have made in the lives of me and my family is something I will never forget.

When the time comes to list qualities about myself I can’t say a high sense of self-esteem would be there. I know I’m not unique in that sense; lack of self-confidence isn’t exactly uncommon among teenage girls but still, definitely an inconvenience. There are goals for my life that I’ve always wanted to accomplish. Including but not limited to: earning a degree, obtaining a high paying job, and eventually buying a house. It pains me to admit that at one point during my life these ideas seemed almost laughable to me. A childish dream; except instead of wanting to be an astronaut or a ballerina I wanted to go to college. No matter how childish I felt this dream was, my mother never treated it as such. In fact, she once told me that she was positive I would succeed in anything that I chose to do with my life; whether that was being a ballerina or going to college. I can confidently say that my mother’s love and support is the reason I have been able to succeed throughout my highschool years. For every test that I was sure I would fail, she told me she knew I would ace it. Every essay that I thought was unworthy of even being read, she saw as a literary masterpiece. When it came time to schedule classes for the next school years, her support would give me the extra push I needed to sign up for a particularly difficult class. The funny thing is, my mom always ended up being right. Every class that I was worried about taking I ended up passing with an A. Those moments where I informed her of my grades have been some of the only times that I have enjoyed hearing the phrase “I told you so.” Knowing that I have my mom’s full support has made it easier to push myself in my education, and in my life in general. My mom has made all of my most outlandish dreams seem possible, and the more that she preaches I can achieve it the more I’ve been able to believe in myself too. Growing up in a home surrounded by her unwavering support has shown me that I am someone worth supporting. The older I grow and the more I mature, the easier believing in myself has become. I know that when I grow older I will be able to help others with whatever career I choose to pursue. Because at the end of the day I know that should my belief in myself ever lapse, my mom believes in me enough for the both of us.

Ever since I was a little girl I have been fascinated by the way the world works around me. Throughout school, I always found myself drawn towards my science and math classes in particular. I'm one of those people who would rather sit and solve 100 math problems than write one research essay. Growing up I had a lot of supportive people in my life who helped foster my passions. My mother in particular always believed in me. She always encouraged me to take difficult STEM based classes and would buy me books or rent me movies on the topics I found to be particularly interesting in my classes. The older I grew the more my passion for STEM grew. By my first year of middle school I was positive that I would end up with a STEM based career. Throughout high school I took my time to explore a lot of careers in fields that interested me. Junior year of high school I read up on biomedical engineering and I just felt something click. The field seemed truly perfect to me, I would be able to do a job that I was passionate about while also developing things to help others. My planned field of study is biomedical engineering. My dream job in this field would be to work with a company that makes artificial organs. A younger cousin of mine has been told that he will need a heart transplant when he is older. Discovering that led me down a rabbit hole of research surrounding organ donations and transplant lists and how people can spend their whole lives waiting for an organ that they will never receive. I would like to change that. My goal is to help make artificial organs more easily available to the public. I would like to develop artificial organs that are more affordable but still work well, because nobody deserves to spend their entire life hoping for something that they will never receive. Overall, pursuing a degree in STEM is something that I have always known I would end up doing. I have always found myself fascinated by different STEM based ideas. A STEM based career field would allow for the perfect mix of all of my passions, such as seeing how things work and helping others. Growing up I have always searched for a career that I would enjoy, and I think I have truly found that with biomedical engineering.

The day that 1989 (Taylor's Version) came out I can safely say that I was one of the most annoying people on the planet. Everybody in my life was getting updates on how amazing I found the album to be. I've been listening to Taylor Swift for my entire life, her music has been with me throughout some of the best and worst moments in my life. The re-recordings of her albums in particular have always had a special place in my heart. October 27th, 2023 when I listened to the (1989 Taylor's Version) for the first time was one of the best moments of my 2023. I enjoyed listening to the new and more mature vocals on some of the classic songs that I already loved like Clean. Despite my love for the songs off of the original 1989, the vault tracks left me truly captivated. I found all of the vault tracks to fit in well with the concept of the album, and I couldn't believe that some of them had been left in the vault over the years. It's safe to say that the vault tracks stole the show for me, I would just sit and listen to those vault tracks over and over and over. The fact that I listened to the vault tracks over and over again was rather fitting considering the fact that Is It Over Now? was my hands down favorite song from the album. The song has truly resonated with me ever since the first listen. The song helped give me the strength to walk away from a relationship that was toxic and draining of my mental health. The song made me realize that I was sick of wondering if things between the guy and I were over and of constantly walking on eggshells. I made the decision that instead of asking myself if things were over I would take the initiative and make sure things were over. The reason that Taylor Swift's music has always held such a special place in my heart is because of the connection that she builds with the listeners. She paints beautiful pictures that allow you to empathize with the situation she is singing about regardless of whether or not you have gone through something similar. She truly has a song for everything, from heartbreak, to first love, to celebrating positive friendships. Overall, Taylor is one of the greatest, most impactful artists of our generation and 1989 (Taylor's Version) truly reflects that.

December 6th, 2011 was supposed to be a day filled with joy for me. I sat at my grandmother’s house excitedly waiting for my mom to get off work so that we could go visit my older sister. Jessica, my older sister lived in another state and I treasured every opportunity I had to visit her. However, when my mom walked through the door even my 5 year old self could tell that something was wrong. My mom tearfully informed me that our visit would not go as planned, as my sister had died. Later on I became aware of the fact that my sister had died via suicide. There’s no exact way to describe the way it feels to learn that someone you love so much completed suicide. Guilt, pain, sadness. But for me, at least while I was at school confusion and jealousy came closest to describing what I felt. Simple icebreaker questions such as “how many siblings do you have?” or “are you an eldest sibling?” became a point of dread for me. I would feel my heart drop whenever a teacher asked me either of those questions. Sharing that my sister was no longer alive was something that was hard for me to do, as people always asked how. The thing about suicide loss is that those that haven’t experienced is don’t really know how to react when you tell them you lost a loved one that way. I remember one teacher who stared at me for what felt like hours before awkwardly patting my shoulder when I told her how my sister had passed away. The loss of my sister is something that I feel everyday, some days stronger than others. It is also something that has motivated me. Losing my sister made me value the relationship I have with my brother even more, causing me to work hard to be the best sister to him that I can be. Additionally, my sister was never able to attend college, this has lead me to put my all into school so that one day when the time comes I can go to college, not only for me, but also for her. When you lose a sibling to suicide, everyday is different. Some days I feel as though a hole is where my heart should be, other days I warmly remember the moments that I shared with my sister. Navigating day to day life can be hard sometimes, especially when you have to worry about external pressures such as school on top of the whirlpool of emotions. Allow yourself to feel these emotions, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Tell teachers if you need extensions, take mental health days from school. Most importantly, don’t isolate yourself from others. Having a strong support system that understands what you’re going through is one of the things that is most likely to help you get through this tough time. If you feel that you can’t lean on those around you in real life, don’t hesitate to turn to the internet. There are many virtual support groups for those experiencing suicide loss. Remember, to look for the light. I know it’s hard but try not to let the grief consume you. Remember their laugh, their smile, the way they would roll their eyes at you playfully. Remember that they would want you to go on and keep pushing; for them.

When I think about who has supported me the most, the answer is blatantly obvious. The answer would be my mother- in every aspect. This is especially true for my education. My mother has always pushed me to try my hardest with my education. My mother is always there to lend a word of encouragement when I'm working on a difficult homework assignment, or a shoulder to cry on when I don't do as well as I hoped on a test. I would not be where I am today in terms of my educational journey if it weren't for my mother. Being raised by a single parent can be hard. Especially when it comes to one's education. Children of single parents can often struggle in school due to a lack of a support system at home. I am extremely lucky that this was not the case with me. No matter how much my mom was juggling; be it two jobs or financial struggles, she always ensured my brother and I had the love and support we needed to flourish. Specifically, my mother wanted to ensure that my brother and I did well in school, she didn't want our circumstances to put our education in jeopardy. The love and support my mother gives me have allowed me to achieve all of my goals regarding my education. My mother has inspired hard work and dedication within me. Watching my mother work to support my brother and I has caused me to work hard and dedicate myself to my studies. The work ethic my mother has taught me has allowed me to achieve many educational achievements. At this point in my academic career, I have made all A's and have earned honor roll at every opportunity. Seeing the look of pride on my mother's face when I show her my report card or tell her about a test I did well on motivates me to continue working as hard as I can. For all of my late nights and weekends spent studying, my mother has always been a call away. From asking me if she can do anything to making me my favorite food, she always does just the right thing to give me the push to continue working as hard as I can. My mother is the reason behind my success, she is the driving factor behind my motivation, and the love she gives me is what has allowed my educational career to flourish in the way that it has.

When I was five years old, I lost my older sister to suicide. The death of my sister was extremely hard for me to accept, I couldn't even fully comprehend it until years later. One of the hardest things for me growing up has been knowing that I will never make new memories with her again. I won't come home to a family game night with her, she won't go prom dress shopping with me, and she won't take me out like other older sisters take their younger sisters out. Another hard aspect of my sister's death is when people ask me how many siblings I have. If I say two, that might lead to them asking about her and making some people uncomfortable. But, if I say one it's like I'm erasing her existence and the love I have for her. As I've grown, I have learned from my sister's death. I have learned to value the moments I have with others, and to own the love I have for them. I have realized that what matters most is making sure my loved ones realize just how much I love them. Just how much the memories I make with the mean. In an ideal world, I never would have lost my sister. I would have had an entire lifetime with her, not just five years. However, I do not live in an ideal world. My sister is dead, and I only had five years' worth of memories and love with her. Though, as I mature, I have learned it is not the amount of time that matters, but rather what you do with that time. I now fight to make sure every moment I spend with those dear to me is a moment filled with love, joy, and fondness. Because these moments will become memories. And one day, the memories may become all we have left.

Within my community, I have helped out in many ways. I am a member and the secretary of my high school's key club- a club focused entirely on giving back to our community. The ways that we give back are both big and small. For instance, in December we will be volunteering at a nearby elementary school to help the students make their Christmas wishlists. Additionally, in January we will be "sharing the warmth" by hosting a sock, hat, glove, and scarf drive in which we will donate all materials to a local homeless shelter. I have been a member of the key club for both of my years at high school and we have many different volunteering opportunities each year. At the end of my senior year, I will have at least 80 volunteering hours and earn a community service seal. Furthermore, within my community, I am always willing to help out those who need it. Fellow students at my school will often come to me for help with their academic work. Whenever someone comes to me, I put my full effort into helping them. Helping those with schoolwork is something I have done since my elementary school years. In general, I have enjoyed helping others for as long as I can remember. Community service has positively impacted my life. Giving back to my community makes me feel good and is something I plan to continue to do for as long as I can. For my time at high school, I plan to continue to be a member of the key club. Once I graduate high school and have more control over my schedule, there are multiple ways that I plan to continue giving back to my community. One way that I would like to give back to my community is by volunteering at a local food bank or soup kitchen. I would also like to volunteer at a home for senior citizens. When I was in 5th grade I was in the art club and one day we had a field trip to a senior citizen's home. At the home we did arts and crafts with the senior citizens and seeing the smiles on their faces made my day. I can still vividly remember the names of all of them and what their finished crafts looked like. Overall, when I would like to volunteer in places where I can directly see the effect my contributions have on people within the community.

Many people have different views on feminism. Some see feminism as "radical" while others view feminism as unnecessary. Although, to me, feminism is beautifully tragic. Beautiful in the sense that I am proud to see how in recent years people of all genders have banded together to fight for women's equality. Yet, as beautiful as feminism is, it is also quite tragic. Tragic that it is necessary to fight so hard just to be treated equally. Even more tragic that some people treat feminism as a dirty thing. As something that shouldn't exist despite the overwhelming need. To me, the fact that some individuals cannot see why feminism is necessary is exactly why feminism is so important. Feminism is important because the girls and women of the future deserve to live in a society in which they are treated as equals. A society in which they are not taught from birth that they are inferior to men. A society in which the systematic mistreatment of individuals because of their gender is not overlooked or justified. A society in which they do not have to fight tooth and nail to prove their worth. A society that we, frankly, do not live in currently. In my life, many of the people who inspire me have been women. My science teacher, who teaches us that yes, we may have to work harder because of our gender. But who also teaches us that proving those who doubted us wrong will make all the hard work worthwhile. My grandmother, who never forgets to remind me just of how far the fight for gender equality has come. Yet, the most inspirational to me is my mother. My mother who works hard to provide for my family. My mother who has always reminded me of my worth. My mother who has never let anyone dismiss her because of her gender. My mother who taught me what it means to be a hero. All of these inspirational women have helped mold my views regarding feminism. They have all shown me what it means to be a strong woman. Even more, they all know their strength, even if others don't. Through them, I have learned that while feminism is a fight for equality, that does not mean I need to prove myself or my strength as a woman to anyone. In my school, I contribute to the feminist movement by striving to be my best self and encouraging other women to do the same. When we as women uplift each other, we are being the best feminists we can be. Many people feel that the only way one can contribute to feminism is by calling out sexist comments, or organizing rallies and hanging up flyers. However, to me, the most important contributions I make to the feminist movement are the empowering comments I give to the other women at my school. This is because, to me, feminism is more than just a movement in which we call out sexism and strive for equality. To me, feminism is a sisterhood, in which we as women give each other the love and support needed to blossom, even in the harsh society we were planted in.