Throughout my life, I have often wondered who I wanted to be when I grew up. Would I become an architect, bound to sit all day and make designs? That doesn’t sound particularly exciting, does it? As a child, my parents encouraged me to consider a career in medicine or engineering for a better and more stable income. However, I didn’t enjoy either of those paths. No matter how interesting or unique they seemed, I never found joy in them. That’s when I had a realization: “What if I could act on the big screen? What if I could make a name for myself? What if I could choose a career that makes me proud and happy?” That’s exactly what I aim to pursue in my journey toward an acting career. My plan is to build a career in performing after graduating by receiving a comprehensive education in theatre and understanding what goes into acting. This preparation will help me embark on a journey filled with drama, comedy, romance, and more. I intend to start with small projects to build my portfolio and gradually work my way up to bigger opportunities. This approach will ensure that I don’t overwhelm myself while discovering my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to improve over time. As a child, I often watched cartoons available to me without cable, particularly on Cartoon Network. I recall enjoying fascinating animations like "Adventure Time," "Regular Show," and "The Amazing World of Gumball." What intrigued me most was how these characters were given distinct personalities and voices that made them unique. As I watched them interact, I told myself, “I could voice a character!” Now, I am taking that self-advice from 13 years ago and working to make it a reality. The same can be said for acting; watching Hollywood stars throughout my life has shown me the immense effort and passion required to bring a character to life. Some memorable performances that have impacted me include Andrew Garfield, Adam Sandler, and Charlie Cox. From Andrew's emotional and physical portrayal of Desmond Doss in "Hacksaw Ridge," to Adam Sandler's comedic roles in hits like "Pixels," "Grown Ups," and "The Waterboy," to Charlie Cox’s incredible performance as the vigilante in "Daredevil," each of these actors is unique in their way. I plan to use their performances as guidance to better understand the characters I portray. This year marked my first introduction to acting, and it has been nothing short of inspiring. Having a passionate theatre professor has deepened my love for the art. I was fortunate to perform a monologue from the play "Living at Home" by Anthony Giardina. The character I played, John Bogle, has dinner with his family when his brother, David, announces he is getting married. When a family member asks why I dropped out of college, I initially hesitate, but my bottled-up thoughts and emotions come flooding back, and I share my decision to leave college. With my professor's guidance, I delivered a natural and well-told story about a young man grappling with present challenges and his future. One effective method my professor taught me was to identify the obstacle and objective of a scene. Understanding these key elements makes it easier to convey emotion and expression in performance. I have always believed that imagination plays a crucial role in visualizing who I’m speaking to and understanding the context of the scene I’m in. I will perform this piece so that you can gain a better understanding of what I’m conveying in the video provided! My dream role has always been to play a young version of Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider. While Marvel has cast Gabriel Luna as Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider, they have yet to cast a younger version, as depicted in the comics. I believe I can bring this character to life with the right guidance, a deep understanding of the character, and a commitment to landing the role. I know I can do it and will achieve this goal along my journey. Great accomplishments are possible when you are passionate about something, and I am passionate about acting. It has opened my eyes to a world of creativity and art. Theatre and films have inspired me to pursue acting, a role I never imagined I would have the courage to play. Now it’s my time to turn that dream into a reality and work in a passionate field alongside other talented individuals who share my enthusiasm for theatre.

Being the first in my family to attend college is undoubtedly a significant milestone. However, no achievement comes without its challenges. Like many other college students, I am pursuing my hopes and dreams. It can be tough, but anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Join me as I share insights into my life, including why I chose to pursue higher education and how I prepared for this journey. Throughout my life, my parents have always emphasized the importance of education and encouraged me to pursue a higher degree for better opportunities. I was only six years old at the time, and the only thing I could do was pick my nose and pretend that I was taking their advice seriously. Now that I’m in my second year of college, I understand the value of my parents' words about higher education. I’m pursuing this path not only to fulfill my dream of becoming an actor but also to learn from the engaging and interactive subjects offered in college courses. Higher education has taught me the values of hard work and how it pays off in the end. With a college education, I have better job opportunities, a greater understanding of the world, and perhaps most importantly, the chance to become a better version of myself. The thought of going to college excited me, but it also scared me. I had voices in the back of my head asking questions like, “What if I don't make it? How will I get through college while working? Will I be good enough as an actor?” Although I haven't completely overcome these challenging thoughts, I have pushed forward. I managed to prepare for college despite these anxieties by balancing my life and work and planning ahead. There's a saying that goes, “Patience is key,” and I couldn't agree more. I used patience to prepare for college by taking a two-year gap after graduating from high school. You may wonder why I didn’t just start college right away. The truth is, I cannot rush into things, even when I'm eager to get started, because it can become overwhelming and lead to unnecessary stress. That’s why it’s important to take things one step at a time. After graduating from college, I got a job at Target as a General Merchandise Expert. Working at Target has been one of the best experiences I've had. Not only did I learn the value of teamwork, but I was also reminded of the importance of saving my hard-earned money and investing for my future. Because of this knowledge, I was able to save enough money for college and pursue my acting career. Additionally, my wonderful co-workers encouraged me not to be afraid to chase my dreams. They would say, “You want to become an author? Go for it! You want to animate cartoons because you love it? Why not?” Their encouraging words helped my prior negative thoughts vanish, and I am incredibly grateful to those who showed me my worth. Overall, obtaining a higher education has taught me valuable life lessons and opened doors to new opportunities. Despite facing psychological challenges, I have been able to overcome them by being patient and the support of my community.