Generosity is a type of kindness that involves helping others through giving. Whether giving a warm smile, advice, or companionship, the recipient feels blessed. It can be as simple as letting someone go in front of you while waiting in line. I am grateful to have encountered many generous people in my life, people who have forgiven me for my mistakes and encouraged me. When I was stressed and overwhelmed, it felt good to have a friend to talk to and let out those emotions. I believe generosity is a crucial value in people. It means that one helps another simply from the goodness of their heart. You may not know who that person is, what they are struggling with, or where they are from, but you still are willing to help. I’ve found that it all starts with a bright smile. It feels like smiling is contagious because seeing others smile makes me feel a little happier inside. I’ve been working on greeting others with a warm smile and being someone others can be comfortable around. On the first day of school at my new middle school, I was overwhelmed. All were kids I’d never met before, and everyone had already formed their groups. I had felt lonely as I attended each class. When it came to lunchtime, that isolated feeling just grew. Faced with the sea of students, I had no clue where to sit. Then, one girl smiled and approached me. I felt so relieved when she invited me to sit with her friends. That was a moment of generosity that I’d never forget. Knowing how simple being generous can be, I will spread those small acts of kindness.

“Never give up, never surrender.” This quote has been with me for as long as I remember. It’s funny how I first heard it while watching the show Wipeout. Simply hearing those words motivates me to try, take risks, and persevere. I think of this quote whenever I face a tough challenge or day. It reminds me that we need to grit our teeth and finish the task. Many obstacles might seem impossible, but by trying, we find out we can overcome them. I constantly repeat this quote before a daunting task, such as a presentation or speech. Sometimes, we need a little reminder that we can do it. As a shy and introverted person, public speaking and performances cause anxiety. However, I try not to let the nerves get to me by calming myself down. I’ve taken several demanding courses through high school, many that I wanted to give up. Especially with AP Physics, I felt lost in the sea of equations and formulas. I’d pay attention in class but still not understand the concepts. The easy solution was to drop the course, but I told myself I had to stick it through. I went in during my free periods for help, and eventually, I started piecing together bits. It took energy and motivation to study and hash out problems, but I didn’t want to surrender to AP Physics. I thought to myself, “Since I chose this class, I need to do my best to succeed.” Now that I have finished the class, I’m happy I stuck it through because I learned many physics and study skills. It’s more satisfying to accomplish a task that I struggled with than one that went smoothly. I’ve set many goals for myself and several that are outside my comfort zone. Whenever I think of this quote, it inspires me to take a risk and put myself out there. My future goal of going to medical school will also require a lot of hard work and challenges. I trust that I can make it through the challenging courses and extraneous tasks if I don’t give up. This quote is special to me also because it’s one I share with my dad. Even if for only a second, it makes me feel a surge of drive or confidence. That surge of passion pushes me to take action and do something meaningful. Have you ever been in a situation where you just needed some motivational words to get you to do something? This quote is the catalyst that pushes me to move forward, whether trying to talk to strangers or performing. We don’t know how much we can accomplish if we don’t try, and this quote pushes me to take that first step.

Life is unfair; that’s the truth. I’ve never understood why some people get handed so many opportunities when others have to fight for just one. Why couldn’t everyone be on the same playing field? “My brother never got braces because my family couldn’t afford them.” This sentence was the first time I heard my friend talk about her family’s financial situation. I hadn’t realized that some people in my community were struggling with medical finances. I wondered how many people couldn’t afford medicine or doctor visits, and I know it’s not a small number. I believe everyone deserves the same access to high-quality care and resources. No one’s life is more valuable than another. As we’ve seen with the pandemic, some communities were hit harder because of their lack of medical services. We need to make sure this doesn’t ever happen again in the future. We are a community that needs to unite and help each other. We can’t just focus on some people and leave the rest to fend for themselves. We can only conquer the pandemic if we work together and have doctors and nurses at places that need them most. The reason I want to attend medical school and become a doctor is to help people. I want to give back to the community the same support they gave me when I was young. There are still many people in the world who don’t have access to high-quality medicine or hospitals, and that needs to change. I hope that people from less fortunate communities can get the care they need. It makes me happier to see everyone getting good care instead of just a few. Once I become a doctor, I’ll volunteer at hospitals that need more people. I would be honored to serve the people and my community. We hear about Medicaid and Medicare on TV all the time, and I’ve never fully understood how these insurances worked. Yet I knew if you didn’t have insurance, going to the doctor would be super expensive. Living in a middle-class family, I hadn’t had to worry much about money, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. I want people from underserved communities to have access to the same resources as I do. A doctor should treat everyone with the same patience and quality, no matter their background. I want to make an impact on people. I want to do something good for my community, so others can feel blessed or warmed.

“The progress of the world depends almost entirely upon education.” This quote by George Eastman emanates the truth because with knowledge comes the power to change the world. We always hear that education is the key to success, but how many people have contemplated why? When we were young, we trusted our parents that going to school is good, but as we get older, we realize it ourselves. I trust through education, we can transform the world; the more knowledge we have, the clearer we can see things from different perspectives. Those different perspectives allow us to come up with new ideas. Through advancements in technology and medicine, we can make everyday life easier and better. If Thomas Edison hadn’t learned physics and mathematics, how could he have perfected the light bulb? As a member of this large community, I want to play my role in helping others and improving the world. I want to pursue this quest for knowledge so I can make more meaningful contributions to society. Throughout high school, I’ve found my passion for science and mathematics. Those courses were the most demanding, but I loved the challenge and thrill of learning. Biology and chemistry were my favorite classes because I loved learning about the way our bodies work. I hope to pursue my passion for science and math through the health field. I aim to attend medical school after college because I want to help others directly in my career. I want to give back to the community the same support they gave me when I was young. We always need a plan to achieve our goals, and life is no different. I’m going to make the most of my time in college to prepare myself for medical school. I plan to engage in research to develop my investigation skills and contribute to the community. I hope to discover new findings that can improve people’s health. Furthermore, it’s vital to educate others and spread awareness of health issues. I believe through conducting research, we can discover new cures for diseases. Simply innovating a new treatment can change the world and impact thousands of lives. We can delve deeper into the biology of human organisms through research to find better ways to treat people. I’m ready to engage in various organizations and clubs in college, along with continuing the ones I’ve joined. I’ve always enjoyed the Science Olympiad and math team since high school. The air of friendly competition has improved my skills and teamwork abilities. I will also continue art club because my passion for art will never die. Ever since second or third grade, I haven’t been able to put down the paintbrush or pencil. I currently volunteer with an organization called Art Helps Hearts. We create artwork to send to hospital workers and senior homes. During the pandemic, I was able to create multiple pieces to spread some cheerfulness. Besides art, I’m involved in music. Playing the violin has been a great stress reliever and taught me so much about learning new skills. Trying new activities is as exciting as learning. The reason I participate in so many clubs is to expand my knowledge and skill set. With that skill set, I’ll become better prepared for the future.