Some students may believe that the skills they learn in various math classes are useless after they graduate from high school, but I beg to differ. I think that depending on the type of career you go into, at least some form of math will be required to be used at some point. I love all types of math; algebra, geometry, pre-calc, etc. For me, math is a calming thing to do. Math is used in a variety of other subjects as well. Without math, you can barely do physics, science, accounting, engineering, medicine, chemistry, or any other STEM related activity. They all involve some type of measurement or equation that you would need some kind of background knowledge of mathematics to comprehend. Without math, which deeply aids science, we would know very little about the world we live in. We wouldn't be able to understand what makes a year or a day occur, or how to measure or construct different materials or objects. Math is something that stays the same no matter the time or place. Unlike other elements of our world, math doesn't change, it can only be expanded upon. In a world as ever changing and uncertain as ours, math is a rock we can always "count" on to always be a stable force within our universe. With the amount of problems and stress most individuals deal with on a day to day basis, math is something that can allow people to feel like they are completing something meaningful and good. Math problems always have a solution, even if the solution is "no solution;" they always have an answer. Being able to find an answer to a problem, or at least know there certainly is one, can keep people sane in times when they are dealing with issues they are not quite sure can be solved. Overall, for me, math is something I can rely on no matter what. When dealing with other branches of STEM or just problems in the real world, math is something that never fails me. Knowing there's an answer that I can figure out encourages me to push myself beyond my limits and through the frustration I feel when not comprehending a question. Having 100% certainty that the answer is there, just waiting to be discovered, gives me hope and confidence in the stability that math provides.

Theater has been a big part of my life since I was eleven years old. Unlike many drama and dance students, I've never had any formal training; just a passion to do my best on stage. Although, I didn't have any experience, something clicked inside my young mind that inspired me to join my local theater club over the summer. Usually, people have that moment while watching a show as a young child where they have the realization that theater is what they want to do with their life. I didn't have that moment; instead, it just occurred to me one day in fifth grade that everyone is good at something, and my something may be performing. That summer, I did theater camp for three hours a day for five days a week for about three weeks. We put together a miniature showcase that combined different songs and separate scenes from multiple shows to create a small story. I loved my time there and was in awe of the magic within theater that could be produced in just a few weeks of rehearsals. Since then, within the past five years, I have done over twenty productions of various types, loving and embracing each and every one of them! My love for the arts has only evolved since then, and I have expanded my interest and skill set to cover singing and dancing in addition to acting. I love the stage and can't wait for opening night whenever I start a rehearsal process (although I am always sad to leave my new theater family each time). Over the past few years, my passion for theater has grown immensely. Being able to play a different character every few months and creating your own backstory for them while bringing them to life is such an enjoyable experience. Now that I'm older and seriously considering pursuing the arts in my future, I appreciate all the acting advice I get. I take advantage of any small pieces of information that my directors or coaches say to me. When I was younger, I didn't truly realize how spectacular the opportunities I was getting were. I didn't realize how imperative those tokens of inspiration and guidance would be to aid my success in the future. I now know that when someone gives you some advice about the theater and entertainment industry, you should take it and use it to better yourself. I am always looking for new ways to improve my skills and develop my talents farther. I get such a thrill when performing, and I feel electric when I'm in my element prancing across the floor with all the technical elements of the show and lighting beaming down on me and my fellow performers. Performing is one of the main things in my life that makes me feel so much joy. Theater is my life, and I have a love for it that I have for no other hobby. I eat, sleep, and breathe theater, and can't wait to hopefully spend the rest of my life doing it.

As I go through high school, I've begun to realize that sometimes people will mock or insult you just to get a reaction. One of my favorite quotes is by Abraham Hicks and it says "people will love you, people will hate you, and none of it will have anything to do with you." Throughout your life, if you live solely to please others or worry about them judging you, you won't be living your life to the fullest. You should only aim to please yourself and do what makes you happy. For this reason, I believe the main song on my year's soundtrack would be "Shake It Off." This song shouts out the message that you have to let the haters hate and go about your life without worrying if anyone is judging you. You gotta "dance like no one's watching" just like Mark Twain said. Although my year doesn't completely relate to the context of the song and why the haters were hating on her, the overall message can fit anyone's life. Learning to shake off the negative things that people say to you is a crucial skill in life, and I believe that within this past year, I have improved on doing that. Being able to do what you want and have fun the way you please without the fear of being mocked or made fun of is such a freeing feeling. Some people refuse to do things because they worry that someone will make fun of them, even if it hasn't happened yet. That leads to so many of us holding back on things we wish we could do. Like the quote from the unknown speaker, "It's only embarrassing if you care what others think," the things we determine to be embarrassing is only our minds holding us back by hypothesizing about a possible future encounter. "I'm dancing on my own, I make the moves up as I go, that's what they don't know," is one of my favorite lines in the song. It shows that you can do your own thing and as long as you are confident in what you are doing, no one will notice that anything is wrong. As a dancer, my main philosophy is "keep going if you make a mistake or forget part of a dance, the audience doesn't know unless you show it." This part of the song speaks to me because it's basically saying that although she doesn't know what's coming next, she's winging it in the moment and doing it in her own way and style and with such confidence that no one can tell that it wasn't preplanned. I believe that you have to take control of your life, and if you stumble, keep going and don't look back. People will either be impressed with your confidence and flow, or they will hate on you, but just like Taylor says, "the haters gonna hate." And no matter what gets thrown at you, you just have to "Shake It Off."

Although I rarely have time to truly sit down and watch many sports on live TV during the Olympics, I always be sure to catch the great moments on YouTube later. For the past few years, I have been heavily invested in a few sports during the summer Olympics: Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, and Gymnastics. Although many people admire her just like I do, Simone Biles is someone who is a special inspiration to me. The way she takes on the world and dominates in her sport no matter what anyone else says makes me admire her so much. She embodies what it means to defy the odds and live past the standards. Currently, she is older than the average retiring age for gymnastics and is still breaking new records and getting new skills named after her! She is such a powerhouse that lets nothing tear her down. Another reason I admire her is because she knows herself; she knows what her body can and can't do. That's why she doesn't listen to the naysayers and continues to rule the world of gymnastics. After the Olympic games of 2020, I began to respect her even more. She knew her limits and decided to back out of the competition due to her mental health. Even though people criticized her, she stayed true to herself and stood by her decision to put herself and her mental health first. I think that is a very noble and courageous thing to do. Biles put herself first even though she knew some people would disagree with her decision. That is why Simone Biles is my favorite athlete to root for on Team USA. She is always looking out for and caring about herself and others, while continuing to lift them up instead of tearing them down. She is a perfect example of someone who is a superstar in their sport and also an amazing and humble person outside of the competition.