Reading has always been an escape for me. Whenever I realized I had worked myself too hard with studying for finals or needed to stop thinking about something that had been bugging me, I knew I could read for a little while to cheer me up. But beyond that, literature has such much to offer through the morals and perspectives you can gain through studying it. The book that got me back into reading at the beginning of this year is 'Anxious People' by Fredrik Backman. This book was so immersive and well-written that I sat down and finished all 397 pages in one sitting. This book presents the stories of dozen of characters, each with unique life stories that contribute to the contents of their personality. This book helped me learn how drastically different humans are but how at our core, we all share the same emotions, just expressing them differently. This lesson helped me realize how fragile humans are and that we need to proceed with caution when interacting with one another. I aim to add high amounts of empathy and sympathy into my work in the future as I aim to become a nurse. My favorite book is 'Lovely War' by Julie Berry which explores the perspectives of four different characters scattered around the landscape of World War II. This book taught me the importance of cherishing the relationships that you are lucky enough to create. You have no idea what others you meet may be facing or what their intentions are so the best you can do is continue to reach out and be someone that they feel like approaching. If you waste these moments you have with others sitting in constant uncertainty, you may end up Colette and Aubrey who will forever regret how they spent their last moments together. This book totally flipped my perspective on the value I place on my relationships and how small the world can really be. It became so important to me to start spending time in the people who invest in me so I can show them how much they truly mean to me. As I go on to achieve my goals, I want to have good relations with the people I'll have to interact with. Finally, I recently did a re-read of 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald and something that has always stuck out to me in this book is Gatsby's undying dedication to a goal he has outgrown. He remains clinging to a false hope of a happy future he hopes to spend with Daisy but this would never be the case. Despite Nick's attempts to help him reevaluate what could make him happy, seeing that Daisy has grown apart from him and built her own life, Gatsby refuses to create a life dedicated to himself. There is irony in Gatsby's death near the end of the book in the fact that he dies during the first time he uses his own pool. The moment Gatsby takes time for himself, it becomes his last moment. This book made me accept the idea that if my goals need to change, it's okay, it's part of adjusting to always changing circumstances we experience in life. If I spend all my time making decisions around someone else and what makes them happy, I will never have truly lived for myself when my life comes to an end.

My mother is my muse. Through her eyes I have seen how incredibly difficult but rewarding the experience of being a mother truly is. One thing that I think is taken for granted so often is how powerful it is that women have the opportunity to bring new lives into the world and nurture them into the type of human beings who make the world a better place. My mom never failed to help me memorize every word for my spelling test, or dress a wound when I fell off my bike. My mom has supported me through every crazy career path I've declared being interested in whether it was a princess, graphic designer, or nurse. And my mother was front row at my school's awards ceremony when I got my medallion for graduating ninth in my class. My admiration of my mother pushed me to find my deepest passion, nursing. My mother has always been a helper. She dropped off meals to those who were sick at the drop of a hat, even when she didn't even have time for her to-do list. She invited all of the neighborhood kids into our home when other moms needed a break. I've always seen that in her and I hope to see that within the work I do one day too. When I go to school and strive to become a Registered Nurse, my goal is to one day work within the NICU, or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This unit is where babies that are born early or with health defects are cared for. Mothers who experience these types of issues with their baby's health are oftentimes scared for what the future may hold. If I can provide even an ounce of relief during this time filled with unknowns for these women, that will make the rigorous work that nursing school will hand me all worth it. If I can watch as women get a second chance with their child who at times thought all hope might be lost that will make this worth it. Watching women become mothers and embracing that aspect of their femininity that wants nothing but the best for their baby is so beautiful. Imagining someday that they too will watch their kids walk but help them when they fall. They will lead them to make good choices but guide them through mistakes. I cannot wait to provide mothers with the opportunity to hold their miracle babies for the first time after any complications that may have stood in the way. My mother's shining example of motherhood has left an impression on me that has inspired me to want to give this opportunity to other women as well. I acknowledge that neither of our paths will be easy but both will be rewarding. It is such a beautiful thing to help other women embrace one of the bravest aspects of being a woman, caring for and embracing these precious lives that we assist in coming to the world.

"Why on Earth are we lining up 3 hours early?" I asked my friends as we stepped towards the venue. My friends had found out my favorite band at the time was Beach Bunny, bought me tickets to their show for my birthday, and did everything in their power to make this concert the best it could possibly be. So while we did wait three hours to be crammed into the tiny venue, pushing our way to the front of the general admission pit, it was all worth it because I was in the front row! My hands held onto the edge of the stage as I awaited the opener at my very first concert. Everything about the concert experience is just exciting, watching the band stride onto the stage after counting down the days to be here, feeling the bass rise in your throat as the music turns up, rushing to the merchandise lines to buy matching shirts with your friends, and taking commemorative photos by the stage. But, the one moment of this concert that stood out to me was the silence that followed my favorite song, 'Painkiller', as everyone anxiously awaited the next song. However, I took this opportunity to tell the lead singer Lili, "I love your hair!" to which she smiled and waved at me. It was incredible to be able to hear the music that I loved being played by the passionate artists while being surrounded by people who loved the songs just as much as I did. We all screamed the lyrics to 'Sports', cried when we heard 'Racetrack', and freaked out when Beach Bunny debuted an unreleased track, 'Karaoke' at our show. I will never forget this night, the music I got to experience, the friends I made these memories with, and the newly cemented love for concerts that would become so dear to me. Since this Beach Bunny concert two years ago, I have gone to eight others, with many more on my calendar in the future. Five of these concerts have been with my best friend Hannah, and all the memories made at these shows with her have been my favorite. Music has been a bonding point to many of my friends throughout the years and Hannah was no exception. So when I heard of Taylor Swift debuting the now infamous 'Eras Tour' in my state, I immediately thought of listening to the album 'Lover' by Taylor Swift on repeat with Hannah throughout our junior high growing pains and there is no one else I would rather go to that concert with. By some miracle, I snagged two lower bowl tickets to night two of the Eras Tour and called Hannah to tell her that we were going to the Eras Tour. We planned our outfits for months, counted down the days, and memorized every song we suspected might be on the setlist. The night finally came that we would see Taylor Swift perform in front of our very eyes, we found our seats and squealed with excitement. The concert was magical and truly felt like a dream come true. Aside from seeing my favorite artist live and losing my voice from singing so loud, my favorite part of this concert was getting to share the memory with Hannah. We have had the goal to go to a Taylor Swift concert together ever since we were in junior high and finally got to check it off our bucket list, together. Concerts bring so many people together and they have kept me and Hannah together through all phases of life.

I clearly remember watching the live stream of Taylor Swift's final tour date at the Sofi Stadium. As Taylor came to the microphone in her blue dress, flashing the brand-new album cover on the screen I was taken back to 2014. I could see myself dancing in the living room to 'Shake It Off' with my dad, my sister trying her best to copy Taylor's moves in the music video, and I could hear myself singing every last word. This album was the keystone of my pop music obsession as a kid and still is today. But, I used to turn to 1989 for my karaoke playlist to have fun with friends but with Taylor's re-recording it is more emotional than nostalgic. This year has been a bitter-sweet one for me, with graduating high school comes many challenges rooted in change. Taylor Swift beautifully reflects the feelings of these growing pains in the song 'Clean'. I have faced numerous challenges concerning my self-worth throughout high school and not being able to be happy with the kind of person I was. This was all due to constant comparison of myself to role models and unrealistic expectations. However, all it took was one of my closest friends telling me she admired my authenticity which completely changed my mindset. The lyric "The water filled my lungs, I screamed so loud but no one heard a thing." is relatable to so many in my phase of life. My friend had no idea that I was struggling with finding myself at this time, I was crying for help but nobody could hear me. But, by saying she felt like she could be herself around me since she knew I was being genuine, I was able to accept the person I am still becoming. Taylor also wrote, "Ten months older, I won't give in. Now that I'm clean, I'm never gonna risk it." This reflects the realization I came to in this moment. While most people might relate this song to sobriety of some sort, which is incredibly powerful, I can relate it to the acceptance of developing myself into the type of friend I always wanted to have. There were times when I didn't feel like I could accept myself but as soon as I felt seen and heard I became more comfortable in my skin. I was "finally clean" from the negative self-talk that separated me from my infinite potential. On a more sweet note, this year has also been filled with many opportunities for me. The right friends, workplace, and creative outlets have all clicked into place this year. I have always viewed my senior year as intimidating or impossible but now that I am facing it head-on, it feels achievable. This feeling of jumping head-first, fearless, into a new chapter is intimidating but essential to growing up and learning to be happy throughout all circumstances. My favorite lyric from the song is "Like any true love, it drives you crazy. But you know you wouldn't change anything, anything, anything." This is how I've felt about this year as a whole, there have been so many changes but there's also been so many memories. As I hang up polaroids of my experiences from this past year on my wall this song perfectly sums up the nostalgia I feel about growing up and facing my fate that's been waiting for me.

Education is the chance to better myself through learning all the things I have the potential to accomplish. Through a higher education, I hope to provide a better future for myself which has been a wish of my parents since I was very young. Neither of my parents originally graduated from college and have advised me to take my passion for learning to the next level by getting a college degree. My mother is my biggest inspiration because as a mom with three kids, she saw the opportunities a higher education could bring to her and she worked to get her bachelor's degree through an online college program. I could not be more proud of her and seeing her succeed has pushed me to want to make her feel the same way towards me- by following her incredible example and prioritizing my education. Currently, I try to put my education first by keeping my grades at a level I'm happy with, always giving 110% in my school work, and being respectful to my teachers. I also believe that a true education is applied to all aspects of your life so I try to consider my studies outside the classroom. I read, write, and create all sorts of things in my free time. In school, we had to create a project about our dream career and I remember feeling so overwhelmed because I had no idea what I wanted to do. I remember taking this project home to my dad who asked me, "What would make you happy?" which was exactly what I needed to hear. In my life, I have felt the happiest when I was in the service of others. As I thought about it more and more, all I knew was that I wanted to help people in a way that would impact my community and help others in their lives. One thing that is very important to me is being a mother one day and providing a happy life for my children- just like my mom was able to provide for me. When I searched for jobs involving childcare and interacting with family dynamics- a certain type of nursing caught my eye. I learned of the position of a nurse in the NICU. Seeing all of these families' lives being influenced by the acts of a nurse's dedication to save these babies was extremely inspiring. A family in my neighborhood had their first baby prematurely and she was not expected to live. Their family was able to remain intact due to the heroic acts of the nurses within the NICU. This job is what a bright future looks like for me. My life goal to provide me with that brighter future is to become a registered nurse. Nursing school is known as being quite difficult and tedious at times but I am willing to push myself to accomplish my dreams. By bettering myself and gaining as much knowledge as I can about my passions, I can further my education which will provide me with a future I love.

Even though millions of fans scream Taylor Swift's compelling lyrics at her concerts each night, something about Taylor Swift's songwriting feels so personal and individual to each member of the audience. I remember singing the song "Mean" in the car with my mom as a self-defensive tactic against harsh words from classmates in elementary school. Or bonding over the lyrics in 'Daylight' with my best friend during the pandemic, singing together over Zoom calls. It is very evident that Taylor Swift has made an incredible impact on my girlhood and continues to help me through growing up. When the Eras Tour made its debut in my city, I made it a priority to go to the concert that would help me understand the beauty of being emotional and authentic. In preparation for the concert, I made sure to study every lyric- not wanting to miss out on any experiences. When the night arrived and I was in the Eras Tour attire- I never had felt more like myself. A teenage girl who loves music and authenticity. I was alongside my best friend and we were overwhelmed with every emotion- happiness, disbelief, and acceptance. Everyone who was at that concert was there to sing Taylor's lines of poetry at the top of their lungs. The audience shimmered in their over-the-top but authentic outfits. This experience helped me realize the impact Taylor Swift and her music have made on each person in that crowd. Taylor has given me and thousands of others a place to connect with others, lyrics to study, and someone to relate to since her experiences are so similar to my experiences. One song that has got me through the past rough patch in my life is "this is me trying" off of the folklore album. At first glance, it may seem cryptic and hard to understand but it has been the biggest source of comfort throughout my next chapter of girlhood- graduating high school. This song was my surprise song during the acoustic set and it was one of my favorite moments from the show. This song perfectly highlights the honesty that you have with yourself through struggling. It emphasizes the self-reflection that I have experienced in moments of weakness. The song makes me realize that I can get through anything- even if the circumstances are not ideal. As long as I recognize that I am trying my best I can push through the trials of daily life. We all have bad days but I think it is beautiful that Taylor acknowledges her efforts as an accomplishment, despite it not looking the same for everyone. She sings, "I just wanted you to know that this is me trying. At least I'm trying." Even though we may be viewed as weak in certain moments, we are the only ones who can live in the truth of knowing how our efforts impact our lives. For some people trying looks like managing to get out of bed in the morning but for others it is running a marathon. No matter what phase of life you are in, your efforts are so significant. This song helped me discover that I am proud of where I am in my life, even if those around me see my efforts as small. The powerful words of Taylor Swift are taken to heart by millions of fans every day. I am lucky enough to have had her legacy leave an impact on how I view myself and how I motivate myself to keep reaching for my dreams.

High school is all about growing pains, finding yourself, and deciding what mark you want to leave on the world. But, under the surface of each teenager's skin, is the desire to fit in, searching for confidence that everybody lacks, and the deep stresses and anxieties surrounding the future. 'GUTS' by Olivia Rodrigo perfectly reflects the bittersweet parallels of growing up in today's modern age and how young adults tend to approach their issues. My favorite lyric from the entire album is the outro that repeats itself over and over in the song 'teenage dream', the album's closing song. The lyric reads "They all say that it gets better, it gets better the more you grow. Yeah, they all say that it gets better, it gets better, but what if I don't?". Everything about this song is so well thought out and perfectly reflects the stress I feel about my future. My whole life I have been told that life is better once I can be entrusted with more responsibilities and choose to grow up. While the journey of growing up has been exciting and I've enjoyed most of its aspects, the adults who are encouraging you to be your best self fail to mention the growing stress of not meeting expectations that piles up on young adults. I have always wanted to succeed and wanted to have a job I love so I can create a life I love in the future, but what if it doesn't turn out that way? Olivia's use of such a general and relatable phrase "...it gets better, it gets better" makes the song both relatable and reminds each listener of when they've heard that phrase- whether they're in that stage of life or past it. The repetition of these words also shows the overbearing effect that asking about young adults' futures has on them. It oftentimes feels like the adults we are surrounded by in our day-to-day lives seem to only care about what's happening in the next chapter of our lives instead of being proud of the past accomplishments that we have worked so hard for. By constantly being asked about the future, teenagers feel discredited by what they have already accomplished. The final part of this lyric is what really struck a chord with me, "...but what if I don't?". This is where we truly see the effects of this phrase taking place within the young adult mind. With all these expectations for a successful future being set into place, it makes it hard to not question the worst-case scenario. It is especially difficult in our day and age when access to other's accomplishments is right at our fingertips, ready for us to compare ourselves to. This constant worry and stress of not meeting high, self-imposed expectations is so common among youth and Olivia reflects that so perfectly throughout the entirety of the 'GUTS' album. Through her simplistic yet poetic choice of words throughout 'teenage dream' Olivia is able to convey the sorrowful and worried perspective of teenagers who want to grow up and be successful but are unsure how to begin. As a student trying to begin my next chapter and become the "teenage dream" my loved ones want me to be I see myself reflected through Olivia's ballad of anxious hope for the future.