One day my Grandma and I were in her kitchen trying to make cupcakes from a box cake mix. I was way too young to know anything about fractions and confidently read the completely wrong measurement for the oil out to my grandma, or "Ma" as I know her. Our cupcakes ended up more like oil cakes due to the extra two cups of oil that found their way into the mixture nonetheless, we laughed until we cried and didn't get too caught up on our baking fail. That was the first (and probably only) time my Ma had ever cooked anything bad. Something so special about Italian heritage is every Italian Grandma's ability to unite their family through food. I grew up knowing Ma's kitchen as a place that was always filled with life. Her kitchen watched not only myself but our entire family go through every holiday, life stage, milestone, and achievement. Being Italian has taught me many things, especially because I don't fit the stereotype of what a "classic" Italian looks like. Through my heritage, I've learned to embrace loudness and chaos, to speak with my hands, and to be passionate about everything I experience in a world where life is much too short. My heritage has taught me to value family over everything, no matter the amount of petty disagreements. It taught me that blood is always thicker than water (maybe not thicker than Ma's pasta sauce though.) This culture, especially its love for food and cooking for others, has taught me to make a plate for everyone, figuratively and literally. Italians are so passionate about food and love to share their cooking with everyone from all walks of life. Watching my family and generations before me welcome others with open arms has taught me that there's always a seat for everyone at the table, no matter where they come from or where they're headed. No one in my family has ever gone to medical school, become a doctor, or even expressed any kind of interest in the medical field at all, which is such a shame. I know that for a fact with the welcoming demeanor that my family offers to anyone they come across any one of my relatives would be a phenomenal physician. When I become a physician one day, I want to utilize all of the lessons I learned in Ma's kitchen. I will be kind to all and welcoming to everyone from all walks of life, just like my Italian ancestors taught me to be. I will use the passion I learned from my ancestors to always give my 100% to everything that I do in my studies and my career. Being Italian has taught me so much more than good recipes, and I plan on using those Italian ideals to bring kindness and compassion into a world that could always use more of it.