My dream is that I'll change the future for my family, by being the first to graduate college, and hopefully make life better for the family that comes after me.

The best tip I can tell anyone going back to school is to live it like it's your last year. This is because before you know it, it will be your last year, and you're going to regret missing out on so many things you said you would do next time. I'm in my last year and there are so many things I can't wait to do and things I wish I had tried when they were around! @crysta_germany

Bravery is an abstract concept. There aren't any set standards for it- the only rule of being brave is that you face something difficult or scary. That being said, it can come in many different forms. Something like signing a contract to fight for your country, standing in front of a large audience, or even raising your hand is brave. No two people are alike, so no two ideas of bravery are alike. I struggle with severe anxiety- oftentimes, the smallest task poses a challenge for me. I overthink every text message to the point where I agonize over sending it and wonder if I made a mistake. I've shut myself off on occasions because I was too scared to make a mistake in public, or I thought a previous mistake would be remembered. Despite this, I work every day to change how I react to the world, and I consider this the bravest thing I can do in my situation. I've begun to try more new things. I signed up for my local Distinguished Young Women program- a competition that helps rising seniors earn scholarships and grow within themselves. It has gotten me into my community and I'm learning how to sell, network, and open up. I've started learning how to do things for me, and not for the will of another. So many days I have spent curbing my potential to lessen my impact on those around me, but I am coming to learn to love my own skin and be confident wearing it. This how I live my life boldly and practice my version of bravery.

In the past few years, I have had major struggles with depression, anxiety, and mental abuse from a partner. All three of these have pushed me deep into a hole where I thought there was no light. It left me gasping for air under crushing pressure. I haven't been able to seek help for these issues although that can be bad. It has led me to be an independent, strong young woman. Having these mental health issues has led me to believe in a lot of things about the world, as well as myself. When I first started struggling, I believed everything in the world was dark and I was alone in it- often, my teachers would ask if I was okay, which is how plain my stress was. I avoided friends and family, opting for solitude. I thought that they weren't interested in me anyway. I avoided many club activities because I was scared of being around people, and even more scared of failing at them. Once I started managing it better, though, I learned that I was able to handle it. Attempting to manage these issues on my own affected many of my relationships. It made ties between my immediate family stretch- we didn't see eye to eye on many things and it caused some problems. Despite that, family is family and when I needed something, they were there for me. That is the reason I manage it so much better today. As for friendships, I never had many in general. I was the quiet kid in the back of the classroom with my nose in a book, swallowed up in a magical fantasy realm that was much more bright and colorful than the dull world I saw before me. That changed, though. In my last year of middle school, I met a girl who never stopped laughing at something and always had a smile (if she had her coffee, that is). She was the complete opposite of me- where I was dark and annoyed, she was bright and bubbly. she is also one of the reasons I manage things so well. She has offered me a space to talk about how I feel and she has always accepted me as I am. Even though I have those strong, helpful relationships in my life, I did also have more negative interactions that may have set e back in my progress. I was involved in a relationship with a guy who can be considered a narcissistic abuser- he made me mistrust every step I took and every word I take. He pushed things on me and made threats after he broke up with me, and that caused a serious spike in my mental health. As for a career path, I gravitated toward psychology because of my own personal struggles. The aspects of the mind, how it works, and how it affects people have always been a fascination of mine. Initially, I thought I would go towards therapy, but I was introduced to the forensic aspect and I fell in love with it. Seeing mental disorders such as DID, schizophrenia, and psychosis intrigued me, and learning and working in this field would be one of the most exciting things of my life.

Keeping a growth mindset can be a challenge. You encounter problems, struggle, stress- numerous things that all weigh you down and make you want to stop. I've run into the problem many times before, but it is because of keeping an open, growing mind that I was able to overcome it. I've begun to see the challenges I face as opportunities for my future, and this has become a life-changing thing for me. I am a leader in my school's AFJROTC Unit, and I am often called upon to lead, teach, and help with important events we do, and sometimes I get nervous about it. For example, we have an annual Awards Banquet coming up, and I am expected to lead the presentation of the Colors and participate in the POW/MIA Ceremony. I have been quite nervous about this until I thought about how this would help me become more confident in the future, as well as gain a connection to the people I am doing these ceremonies for. Also, with college applications on the near horizon, I have been looking into the application process and it has truly been daunting. I've wondered if I was capable of earning a place at these prestigious schools I wished I could get into. Then, I realized this was just another step on my journey to my future, and I was genuinely excited to challenge myself to get into those colleges, to prove to myself I could, really. Growth mindsets can be hard to maintain, but positivity does help!

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. - John Quincy Adams Patience is the foundation on which our world grows. It keeps things in perspective, allows us to think, and allows us to reflect. When we have patience, we hold the key which will unlock our future and reward us for the waiting tenfold. Almost everything we do requires some level of patience- even gaining it requires it. I've needed to have patience many times throughout my rather short life. I know that I will need it much more in the future. From being thrust into the role of the eldest sibling to a three-year-old and three-month-old, to managing my ADHD and insomnia, to normal high school life--- I've dealt with and prevailed from my struggles by remembering to be patient. Albeit, remaining patient can be rather hard. Not being able to focus on my school work, not having enough sleep, the consistent troublesome childhood antics- they all have a way of getting under your skin. But I've come to understand that the longer I am able to remain calm, the better suited to my future life I will be. That is why patience is the most important thing to focus on. The more I work on it, the more I practice, the more I work towards it, the more successful my future can be.

There are only so many good things a person can do in a world that sees the bad. You have to admit, there are numerous negative stories that it is starting to become a struggle to find the positive ones. When you look at the news, it is filled with slander, hate, war, and death. The good part is that the news is always trying to find that one positive story to share with the world. I know the world is big- billions of people, millions of miles- and I understand that not everyone is meant to leave an impact. I want to try my best to be one of the ones who end up leaving that positive impact on the world, one of the ones who manage to make people smile when they think of them. I wish that I could make the world a better place for everyone everywhere, but that is simply not possible. I want to bring the world positive stories. I want to bring motivating uplifting stories that make people rethink the bad things and start for the good. I want to bring to the world the sense of hope and love and life and light that I think we all truly need right now. In much simpler words, I want to help everyone the best I can, to bring smiles to their faces, and inspire them to do the same for others. I want to be the positive light, the beacon over the waves of the sea for those lost and in need of help. In the words of many, I want to turn their frowns upside down!

One of the things about ADHD- you can choose if you believe it is a good or bad thing- is that many things will catch your eye in a short time and you want to try them all. I can't tell you how many times a shiny object caught my eye and I wanted to make it, or there was a new sport and I wanted to try it, but for each of them the hyper fixation wore off and I found a new thing to look at. The one thing that has managed to keep my attention for a long time is resin casting. That is taking a liquid and turning it into colorful, creative, beautiful creations that are always as unique as the creator. I saw a video once of a woman pouring resin into a mold and when she took it out I was fascinated by the colors and shape and design she made with it. It was at that point I knew I had to create my own. A few weeks later, I bought resin supplies and 3 molds- dog tags, a dog and cat, and skull molds. I had two dozen powder colors and as I poured them into the resin they created the most beautiful colors I ha ever seen! After pouring the molds you have to wait 24 hours for the pieces to harden completely, and that was always the hardest part because I was so impatient! Demolding the pieces was one of the best moments of the process since I could see the product of the hours of waiting and breathless, worry-filled moments of pouring- if you didn't get it just right the resin wouldn't harden, or you would have bubbles! Getting to see the final products after all the work I put into creating them was the joy of the project. Doing resin casting is always a favorite pastime of mine after a stressful day because of the gentleness and calmness of it, and even after a good day since it gives me that little feeling of completion. The tiny skulls with top hats I can make sweeten the deal!

"Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what's left of you." - Katie Reed When you are stressed, when you are down, when you are tired of everything, self-care is what will save you. Choosing to put myself first and not take on even more of the weight that was slowly pulling me under was the best decision I made. I've tried so many things, from morning meditations and afternoon workouts to journaling and making vision boards, and they've all managed to alleviate the stresses on my mind. I've felt so much better, and I feel that it has made me a better person for my community for it. By taking care of myself, I feel that I've changed myself for the better. I'm happier overall, even in the situations that used to stress me out. I've always been the friend you go to for advice, and now I feel as if I can provide more helpful words for them. My grades improved, my relationships improved, and even my mental health has improved significantly. I find myself thinking less and less about the negative aspects of myself, and I find that the best impact of self-care I've come across.

When you move too fast, life becomes hazy and unfocused. You lose sight of what matters most, what brings you joy, and the true meaning of life. Simple pleasures are needed in today's world. They are the little things that teach you, the little things that show you light in an otherwise dulled world. What makes you the happiest? For me, it's the sunrise breaking the clouds and trees on my morning drive to school. It's the first sip of my favorite drink. Feeling the water run over my face in the shower. Seeing my breath as I sing in the cold air of the morning. Reading a book and seeing how time has truly flown. Laying on a clean bed, fresh out of the shower. Taking a bite of my favorite drink. The smell of horses. Cuddling with my dog after a rough day. Watching that one show I've been stuck on for weeks. When you lose sight of the little, simple things in life, you have the chance to lose your positivity and happiness. The simple pleasures in life help you to relax, find peace, and sometimes even find yourself. Stopping to take things in has always, for me, been the purest form of relaxation and self-care.

Friendship means the ones you can laugh and cry with, the ones you can bare yourself to, the ones who would give you the last piece of pizza, right? Friendship doesn't have physical parameters, there is no same-sex, same sexuality, same race, same religion requirements for that one person to be your best friend. The only requirement for a friend? To work together well. I have two amazing friends- one is a Christian female who wouldn't hurt a fly and loves to spend time with her family and then an atheist male who loves gaming and joking around with his friends. I'm a pagan female with a southern temper and a love for the arts. No one would look at us and go, "Yup, they're besties." I doubt they would even think we know each other! But they both mean absolutely everything to me, we've seen each other's best and worst times, and we're unbreakable. Friendship, again, means the ones you can trust, who will never leave, and you can always grow together- I'm extremely happy I can say that I have the best friends in the world!

I believe that the biggest investment tip to impact me was said by Dr. Duplantis during a financial literacy day at my school. He said many things that encouraged me to begin investing when I come of age, but the one that reached me most was 'Don't look at it every day- that's going to give you anxiety." It is probably a silly quote to take the most from, but it can be applied everywhere. How he meant it, it gave me the needed little push to make me not worry about it. He said that seeing the day-by-day earnings and drops will cause you significantly more anxiety than seeing the overall growth through the year. It touched me a little deeper than that, and I realized it can apply to school, work, and our general lives, which I find extremely powerful for an investment tip! I am very glad we got the chance to learn from Dr. Duplantis.

Creativity for me isn't something that is applied- it is something that is inherent, that is a gift, and something that is just there in the background of every one. It may be more present in some than others, but it is always there. Everyone has a way to express their creativity, and sometimes it is the way they express it that is the most creative. Some people create content like the creators on TikTok, others create custom-made and one-of-a-kind items to sell on sites like Etsy, and more express creativity in solitude. Personally, my favorite way to tap into my creative side is to write. I love writing stories, poems, lines, verses, and dialogues for all the voices in my head. Recently, I have gotten into resin molds. I have a small set of skull molds, some with top hats, some with pirate eye patches, and the rest just normal. I find them to be the absolute cutest things ever! I can't wait to start experimenting with different colors in the molds and I hope that one day I can progress into having the confidence to be able to sell them. Also, I've started making themed rock jars- little jars of rocks of various themes. Right now I have jars for the dark rocks, the light, the red, and the shining ones. Doing little crafts like these bring me absolute joy, and I really hope that these crafts will bring me closer to the creativity I desire.

No study strategy works the same for everybody. For some, studying in absolute silence is best. For others, it is studying in breaks. For even more, studying is something they haven't yet mastered. Personally, my favorite study strategy is to study while watching Criminal Minds. Many people don't think that studying with noises or distractions such as this doesn't help. Despite this, it is my favorite, and the easiest, way to remember and finish work. The show Criminal Minds is my favorite to watch because it is a show based on constructive thinking and deducing, which I find very helpful when trying to find the motivation to finish a particularly stressful piece of work. Although many people may not agree or like my way of studying, I know it is the best for me and my work. It helps me focus, comprehend, and motivate me to work. I hope others can find their best way to study, no matter how unconventional it may seem!

Nature to me is the most calming, most true thing in the world. It is unbiased, it is unyielding, it is unwavering, and it is constantly giving. Nature is made up of millions of living, breathing things, and even more inanimate objects that all contribute to its beauty. As a pagan, I feel that in each piece of nature there is a soul, something that transcends humankind, and no matter how hard scientists try to understand it, we will never be able to. If I speak honestly, I don't want to understand it. I step outside and I feel the wind caress me, I hear the birds singing to the sky, and I watch the plants stretch towards the sun all in one never-ending story of life. I try my best to be kind and pay respects when I know that nature has done something for me. I try to give back to it as I would another person who had helped me. This world is all about karma, and when other people aren't around to see you do something? The elements of nature surely are, and they always give back in one way or another. I know this all may sound crazy, but I am slowly stepping onto this new path of belief, and I am thankful for it. I've learned that things aren't always what they seem, and everything from the largest whale down to the smallest beetle has its powers and meaning in life. I'm truly thankful that I am able to be a part of this magical world!

I'm sure many people are going to say they want to be well known for something, they want to solve a major problem in the world. They'll say they want to leave behind a legacy as well know as a world leader. They'll say they want to change things for the better with huge dreams and and even large motivation and inspiration. Truth be told, I don't expect that much for my life. I come from two southern families who's names no one recognizes. My parents were teenagers when I was born and when they married. My dreams right now are nothing bigger than good grades and to be the a first generation college student. When I reach those goals, that is when I plan on leaving a real legacy, but probably not one of the typical ones. The only legacy I want to leave is on the ones people forget about. People in my family never meet a stranger- my grandmothers turn into a mother figure for everyone they run across. Cookouts had more than immediate family, they had neighbors and their families, they had that one random friend and no one knows how they got there but accepts them anyway, and that distant cousins we're never sure how they're related. Despite this, it's always a warm, happy environment. I want to do that, but bigger- I want everyone I know to feel safe, and I want to work to make those I don't feel safe as well. There are so many people scared to speak and I want to help them learn confidence and feel safer in places that shouldn't be scary to them. That's the legacy I want to leave, whether it stays in the community or sparks a butterfly effect around the world.

Motivation is, personally, hard to reach. The constant struggle with different mental illnesses has made me prone to lose much of my motivation, but there is always one thing that propels me when I get stuck. That is thinking of the future. When I imagine my future, I imagine a successful, happy, and healthy version of myself that I have always aspired towards. Someone who knows what they are doing with their life, someone who has it all figured out, someone with friends. It's just the person I've always wanted to be, but have never quite gotten there. Thinking of the places I want to be in the future and who I want to be always managed to kickstart me into a productive mindset. I want to go to college for psychology- I can't get into the college I want without good grades, so I jump right onto that. I want to be the person who knows something about everything, and so I jump down rabbit holes whenever I find something interesting. Did you know the Michelin tire company created the Michelin restaurant guide by drawing maps to gas stations for travelers, and later went on to draw the map for the storm onto Normandy beach? It's amazing learning these little facts in history, and the learning always pushes me towards more. Motivation is different for us all, and for me it can be a little hard to reach, but envisioning a successful version of myself always motivates me to work as hard as I can every day.

"You see, it's simple- the meaning of life is-" And queue the interruption! That happens all the time, doesn't it? To me, there isn't just and plain and simple meaning of life. For everyone, it's vastly different. For me, though, I think the meaning of life is to just live it to the fullest. Yes, that might sound pretty cheesy, right? Well, no matter what you believe in or don't believe in, be it Heaven and Hell, Valhalla and Hel, or something else, there's always an end to life. What is the point of having a life, if you are unhappy with it? I feel that we should all do what we want (safely!), and be the happiest we can be! It doesn't have to be anything crazy like sky diving, or anything super basic like spending time with family. It can be whatever makes you happy, let's you feel that little spark of joy! I try to do this everyday by just waking up qith and smile on my face. I try to think as positively as possible, and try to bring a smile to anyone's face. If I can do that, it's been an amazing day for me! Truly, there are so many different aspects of life that are meaningful, but I feel that happiness, especially in trying times such as these, is the most important. It's something we should all try for!

I've learned many things about myself over the past year. I've learned of my ADHD, my anxiety, my depression. I've learned who my friends are, and I've learned to let go of those who aren't. I've learned to forgive even those who caused me pain, but to not forget what they did. The thing I've learned that I value the most, though, is what cheers me up. Whenever I feel down which, I'll admit, is more than I'd like, I have learned what helps. Funky music like Sean Paul and Shaggy to American Authors can change my entire day. Journaling just a page helps to collect my thoughts. Laying down calms me. I've learned what brings me peace and what causes pain. This helps me in every day life to make me a better,, happier person. I've learned how to control myself. I've learned my mind, and I'm incredibly proud of this.

"Teach your demons how to roam your mind without damaging your thoughts." This is something I found years ago, and I'm still unsure of it's origins. This line got me through many struggles with mental illness, constantly reminding me that I can have the demons without allowing them to control and overtake my will. I know I'm not the only one who is quietly struggling with mental illnesses and for those who are scared to express their feelings to others, I want them to see this and know that though it may be hard it can be controlled. I believe mental illnesses are something that you can control if you not only put your mind to it but also concentrate your willpower. No matter how much you struggle or how hopeless life seems, there are good things in life and I'm sure anyone can teach their demons to respect their peace.

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou. Feelings are the things that people remember the longest, not actions or words. Feelings are what stick around the most- they are what you trust and what you follow inany situations.. Honestly, everything makes me happy, from the biggest ideas to the smallest actions. I've cut my hair for the first time- I'm thrilled! I'm watching fireworks, and the glitter makes me grin. The warmth of a fire and the brisk cold of a breeze; the sun on my skin and the pale glow of the moonlight. The smell of flowers and the softness of your pets fur. I'm starting to make resin molds, and the thought thought one day I could make a business out of it if I try hard enough excites me! Watching others become happy from a period of being down is amazing to me, and helping others makes me even happier. Being with loved ones, although sometimes it can be stressful, is what can cheer anyone up if they allow it. Anything can make you happy, if you're willing to open your heart.

"And I wondered if love was too weak a word for what he felt, what he'd done for me. For what I felt for him." This was written by Sarah J. Maas in her series A Court of Thorns and Roses. This series inspired me in many different ways, with its many themes and its powerful words. In my point of view, her series was riddled with themes of love, choice, and acceptance. The main character struggled in a toxic relationship and over the course of the series, she meets a good hearted man who taught her what real love was. I personally was in not one but two toxic relationships, and reading about her and what she gained motivated me to better myself. With that inspiration, I'm now in a healthy and happy relationship, and I've been much happier since. Also, throughout all the books the characters were faced with many obvious and hidden problems and in the end they all made a choice, be it right or wrong. This helped to teach me that while some things are out of my control, there are things that are and I have the chance to choose what I do about them. It's motivated me to take action more, and become the decider of my own fate. And again, during the stories there are so many instances of acceptance and good will despite wrongdoings. Seeing so many of these are helping me to forgive easier, accept more, and these are leading me to be much, much happier in life. A Court of Thorns and Roses has been so inspirational, and I hope the author knows what a good job she has done!

Resistance to change. That is the greatest downfall of the world today, as it always has been- the resistance humans show for everything. Humans are rooted in their ideas and ways, and very rarely change- if they do, it's even rarer for it to be anything drastic. Change is just something we don't like, but it is one of the most important parts of growth. I will quickly admit that I am just as at fault for this as the next. I don't like normal things to be changed, and if they do I am quick to worry. In society, we have so many unreasonable expectations for everything out there. We have expectations for beauty standards that are far outdated now; we have expectations for gender roles that are just not applicable to today's world; there are people out there who aren't doing anything about other major problems because they think nothing has changed. The only way I can see for society to get past this problem is to accept and reflect. Accept the fact that not everything stays the same, at that not everything should stay the same. If we didn't change in ways like allowing freedom of religion, allowing women to have the same rights, accepting people of color, then the world would not be the place it is today. While we still have a lot of changes to make, we can't make them unless everyone joins together and truly works for those changes. We have to become accepting of them to change things, and that is something every person will have to do for themselves by looking within.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a 16th century Genevan philsopher, composer and writer once said "patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." Patience is the most important thing I can have right now. While I am working as much as I can for academic related subjects, there are many personal things that I just need to have patience for- the one on my mind the most is my relationship. I am in a long distance relationship and we are unsure of when we will actually be able to see each other. The main problem of a long distance relationship is of course the distance, and the best we can do in our repective situations is wait for our chance. It gets hard sometims, yes, but again the wait is hard but we both know that it will only serve to make the result that much sweeter. It hurts a lot, late at night, early in the morning, whenever I see couples doing things with each other and every day I remember that my relationship is something I wouldn't change for the world, because in the end it will be that much sweeter. Being patient is the most important thing to me bacause patience is what allows me to not only survive, but thrive. It is what allows me to do what many consider crazy, a cross-country relationship, and what allows me to accomplish other daily things. I only hope that I keep this patience because so far, it is my favorite thing about myself.

Imagine this: You open the door of your car, glancing around at your home. You see wide rolling fields, a forest off in the distance, and the sun coloring the clouds with gentle pastels. You look towards your home, standing tall and proud against the horizons, and you walk in. As you do, you feel all your worries of the day melt away as you smell the food cooking an hear your loved one call a greeting. Later on you curl up on a soft bean bag chair with your favorite book and your lover comes in and places a gentle kiss on your forehead before curling up and reading with you. My dream life doesn't involve being rich, famous, or powerful. My dream life involves being safe and comfortable in an environment and being with the person I love. My ideal home is one out in the country with fields and forests to roam in, and a little old farmhouse with dogs running around playing. I'd love to work as a criminal behavioral analysist, being able to tell little details about a person from what they leave behind at a crime scene. Outside of what I want for me personally, my dream life also contains wanting people to finally understand and accept one another so we no longer have to fight each other, where everyone finally works together to solve the true issues of the world, not the issues that are pushed by people who simply feel offended by something that doesn't involve them.

My parents came from fairly poor families growing up and ended up having me when my father was 18 and my mother 16. My mother's side thought my father wouldn't stay and support us, and everyone thought that they wouldn't make it together for very long. Now, 17 years later, they are still together, with me and my two cousins we adopted. With all their setbacks in the beginning, they managed to gain enough to support not only us three but also the two cousins. If anything, I want to be successful like they were. It may not be considered successful to others, but in my eyes, they did everything right. There is one piece of financial advice that they have given me that I follow the best I can: do everything with cash. This is great advice for me because with my ADHD, if I don't physically see something, in my mind it no longer exists. Having everything be on a card makes me lose the sense of how much I have, and I spend money much easier and quicker. Without the physical sight and representation of the money, I forget that there are limits and that I need to save as much as possible for my future. Getting a card gave me a lot of freedom with what I can buy and what I can learn, and the biggest thing I've learned is the importance of having hard cash in your hands so you don't end up spending it wrong and ending in a bad place financially.

There are many different songs that inspire me and motivate me through different feelings and times, like Disney songs for when I'm tired, country love songs for when I'm sad, and foreign songs for when I want to forget and get out of my mind for a bit. I believe that the song that has helped me the most through all of my troubles is Kenny Chesney's 'Happy Does'. I've been struggling with anxiety and depression recently, and whenever I play this song it reminds me to take a breath, calm down, and relax. This song reminds me that even when things go wrong and life seems to be too much to handle, 'happy is as happy does' and I can choose to be happy rather than to let things get me down. It helps me to understand that sometimes all I need to do is things that make me happy, and then I will be so, I don't need to fake it, or fight, or panic over anything because I am the ultimate decider in my happiness. Its always been a little tune to inspire me to better my outlook and become more positive in my mind.

Legacy is defined as an amount of money or property left to someone in a will. To me, a legacy is something intangible that you leave behind, that could be perceived as material items by others. In simpler words, leaving behind traces of your kindness in life by continuing to help people after you're gone, or inspiring others to do as you did. Legacies for some could be large amounts of money given to one or multiple people, to others it may be much less, maybe simple memories of the person. All in all, a legacy can be very different but are all very similar in how they feel to people- a legacy is, in my opinion, meant to make people feel happy and grateful, and it's always best when it starts a chain of kindness. Legacy isn't a simple thing to understand or to do; more often than not you won't recognize that you are powerful or helpful enough to leave behind a legacy. There are many people I was told about as a child that I have never met, but the stories I were told made me wish that I had met that person, and that's what I would like to be one day. One of the most prominent stories was the story of the Snook family- a family who you wouldn't find on the internet, but in every detail of my hometown. They created a few businesses and many jobs, built escape tunnels through the city to safely evacuate if there was ever a war, and taught the women working for them how to shoot. My great-grandmother worked for them during a time of war, and many stories were passed down from her time there and from other things they did. I would like to leave my own legacy behind one day, if I ever do enough good to earn one. I would like to do something that matters- maybe not for the world, that is a long shot, but for the people in my community. I would like to be the person that isn't in history books or the internet, I would like my legacy to be one that is just known by my community. I would like to have helped many people by the time I pass- I would like to be that person who knows everyone and helped them the best I could because to me, that is the best life or legacy there is.