King Henry XIII of England. Frida Kahlo. Leonardo da Vinci. Abraham Lincoln. As you can see, I just named four historical figures. Each of them has contributed greatly to a movement of their time, whether it’s philosophical, artistic, or political. While that is all dainty and all, simply identifying historical figures doesn’t do anything. It is when you connect them to events and make real-life connections that you start to enjoy it. To be honest, I commend my parents for my love of history. My mother gave me her love for education in general, while my dad gave me his love for gossip. To study for tests, I would sometimes learn about events like gossip. Like, what do you mean Germany had the nerve to send over a telegram to Mexico saying that if Mexico joined their side, then they could get their land back from the United States? And to make things worse for Germany, the United States learned about it, got upset, and entered World War I because of it! Reviewing history as the latest piece of gossip helped me realize how fun learning can be, and therefore that history could be super delightful. When I tell people that I’m going to major in history, they always ask me if I want to be a teacher. While I have no qualms about educators and I respect my teachers, of course, I can’t imagine myself being one. When I first realized that I wanted to major in history, I looked up what I could do with a history degree. There were the usual answers: educator, lawyer, etc. But I found something that piqued my curiosity: diplomat. As a history major, I would have the skills that would enable me to be a diplomat. I would have a better understanding of how countries came to be, and that would help me grasp the cultural, social, and religious contexts of whatever country I would be assigned to. Understanding these factors is crucial when navigating relationships between countries, and I would try my best to avoid past mistakes. Ultimately, I am passionate about history because it is still relevant now. It is not just about what happened, but rather, it is about why it happened and how it continues to affect us today. I want to use history as a tool to build understanding and connection, and being a diplomat would be the best way. History began as curiosity, and it felt like gossip sometimes, but now it’s used to learn from the past and build a more cooperative future.