I plan to pursue a career in the medical field. Biology is my major of choice because the subject is my favorite science topic. Biology opened my eyes to the inner workings of the human body and how the body functions instantaneously. The introduction of the well-oiled machine called the immune system, and discovering how its multiple moving parts work together to fight off pathogens is fascinating. This very efficient system sparked my interest in medicine, specifically the medicine that helps the body defend against infections. If I do not become a pharmacist, I hope to become a dermatologist or a general practitioner. In the future, I aim to help people on an everyday basis or work behind the scenes. I want to work in the medical field so that I can give patients confidence, cures, and hope. The pandemic influenced my career aspirations because it amazed me how quickly a vaccine was created to combat the spread of COVID-19. At the time, I was learning how vaccines were created; meanwhile, the vaccine had just been developed and was being administered in all the countries. It felt like a divine revelation sparked my interest in medicine because I knew I wanted to be a person who helps others, either on a daily basis or through developing medicines. I hope to work in the medical field by helping people every day. A book that I am currently reading is One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. It is about a mental hospital that gets its routine disrupted when a new rebellious character enters the story. In the mental hospital, the narrator mentions that all the patients receive the same medications and treatments with the hope they might recover enough to reenter society. The book has opened my eyes to the lack of medical research done for mental illnesses and the lack of medications to treat them. Another book I have recently read is More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova, which is about a main character who has bipolar disorder. The character experiences similar tragedies to the patients of the mental hospital, as they both do not have medications that treat their exact illnesses. I want to be a researcher and developer of medicine, that targets and cures specific mental illnesses. So that the victims of the mental illness may receive proper care and be relieved from their illness. As I enter higher education, I understand that I will be financially responsible for my own educational journey. My parents will not be able to assist me as they need to continue raising my two younger siblings, as well as their own finances. I am comparing my college financial aid packages from the schools I plan to go to, and I am trying to make the best financial choice for myself without sacrificing my education. Learning to navigate the complexities of financial aid and the cost of education is challenging, but I hope to find some assistance through scholarships. I hope to be awarded scholarships to cover the finances that will not be covered with financial aid. Without scholarships, I will have to take out loans and get a job, which will stunt my ability to absorb the knowledge from my college education. I will greatly benefit from scholarships, as they will alleviate some of the college expenses for a financially independent undergraduate.

Over the past spring and summer breaks, I had the opportunity to become a counselor and help guide children in a musical theatre program. I was tasked with being a director of a small group and the leader of a group of first graders in their first musical production. I was most proud of helping the first-grade kids come out of their shells and sing confidently along with the older elementary kids. The first graders and I worked hard to nail their notes correctly and to remember the words and dances. Of course, they are still children, so half the time they just wanted to play and have fun, but I used their eagerness to teach them the rules of musical theatre. I turned the boring act of waiting in the wings into a playful game of what line comes next. Not only were the kids attentive to the show, but it also helped them pay attention to their cues to go on stage. The children were amazing performers who put on a spectacular show, and they had fun doing it. I can confidently say that the nervousness of being on stage will never fade, but neither will the joy of performing. I found a way to enjoy music in many different forms, from singing songs to teaching kids how to sing. Music can foster growth in everyone, especially those who work hard to understand the gift of music. In order to protect these young children from the harsh realities of bullying and the increasing popularity of cyberbullying, I make sure they know they have someone they can confide in. I ensure that I am approachable and empathetic towards my students so that if they ever have trouble, they can feel comfortable coming to ask me for help. Of course, in our program, we make sure that none of the kids are on their technology to ensure they are on task and not doing anything they should not be doing. However, they are young children who are still learning how to regulate themselves and learning how to interact with others, so there are a couple of instances of bullying. As a counselor and leader, I help the students rectify their relationships and teach them the importance of being kind to one another. As I enter higher education, I understand that I will be financially responsible for my own educational journey. My parents will not be able to assist me as they need to continue raising my two younger siblings, as well as their own finances. I am debating my college decisions to compare which schools will provide me with the best financial aid package, and I am trying to make the best financial choice for myself without sacrificing my education. Learning to navigate the complexities of financial aid and the cost of education is difficult, but I hope to find some assistance through scholarships. I hope to be awarded scholarships to cover the finances that will not be covered with financial aid. Without scholarships, I will have to take out loans and get a job, which will take away from my ability to absorb the knowledge from my college education. I will greatly benefit from scholarships, as they will alleviate some of the stress of college expenses for a financially independent undergraduate.