"The Office" is a "mockumentary" workplace comedy that follows the lives of ordinary people. Today It is one of Americans most renowned and beloved TV shows. I remember hearing about "The Office" and seeing the funny memes online in elementary school. However, I did not begin watching until I was in middle school. My father and I would watch an episode daily and bond over the show's silliness. As we continued watching the show I began to notice the real-life lessons begin told through the characters. Although every character was interesting in their own way, I resonated most with Pam. Pam started as the pretty girl in the office and blossomed into so much more. I was able to relate to her passion for art and wanting to pursue something other than an office job. Having to choose between what you are passionate about and a paying career path was something I also struggled with. Even though Pam continued to work at the office she still tried different things, like going to art school, joining Michael Scott's knock-off paper company, and becoming a part of the sales team. What I admire about Pam is that she doesn't have everything figured out and is willing to try things and be out of her comfort zone. "The Office", initially made fun of the fact they were documenting the lives of "boring" office workers. However, this changed once the office began expanding its character dynamics and relationships. The audience can see that even though most of the characters did not get to fulfill their dream careers they found valuable relationships that will last their lives. "The Office" shaped my perspective from negative to optimistic. Before the show, I saw office jobs as dull and repetitive, but now I know it can be whatever you make it. Life isn't always about the big accomplishments, but the long-lasting friendships, fun memories, and sometimes challenges. After watching "The Office" I am less afraid of not accomplishing all of my dreams because I will always have the friends and community I have now.

The large orange creature was in its last digits of health. The wise mage and the hefty mercenary, once fearful of the dragon, had worn it down. The mage struck the beast with a magical blast. The dragon cried in pain and flopped to the ground in defeat. The two warriors shouted and rejoiced as their months of training and leveling up paid off. After slaying the dragon, we sold its carcass to the bounty for hundreds of gold coins. The fierce warriors were beginning their journey to conquer the beasts that roam Fantasy Life. I remember this battle and many more my sister and I fought in. In the summer of my 4th grade year, I played my 3DS every day. I would wake up in the middle of the day to log on to Fantasy Life to continue my adventures from where I left off. I would explore different lands, defeat monsters, develop combat skills, and collect items. There was always a quest or adventure I hadn’t done. Because there were so many features, I sought to complete as many as possible. Among the best features of the game was the variety of characterization choices. It allowed me to create one of my first OCs, also known as original characters. Fantasy Life was a core moment in my childhood because I could use my imagination freely. I entertained myself for hours by creating stories and dialogues between characters. What made the game significant was the memories I made with my sister. We did many things together and helped each other with quests and completing the game. My sister was more of a video game pro compared to me. She helped and inspired me to set goals and complete my quest. While I did not complete all the quests and side stories, the game stuck with me. When I look for video games, I look for Fantasy Life. A game where I have the freedom to explore, create, customize, and dual. All while having the ability to play with my lifelong best friend, my sister.

Honors Chemistry one: notorious for its rigorous content and strict teacher. It is one of the most challenging classes at Phillip O. Berry High School. Before I even stepped foot into the class, I had already known about the horrors of this course. Even the smartest upper-classmen struggled to endure the wrath of chemistry. On the first day of chemistry class, the teacher ensured we knew the class was demanding. You don’t get an A in her class, you earn one. The first unit was painless. However, the easy work was short-lived, and the challenging work soon caught up to me. I needed help to grasp the content of how quickly the teacher moved from unit to unit. My incomprehension showed in my test scores as they began to decrease. My regular study strategy was failing me as I needed more. I had a decision to make. I could continue on this path, give in to the hard work, or apply myself and earn an A. Determined to improve my GPA, I decided to strive for an A. I needed to change my approach to the content to improve my grade. I started by reading over notes. I used to skim through the notes, but taking the time to read every word was more efficient. Slowly, the pieces started to connect. But reading wasn’t enough to master the material. I needed examples. I would watch step-by-step videos on balancing reactions, converting moles, gas laws, etc.. My new strategy quickly improved my scores. I would also study with friends, and we would each help each other with subjects we didn’t understand or needed extra assistance. Chemistry slowly changed from a class I feared to something I enjoyed. To my surprise, Chemistry was the perfect mix of the subjects I liked the most: science and math. It was also challenging in a fun way, where I felt satisfaction when grasping tough concepts. The week of the final exam, I used the study techniques to ensure an excellent grade. I earned the second-highest score in my class and an A overall in the course. I used the newfound strategies to master the chemistry curriculum and was able to assist classmates and friends. I was also able to discover a newfound passion and course of study. I chose to major in chemistry because of my unique experience. I have always enjoyed science courses and the content they teach. My passion for science is rooted in my curiosity about the world and wanting to change it. Issues like climate change and pollution slowly destroy our planet, bringing it closer and closer to inhabitability. Through a chemistry career, I can help sustain and discover more about Earth. Using chemistry I can become a geographer, oceanographer, meteorologist, and many more. I plan to use my knowledge of chemistry to inform, innovate, and create greener ways of living. To me helping the planet is helping all people including the people in my community. The people of today and future generations to come after me.

Honors Chemistry one: notorious for its rigorous content and strict teacher. It is one of the most challenging classes at Phillip O. Berry High School. Before I even stepped foot into the class, I had already known about the horrors of this course. Even the smartest upper-classmen struggled to endure the wrath of chemistry. On the first day of chemistry class, the teacher ensured we knew the class was demanding. You don’t get an A in her class, you earn one. The first unit was painless. However, the easy work was short-lived, and the challenging work soon caught up to me. I needed help to grasp the content of how quickly the teacher moved from unit to unit. My incomprehension showed in my test scores as they began to decrease. My regular study strategy was failing me as I needed more. I had a decision to make. I could continue on this path, give in to the hard work, or apply myself and earn an A. Determined to improve my GPA, I decided to strive for an A. I needed to change my approach to the content to improve my grade. I started by reading over notes. I used to skim through the notes, but taking the time to read every word was more efficient. Slowly, the pieces started to connect. But reading wasn’t enough to master the material. I needed examples. I would watch step-by-step videos on balancing reactions, converting moles, gas laws, etc.. My new strategy quickly improved my scores. I would also study with friends, and we would each help each other with subjects we didn’t understand or needed extra assistance. Chemistry slowly changed from a class I feared to something I enjoyed. To my surprise, Chemistry was the perfect mix of the subjects I liked the most: science and math. It was also challenging in a fun way, where I felt satisfaction when grasping tough concepts. The week of the final exam, I used the study techniques to ensure an excellent grade. I earned the second-highest score in my class and an A overall in the course. I used the newfound strategies to master the chemistry curriculum and was able to assist classmates and friends. I was also able to discover a newfound passion and course of study. I chose to major in chemistry because of my unique experience. I have always enjoyed science courses and the content they teach. My passion for science is rooted in my curiosity about the world and wanting to change it. Issues like climate change and pollution slowly destroy our planet, bringing it closer and closer to inhabitability. Through a chemistry career, I can help sustain and discover more about Earth. Using chemistry, I can become a geographer, oceanographer, meteorologist, and many more. I plan to use my knowledge of chemistry to inform, innovate, and create greener ways of living. To me, helping the planet is helping all people, including my community. The people of today and future generations to come after me.

Honors Chemistry one: notorious for its rigorous content and strict teacher. It is one of the most challenging classes at Phillip O. Berry High School. Before I even stepped foot into the class, I had already known about the horrors of this course. Even the smartest upper-classmen struggled to endure the wrath of chemistry. On the first day of chemistry class, the teacher ensured we knew the class was demanding. You don’t get an A in her class, you earn one. The first unit was painless. However, the easy work was short-lived, and the challenging work soon caught up to me. I needed help to grasp the content of how quickly the teacher moved from unit to unit. My incomprehension showed in my test scores as they began to decrease. My regular study strategy was failing me as I needed more. I had a decision to make. I could continue on this path, give in to the hard work, or apply myself and earn an A. Determined to improve my GPA, I decided to strive for an A. I needed to change my approach to the content to improve my grade. I started by reading over notes. I used to skim through the notes, but taking the time to read every word was more efficient. Slowly, the pieces started to connect. But reading wasn’t enough to master the material. I needed examples. I would watch step-by-step videos on balancing reactions, converting moles, gas laws, etc.. My new strategy quickly improved my scores. I would also study with friends, and we would each help each other with subjects we didn’t understand or needed extra assistance. Chemistry slowly changed from a class I feared to something I enjoyed. To my surprise, Chemistry was the perfect mix of the subjects I liked the most: science and math. It was also challenging in a fun way, where I felt satisfaction when grasping tough concepts. The week of the final exam, I used the study techniques to ensure an excellent grade. I earned the second-highest score in my class and an A overall in the course. I used the newfound strategies to master the chemistry curriculum and was able to assist classmates and friends. I was also able to discover a newfound passion and course of study. I chose to major in chemistry because of my unique experience. I have always enjoyed science courses and the content they teach. My passion for science is rooted in my curiosity about the world and wanting to change it. Issues like climate change and pollution slowly destroy our planet, bringing it closer and closer to inhabitability. Through a chemistry career, I can help sustain and discover more about Earth. Using chemistry I can become a geographer, oceanographer, meteorologist, and many more. I plan to use my knowledge of chemistry to inform, innovate, and create greener ways of living. To me helping the planet is helping all people. The people of today and future generations to come. We all breathe this same air, walk on the same soil, and live on this wonderful world called Earth.

Reliance is not a new word to me. People who know me describe me as hard-working and a leader. But what I did not expect was the inspiration. I excel at academics and balance it with my interest in music and swimming. While I have just started swimming competitively, music has been a part of my life for a long time. My first instrument was the flute. I loved the soft sounds and sweet angelic notes it made. In my band class, I was known for playing well on my instrument and practicing my music. As the years went on, I switched to the alto saxophone. Due to the pandemic shutting schools down, I had no one to teach me the basics. So, I taught myself. I would watch YouTube videos to learn how to assemble the saxophone, play the B flat scale, and more. I quickly learned how to play the saxophone and became experienced. The resilience I used to learn how to play carried on to my marching, symphonic, and Jazz band performances. I began playing solos and was the first chair on every piece we played. But through all of the hard work, I never realized the impact I made on fellow instruments until my senior year. It was a regular day in my Jazz band class when my friend next to me told me how I inspired them. It surprised me how this friend, just one year younger than me, could be inspired by me. I would help her, but she would do the same for me. We both improved each other through music, so how could I inspire her? I thought back to when we first met in band camp as saxophonists. There were a lot of times when I would come short. The times I sat out of marching because I was dizzy. The times I couldn't remember a dance or music note. But I always tried to improve. I built up my endurance to stay up longer during practices. I practiced marching to make sure I looked sharp. I practiced playing to memorize when I was supposed to get loud and soft. Gradually, I became better at all of these skills. But even now, that marching band season is over. I am still looking for ways to better my playing. While I did not ask her specifically what made me inspiring to her, I know my friend saw my tensity to build myself.

Math is hard, confusing, and complex, and on a couple of occasions has made me cry. It's the most fundamental subject in any scholar's educational journey and impossible to escape and this year it brought me to the edge of my sanity. This year I had the most challenging math course in my high school career: AP Calculus AB. On our first unit test, I earned a failing grade. I was taken aback by the score and a little embarrassed, but I picked myself back up. I learned from my mistakes and improved on my skills. Unfortunately, this pattern of getting low scores continued for multiple tests. I would earn 70s after 70s and take retest after retest. Over time I just expected mediocrity from myself and lessened up on my studies. I felt that it didn't matter if I study or not because I would earn a 70 either way. Fortunately for me, I was able to maintain a B in the class. The math didn't get easier as the second semester began, but I was experiencing a change of mind where the math was starting to connect. I earned an A for quarter 3 and was proud of my hard work. But this didn't last very long as AP exams were around the corner. To help prepare the class for exams our teacher gave us a quiz every class for two weeks. I earned 50s 60s and 70s. I was completely devastated and was losing faith in myself and my skills. I couldn't understand where I was going so wrong, so I went back over my quizzes. Once I understood my faults I studied more than I ever had before. I studied for a minimum of 2 hours a week. I watched videos and did practice tests, I was determined to not only pass my class but the exam. When the exam day came I did my very best and left the exam with a weight lifted over my shoulders. In the end, I earned my highest test grade for the last unit test and an A overall. Math is hard, confusing, and complex but that is why I love it. I love that it challenges me to think and problem-solve in ways I haven't before. Math is really like climbing a tree where each branch represents a skill you must grasp before latching to the next.

The dream version of my future self is a smart woman in a lab practicing what she loves while learning new things every day.