11/10/22 Gisell Hernandez-Rubio Hard Work Pays Off "Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us." — Susan L. Taylor, journalist This quote is truly powerful, and connects with two of my favorite disney characters: Mulan, and Tiana! With Mulan we see a strong beautiful woman who isn't afraid to show others that she can also accomplish tough tasks without help, and with Tiana we also see a beautiful woman who works hard, and is direct about what she wants and doesn't give up until she has it! Both characters show strong determination, strong morals, and the ability of not giving up or allowing themselves to be put down by others which speaks volumes! I think these two lovely characters are the perfect embodiment of hard working and strong women! I think this is a wonderful message for Disney to spread because many kids nowadays struggle with themselves, and their image and they need that lift of empowerment so they can get motivated to try harder and not give up! Everyone has their tough days and lose motivation however when you analyze these two characters and their hardships you only see it as a way for them to push forward which then motivates you to try harder because having just one bad day doesn't mean it's the end of the world and these characters spread this message efficiently with their actions! Disney has some great characters overall who all have their own attributes and obstacles that they must go through to show us the viewers that they were able to overcome them! Watching these characters overcome hard times makes you realize you must also push forward and try harder! Who knows what tomorrow will bring? You must always take a lesson that you learned from the previous day and run forward with it because it will take you far, just like how it took Mulan, and Tiana!

11/9/22 Gisell Hernandez-Rubio Place In My Dream "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent" (Victor Hugo) Music is a beautiful way to express yourself, and your emotions. Music can take you places, and allow you to ponder about your life, without rush, without pressure, it's a lovely form of creativity that can help heal you. I began to believe this more and more once I got into this one band called "Botanical House" or more known as "Lamp". One day as I was scrolling through spotify I noticed that they have a feature where you can discover new artists that are curated to your music taste. My curiosity was peaked and I pressed on the album, and listened to a few songs until I ran into one that sparked my interest the most. That song was none other than "ゆめうつつ" (Yume Utsutsu) by Lamp. With it's soothing and absorbing melody, its lovely instrumentals, and beautiful voices I felt comfortable, and in my happy place. Due to this feeling of comfort, and tranquility I began to listen more to their music and sooner than later all their songs ended up in my playlist. As soon as I dove more into their discography I began to notice how much other lovely songs brought peace to my mind. The one however that currently stands out from the rest is " 旅​人​／​夢​の​国" (Place In My Dream). I love how slowly the song starts, the divine instrumentals, and the angelic voices all make this beautiful song more endearing. "Botanical House" makes all their music, and play multiple instruments at times to get the melodic, harmonic instrumentals and feelings for their music .This band and their music truly take me to A Place In My Dream.

11/2/22 Gisell Hernandez-Rubio "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." Take a minute to look at yourself, and ponder how far you have come in life & how much you matured compared to when you were younger. Everyday you grow and learn new things that end up becoming essential to your life. Remember sitting down in class trying to figure out what 9 x 9 meant? and now look at you trying to figure out your next step in life, and wondering what path you should take? Throughout the journey of life, you get hit with obstacles, and questions that make you contemplate who you are, and your purpose.. However each time you override that obstacle, don't you gain new knowledge? That time where you were stuck for hours on a math project, and alas you asked for help, and received it, didn't it make more sense? You see knowledge is what allows us to mature and grow as a person! It's the passport that take us to the future, depending on how you use the knowledge you learn! Transitioning from High School to College may seem tough at first, but in reality it's similar because it is studying, working, and gaining more knowledge! Every day when you step into class you leave with something, whether that may be educational or not.. You still managed to take something in! All the education, and media/new you receive shape you into who you are today! Learning something is essential and necessary for you to continue growing! The mind holds great mysteries that allows us to move forward, and continue on! I plan to continue learning through life by going to college, and gaining new knowledge, and putting that knowledge to use to get me a job, and allow me to help my family move forward! Learning is a golden ticket to success, imagine if you didn't know what you know now.. I bet now you realize why learning is important! Now next time you enter your class, job, or clubs etc.. remember what you came in knowing, and then take into consideration what you left with! The path of learning is a huge one and though it may seem difficult at times, you must push through! The future is approaching us soon, Will you be on the ride?

11/2/22 Gisell Hernandez-Rubio My Impact On The World "Your life has a purpose, Your story is important, Your dreams count, Your voice matters, You were born to make an impact"! Have you ever sat down and wondered to yourself what is my purpose? and what am I born to do? There are times where you ponder about life, and it leads you to more questions without answers. Through my educational career I plan to find out just that! I plan to find myself, my purpose, and how I can make an impact on the world. I want to bring a smile to everyone's face, and make their day! I want to make a positive impact on this world! In furthering my educational career I will exceed my limits, and I will slowly but surely be able to repay my parents back for everything they have done for me! I want to find the answers to the burning questions about myself, and my identity. College will help me find those answers and help me move forward through life! I want to also help people because I am the oldest so I always used to take care of my younger siblings, and when my mom worked as a babysitter I also helped her take care of this precious baby! With the responsibilities I was gaining as an older sibling I began to realize, I do want to help others and make them smile! College can help me bring change, and understand the world around me in a more perceptive way. This pandemic has also helped shape me into the person I am today. Every barrier, and complication I had to cross during the pandemic alone I was able to! Overcoming these challenges have matured me and allowed me to grow and have a better understanding of everything. I hope college continues to help teach me more ways to grow and develop myself into a better person that I am today.