My all-time favorite film is The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, for it is a true cinematic masterpiece. Indeed, the Lord of the Rings trilogy has always been one of my favorite productions, and I enjoy reading the books by J. R. R. Tolkien to this day. However, the second movie in this installment is my favorite. I enjoy watching the scene where Gimli the dwarf, Legolas the elf and Aragorn the Ranger are chasing after the pack of orcs who had just captured their hobbit friends from the Shire, Merry and Pippin. I appreciate how the mysterious Ents awoke from their slumber to aid Middle Earth by ruining the home of the evil wizard Saruman, as it further extrapolates upon the recurring theme that help can come from unexpected places. I view Frodo and Sam's determination to make the long, wearisome journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring with fondness, as the two hobbits are the true heroes of Middle Earth. Additionally, in this movie the majestic Riders of Rohan are introduced and their current troubles are explained. The Battle of Helm's Deep is my favorite battle in the entire trilogy because when all hope seemed lost, Gandalf appeared at dawn astride his white horse at the top of the hill, accompanied by the exiled prince Eomer and his battalion to destroy the orcs and save Rohan. The choreography, the digital effects, the music, the recurring themes, messages, and wholesome moments are all what makes this movie my favorite. All that withstanding, the second Lord of the Rings film is my all-time favorite movie.

2020 was a year of both unprecedented challenges and growth. In reality, it is often because of such challenges that a person grows, just as a sword can be forged and sharpened only after going through the fire. Indeed, the events of 2020 certainly provided many opportunities for people to change their way of thinking, discover more about themselves and learn about other's beliefs. Self-discovery and reflection were inevitable as the pandemic forced billions around the globe to quarantine and remain isolated from others. I was not exempt from this as I learned a great deal during 2020. My time alone during quarantine led me to realize how bent I had been on pleasing people. Reflecting on the months prior to the pandemic, I realized I often changed my personality or opinion depending on the person I was with. I am a nine on the enneagram scale, and as such I avoid conflict as much as possible. Nevertheless, I learned that I must be myself when around others, for if they love me, they love me for who I am. I determined that I need to stand up for what I believe in and advocate for what I am passionate about, all the while preserving my true self. Additionally, the pandemic caused me to discover which friends were true and loyal. As the pandemic dragged on, several friends started slowly pulling away and my text messages from them were becoming fewer. I learned that adversity truly is a painful yet effective way to test a friendship. As a result of this, I also learned to be content with being alone. After all, friends may come and go, yet I will always have myself. I learned to appreciate the person I am and how far I had come since 2019. As a young adult my identity and mentality are still developing, but 2020 was arguably the year they grew considerably. Additionally, several notable experiences occurred last year that I will always remember. First of all, my parents bought their retirement home. It was a dilapidated old house set in the middle of nowhere, but after one viewing my parents immediately knew its potential. Soon after making an offer in March, the house was ours and we set to work. Indeed, all of the many renovations were done by my siblings, parents and I. We ripped out the dusty green carpets, painted every room, brightened up the dark kitchen with white cabinets and new tiled floors, cleaned out the shed and unhinged various ill-placed doors to create an open-floor plan. It was hard work, but it was worth it - I grew closer to my family and the home now looks brand-new. That was arguably my favorite new experience of 2020. Another memorable event was when we moved my elderly grandparents down from Pennsylvania to live with us. My grandmother contracted a severe case of Lyme disease over the summer and was hospitalized for over a week. The disease caused substantial nerve damage in her legs resulting in her inability to walk. This was especially detrimental as she was the primary caretaker of my grandfather, who has Alzheimer's. Therefore, we took it upon ourselves to become their new caretakers. We transported my grandparents and their things down to our recently-renovated home and they lived with us for four months. I worked alongside my siblings and parents to give them their pills, wash their clothes, and help my grandmother practice walking again, among other things. At times it was difficult and even awkward, yet we knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was the right thing to do. I learned selflessness and humility during these times in my life, and I look back on these experiences with fondness. One might notice that the two experiences aforementioned both revolve around spending time with my family. My family means everything to me. Indeed, I shudder to think of how 2020 might have looked for me if my family was not there to support and encourage me. Therefore, my experiences in 2020 were mainly memorable due to the presence of my family. The year also solidified my plans for the future. I have known since ninth grade that I want to pursue a career that involves helping children, yet I was unsure of which particular profession to choose. As previously mentioned, 2020 provided considerable time for reflection on the past few years. I realized just how much I love working with children, and after babysitting several times throughout the year I began to seriously consider a teaching career in elementary education. By December 2020, I officially announced to my friends and family that I was going to become a teacher. Therefore, 2020 was the year my career plan for the future was officially determined.

One of my favorite quotes is by C.S. Lewis. This author has written many philosophical books and is most known for his creation of the "Chronicles of Narnia" series. He spoke many words of wisdom throughout his life, yet one statement in particular continues to stand out to me: "True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." This quote reminds me to remain humble as I am pursuing my goals. Like most human beings, I easily get caught up in my own successes. My pride often gets the better of me when I believe that I am skilled or unteachable in a certain area because of my past success. That makes failure that much more unpleasant. However, C.S. Lewis taught me the true definition of humility in this quote. If I want to succeed in life, I know I have to remain humble and teachable. I must redirect my attention from my own successes and failures to others', in order that I might learn from them. After all, there will always be more to learn throughout the entirety of my life. Keeping this quote in mind as I begin my endeavors produces remarkable results. Failure is no longer perceived as final, and success is more easily attainable as I set more realistic goals. Humility is key - to a better life, and a better world.

Unlike the 66% of high school seniors that graduated in 2019, as aforementioned by Bold.org, I fully intend to attend an institute of higher education. Not only have I already applied to Toccoa Falls College in Georgia - my dream college - but I have already been accepted. They offer courses to earn degrees in my preferred Majors, Elementary Education and Biblical Studies, so I therefore plan to continue my education at that college for four years. I have chosen those two majors for several reasons. A degree in Elementary Education would give me the means to teach young children, something I believe I would greatly enjoy. I babysit regularly and have a certain fondness for kids, leading me to conclude that a career in teaching children is plausible. Similarly, I have a passion for Theology and Biblical Studies. I greatly enjoy studying the Bible and its linguistic etymology, context, and history. I would certainly appreciate teaching others - preferably high school students - about theology, as it is quite fascinating. All that withstanding, whilst my specific Major is not yet clear I know for certain that I want to teach. Attending an institute of higher education is the means to achieve this goal.