Growing up, I was always the “odd one out” in terms of music taste. While my friends were listening to all the trendy songs and artists, I was obsessing over Metallica, Iron Maiden, and System of a Down. It's always a surprise to others when they find out the type of music I listen to because I don’t necessarily fit the "stereotypical" metalhead look. However, that is what I find so beautiful about our community. You can look like a little kid, a big dude, or someone dressed head to toe in their favourite band’s merch. I’m very fortunate to have grown up in Los Angeles, where I get to experience an amazing metal community as well as grow up the son of a bassist who was a part of the East Los Angeles metal scene in the 90s-00s. Being part of the LA metal scene has shown me so many things and allowed me to meet people I never would have thought I'd meet in a million years, like Robert Trujillo of Metallica and his son, Tye of OTTTO. ​ This fall, I will start my freshman year at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), where I’ll study neuroscience before attending medical school. Ever since the pandemic, I’ve wanted to help in some capacity. I discovered and became fascinated with the field of neurology. At UCR, my goal is to become very involved with multiple organisations at my school. I plan to pursue hospital and research internships to learn from medical professionals and gain hands-on experience. I also plan to do research on the link between the prevalence of dementia in the Hispanic population and present it at an American Academy of Neurology annual meeting. ​ Being granted this scholarship will give me access to amazing opportunities in the future that I could not take on due to financial strain going into this fall. I will have to commute to UCR for my first year due to cost, but with this scholarship, I can save money for housing and other expenses for the future. I have a twin sister and an older brother, so this fall my dad will have to cover the tuition and expenses of three college students to ensure we can further our education. Having this money will help relieve my dad of the burden of paying for my school. For now, I have gotten a job to help my dad so he doesn’t have to pay for my schooling alone, but it's only temporary, so I unfortunately can not rely on it for my entire time at UCR. ​ The reason I love heavy metal is simple: the community is one of the most intimidating yet nicest in music. War jackets bring us together, picking people up in the pit is not just recommended; it's our tradition, and that's the mentality I want to bring into my future as a neurologist. Overall, heavy metal helped me to discover who I am and get me through late nights of studying and finishing huge assignments. My favourite metal band is Metallica. I grew up with them. I've listened to every song from every album. (Yes, even St. Anger) While some might consider them not “heavy enough,” I also love Bodysnatcher, Meshuggah, A Red Sun, Apocalypsis, Feed-the-Beast, and System of a Down. I’ve gotten to see many of those bands live before, too. Seeing Feed-the-Beast live in East LA was one of my favourite experiences ever. That was the day when I got pulled into my first ever mosh pit, and I loved it even if I was a bit scared. Getting in that pit fully exposed me to the wonders of the metal community. I want to make an impact on others the way that metal has made an impact on me. The values that heavy metal has taught me will stay with me as I become the neurologist I aspire to be.