While going through my military service and then transitioning to college, the best way I have stayed optimistic was by surrounding myself around people who shared my interests as well as keeping my friend group small. People have the tendencies to compensate their insecurities by having multiple friends but in actuality, if you keep your friend group small you will realize that having those same friends is way better than having hundreds of friends that constantly want your attention. Another technique that I have learned throughout my life is the importance of meditation. When you become at peace with yourself and love yourself first, your happiness will come to you faster than you would expect. While in the military, the same thinking applied to me. I kept my friend group small and we all had a passion to going to the gym and getting stronger and the fact that these were men and woman that I lived, ate and worked together with, we all go along with each other better than expected. Of course, people come and go but being obsessed will strain not only relationships, but even your own person. This will cause more stress and create stress between family, friends and even relationships.

As a first-generation American, the challenges that were faced throughout my life were primarily due to attempting to fit in with the people around me. Although it may sound simplistic, it was in fact, extremely difficult for someone like me. It is difficult to defend yourself while the majority of people already look down upon you. While living in the North East Coast, there is an immeasurable amount of diversity, but a majority of people are either Caucasian, Hispanic, or of African descent. There were rarely any Asian-American individuals that I have met while in school or outside of school. Most people nowadays look at Asian-Americans as people who bring over disease and like to carry out weird things, even though I was born and raised in America as First-generation and have never set foot in any of the countries that people would tend to mock. How did these challenges come to shape my dreams and vision for the future? Well, for my future, I just want to live in a place where Asians don't become the model minority anymore, and I believe that I changed this, although a small amount, by joining the Military. A while ago, I was enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, lived in Japan and worked as with foreign relations, assisted the Japanese people during disasters, and had become someone who I would have never though I would have become. I have broken out of my shell and gained a more active outlook on life instead of becoming someone with a narrow mind. Furthermore, I had the chance to travel, enjoy the magnificent sights, and take in the natural beauty of what Japan was. This, brought my mind to a better place, and I looked upon my dreams of being in a better place. These experiences helped me examine the future as something that I need to take a hold of. It is not something that someone can merely change for you, you must take it upon yourself to actively go and change what you can so that you may not suffer as much in the future. To add on, these types of goals are like a thousand-mile journey, but it only takes one step to start that journey. I believe that small changes will eventually lead into greater and more magnificent changes while I take this course in my life. These types of topics are sensitive and not easily obtainable. For years, many people of different minority groups want equality and their civil rights to be heard for people to hear. Same with my people and many others, there is a sort of stigma when it comes to Asian-Americans and that sort of shameful behavior should be tarnished.