The military is the reason for my existence. That may sound dramatic, but my parents would have never met and therefore I would never have been born. Let’s start from the beginning, my dad joined the air force straight out of high school and was stationed in a couple different places with the final location being Great Falls, Montana. Great Falls is my mother’s hometown and where she was attending college. One night both of my parents were driving with their friends in separate cars, obviously, when they both pulled up next to each other at a red light. My dad rolls down the window and so does my mom, and they begin talking. Well the conversation went so well that in the span of time it takes a red light to turn green, that my dad asked for my mom’s number. My dad did not have any paper, but he did have a pen so he wrote my mom’s number on his and they both went their separate ways. Later that night, my dad washes his hands and once it is too late he realized that he washed away my mom’s number before writing it down. Thinking that this might just be the end of their story, my dad’s friend, who was in the car, somehow remembered my mom’s number. My dad called her from his friend's memory and the rest was history. So, I guess I have both the military and my dad’s friend for my existence. This was such a tiny town, so it is not that crazy that my parents met, but it is a little shocking to think that a man from a small town in Texas ended up in a small town in Montana and met his wife. Not only that, but that my dad almost lost my mom’s number and that probably would have led to nothing but a small interaction at a red light. Also, I cannot believe that my mom met up with a strange man she met on the street without ever knowing him, that would never happen in today’s day-in-age. Thinking back and analyzing all of the moving parts in this story it honestly seems like the world was both against and for them meeting. This story taught me that just because there are bumps in the road, does mean what you are chasing is not meant to be.

I have struggled with anxiety since I entered high school. My anxiety is especially heightened during the school year and this has proven to be both a benefit and hindrance. Over the past few years as I have learned more about my mental illness, I do my best to remind myself to make my mental health a priority. I am a person that thrives through receiving academic validation and my academic success is something I value very highly. My anxiety affects my mental health in a sort of scheduled way which normally centers around feeling overwhelmed and the fear of not receiving an A at the end of the term. The first week of class when looking over all of my syllabi, I tend to cause myself to get very stressed out at the fact that I believe I will be unable to complete all of my assignments in a timely manner and with quality effort. Once that initial stress passes, it switches to a coming and going of stress over grades depending on the progress in each class. The combination of all of these feelings and stressors causes me to heavily prioritize my grades and make it the most important thing to me. Now this is, at most times, a beneficial thing that propels me in my academic career and forces me to be as successful as I have been already. Although, there are times when it becomes too much and will result in me hyperfocusing on things that do not require as much attention as I am allotting to it. This then bleeds into my personal life and I begin to not put as much effort into friendships and enjoyment. My mental health makes it difficult for me to recognize what is too much effort into school and what is the perfect amount. Because of progress in therapy and maturing through age, I have begun to discern when I am falling back into these patterns. When I catch myself hyperfocusing on school and forgetting about everything else that is just as important like my relationships and overall health, I force myself to take a step back. I attempt to journal out my issues and rationalize them. I also heavily rely on a planner so I can plan out a little bit of work each day instead of all of it one day. This helps me to properly manage my time and allocate a balance of time to school, personal life, and my other commitments. I force myself to spend time with my friends during times that I feel “too busy”, but deep down know that is not the case. Additionally, I make it a point to remind myself that I have survived the past five years with a heavy work load and the only thing I regret is not spending more time on things outside of class. Over the years, these steps have proven to change my mindset and the impact my mental health has on my academics and personal life during school. I think I have reached a point where my anxiety has become more of a benefit to my success than a hindrance.

Legacy is the notion of someone’s presence that continues to linger despite their absence. Legacy is something that someone leaves behind in place of their physical being, not just in death. To me, it means they created and impacted the people in the community around them so heavily that they do not need to inhabit the same space as someone in order to be influential. This is the way in which I perceive legacy because this is the way that the people who have inspired me embody the word legacy. My pediatrician comes to mind when I think of someone that has taught me what leaving a legacy means. He was the epitome of a kind and understanding man who put their community before themselves. When I was little I would look forward to going to the doctor which seems to be the opposite narrative regarding children and the doctor. My pediatrician ensured that his office was welcoming and inviting and that his energy matched that description as well. My interactions with him over the course of my nineteen years have been the biggest factor into my decision to go to medical school and become a pediatrician in hopes of leaving a legacy like his behind. Now, he is not dead, but he has retired and the crowd that arrived at his retirement party was a testament to his genuine personality. My parents did an amazing job when choosing him to be our primary care physician all those years ago. Another thing my parents did that I will take inspiration in for my future children is my upbringing. My childhood was nowhere near perfect and my family still has their imperfections, but overall I look back with nothing but fondness. Both of my parents were first generation college students and worked from the ground up to provide me and my brother with nothing but the best. I have traveled across the country and the world and experienced so many amazing things because of my parents' hard work. I have never doubted myself because of the way my parents have supported me throughout all of my endeavors. I grew up playing softball and there was never a time that my dad was not pouring everything he had into making me better. Whether that was pitching lessons, researching drills and proper form, or even making a batting cage in our backyard. This was coupled with my mom’s undying support over my performance at games despite the fact of if she was right or wrong. My parents are amazing people who ensured that I knew I could achieve anything I set my mind to and that they would always be there for me no matter what I decided those dreams be. I feel a sense of comfort that I can talk to my parents about anything and I strive to be that parent to my future kids, that sister to my brother, and the friend to my friends. I, absolutely, will continue this cycle my parents broke away from. Legacy means everything to me because the people I have had leave an impact on my life. I am unsure who has inspired me the most out of the people I have mentioned, but my parents have definitely left the greatest impact. I hope to create a legacy of my own in the future and honor those who have made one in my life.

A memory that will always and forever be ingrained in my mind will be the time I sat in a hospital waiting room at 11:00pm with my little cousin while his brain dead mother had the plug pulled on her. This is a moment in time that solidified my desire to become a physician. It was not the moment that caused me to want to be a doctor when I grew up because that has always just been there for me, but it was the moment I told myself I would accomplish this no matter what I had to do. This career goal is thing I want to build the most in my life. Not only would building this goal allow me to help people and create a positive impact on their life, but it will teach me things about myself and the world that I would have never discovered without it. I feel as though the journey to being accepted into medical school will be one of the hardest things I have ever done and it will teach me the art of motivation, of struggling, and of teaching yourself along the way. Working so hard to build the goal of becoming a first generation physician will make me a better provider for my community. It will teach me to handle every situation with grace and truly listen to my patients. I will advocate for patients that cannot advocate for themselves and ensure they get the quality of care that everyone deserves no matter class, race, or gender. I hope to build my future through remembering my aunt and all that she was. It will give me the fuel I need to continue to persevere and reach my goal that is extremely obtainable. Throughout my journey, I will continue to exude kindness in every way possible which I hope will bleed into my future career.

Ever since I have consciousness, I have wanted to become a physician. I remember forcing my brother to play doctor with me and only ever told people that I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up. Well, now I am grown up and it is time to achieve this dream. It takes an immense amount of hard work and dedication to become a practicing physician and even more money. Of course I have had straying thoughts wondering if I should pursue something else easier or cheaper, but I saw this post online during that time of doubt and it said: “If you think of something everyday, without fail, then it is meant for you.” After I saw that quote, it stuck by me and motivated me even more to complete this goal of mine. The summer before my senior year of high school, I visited Augustana College. It is a small liberal arts school about 2 hours outside of Chicago and I fell in love. I made the jump to move 15 hours away from my hometown that I have lived in my whole life. This school is a little more expensive than some of my other options, but I could not see myself attending college anywhere else. I have just finished my first year and have no regrets about moving away from home as I have met some of the best people I have known and made unforgettable memories. I played varsity softball my first year to continue my 15 year journey with the sport, but I ultimately decided that my academics were more important. I made the decision that it would be in my best interest to focus my efforts on getting into medical school while having time for myself and my loved ones as well. Due to the fact that I am unable to work enough to pay for college out of pocket, my parents cannot afford to pay for my college, and I did not receive any FAFSA money, I am now relying on applying to outside scholarships. Winning this scholarship would help minimize the cost of room and board at my college as this is the biggest expense, since I earned a merit scholarship to cover most of my tuition. The average doctor is 200K in debt after medical school. This scholarship would allow me to enter medical school with the least amount of debt possible while also attending a school with ample opportunity to aid my journey into medical school. This money would make it easier for me to become a physician and change as many lives as possible.

I was able to move halfway across the country, by myself, because of my softball team. As a high school senior, I decided to commit to play softball at my dream school fifteen hours away in Illinois. I am from Texas, for reference. It was obviously terrifying when my parents left, and I had to go to practice for the first time with twenty eight strangers. In the beginning, I did not click instantly with anyone. This really scared me because it seemed like everyone had their groups and I was just there. I went into college softball very burnt out from it consuming my life for the past fifteen years, but I pushed through. I pushed through the burnout and the feelings of exclusion because I knew there was more to this team. Eventually, I broke down my walls and made some of the best friends I could ever ask for. I began to look forward to games and practice because it meant I got to spend more time and connect more with them. We ranged from extremely deep, important talks to the silliest jokes you could imagine. I do not know what I would do without this group of girls because the connection with teammates is like no other. Putting energy and effort into this community is something I will never not be grateful for. This connection not only brought me comfort in the present, but also gave me hope for the future. Knowing I was able to find community in a completely unfamiliar environment made me believe I could do it again—whether in future jobs, new cities, or even unexpected life changes. These friendships taught me that meaningful relationships often form when you least expect them, and that vulnerability can lead to strength. I now feel more confident that no matter where life takes me, I have the tools to build connections, overcome challenges, and thrive. The lessons I’ve learned extend far beyond the softball field. Because of my teammates, I now embrace change with optimism instead of fear, trusting that the right people will always come into my life when I need them most. I feel as though the path this connection took was essential in teaching me just how capable I am now and will be in the future. If I am able to persevere and find a community for myself at this age then surely it will be possible down the line.

I have really wanted to go visit a national park and hike the beautiful trails.