When I ponder what qualities/characteristics I value most in myself I begin to think back over all my experiences with some of my closest friends that I hold dear to my heart. I start to see one of the qualities that I do value most about myself is my ability to be there for others and to have the ability to always be an open ear for them. Growing up I always knew my life was different from my friends as my parents were still together, I was afforded the opportunity to get new toys or clothing if I wanted, and I also made new friends easily. Now many people think this life would sound amazing, and they would question why I would be upset over this life. The answer lies within seeing the true impact my friends had to endure not having the same experiences that I had. Most of my friends did not have either parent in the household and if they did it was a terrible situation for them to be involved in. Furthermore, they also got severely bullied by others and did not get the chance to truly feel loved or accepted. From this, I was able to look at my life and not take anything for granted as I was able to see firsthand the detrimental effects it can have on someone's life, especially as a kid. To elaborate, since my friends had to endure such tragic situations where they felt this agonizing pain of not feeling loved it gave me the opportunity to step in and be there for them and to show them, they are not alone. Seeing how just one conversation of where they felt their voice was finally being heard enabled me to feel so grateful and enabled them to have a sense of happiness despite everything they must endure. Overall, I genuinely believe in having the quality/characteristic of being there for others and being an open ear will assist me in my life journey as no one knows truly what others go through daily, and having this ability to be there for others will enable them to feel a sense of secureness within themselves. Also, just engaging in a simple conversation with someone and checking up to see how they are doing in their life will also benefit them to know that their voice deserves to be heard and that whatever they go through, they should know they do not have to fight that battle alone.

“Speak up for those who can't speak for themselves...” This verse from the Bible comes from Proverbs 31:8. I decided to use this verse because it emphasizes my position on being pro-life and it explains how we should not let the unborn not have a voice. Growing up in a Christian household, I have always been taught that every life matters including the unborn. I knew it was unfair and outright terrible to make the decision of taking away the innocent life of a baby. Furthermore, throughout attending high school I would hear of countless teen girls who wanted to get an abortion as soon as they found out they were pregnant. For me, this was extremely hard to hear, not just because of my personal beliefs but because I am also a firm believer that if you make the decision to engage in something then you must deal with the aftermath of your actions. It is not up to you to make the decision to take away an innocent child’s life that you have created in the first place. Additionally, people will argue that as teenagers are so young, they should not have to take on that responsibility and be forced to keep a child they do not want. My standing on this issue is, is that there are other options for the unborn child than just deciding to take away its life. This also furthers my standing on if they do not want the child or if they are too young to take upon that responsibility then they should not engage in activities that will cause such things to happen. From this, as I am only a first-year student in college I know teens are considering the option of abortion frequently. Despite this, I plan to continue to stand up and be a voice for the unborn even if it means advocating against my own friends. I would explain to them the effects of their decisions and let them know of other alternative routes to take if they are not ready to take care of a child. I also plan to get involved in protests that will stand up for the voices of the unborn as their life matters just as much as anyone else's on this planet. Overall, being a pro-life advocate is very crucial to me and explains that human life is special and should not be taken away so carelessly. Being a Christian has shaped my beliefs and morals when it comes to me being pro-life and I am so thankful and blessed that it has. Every human life matters on this planet, especially the unborn and it is time for others to speak up on their behalf and not keep silent while their pure life is being taken away.

Growing up I never really thought of how well off my family was. I would have the opportunity to be gifted with new clothes or new toys whenever I asked. At such a youthful age, I did not realize at the time that unfortunately not everyone has it that well off, and for some, it is even a struggle to find the money to get something to eat. To start, giving has always been something I feel not only warms my heart but also allows me to be a light in someone else’s life that will enable them to benefit from this act of kindness. Having the opportunity to give back to others is so important to me as now that I have gotten older, I have seen an increased number of people who are in desperate need of someone to help them whether it be from money or from a simple conversation. From this, the main deed me and my family do to give back is to provide food and money to homeless people that we encounter on the streets. Whenever I and my family do see a homeless person in need, we provide them with money to get them through the day or week and we also spend time talking to them to get to know them better. Due to this, we begin to form a connection with them even if they are a stranger but within a couple of minutes of getting to know them, we can begin to see the tragedies some of these people have to endure. Overall, giving is so important to me as it allows me to be filled with contentment as I am able to provide them with a beneficial experience while also understanding not everyone is provided with the same opportunities.

As a child, I always thought of what my life would become and what all I would accomplish. I would tell myself I wanted to be a teacher or counselor, or even at one point a doctor. I would even pretend my stuffed animals in my room were actual people and I would talk to them presenting all my ideas. Now that I have recently graduated from high school and am now attending college, I knew I had to start quickly thinking of potential career options for myself. From this, I started to reflect on careers I knew I was potentially interested in or that I knew would further my plans for my future. The first career that came to my mind was becoming a clinical psychologist. This option was perfect for me as I wanted to help as many people as possible who struggle with finding their strengths within themselves. The next viable option was becoming a teacher and teaching students primarily in second or third grade. Furthermore, from deciding on these career options I could reflect on what my dream life would be like. Helping others has always been something I am so passionate about and I know pursuing these fields will fulfill my dreams. Additionally, to add to what I picture my dream life to look like I hope that after I accomplish earning my bachelor's and Doctoral degree from these career options, I will marry my best friend/boyfriend and start a family with him. Overall, thinking about what my dream life will look like brings me great excitement for my future. If I can continue to help others and be a light in their lives while spending the rest of my life with the man I love I know my true dream life will be fulfilled.

All of my life I have strived to ensure others felt included or welcomed especially during high school. High school can be a fun while also intimidating experience for some as most cases of bullying start to occur. Due to this, students are heavily impacted as their mental health can start to rapidly decline and lead them to thoughts that no one should think of. From this, if I were to become a highly influential figure the main thing I would stand for is kindness and teaching others to become welcoming of everyone. In today’s society it is very common to see division rather than coming together to work for a better cause. There is so much hatred and violence in our world today that many do not want to take the time to do one simple thing and that is treating others with respect and kindness. I truly believe social media also has a huge impact on why others feel not included. If you do not look up to the beauty standards society has created, or have the right clothing, or even enough followers you could be treated as an outcast and be made fun of. It is terrible to even think that could be the outcome, however it is for many which in turn leads to feelings of shame or unworthiness. To end, I feel in today’s society the last thing we need especially amidst this widespread pandemic is hatred towards one another. Due to this, if I had the opportunity to become a highly influential figure I would ensure and stand for inclusiveness for everyone. It is time to put an end to all the division we face in today’s world but rather come together to make the world a better environment and experience for everyone.

It was a normal night, I got ready for bed and hit the hay not even thinking of the horrible news I would receive a few hours later. I was awakened to the sound of the phone ringing and something in me told me to get up and answer it. As soon as I did we got told the news my grandpa had passed. That day on January 5th, 2018 still haunts me to this day. To elaborate, after that tragic day my life was not the same. My grandpa was a major influence in my life. He taught us to always chase after your dreams, to be hardworking, and to preserve through any struggle knowing you have faith by your side. I will admit it did take me a long time to have the strength to push forward and continue on with my life. However, I came to the realization that my life had to go on and I had a lot to accomplish in his honor. Furthermore, this had shaped my hopes for my future as knowing my grandpa would want me to persevere I tried to do just that. I continued to work hard in school and I finished high school with a majority of all A’s and B’s. I participated and joined multiple clubs all while still being heavily involved in the band. Now, I just finished my first semester as a Freshman in college and I made the Dean’s list, and with this accomplishment it truly has encouraged me to continue working towards my major in Psychology with my minor in English Education. All in all, my life did have some setbacks and some hardships, However, I managed to overcome them and stay determined to achieve my goals and hopes for my future.