Dental Hygiene was my first choice of career when applying for college programs during my junior and senior years of high school. The science and hands-on work were fascinating to me as a child. Being one of four children, my parents stated that they would not be cosigning any private loans or helping financially with tuition. Therefore, I had to work since I legally could so that this goal could be made possible. The University of New England was my dream school, with supportive staff and endless resources; however, it is a very expensive school. I worked two part-time jobs during the summer before the freshman fall semester and was able to afford that semester’s tuition. Throughout my college career, I have continued to work multiple jobs to afford my off-campus housing and tuition each semester while maintaining a good academic standing. During my junior year of the program, we students started taking live patients and incorporating our past knowledge into the appointments. I felt very unprepared for this stage in my learning, but the appointment process became easier with repetition and time. Patient education is one aspect I emphasize each time I see a patient. There was a hilarious teenager that I treated who did not practice adequate at-home care and her diet consisted of many fermentable carbs. Since our student Dental Hygiene clinic functions as a community health clinic, the mother reached out to see if we could treat her daughter’s cavities at a lower price than at their private dentist. After taking x-rays, it was diagnosed by a dentist on the floor that this teen had two deep decayed adult teeth and would most likely need two root canals as a result. I educated the patient about dietary change and daily biofilm removal to prevent further decay than what was already present. This experience has stayed with me because this teen has permanent damage to her adult dentition at such a young age that could not be reversed; Additionally, it also highlighted the reality of affordability of treatment that many individuals do not have. This is why I am looking into entering a public practice clinic owned by an independent Dental Hygienist in Maine that accepts state-funded insurance and treats many foster children. The last part is what motivated me to look into this clinic initially. Being an international adoptee, I was an orphan for the first year of my life. My sister is an international adoptee and she was in the Chinese foster care system. While my sister and I are very fortunate to have good dentition, other children are not. These kids experience harsh realities at a very young age and their teeth does not have to be another insecurity these children have. It is my goal to help these kids have happy smiles that will stay with them throughout their lives.

Everyone has a different challenge. Some challenges are physical, and others can be mental. As a Chinese adoptee, my challenge was both physical and emotional. In the middle of a busy street in China, I was abandoned with my umbilical cord still attached. The doctors had determined that I was only a few days old. In the orphanage, the babies fought each other for food, toys, and attention from the caregivers. The babies had to share cribs because of the orphanage overflow. When my adoptive parents came to bring me to the United States, they found a bite mark on my arm from another baby. Later, I began to pay attention to the differences between me and my family. My adoptive brother had the physical traits that he shared with my parents, but I did not. Others would ask me about my birth parents to which I had no answer. I questioned whether I was Caucasian or Chinese. This is when I learned about my origins, lack of background, and China’s One Child Policy. This brought me much grief and sadness. How could a government tell people about how many babies to have? Why would my parents just give me up? One coping mechanism was to write fake letters to my birth mother. I would tell her about my days and what was new in life. As the years passed, I matured and accepted that my past would never be answered. Grieving would solve nothing: it was time to move on. That being said, I turned my attention to working hard in life. Nowadays, my birth mother and history rarely cross my mind. While my adoption is a part of who I am, it does not define who I am as a person. My accomplishments and character are due to my efforts and actions. My history was out of my control; my future is in my control. That being said, I set my goals for my future. One significant long-term goal is to graduate post-secondary education with a bachelor's in Dental Hygiene from the University of New England and a state license. Alongside this goal, there is the goal of graduating with minimal student loans as possible. Being one of four children with educators as parents, there were little to no expected family contributions to my education. On top of this, my brother and I were both entering post-secondary education in the same year. After realizing this, I worked and saved since my freshmen year of high school to pay the full tuition. I continue this by working two jobs (off-campus and on-campus) during the school year while maintaining a cumulative 3.5 GPA. If my hard work pays off, Maine will have a new addition to its population that will provide the healthcare services that many rural areas need.

Mental health is defined as psychological and emotional well-being. In recent years there has been an increase in reports of poor mental health across different demographics and populations. To resolve this, there have been more advocacy and resources to improve one's mental health. Oftentimes college students neglect their mental health which only sets them back. There are ways that I, as a university student, maintain my mental health. Personal time away from academics or work is important to me; this could be scrolling mindlessly through social media or watching a funny YouTube video. There have been many times in which I had to prioritize my academics over my personal time and this led to me feeling burnt out and exhausted. To accomplish both academics and alone time, I schedule certain times for academia throughout the day. After a certain time in the evening, I stop my academia and relax for the rest of the night. This rest includes time for my hobbies. This allows me to recharge and have more energy to accomplish more things. Mental health and physical health or hygiene go hand-in-hand. By staying active and going to the gym, I feel more refreshed and fulfilled at the end of the day. It is a mental break and provides me with the opportunity to have some personal time. As previously mentioned, I end my academics in the evening, have some alone time to recharge, and get an adequate amount of rest; I have found that I cannot focus if I do not get enough rest. As a future Dental Hygienist and healthcare provider, I understand the importance of maintaining a healthy body and mind. If I take care of myself, my academics and personal life will follow. Like many others, I too connect my emotions with music. There are many different songs dedicated to stress, life, and love. These are things that college students often struggle with. Sometimes the songs are just for entertainment rather than personal relations. For me, I find music that I can dance to and feel energized by listening to it. My friends and I can sing and dance in our dorm while the music is blasting through the speakers which boosts the feelings of happiness and reduces stress. Additionally, learning the lyrics to a new song can activate memory and cognitive well-being. It is important to work hard as a student to achieve my goals and maintain my mental well-being. I cannot accomplish much if I am not in the condition to do so. At the end of the day, the key is to relax to play hard.

Reading is a common pastime that many use to escape the world that they live in. Literature inspires and motivates those who come across them. While I have not been able to read recently, there are past book series and novels that have impacted my life and character. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is one of the most popular book series read, especially during the teenage years. Many know the story of Katniss Everdeen's fight for survival in both the arenas and the Capitol. She is a hard, strong feminine character who has shown her love through her protection and defense rather than traditional feminine characteristics. Through her scarred past, she has been able to find peace knowing that she made a better future for her children. This is not to say that she loses those she loves throughout her story. In these ways, I can relate to her. Being a Chinese adoptee, I have experienced hardships and obstacles throughout my journey: from being discriminated against by my “own race” to being considered not even Asian at all. Many other adoptees have undergone an identity crisis about who they are; this is especially true if the adoptee is of a different origin than the rest of his/her family. While some adoptees know who their birth parents/family are, many do not. I too had this identity crisis. Not knowing my parents was something that I had to make peace with to move forward. While my past is a part of me, It does not define me. My goals of graduating from the University of New England with a Bachelor's in Dental Hygiene and working in Maine will define me as a person. Similar to The Hunger Games, The Giver series by Lois Lowry is a series that many teenagers come across. Each book focuses on a character and each character is connected to the other’s story along with a certain “gift” each other possesses. The first book will always be a favorite of mine. Jonas lives in a community with rigid routines and a council that determines the careers for the next class. There is no hunger, no overpopulation, and a family for every child. Jonas gets to become the next Giver of Memories because of his special ability to “see beyond”. With this career, he is given the memories of color, grandparents, family, and war. Jonas begins to question the function and intent of the community when he witnesses his father kill an innocent baby because it does not meet the community’s standards. The same fate would have been bestowed upon a baby, Gabriel, but Jonas escapes the community with Gabriel and begins a new life. Living means that there will be uncertainty, but there is much more joy in living than in just existing. Like Jonas, I want to deviate from the norms and be my own person. One of my goals is to graduate university with minimal student debt/loans. To do this, I have worked since I was fifteen and worked two jobs during my time in university. This balance has caused me to miss several opportunities to hang out with friends and create new memories, but I want to conquer obstacles so I can live later instead of being held down due to financial obligations. I want to break the mold and wish to inspire others to do the same.

The journey has not been easy. After being abandoned only a few days old, I was found and brought to an orphanage. Babies had to fight for everything: food, toys, and attention from the caretakers. Cribs had multiple babies sleeping in them due to the overflow. Luckily, I was adopted by a family in New York who already had a son of their own. I was then brought back to the United States and my story continues from there. Being a Chinese American adoptee has caused much difficulty throughout the years. Like many international adoptees, I faced an identity crisis during my developmental years. I questioned whether I was Chinese or white and where I came from. Other children bullied me for being Chinese and questioned me about my adoption. Peers stereotyped me as being the "smart kid" due to my ethnicity and cheated off my academic work. Therefore, I had to make peace with this and grieve the loss I will never experience. Alongside my adoption, there is the question of the community I am supposed to belong to. While I appear Asian, I did not grow up in that community or lifestyle. Therefore, some Asians automatically assume I know how to speak an Asian language and others discriminate against me for not being fully "Asian". One time during Chinese school during my childhood; an authentic Asian parent confronted me and asked me why my parents would want me in comparison to her child. Luckily, my mom defended me and shut down the condescending parent. Needless to say, this has put into question my identity even further. Who am I? It has taken me time and thought about myself, but I matured and know who I am. I am who I make myself to be. My past is part of who I am, but it does not define me. My work, plans, and goals define my character. To graduate from the University of New England with a Bachelor's degree in Dental Hygiene will be my biggest accomplishment alongside entering the professional field. Additionally, I work two jobs for tuition to minimize the student loans I will need to pay off; I will be contributing to my younger siblings' educations in the future. I hope that my story will inspire other adoptees and assist them in discovering who they are as people. The future is what you make it to be.

Several young adult books were turned into film adaptations during my teenage years. One of the more popular genres was post-apocalyptic or futuristic. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was a very successful book series that became even more popular with the movie adaptations. Not surprisingly, it is my favorite book-to-film adaptation. For many fans, staying true to the story and book details is required. Most directors and writers stayed true to the storyline. The Capitol was designed to be futuristic yet high-class. The makeup and customers of the Capitol citizens stay true to the readers' imaginations in all of their extravagance. When in the Arena, the details of the games were followed through. The camera work during scenes conveys Katniss’s emotions and isolation during her time in the games with the shaking and instability. The audience can tell that the production crew took this beloved series with care and consideration. This is especially true when creating the only imaginable horror and cruelty of the Hunger Games. The series does not shy away from showing the gruesome reality of this punishment. Other than the production and following the book, there was the performance of the cast. For all book adaptions, there is pressure on the cast to follow the character from the book. Jennifer Lawerance's Katniss Everdeen embedded everything her character was: independent, less emotionally intuned, and intelligent. She is the person many young women strive to become. Josh Hutcherson also does an excellent job of being the meeker yet supportive partner for Katniss; especially during the games. Neither actor receives the proper credit for their performances. This series serves as a message and a warning to future generations which is one of the main reasons I love this series in the first place. Each element and worker investing in this saga has captured the embodiment of the books. Over time with stress and trauma, the world turns into an inhuman place. Katniss is the light that brings humanity back and stays true to herself despite who and what is around her. She does not wish to kill any of her competition but must do so to say the ones she loves. Even through her PTSD and experiences, she can find love and peace in the end with Petta and their two children. Her story is brought to life and makes the message even more real to the viewers through the beloved movies and will continue to affect others.

In my childhood, my parents had my siblings and I participate in biblical media most of the time. I would watch Vegetales movies and listen to gospel music on the radio. Anything that had magic or supernatural was prohibited and restricted. Luckily, this was lessened once my younger siblings joined the family. This is when my interest in action and the supernatural occurred which affected the media I partook in later in life. One of my favorite franchises is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From Tony Stark creating the Arch Reactor to Thanos snapping half of the world’s population out of existence; this world is just fascinating to me. Certain characters stood out to me through watching the movies: Hawkeye (Clint Barton) and Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff). Both characters work for the S.H.I.E.L.D. agency and fight side by side to protect the world. Aside from their admirable combat skills, they have a special brother-sister-like relationship; this is due to Hawkeye being sent to kill Black Widow since she was an international spy trained by the Red Room. Hawkeye spared Black Widow and they became strong, independent characters throughout the series. I want to be like both of them: working towards their goals despite the obstacles. Currently, I am enrolled at the University of New England for a Bachelor’s in the Dental Hygiene program. I work two jobs to afford the tuition and plan to graduate with little to no student debt. This is a huge milestone that will be difficult but rewarding to accomplish through dedication and hard work. Other than action and supernatural media, I enjoy watching some Asian-American media now and then. Being a Chinese adoptee, I was naturally curious about my birth culture since I was never exposed to it. One film that I constantly return to is Crazy Rich Asians. While it is a romance movie, there are other messages within. The main character, Rachel Chu, must convince her boyfriend’s rich authentic Asian family that she is worthy of their son; yet despite her efforts, her boyfriend’s mother does not accept Rachel because she grew up poor and in the United States. I can relate to Rachel sometimes; I grew up in the United States and I cannot relate to other Asians who I am supposed to be associated with. I have faced discrimination and criticism from both my own “race” and Americans. At the end of the movie, Rachel stays true to herself and does not feel the need to prove her worth. This is how I strive to be like Rachel. I am Chinese American and I know my worth. Media is meant to convey some message or evoke a reaction from the audience. Its purpose is to reflect and influence society. The media I have consumed have provided examples and models for me to mirror if I so choose. I will continue to intake media I love alongside providing dental care services to the residents of Maine.

The journey has been a long one and it certainly has not been easy. On the sidewalk of a busy street in China, I was left only a few old with my umbilical cord still attached. I was brought to an orphanage; the babies had to fight each other for food, toys, and attention from the caretakers. Due to the overflow of orphans, babies had to share cribs. Thankfully, I was adopted by a New York couple who already had a son of their own. From there, the rest of the journey has occurred in the United States. Hangouts with friends and trips to the movies were passed over to pick up work shifts; the determination to reach my goal was the priority. Being one of four children with educators as parents, there would be little to no money toward my higher education. My parents did not save money for my higher education. They made it clear that they would not cosign on any private student loans because it would put the family into debt. Furthermore, my brother and I would be entering higher education the same year. I wanted to become a licensed Dental Hygienist despite this obstacle. That being said, I applied for my first job and worked most days after school. After researching higher education options with my desired program, I found the University of New England and invested my efforts to be accepted into this school. My family and I met with a financial advisor during an accepted students' day visit. Unfortunately, the financial advisor stated that my family and I should not even consider the university if my family could not afford the tuition. While this was disappointing to hear, this only motivated me more to achieve my goal. I later officially enrolled at the University of New England. The summer before the first semester I worked two jobs to earn more. Most nights I returned very late from one job and woke up very early to start the other job. While this was physically and mentally exhausting, this state was only temporary in comparison to the overall journey. In the end, I paid the full fall semester tuition. To continue to pay the tuition bills in full, I work two jobs during the academic year: on-campus and off-campus. Next year I will be moving to the professional clinical campus; this campus does not have any on-campus housing. This means that the cost of living and other expenses will increase. To afford the costs, I will be required to work more while maintaining a good academic standing to renew the university’s merit scholarship. This will not be easy, but it is a part of the process. After graduating from the University of New England with a Bachelor's in Dental Hygiene, I plan to move and become a resident of Maine. Much of Maine’s population consists of retirees; this means that my healthcare career will be needed and in demand. The residents will receive my services in education and dental health. This will be a fulfilling career by helping other people and benefiting Maine resident’s health.

This past December, my grandfather (“Papa”) passed away. The funeral was held in the town where my Mom was raised. It was the first time I saw my Dad cry. My younger sister had to conduct the eulogy. Being the oldest daughter, I had to be strong throughout this event; I kept my composure until I saw my teenage younger brother break. I shielded him and tried my best to comfort him. It was a mournful day seeing my older brother, my uncles, and my Dad carry Papa’s casket to the designated grave. Since then, I have been reminiscing about him and how he influenced my life. When my parents adopted me from China, they already had a birth son of their own. My brother was only two months older than me. My Papa and “Gagie” accepted me with open arms. I was told that I used to be scared of his white hair since I was not used to people with white hair. As time passed, I got used to it and would spend time with him. My Papa and I shared a love for food. He ensured that I would eat clams and crack open my lobster correctly. As his grandchildren grew older, he made sure to come to every school concert and see both of his grandsons participate in their high school track meets. One important lesson that my Papa wanted his grandchildren to know was to work hard to earn what they wanted: just like he did. The last thing he wanted his grandchildren and children to have was debt. He desired for me and my siblings to have happy and successful futures. No matter what Papa had made sure his grandchildren knew he loved them. Despite his lively spirit, his health declined with age. Due to his Alzheimer's disease, he experienced fatigue and memory loss; yet he was able to recite long and complex poems. There were several doctor appointments, hospital visits, and close calls to his passing. I knew that he would pass during my time in college; I just did not know when. Therefore, I would spend as much time at my grandparents’ house when I visited home; I helped him with his crosswords. He always told me that he loved me and that I must do well in school. Papa wanted to make sure that I would always drive home from college safely: back to him. One thing that my Papa feared was himself dying on Christmas Day: like what happened to his father. Luckily, he passed away before Christmas; he was able to die peacefully in his sleep. While his passing was sad, I think of my Papa’s passing in a different light. My dear Papa is no longer suffering from Alzheimer's: the cause of his death. Somewhere he is riding on his motorcycle and eating all the ice cream he wants. He is gone but he is always with me. Whenever I drive home from college, I take a longer route to pass by my Papa’s grave. He is guiding me home and guiding me through life. I want to continue to make my Papa proud and I will graduate from the University of New England with a Bachelor in Dental Hygiene. He will know he did his part as a loving grandfather.

Being one of four children with educators as parents, there was always little money to go around. There were no savings accounts for my post-secondary education, meaning my family would be contributing little to no funding. My parents clarified that they would also not cosign on any student loans because it would devastate the family’s finances and put them into debt. On top of this, my brother and I would enter our higher education the same year. Despite this, my goal was to become a licensed Dental Hygienist; this requires either an Associate’s degree or a Bachelor’s Degree. Therefore, I applied for my first job and worked most days after school to put toward my college fund. To afford the university tuition, I work two jobs during the academic year: on-campus and off-campus. The on-campus job provides the opportunity to work on academics or some downtime. For some shifts, I must open up the campus center early in the morning and for other shifts, I must close very late. This makes me aware of the time I have available outside of work and class to dedicate to academia. Aside from academics, I must also put effort into my physical health, mental health, and other essential errands. Oftentimes, I pick up additional shifts to earn more. This sometimes cuts time with friends short or eliminates the opportunity to have fun. While this may be disappointing, it is a hard lesson that must be learned. The off-campus job is exclusively on weekends and in the evenings. The weekends are considered time to relax and sleep in; however, this is not the case. I still set an alarm on weekend mornings to be productive before I go to work. Like the on-campus job, this does not allow me to spend time with friends. Overall, working during the school year has provided challenges between academics and time. All job experiences will teach me how to manage and navigate the career world. Participating in mostly customer service jobs has exposed me to the world of consumption and marketing. One of the fundamental aspects of customer service is social interaction. Since my future career is in Dental Hygiene, I must interact with patients and know how to navigate the social situation. Furthermore, working in customer service has made me more conscious of how I treat and how to treat other customer service workers. Treating the staff respectfully can be more effective and beneficial in the long run; especially when it comes to making professional connections later down the road. While most customer service social interactions are pleasant, not every interaction is respectful and conflict can occur. This is when one must stand their ground respectfully; this will be vital in the Dental Hygiene field. All job experiences have some value later in life. Working during school is not easy. Students are expected to manage their time between obligations while maintaining good academic standing to renew scholarships. Throughout this experience, I have gained friendships and valuable skills that can be utilized in my professional career. Becoming a working student and funding my education will make graduating with a degree even more worthwhile.

Being one of four children with educators as parents, there was always little money to go around. There were no savings accounts for my post-secondary education; this meant that my family would be contributing little to no funding. My parents clarified that they would also not cosign on any student loans because it would devastate the family’s finances and put them into debt. On top of this, my brother and I would enter our higher education the same year. Despite all of this, my goal was to become a licensed Dental Hygienist; this requires either an Associate’s degree or a Bachelor’s Degree. Therefore, I applied for my first job and worked most days after school. I saved enthusiastically and spent very cautiously. Hangouts and movies with friends were pushed aside to pick up work shifts and earn as much as possible. After researching higher education options with my desired program, I found the University of New England. This school was my “reach” school and my academic success would be accepted; however, the only obstacle was the financial cost. During an accepted student campus visit, my family and I met with a financial advisor for assistance. Unfortunately, the financial advisor stated that I should not even consider this university if I could not afford it. While this was disappointing to hear, this only motivated me further to pursue my goal of higher education. Later, I officially enrolled at the University of New England. I worked two jobs the following summer to earn more. Most nights I got home from one job very late and woke up very early to begin the next job. In the end, I had earned enough to pay off the full fall semester. During the academic year, I continue to work two jobs: on-campus and off-campus. For the last two years, I have paid the tuition bills in full and accumulated very little government student loans. After graduation from the University of New England, I plan to provide my services to the residents of Maine. My healthcare career will be in demand due to Maine’s population consisting of many retirees. Ideally, my student loans would be paid off in a short time so that I can begin to provide for my young siblings’ higher educations. Being a big sister and helping my siblings reach their goals would mean the world to me. Crossing the finish line and then helping them would make it all the more worth it.

From the beginning, the journey has been challenging. Abandoned in the middle of a busy street in China, I was found and brought to an orphanage. There, the resources were sparse. Babies had to fight for food, toys, and attention from the caregivers. Since there was an overflow of orphans, this meant that cribs held multiple babies in them. I spent my first year in these conditions. Later, a Caucasian couple with a son of their own adopted me and brought me back to New York. As I grew older, my adoption and origins became more of a concern. Not only with the lack of family medical history but also the emotional struggle that occurs as an international adoptee. Not knowing my birth parents made me question my identity. Was I white or was I Chinese? This awareness came around the time I learned that I was abandoned. As a young child, it was hard to cope with this. Every other kid in school had a family tree but my tree had no roots. Kids would ask questions that I did not have the answers to. Even worse, my extended family would criticize me for being adopted and not consider me as my parent’s child. Once an Asian mother asked my mom why she would want me; this implies that I am less Asian and less valid in comparison to other children. It does not help that I have no knowledge about my birth culture and do not have a vital piece of my identity. Still today, the people and the government do not consider me as an immigrant despite my immigration through adoption. Needless to say, I have had my fair share of adversity. While I did face challenges and am still facing them today, I have learned to move forward healthily. It is hard, but I put my birth parents and the lack of knowledge to rest. This will follow me for the rest of my life but it does not define me as a person. My identity is formed through my work and my goals. While I am Chinese, I am also an American: a U.S. citizen. The United States is my home and forever be my home. This journey has made me want to help others; therefore, I am pursuing a career in Dental Hygiene to provide prevention, restoration, and education to patients about their oral cavities and overall health. As for my personal life, my children will know who their parents are as well as their heritage. They will have a better life than what I was given.

My grandfather, my “Papa” passed very recently. At the funeral, many old friends and family paid their respects. He was full of life and lived a fulfilling one at that. Before my time, he worked at AT&T where he met my “Gagie”. After he tasted my Gagie’s cooking, he knew he wanted to marry her. Thanks to her, Papa had quit smoking and became healthier. He rode an amazing motorcycle and brought my mom to ride with him. These are just the stories I have heard about him. Later in life, my parents adopted me from China and brought me home. My Papa would always tell me about the first time he met me. Since I was a Chinese baby, I was not used to seeing people with white hair and feared my Papa. I later warmed up to my Papa and looked forward to visiting Papa and Gagie’s house. On the other hand, there are my memories of him. Papa would always be outside grilling the perfect burgers on the deck, telling us grandchildren nursery rhymes and poems. He sure loved his food: steaks, seafood, shellfish, anything. This was something my Papa and I shared. My siblings and I would read the newspaper comics before dinner only to have Papa tell us to put the newspaper away. He would always advise my siblings and me to work hard in life and to be smart. He was always there and wanted to know what his grandchildren and children were up to. In his later years, Papa’s health declined. While he had a very good immune system, he developed Parkinson’s disease which made his motor skills weaker. This led to Papa taking a bad fall. From this point, it became a mix of hospital and hospital visits, different medications, and several false alarms about his passing. I never knew when Papa would truly pass, so I spent as much quality time as I could with my Papa. Despite his declining health and slipping memory, Papa had this amazing ability to recite long poems. This was one of the many things I admired about my Papa. He did not think he would live to witness my brother and my high school graduation, but he did. Whenever I returned home from college, he would tell me he was proud of me every minute he got; I did everything I could to make him proud. In his last months, my Gagie had given Papa pneumonia which set his health back even further. The last time I saw Papa alive was Thanksgiving Break in the nursing home. He could not feed himself very well due to the Parkison’s, so I helped feed him and make sure he was eating. Papa was later well enough to go home; he begged to be home. It was at this point that Papa and my family sensed that his time would come soon. When my Papa’s father died, it was on Christmas day during his childhood. He did not want his family to experience the same thing. Luckily, this did not happen; he passed early December due to Parkison’s disease. Even though Papa is gone from this world, I tend to think of him in a more positive light. I envision Papa eating his chocolate ice cream in Heaven, and riding his motorcycle. He is no longer in pain; his suffering has ended. Papa was happy in the end; he accomplished all he wanted to do. I want to continue to make my Papa proud however I can. I was my Papa and always will be.

As a Chinese-American adoptee, there are questions that other children had answers to: medical history, birth parents, etc. This difference set me apart from others. Moreover, I was bullied by both adults and peers for being adopted and my racial background. I questioned my identity: was I Caucasian like my family or Chinese? As time passed, I learned to accept and make peace with the lack of background. While my adoption is part of my identity, it does not define me as a person. I set goals for myself: educational and career-wise. I was accepted and enrolled in the Dental Hygiene program at the University of New England. Being one of four children with educators as parents, there is little to no contributions to my education. Additionally, my brother and I enrolled in higher education the same year. My parents refused to consign on a private student loan; this meant that I would fund my education. To achieve this, I worked since I was fifteen to earn enough money towards tuition. I work over twenty hours between two jobs during the school year and the summers to continue to this goal. This scholarship would ease some of the financial burden.

The entertainment industry can be utilized to portray different aspects of life and society. This can be from simple stories about love to deep meanings about society. In comparison to other minorities, the Asian representation on the screen is less in the United States. With the existing representation, oftentimes the roles are for marital artists and similar characters. Not to mention that there are so few movies with an all-Asian cast in the U.S. However, there is one movie that is both pleasurable and a positive representation of the Asian community with a deep message: Crazy Rich Asians. This movie is a love story starring with very popular Asian people like Michelle Yeoh, Constance Wu, Jimmy O. Yang, Ken Jeong, and more. The story follows Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American with a single immigrant mother, going to attend her boyfriend’s, Nick Young, friend’s wedding. This is in Singapore with its vast wealth and beauty. Nick’s family are the wealthiest of Singpore; this makes them big fashion icons and celebrities. Nick’s mother does not approve of Rachel because she did not grow up within their authentic Asian population; Rachel was americanized. Nick being the heir to his family’s extensive buisness, there is a great amount of pressure from his family and friends to stay in Singapore. This conflicts with Nick’s intent to propose and marry Rachel. Rachel is a professor working in the states and she would most likely not want to move. Furthermore, his relatives ultimately blame Rachel for the reason that Nick did not immediately return to Singapore when he was supposed to a year ago. Rachel is labeled as a golddiffer and treated differently throughout her stay; espeically with Nick’s mother revealing a secret about her past even Rachel was not aware of herself. Rachel has to navigate through this hostile terrain and prove that her worth. Aside from the beautiful scenery and talented acting, the messages resonate with me personally. Not many people consider the discrimination between those who are considered to be in the same community; there is blatent racism among different Asian nationalities. As a Chinese-American adoptee, I have been discriminated against the Asian community before. The first encounter was during my younger years in Chinese school to learn the language. An authentic Asian parent asked my adoptive mom why would she want me; this meaning that I was inferior for being an former orphan. Furthermore, authentic Asians have been known to dislike those of the adopted community due to their americaniztion. On a brighter note, this somewhat goes along with Rachel’s message: she does not need to prove that she is good enough. As a working student paying for her own education, I do my best and do not desire to prove my worth to others. This is a movie I would watch for the rest of my life for its cinematography and comedy, and a fundamental movie to show to my future children.

Since I was young, a career in Dental Hygiene intrigued me. The career is in the healthcare field and provides a good salary. In high school, I began to research the education required to obtain a license for this profession. While the Associate's degree limits the career to strictly clinical settings, a Bachelor's degree provides more flexibility in the field. That being said, the Bachelor's degree is the degree I aimed for. This brings the reality of the finances of attending a post-secondary educational institution. Being one of four children with educators as parents, there would be little to no contributions during my college career. Moreover, there were no savings designated for future educational expenses. My family could not afford to go into debt and taking out student loans would be detrimental to my financial future. Realizing this situation, I worked since high school freshman year and saved as much as I could to put towards my education. In my senior year of high school, I had set my eyes on the University of New England. The student services aimed to help students toward their goals and provided numerous resources to student health and wellness. This would begin the steps towards completing my career goals and beginning the life I strived for. During a university visit, the financial advisor stated that I should not attend that university if I couldn’t afford it: that I had no chance of attending without loans. While this discouraged me greatly, it also motivated me to work harder to earn more. I later was accepted and enrolled in the university. The summer before that school year, I worked two jobs; this rarely left any spare time to relax and rest. Luckily, I was able to pay the full tuition for that fall semester. Since then, I have worked on-campus and off-campus jobs (over 20 hours a week) to keep myself out of student debt. I have been able to achieve this while maintaining a 3.5 cumulative GPA. This scholarship would provide me with some financial relief. I would be able to save more for the next semester or use the money for other college expenses: food, housing, and books. I would have the relief to focus on my academics more and earn more merit scholarships for my grades. Once my education is complete and I have my Dental Hygiene license, I will move to Maine and serve the residents who need my services to maintain their health.

While I am not a Zendaya fan, I do admire her hustle. From a young age, Zendaya has acted and danced for Disney Channel. Luckily, she was able to move away from her Disney Channel image and create her own, mature look. She never fails to make others laugh but furthermore pushes others to obtain the best results. As a working university student, I admire the fact that Zendaya completed her education during her time at Disney Channel. In an interview, Zendaya stated that she had a teacher who traveled with her. In between film shooting locations, her teacher would educate her on airplanes. While this may seem like a luxury, Zendaya worked harder than most kids her age. She has a contract to adhere to along with her other projects adding up. It seems that Zendaya has very little time to be a kid, which is something other kids had the privilege to experience. Additionally, she was exposed to the media and how others perceived her much earlier than she should have been. Yet, she smiled through the critics and continued to improve her career. Today, she is loved by many alongside her husband, Tom Holland. Zendaya put in the work and received great reward.

Everyone has a different challenge. Some challenges are physical, and others can be mental. As a Chinese adoptee, my challenge was both physical and emotional. In the middle of a busy street in China, I was abandoned with my umbilical cord still attached. The doctors had determined that I was only a few days old. In the orphanage, the babies fought each other for food, toys, and attention from the caregivers. The babies had to share cribs because of the orphanage overflow. When my adoptive parents came to bring me to the United States, they found a bite mark on my arm from another baby. Later, I began to pay attention to the differences between me and my family. My adoptive brother had the physical traits that he shared with my parents, but I did not. Others would ask me about my birth parents to which I had no answer. I questioned whether I was Caucasian or Chinese. This is when I learned about my origins, lack of background, and China’s One Child Policy. This brought me much grief and sadness. How could a government tell people about how many babies to have? Why would my parents just give me up? One coping mechanism was to write fake letters to my birth mother. I would tell her about my days and what was new in life. As the years passed, I matured and accepted that my past would never be answered. Grieving would solve nothing: it was time to move on. That being said, I turned my attention to working hard in life. Nowadays, my birth mother and history rarely cross my mind. While my adoption is a part of who I am, it does not define who I am as a person. My accomplishments and character are due to my efforts and actions. My history was out of my control; my future is in my control. That being said, I set my goals for my future. One significant long-term goal is to graduate post-secondary education with a bachelor's in Dental Hygiene from the University of New England and a state license. Alongside this goal, there is the goal of graduating with minimal student loans as possible. Being one of four children with educators as parents, there were little to no expected family contributions to my education. On top of this, my brother and I were both entering post-secondary education in the same year. After realizing this, I worked and saved since my freshmen year of high school to pay the full tuition. I continue this by working two jobs (off-campus and on-campus) during the school year while maintaining a cumulative 3.5 GPA. If my hard work pays off, Maine will have a new addition to its population that will provide the healthcare services that many rural areas need.

Everyone has a different challenge. Some challenges are physical and others can be mental. As a Chinese adoptee, my challenge was both physical and emotional. In the middle of a busy street in China, I was abandoned with my umbilical cord still attached. The doctors had determined that I was only a few days old. In the orphanage, the babies fought each other for food, toys, and attention from the caregivers. The babies had to share cribs because of the orphanage overflow. When my adoptive parents came to bring me to the United States, they found a bite mark on my arm from another baby. Later, I began to pay attention to the differences between me and my family. My adoptive brother had the physical traits that he shared with my parents, but I did not. Others would ask me about my birth parents to which I had no answer. I questioned whether I was Caucasian or Chinese. This is when I learned about my origins, lack of background, and China’s One Child Policy. This brought me much grief and sadness. How could a government tell people about how many babies to have? Why would my parents just give me up? One coping mechanism was to write fake letters to my birth mother. I would tell her about my days and what was new in life. As the years passed, I matured and accepted that my past would never be answered. Grieving would solve nothing: it was time to move on. That being said, I turned my attention to working hard in life. Nowadays, my birth mother and history rarely cross my mind. While my adoption is a part of who I am, it does not define who I am as a person. My accomplishments and character are due to my efforts and actions. My history was out of my control; my future is in my control.

On the one hand, Conrad is darker, and more angsty with communication issues. Throughout the show, especially in the beginning, he criticizes Bella and makes a negative comment most of the time he speaks. Not to mention the violent side of Conrad. In the first episode, he gets into a fight which leads to the police showing up. Additionally, Conrad said that he first viewed Bella as a kid and then realized he could date her. While this makes sense because they grew up together, Conrad only saw her like a sister but then changed his view to see her romantically. In my opinion, this is a little questionable, especially since they are like family. Conrad never had feelings for Bella until they grew up; this brings into question why Bella did not give up on her childhood crush after such a long time. Typically, the advice would be to move on and not waste any more time than she already had. Furthermore, Conrad knows that his mom is dying from cancer; even if he does not know specifically he still knows something is wrong. As previously mentioned, Conard has some communication issues he needs to work on. He does not confide in his brother, which would be expected from a sibling because Jeremiah shares their mom as well. Keep in mind, that not telling Jeremiah was a choice and that he chose to grieve alone. Whether or not Conard purposely withheld this information from Jeremiah, it all leads up to the events at the Debutant Ball. Jeremiah swipes his mom’s phone and finds out about the cancer; this causes Jeremiah to miss the dance with Bella and for Conrad to step in as the savior she needs. Instead of finding the reason for Jeremiah’s absence, Bella switches up and chooses Conrad over Jeremiah. This proves that Conrad has no respect for his brother because Conard accepts the kiss from Bella while Jeremiah is actively crying over his discovery. Overall, Conrad is not a good brother to Jeremiah and not the best choice for a partner. On the other hand, Jeremiah fits into the happy, go-lucky, good-boy archetype. He’s a partier and brings happiness and laughter to those around him. Unlike his brother, Jeremiah can easily connect to people with this trait; this would be very useful, especially in this hypersocial world that we live in. While he is bisexual, Bella could accept this if she wants to. Jeremiah is not all good. When Bella and Conrad were about to kiss, Jeremiah shot a firework that interrupted the completion of the kiss. This firework nearly hit this couple in the process. However, the reason that Jeremiah is jealous is because he has feelings for Bella but knows he does not stand a chance. While he does possess some jealousy, it could be lessened with some time and effort. He is the younger sibling and he is used to coming in second which as a younger sibling, I can relate to. Even though Jeremiah does punch Conrad at the Debutant Ball, there are emotions behind the action; this is after Jeremiah finds out Conrad knew about their mom’s cancer. When Conrad told Bella he couldn’t say he loved her, Jeremiah chose not to intervene. While he could have been her “knight” at this moment, he decided not to because it was not his place. This shows respect for his brother, unlike Conrad. In general, Jeremiah is the more positive brother that Bella should choose. At the end of the series, Bella chooses Jeremiah; therefore, I win as a viewer.

Reading is a fundamental skill for the real world. Languages and other subjects are learned through reading books and other pieces of literature. Some books give the reader an insight into the past, whereas others give the reader a vision of the future. Among young adults, the book, The Giver by Lois Lowry, gives the reader a utopian picture of what the world could be like within a peaceful, plain community. This would be the one book everyone should read. Like many young adult books, the main plot oftentimes includes some kind of choice for his/her future that will lead to the progression of his/her story. In this case, Jonas is chosen as the Receiver of Memory. The Giver would pass on the memories of the world to Jonas. Due to this, Jonas has the ability to see beyond what others see. These memories would come into play during decision-making with the counselor. With each new memory, Jonas discovers the beauty of color and what the world used to look like: families having extended members beyond death, laughter, and joy. On the other hand, Jonas also witnessed the murder of a baby who did not fit the standards of the community. This was done by his father, a nurturer. He begins to question the community around him and how everyone acts in comparison to himself. The members took a pill that would them to act and speak without complexity. Everything was specific and regimented down to when meal times were. This is one of the themes of this piece: perfection has a dark side. Jonas’s family was taking in a baby, Gabriel, who was developing later than the other babies. As previously mentioned, there was a strict standard in the community; this means that if Gabriel did not progress perfectly he would be killed as well. Another theme of this book is the breaking of the mold and starting new; Jonas makes the daring decision to escape the community with Gabriel. In my opinion, I believe that this book is still relevant in modern society. More and more, the United States (and the world) is trying to move towards perfection and inclusion for all. All of this is to promote peace and harmony. However, there is an exanchge for this form of society. In conclusion, The Giver heeds warning to the dangers of a future picturesque society.

When thinking of the word “success”, many envision big accomplishments like a profitable business or landing a job that pays into the six figures. However, not all people consider these things as “success”. Success is very subjective depending on the person; my past and future success may not be seen as “success” to some but they are to me. The first few years of life were rather difficult. After being abandoned in the middle of China, I was found and brought to a Chinese orphanage; this is where babies fought amongst each other for toys, attention, and food. At one and a half years old, I was adopted by a Caucasian couple from New York. This couple had a biological son who was only two months older than me. After arriving home, there were behavioral issues due to my time in the orphanage. Eventually, my behavior subsided and I became a normal, lively child. If I was not adopted, my story would be far worse. In later years, there were questions with no answers and no closure about my birth parents. This led to an identity crisis about who I was. Was I American or was I Chinese? This is a stage that other adoptees must go through; afterward, many must accept the lack of information and move forward with life. In my opinion, overcoming a rather traumatic past at a young age is a success. Nowadays, I am one of four children with parents who are educators. That being said, there are no family contributions to my educational expenses as well as my brother’s education. This means that I would be footing my tuition on my own. During a visit to my desired university, the financial advisor stated that I should look at another post-secondary education option because I would accumulate significant student debt by attending that university. In other words, I would not belong at the university because I could not afford it. After working two jobs as a full-time college student, I was able to pay the private college tuition in full for the last two years while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5. There are no private loans: just government loans from the financial aid package. Many would agree that this financial accomplishment would be considered a success. Aside from past and present success, there is also future success. My future career would be in Dental Hygiene. This occupation requires a National Board exam and a state exam at the end of either a Bachelor’s degree or an Associate’s degree. Afterward, I would then begin my career in Maine. Maine’s population consists of many retirees who need services to help maintain their health; this means that my career will be in demand upon graduation. Additionally, this occupation would provide me with an adequate salary to live. While this is a rather moderate goal for the future, it is nonetheless a success. All in all, success means different things to different people. To me, success looks like overcoming my childhood, paying the full tuition while maintaining an adequate academic standing, and working in my desired occupation. As previously mentioned, I am working two jobs as a full-time student to afford the tuition and other college expenses. This scholarship will aid in offsetting some of the costs to permit the progression of my education for the next two years.

Not everyone likes to listen to K-pop. Some may think it is meant for a certain audience; more specifically, teenage girls. Some people may also think it sounds “cringe” and “annoying”. I, myself, used to share this opinion. Until I read about a K-pop girl group who was breaking records and climbing the music charts with their newest single. Out of curiosity, I listened to the mentioned song and fell in love with this girl group. Not surprisingly, this girl group is BLACKPINK. After some research, I became addicted to their electric beats, bold instrumentals, Lisa and Jennie’s raps, and their iconic choreographed dances. Many of my friends do not listen to K-pop or are not interested in Korean/Asian culture. This sent me apart from many people, and still does. It made me feel somewhat lonely and the “odd-one-out”. It was not until college that I found one of my good friends. She was the first person who shared this common interest and we currently share the latest updates and songs with each other. So in a way, K-pop became a way for me to make friends and connect with people. K-pop eventually lead to my interest in Korean food. Food is With the release of Jisoo’s billboard breaking “Flower” and Jennie’s “You and Me”, my friend and I have started to learn the choreography for our favorite songs. Needless to say, it is not easy. I have not danced since I was very young, but dancing to the songs I love makes it much more fun and exciting. This Christmas break, my friend proposed we individually learn the choreography to “Nobody” and compare results when we return for break. Oftentimes, the dance sessions replace my gym sessions. This has turned into a fun hobby of which I am proud of. Dancing and learning choreography provides a stress relief from college and daily life. The messages of BLACKPINK’s songs have given me strength throughout my high school and college career. From high school break ups to proudly showing uniqueness. The energy of the song has allowed me to express and release my emotions that I might not receive to others. In the same manner, the songs give me energy as I go throughout the day. As a K-pop stan, I see the impact of music on people of different cultures. BLACKPINK and BTS are prime examples of K-pop appealing to the western culture. K-pop has helps others in similar-if not more-ways to myself. It brings people together based on a common interest. As a westerner, I think it is safe to say that K-pop has as much of an impact and influence on different cultures as western music. If it weren’t for an e-newpaper article, I would have never experienced the joy BLACKPINK and K-pop brings me.

As an international adoptee, my journey has been a long one. Somewhere in mainland China, someone had abandoned me on the sidewalk of a busy street. I was only a few days with my umbilical cord still attached. There was no information about my birth parents. For the first year and a half, I spent in an orphanage. While it was one of the better orphanages, it still came with its set of challenges; babies fought for attention, toys, clothes, and food, and had to share cribs. Luckily, I was adopted by a couple with a son who was only two months older than me. My adoptive parents thought I could be deaf, but baby me just did not turn my head when the doctor rattled a toy by my ears. In the end, I was flown back to the United States and became a citizen. To this day, my birthday is estimated due to no true date of birth. Being adopted comes with its other obstacles. I was viewed as “not Asian enough” and “unwanted” by the Asian community. On top of this criticism, I never got closure as to the reason for my abandonment. This is around the time I learned about China’s One Child Policy; a government policy requiring families to keep their children to one to prevent overpopulation. As a result, families oftentimes valued the males over the females and would give up the girls. I struggled with my identity because of the lack of information and not connecting with my birth country. Fortunately, my family adopted another Chinese girl and I went along for the trip. From The Great Wall to simple Buddhist temples, it was both an adventure and a discovery of what it meant to be Chinese. This trip helped me to emotionally heal and make peace not knowing about my origins. While my adoption is a large part of who I am, it does not define my whole identity. Ever since I could remember, I have wanted to be a Dental Hygienist. To achieve this, a degree is required as well as a state license and a national board exam. Since there are four children, my parents would not be able to pay for all of our future tuition; additionally, my brother and I would be entering our post-secondary education the same year. There was a realization that for me to achieve my goals, hard work and dedication were required. With this knowledge, I worked year-round since age fifteen while maintaining a 4.0 GPA in school. I was able to purchase my car in full as well as my college tuition with very little family contribution. Currently, I work both on-campus and off-campus jobs (20+ hrs/wk) to save for the next semester’s tuition while maintaining above a 3.5 average GPA. Needless to say, my story is not over and my goals are yet to be achieved. There are still many more goals I can work towards, but I will not forget to enjoy life along the way.

In March 2005, the American adaptation of “The Office” was aired. It is popular and still is quite popular to this day. With “The Office” a diverse cast of employees, the pranks and drama make the workplace and daily life full of entertainment. After rewatching the series again, the character see myself in is Dwight K. Shrute. While I may not be a paper salesman or cause a real fire in the workplace a “mock” fire drill, I do mirror other aspects of Dwight. Dwight is a straightforward, focused individual with a diligent work ethic. Dwight has a set of principles and values: rarely straying from them. One of Dwight's goals is to become the regional manager of the Dunder-Muffin Paper Company Scranton branch. While it takes quite a few years, Dwight is persistent and achieves this goal. Not only is he hardworking inside an office setting, Dwight is also hardworking in his personal life. Mose is Dwight’s very unique cousin, to say the least. Even though his supervising of Mose is questionable, Dwight does care for his family and takes responsibility for his beet farm. I may resonate with Mr. Shrute, but I am glad to say that I am not him. In my personal opinion, Dwight is one of the funniest characters in this series because of his seriousness. While Jim Halpert has his pranks with Pam Beesly, Dwight has his unique antics. From helping Michael simulate a birth with a watermelon to creating his trials for assistant-to-the-assistant-manager, Dwight is entertaining to watch. His interviews show his logic and explanations for his principles with a straight face. One of the more surprising character changes is his friendship with Pam. He was initially annoyed by her, but in later seasons she was able to befriend him and appeal to his interests. Later, Jim and Dwight set aside their differences and also strike up a friendship. This may not seem as notable, but it demonstrates the last expected person may become a friend later on. Like Dwight, I hope that I can achieve my goals of becoming a licensed Dental Hygienist and getting my series finale ending (not including marrying a crazy cat person).

In July 2016, Netflix released its original series, Stranger Things. Its popularity skyrocketed among the younger generation and all sci-fi fans. This show was the reason my family subscribed to Netflix in the first place. Since then, I have been an eager fan waiting for the arrival of the Season 4 Part 2. As a fan, I can’t help but imagine living in the world of Stranger Things. To fight the upcoming monsters of the Upside Down, a team would need to be assembled from the existing characters from this universe. Based on their attributes and characteristics, I would choose Dustin Henderson, Eleven/Jane Hopper, and Nancy Wheeler to help me in combat. Dustin is known to be highly intelligent and humorous. He is a fan favorite and thinks more on the logical side. While he is not the most athletic, I selected him for his scientific knowledge and curiosity. His research has opened the Stranger Things gang to knowledge about their enemies and how to defeat them. Additionally, he is kindhearted which comes in handy when approaching those who may be skeptical: human and creature alike. For example, Dustin raising a Demidog (Dart) and feeding him Fignuttins saves the group from being consumed in the Upside Down underground tunnel system. Because of these characteristics, Dustin would be considered the “brains” of the team. Eleven/Jane is a motivated, complex character who has been through a lot, to say the least. As fans, we get to see her character evolve from a scared, language-limited lab rat to a confident, strong young adult. She is stubborn, but she is also a very loyal friend to those around her. This makes her a good competition. Due to the experimentation on Eleven’s mother, Eleven was born with telekinetic abilities. She can use her hand(s) to focus her power and move objects; moreover, Eleven can “see” people through the void as long as she has some sort of static in the background. Eleven’s powers only strengthen through her trauma: from Hawkins Lab to losing her powers. Her powers are the reason she would be the supernatural “muscle” of the team. Nancy Wheeler is a studious, headstrong young woman determined to get a good story. Being an aspiring journalist, Nancy goes through hoops and possibly breaks the law to find out the truth. Like Dustin, Nancy’s knowledge about the local events comes in handy when solving the mysteries of the Upside Down and Hawkins. Aside from her journalism, a gun in Nancy’s hands is deadly; hence, she adds physical strength in combat whereas Eleven contributes her supernatural strength. Each character selected has a particular characteristic that would make them an optimal member of an Upside Down combat team. With Dustin’s brains, Eleven’s telekinesis, and Nancy’s strength and information-obtaining skills, there is a chance to survive and eradicate those of the Upside Down.

In May 2009, Mojang released Minecraft into the world of gaming. Today, Minecraft still has a very strong fanbase and many players are still mining for diamonds underground. It was the first game I downloaded when I got my first phone. To me, the possibilities were endless. Gold houses with snowmen throwing snowballs at spiders; the world was mine. Survival mode provides a challenge to gather resources and gives the player a sense of purpose. For myself, going down into the mines and exploring gives me the greatest joy as a player. As a child, finding something valuable brings a sense of excitement. Gold and diamonds, being the rarest metals, are some of the more valuable resources that will help the player advance in the game; this can be done by forging armor and weapons to defeat the Ender Dragon in the Ender world. To find these metals, the player must go into the mines and find them. But then there are the tunnels and openings that can lead to even more undiscovered areas underground. Some lead to lava fountains while others can lead to zombies and skeletons. All in all, the player experiences the adrenaline in surviving the obstacles of the world and making something beautiful. With the new updates, even more changes are being made; leaving more treasures for the player to be discovered.

Netflix has grown into one of the most popular streaming platforms, growing even more with the lockdown during 2020. Considering that there was not much to do, I joined several other viewers in watching Netflix shows and being captivated by their storylines. But one show I did not think I would be engrossed in was The Crown. While not every historical drama movie/series gets every fact correct, they speak many truths about how the events and people were portrayed. I do not follow the royal family or the media containing their politics, but this show has given me some insight as to how the royals live and the tragic events each of them went through. This series begins with the late Queen Elizabeth II, before her reign when her father was in power. It brings us through the Queen’s struggles to understand England’s complicated politics, her government perceiving her as incapable of rule, and her marriage and family. The viewers can witness a portrayal of her rising to power and gaining the respect she held on the throne. She can make a strong political statement even as she grows older throughout the series: changing with each actress. The Queen is one of the more popular members of the royal family, but then a young rising star took them and the media by storm. The series portrays the naivety of Diana Spencer agreeing to marry Prince Charles and her decline into depression along with her eating disorder. The actors perform raw emotions of the fights between Charles and Diana leading up to their divorce. This is especially true in gaining insight into Charles’ thoughts and feelings towards Mrs. Parker Bowles; the audience can see the gray area rather than just black and white. In the last season, the viewers witness Diana’s spiraling antics as an ex-royal family member. Prince William has grown and concern of him becoming king arises. Diana’s associations with Mohammad Fayed and the complicated political dilemma with England are emphasized. This association later causes Diana to delay her arrival to her sons. All comes to a halt when Diana’s death makes the world go silent. The extras and the main actors embody the reactions and emotions of how the world took Diana’s death. William wanders off for 14 hours after the announcement, leaving the royal family to manhunt and panic. Later in the season, Charles is given the blessing to marry Mrs. Parker Bowles, and William meets Kate Middleton at university. In the end, it feels as if the viewer is witnessing the story of the royal family in real-time. This Emmy notimated series takes a deep dive into the members of the royal family and their journey throughout life. As a viewer, it is clear that the series is meant for the characters and history rather than just the drama aspect. The producers and the writers have put much time and effort into this series and this is shown through how everything plays out. It is highly recommended to watch.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been one of my favorite franchises ever since I could watch PG-13 movies. It is an outlet in which I bond with friends and a topic of which to debate about. Stan Lee’s Spiderman is one of the most unique and real-world characters in this universe. From experiencing the loss of Uncle Ben to attending university to becoming a scientist, Peter Parker struggles with balancing his life and his alter ego. This is not unlike how people conduct their lives today: being pulled in different directions. Of the three actors who portray a version of different Spiderman, Tom Holland is the most relatable to me and hence my favorite. Throughout the Spiderman movies, the character has gotten younger with each actor. Holland’s is youthful, and energetic, with a quirky nerd vibing character. This Spiderman is introduced in Spiderman Homecoming. This movie takes place at a high school dance, which many younger audiences can relate to. This event is fundamental to one’s high school career. This includes asking someone to dance, learning to dance, and dressing to the nines; all of which Peter Parker does alongside fighting the Vulture and impressing Tony Stark (Ironman). Aside from dances, Holland’s Peter also is intelligent. While all Spidermen have this trait, the MCU shows Holland’s Spiderman going to Washington D.C. to compete in school competitions while juggling a mission. Many students have visited Washington D.C. and Holland’s Spiderman brings to light to realisticness of academic extracurriculars. Not every part of Holland’s Spiderman pertains to school; part of Peter is just a regular high schooler. In Spiderman Far From Home, Peter competes for MJ’s attention and gets jealous when she hangs with another classmate. In Spiderman Homecoming, Peter wants to become an official Avenger and is desperate to prove to Stark that he is ready and worthy of this. This gets Holland’s Spiderman into trouble when he attempts to go head-to-head with the Vulture and slices a tour boat in half. While this is an extreme situation, it is not fully unrealistic. Some young adults often feel they need to prove themselves in different scenarios: job interviews, internships, and college. Holland’s Spiderman appeals to and relates to the younger generations on the rise which is why he is so popular. While all the Spidermen have the same attributes that make them Spiderman, each has unique characteristics that set them apart. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker can resonate with a younger audience; this is especially important in the era is rising technological advances and social media. Peter Parker’s character development evolves and the audience is able to witness the struggles of a Spiderman who best mirrors the young adults of today.

Throughout the United States, many students rely on financial aid to help setback the costs of tuition. With the economic inflation and increase in tuition costs, it has become even more difficult to afford a higher education. This being said, students often have to work and attend university simultaneously. I am one of these students. Being one of four children, money is essential. As educators, my parents could not afford a car for myself and my brother. With this realization, I got a job at my local grocery store as soon as I could work (15 years old). I would work as many hours a week as the law would permit me: picking up shifts left and right. At age 16, I brought my car with a full payment. This work-and-school routine continued through my high school career. After work, I would return home and do homework late into the evening. Oftentimes, I would have to miss hanging out with friends at movies and other events. When I turned 18, the law did not restrict my weekly hours; therefore, I worked more hours each week than I had previously. My job was not always about work; classmates got hired and I got to connect with them whereas I would not otherwise not in a school setting. Around this time, students were exploring higher education options, and college applications were being sent. I, too, visited a university in high hopes of being accepted and attending the previous year. However, one financial advisor blatantly stated that I could not afford the tuition without going into debt and that the university would not help me. This brought my morale down, but this did not stop me. I was accepted into the university and planned to attend that fall. I worked two jobs and was able to afford the full tuition myself with no private loans. On top of this, the university awarded me with a few scholarships for my merits that helped offset some of the costs. During my college freshmen year, I applied for an on-campus job. It was due to my previous work experience that I was hired. Later on, I was offered a promotion to a position normally offered to sophomores. Alongside this job, I had an off-campus job and worked about 15 hours a week. Connections with other students and coworkers were made in both job settings throughout the year. At the end of my freshmen year, I was able to maintain a GPA of 3.5 and over with both the jobs I worked. Once again, I was able to afford the full tuition for my sophomore year with an additional scholarship offered by the university for working. Overall, working throughout school allowed me to make friends and provided me with the resources to further my education. In paying my way through college, I do not affect my family’s finances. Working has given me experience in how to budget my finances and how to prioritize saving over spending. All of this will provide me with the resources and skills for the real world when I enter the adult workforce after college.

For many high school students, pursuing post-secondary education opens a broad range of opportunities for students to achieve. Perhaps, students have had goals they want to achieve since they were young. Furthermore, students are able to achieve their own goals through post-secondary education. In the future, I will strive to become a licensed dental hygienist as my future career; in addition, I desire to have a stable income and a comfortable living. My future career goal will assist my financial goals. As a high school student, obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of New England is my academic goal to achieve my career goal later on in life. In addition to attending this private university, I plan to properly finance my education to the best of my ability throughout and beyond graduating from this university. After graduating from the university, it is expected that the former student will pay back the student loans in ten years. Expecting to have student loans after graduating from university, I plan to begin my search to start my career. It would be ideal to search where my career and services are needed most. Overall, the educational career and educational goals presented will be things I plan to achieve in the future and will open many opportunities for me, whether it be while I am a university student or while I am pursuing my future career. There will be obstacles that will prevent these goals and my future career, however, I will strive through these obstacles and find solutions to keep moving forward towards my future.