I'm moving forward with each day, trying to take it for the blessing it is. My life has been chaotic since I was 10 years old, and I will turn 21 the day this scholarship announces its winner. In my modest experience, when most people say that their life is "chaotic" they mean it in a mildly-turbulent way: there are bills to pay, your boss is screaming at you about deadlines, your teenager's being moody while their grandparent's health is declining, and everything seems to be colliding at once. I don't. Within a meager, ten-year span I've lost people to suicide and supported others when they were struggling with wanting to, survived a wildfire that nearly destroyed my childhood community, stayed strong while my family was drawn apart, and eventually came back together through an enormous feud, and worked two jobs through high school whilst also engaging in various extracurriculars and forcing myself to meet high academic standards. Unfortunately, this is only the tip of the iceberg, but it is all that I will share with you in this application. That is where I was. Where I want to go can be easily summed up in one sentence: Currently, I am a thinker who problem-solves; One day, I want to be a problem-solver who thinks. I am an engineering student. I want to make the world a better place by raising the quality of life in any way I can. I want to contribute to projects that will revolutionize technology. My dream career is to help with the domestication of light. I want to get vehicles on Earth up to light speed. I want you to take a moment and realize the impact that will have on the world once that's achieved. Let's say another genocide was occurring in a nation halfway across the world from their allies. In today's world, even in an ideal circumstance where everything politically works out and help is sent immediately, the reinforcements will be too late. The killing would be done and over with long before any help would even set foot in the country. If you analyze the situation, the biggest influence on why the allies would not be able to help the nation in trouble is because they are too slow. Cars and airplanes have only gotten us so far, despite the wonders they've done, but as gaslights were once replaced with electric bulbs, so too must they be replaced. I believe that light-speed-based transportation is the way to go. In the grim scenario outlined in this application, movements at the speed of light would save hundreds of thousands of lives. The possibilities only expand from there. Take any public servant's job and you'll find the essence of speed required to save lives. I want to help these professions get the precious seconds that mean life or death. Civilians wanting to escape natural disasters would no longer need to wait for hours in panicked traffic jams. Or being able to see loved ones who live across the country minutes after they suffer a stroke or heart attack may give the average person the opportunity to see those same loved ones before they die, something that modern technology is unable to give. My past is riddled with pain. My present is filled with peace. I want to spend my future granting dreams.

While many try to claim the title of "favorite", I will always fall back on the grumpiest sailor, Donald Duck. For me, the reasoning is so much more than Donald being a "coward" who always has to end up facing his fears in one way or another. It's not even the way that he supplies comic relief to another flavor of audience than Goofy or Mickey. For me, it's because I know Donald's true story. In my life, I've only met a handful of people who knew the true story of Donald before I told them. About how the reason why he's always so scared is that he was a war vet with PTSD during a time when PTSD wasn't even an official concept (war just "changed" people). That you can request Donald's canonical transcripts (which are based on the original voice actor's mission logs). It's this aspect of Donald's character that makes me declare Donald and Daisy the best couple in Disney, and leagues above the traditional pairing of Mickey and Minnie. To expand further, it's because Mickey and Minnie fall into the high school sweethearts stereotype, with everything in their lives seemingly perfect. They have their struggles, but somehow Mickey always has a subplot that lets him overcome everything evil with the power of friendship. Nothing about their struggles, from domestic arguments to life's curveballs, ever felt real. Donald and Daisy are more akin to actual relationships. They push and pull at each other, forcing each other to grow as people, even when they don't want to. Their lives aren't easy and not everything is solved with a simple apology and good intentions. If you view all the media starring these two, you'll often see that Daisy helps Donald with his PTSD, but doesn't let him use it as an excuse to not do something. As someone who grew up in a heavily military area, I love seeing the representation that Donald gives. As a kid who was more often swamped with chaos than order, I enjoyed seeing things go wrong in the I-can't-forgive-this-right-away type of way but also watching how that forgiveness was earned. As a young adult looking for love, I appreciate the more realistic guidelines he and Goofy give compared to Mickey. As a writer who watched Disney turn into a pandering propaganda machine, I bask in the simplicity that Donald Duck has always been.

Higher education has a stigma about it. Some of it is justified and other parts not so much. The overwhelming crushing debt? Yeah, that's not ethically justified by most of the population, however, the rigor that is needed to succeed in said institutions is justified. This is because higher education is something much more than "the best years of your life" or an excuse to get unreasonably drunk for fun. Higher education is a transitional period for young adults in my country, The United States of America. Our typical, grade school education system doesn't provide well for learning basic skills one will need in their everyday adult lives, and often higher education institutions are left with the burden of helping provide tools and resources for young adults to fully transition to adulthood. For most young adults entering a higher education learning facility, it is the first taste of true freedom and responsibility. This responsibility leads to a lot of youthful mistakes and helps teach the young adult how to properly function in society while also introducing concepts such as bills, being the responsible adult in a given situation, and even having to set your own appointments. While there is definitely some supervision going on, the introduction of the concepts forms important cornerstones for each individual student's adult life. Furthermore, the curriculum of the higher education institution should be preparing the student to enter into the work force. This means helping the student form a work ethic that is up to par with the expected guidelines of the field the student wishes to enter. It can also mean guiding students off of the career path they'd thought they had wanted and nudging them towards a better fit. This type of education can be anywhere from a conversation with a guidance counselor to seeing the hands-on applications in the classroom. For me, higher education is important for these core aspects of these institutions. Particularly since I grew up in a nation with hundreds of thousands of opportunities that also tends to coddle their young and shield them from the future, I think that it is important to have a period of life dedicated to helping young adults figure out who they are and what they want to do in life. Higher education is an important step for most young adults in America to mature, however I also believe that choosing not to go to a higher education institution is also a viable option and can lead to similar results.

I don't have NF, dyslexia, or ADHD, but I do have a form of scoliosis. I've never been officially diagnosed, but my chiropractors use the word when describing my condition, and I have the x-rays to prove it. It has barely been a few months since I've discovered what's truly been going on with my skeleton. Throughout the later years of my high school career, all I knew was pain. Unending, dull aching that let me feel exactly which bones weren't in the correct position. I could be sitting still, doing absolutely nothing, but have tears in my eyes from pain. I've shown up to school twice with one of my ribs completely out of place. Everyone I knew and loved thought I was making it sound far worse than what it actually was. I can't blame them. I'm dramatic, but their doubts made me doubt what my brain was registering. It took me leaving for college, finding a chiropractor and getting x-rayed to see just how accurate my initial understandings of my body were. My neck is completely reversed, with a -2/45 degree angle rating, my spine is better but still not a complete 180 degree line, and my left hip was almost a full inch below my right. Yet despite all the pain, I never once thought about not going to college. I just assumed that I'd always live in suffering, so keep chugging ibuprofen (usually 800mg at each shot) and pray that the pain goes away. I want to be an inventor, to do research and development, so I need my degree to even be considered as an applicant in any lab. I'm a Metallurgical and Materials major, with the goals and hopes of one day domesticating light properties. I want to get transportation on Earth up to light speed in my lifetime. That's my motivation. It can sound a bit idealistic, but I'm one of those people who, once I decide I'm doing something, it's happening. It's hard for me to say why I'd be a better candidate than anyone else because we're all obviously applying out of need; however, I can say that I'm a good candidate because my disability doesn't get help. Not from society, and most definitely not from the school system. People with ADHD are allowed fidget toys and IEP plans. People with dyslexia are given tricks and tools help them read and are allowed voice-to-write programs and recorded textbooks for them to listen to. Both of them get extra time on tests. I get to stare blankly at the professor and wonder why the ibuprofen I took before class hasn't kicked in. I'm on a healing journey that will span past my college years that insurance companies have conveniently exploited every loophole in the book for, so I have to pay almost $1400 out of pocket for 26 appointments. I don't get to go to admin and ask for more time because "no matter how I sit or what I sit on, I'm in pain". During class, there's not much admin can do anyway since there isn't a solution that they can provide. The truth is that schools have adapted to the more mentally focused learning disabilities, not the physical ones, which makes me a suitable candidate for this scholarship, which I would use to help cover the cost of getting adjusted. While I don't have NF, I can relate to those who do in the way we're told it's all in our head, that it's not really a disability, and that pain meds make it all go away.

My favorite scientific discovery probably has to be learning how to domesticate steam power. While it was not only the herald of the next age of innovation, it also wasn't held in the desperate clutches of those in power. When steam power was discovered, science was still science and there was a tangible feeling of discovery that I feel the current age lacks. By "science was still science" I mean that while scientific voices were still highly regarded, scientists and innovators weren't vying for political power the way they do now. Theories and ideas could still be discussed openly and freely without immediate condemnation for having an opposing view. There was a sense of unity and working together. As I hinted at briefly, there was also an understanding that science was outside of legislation in all areas beyond safe practices. It wasn't used as the fear-mongering tactic as seen nowadays and it felt approachable from all classes of people. The discovery of steam power infused vigor into the populous in a way that science doesn't now. Its effect is still prominent today, within all the arts. The era of steam power is romanticized in novels, drawings, movies, and other forms of media through the Steam Punk genre. When people think of innovation, they think of the World Fair. I'm sure if you asked a group of people if they wanted to go see the original steam powered machines in action they wouldn't be opposed. On the contrary, if you asked that same group of people if they wanted to go to a modern technological convention, numbers would be lower. This is because nobody cares about the next iphone or smart device. It's all the same and non-applicable to most people's daily lives. Not like the discovery of steam power was.

One of the hardest attributes to find in my generation, is loyalty. We are raised on screens that lack true interpersonal communication and bonding. We are polarized by the anonymity of the internet and being able to connect only with those who have similar interests and ideologies if we so choose. We no longer have to live in a world where we have to see things we don't like. We can hide away behind fun posts and blogs, video game chatrooms, and "love, like, subscribe!". As a result, my generation, especially young Americans, find it easier to let go of something or someone that is mildly inconveniencing because it's a luxury that we've always had. I've noticed that it's easier to hide behind a facade of loyalty in my generation than to actually possess such a quality. Because it's easier to say that I'm "a Swiftie, a Raver, a Tik-Toker, a Marvel Fan, a DC Fan, a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, a Feminist, a Gamer, LGBTQ," and hide behind the comfort of numbers. After all, "not everyone is like that. You can't blame the whole group for 1% being that way. They don't represent all of 'us' and you shouldn't act like they do". As a generation, I've noticed we (Gen Z), bury ourselves in tags and labels. They become our defensive reasoning as well as the blatant justification of our attacks. We cut others down in the name of our tags, but callously drop those very same labels the moment something better comes along. I am proud to say I am not like that. I take loyalty very seriously. If I'm saying I'm with you, I'm with you until the grave, heaven's blessings or devil's chuckles. I don't run away when I notice people I'm loyal to going down a bad path. I stay and try and talk them out of it, but even when they ignore me, I still keep a line open, a safety net for when they inevitably fall. I don't care if we have different opinions, thoughts, or ideologies, I'm not here because I want to hang out with replicas. This quality of mine extends past the social sphere though, as it is etched into my work ethic. While there is a lot of talk about toxic corporate work life and the concept of "we're just a big family", there is some truth to that mentality. Taking a loyal approach to a job is important because then you aren't selling yourself short. If you aren't loyal to your job (or at the very least, loyal to yourself in the sense that you are doing as best as you can) then you aren't doing your job properly. The odds of you doing half-hearted work increases alongside your frustration and anger towards your job. You feel cheated out and have no outlet to express that anger, which only forces you to work less and perpetuate the cycle. I will point out that is important to be mindful however, as being too blindly loyal does lead to the aforementioned toxic workplace mentality as well. Loyalty is a such a powerful trait to possess, and I'm grateful that I have it during a time where it has repeatedly been threatened to be washed out entirely. From what I've been able to observe during my short period of life, most people are just looking for someone on the other end of the line. I know that this sets me apart from others in my generation and will help progress through my career and lifestyle.

I am a Metallurgical and Materials Engineering major. To those who have probably never heard of this field of engineering, the easiest way to explain it is as such: engineers need "stuff" to make "things", MME's make the "stuff". I chose this because I want to be an inventor. I always have wanted to be one, and I have looked up to the greats such as da Vinci, Edison, Tesla, Curie, and Franklin. I felt like having an MME degree would be the best option for the closest path of an inventor in the modern world, as there are plenty of opportunities for research and development alongside creation of new materials. Despite a sore lack of a numerous populous for this field, MME's are sought after because we are more versatile than even Mechanical Engineers and any product constructed is built upon the work of MME's. When issues arise in the field, MME's are the ones called to identify the error. We mold the matter of the world into usable forms for the rest of the world to consume as they see fit. This is especially important for my career goals. I want to see the vehicles jump up to light speed and domesticate the properties of light. I also don't mean that in the context of space travel either. I want people on Earth to be able to hop on a light rail that actually goes the speed of light. I want public servants to stop being unable to save lives because the time it took to get there was too long. I want to find ways to use our most abundant, renewable energy source instead of letting it drift about, full of ignored potential. To be able to achieve those dreams though, I need to be able to truly understand the properties of which I'm working with. I can't just hope everything works out. As with the age of innovation, to move forward in technology, new frameworks must be crafted with the specific intent to carry the load of the new technology. As an MME I would be able to truly understand and prepare such a framework in a way that other engineer types cannot. Thus, an MME I will be, and my goals I will achieve.

Talented and Gifted. It's a label that makes parents proud and turns children into arrogant airheads. There's a trend on social media these days talking about the effect that it has on the identified kids as they get older. Many have talked about how they don't understand how to study, can't pick up hobbies that they're not immediately good at, or interact with failure. It takes us well into adulthood, according to anecdotes by those older than me, for most TAG individuals to even begin to accept and work towards rectifying these learned behaviors. I choose not to wait that long to start working on myself as a person. I try to work on this every day, but it isn't easy. That's where my bravery comes in. I struggle with asking or answering questions the most as a direct result of the TAG label, so that's what I work on. A prevalent worry I have whenever I don't understand something is "do I ask in front of the class or after we get out?" This is because I have hundreds of memories of asking a question and eliciting thunderous responses from all of the other kids in my classes. It was snickers and insults whispered under breath that I know wouldn't have been there if I hadn't been one of the "smart" kids. It was always worse if I didn't know the answer to a question. Teachers never did anything to stop them. As a result, I stopped wanting to answer or ask questions, which halted my learning progress. It took me years to realize I needed to get over this to continue my academic journey. Bravery is finding the strength to overcome obstacles in your way, so that's what I do, no matter how hard it is.

I've spent many hours over the years trying to answer this question: what power would I want? I grew up watching just about everything that had superheroes and villains in it, and even as a kid, struggled to choose which one I wanted to be mine. As I grew older, the question remained. I pondered it from time to time, but nothing felt right. Maybe I was just overthinking it, as I'm prone to do, but I couldn't help but think about the context in which I would have a superpower. I mean, would I be subject to fame and glory like most comic books? Or would I be suffering under governmental experimentation? Would I be the only one to have a power or would this be a common thing? For peace of mind, I decided to lay the scenario out into one similar to comic books, where no evil or painful experiments would be taking place. Heroes and Villains. Good and Evil. From there I took a look at who I am and what I'd realistically do with any given superpower. For starters, I'm not much of a fighter (I just don't have the will to fight or even play-wrestle) and so I wouldn't do well with a sort of power that needed me to be on the frontlines of any battle. Similarly, since I don't have an interest in committing crimes, a power suitable for a more villainous role wouldn't be of much use to me either. On the flip side of that, I'm not exactly cop-material and don't handle orders very well, so powers more dedicated to public servant sectors probably wouldn't be put to good use with me. In the same vein, I wouldn't want to be the person having to make the perfect calls to keep someone alive, so medical powers are also a no. I continued questioning myself in this pattern trying to narrow down what I would want and how optimally I'd use it. Eventually, I realized that I'd much prefer to be the one giving other people powers. So that would be my power. Empowering others is a way that I wouldn't have to be on the frontlines of a battle, but such a power could also allow me to be instrumental in helping. Not that I'm one to care for fame and glory, but if I'm going to help out, I'd like to make sure my contribution would pull its weight. Another important aspect of this power is that there is no such thing as overthinking! When granting people powers, one must be willing to accept all responsibility for the grantee's actions, both good and evil. Thus, thinking long and hard about the situation and the conditions of the powers is of the utmost importance. While I am a metallurgical and materials engineering student, I love to write stories, so I'm already accustomed to these circumstances. I would use the power of empowering others to protect people in the villainous battles that I'm sure would happen in this world. I'd play a supporting role, which is where I'm most comfortable, while also not having to change my character to fit the power I had.

While I have had the fortune of having a good handful of teachers who have counseled me into who I am today, pushing me towards higher education, the one who truthfully deserves the most credit was actually my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Johnson. I know, it seems strange to be impacted so early for something like college, but Mrs. Johnson was the one who rekindled my love of learning. To be frank, I am an intellectual. Ever since I was a young child, I have been notably gifted, and as a result, my teachers tended to ignore me in favor of helping those who were not as adept. As a child, I failed to understand that I caught on quicker than others, and often felt isolated because I was given a special treatment of practically being left alone to do whatever I wanted so long as I did not create a disturbance. I remember barely being called on, even if I was the only one who had my hand up, and eventually fell to hate school because of it. I was not challenged and did not understand my peers' struggles. I started to refer to myself as an "answer key" because most of my interactions with other students was based solely to get the correct answer as quickly as possible with as little work as possible. When I stepped into Mrs. Johnson's third grade class, things changed. This teacher took notice of my boredom and gave me things to do without it being busy work. She would talk with me and try to explain why other people struggled with concepts I felt were simplistic in nature. Most importantly, she did not let me get away with not going further. I remember clearly a day where she was checking my work and I had put a semi-colon in the wrong place. We had never covered semi-colons in my education, but I knew what they were from reading. I also had not actually meant to put one in, but I had just because I could-it was not like it actually mattered anyway, the symbol was just a little fun in the middle of class. Mrs. Johnson called me up and asked me about it. When I deflected, startled by the unusual behavior, she flat out told me what I had done. Then correctly explained where the semi-colon would go. I did not actually learn what or how a semi-colon did or worked that day, I admit. I was too busy being shell-shocked at being seen for the first time since kindergarten. I was not used to teachers caring about anything I did, or even being heard. But Mrs. Johnson did. Through little things like that, she reminded me the joys of learning, and worked to correct misunderstandings that other teachers did not care enough to. This made all the difference for the rest of my education. I actually began to try instead of scraping by (which granted, for me was still very good grades, however, the work before and after became distinguishable) and that carried onwards into the rest of my academic journey. I would not be the student I am today if Mrs. Johnson had shown me that I was more than an answer key and that I could learn even when others were still learning what I already understood. I can go further. So that is what I will do, going forth into college, getting my degree, and becoming an engineer.

"Get used to disappointment" and "Life's not fair" are two phrases I heard countless times growing up. My father was the one to freely say it, and in turn, he got it from The Princess Bride. At first, the words sound harsh and mean, borderline ruthless, but I have grown to appreciate these phrases more often than not. These phrases are my mantra because of the truth that they possess within themselves. In this generation, my generation, we have been raised to expect instant gratification and throw tantrums when things do not go our way. We scream and rampage with little regard for anything other than our own wants and desires, declaring them as needs even when we do not actually require them. When I feel like that, those two phrases remind me that not everything needs to be handed over to me. I have to work for what I want. In the cultural shift of my generation, this makes my thoughts an anomaly. I was graced with being born in a nation where I have control of my life. I know in other nations, I would be already married and probably on my fourth child by now, if not killed by my own sharp tongue. When I whine and complain, those two phrases just remind me of that. Of how lucky I am, and how often I squander what opportunities I have because I have grown-up in a generation that believes putting energy into something is too much work. "Get used to disappointment" does not mean roll over and let the world have its way. No, it is a subtle reminder that things are not always easy, and you will have to work your way through life, even if you hit brick wall after brick wall to do so. "Life's not fair" is a jolt designed to remind me of how good I have it, and while I may not have everything (a fancy car, a mansion, and bathtubs of gold and diamonds) neither does everyone else. Yes, some people do, but others do not; I have more than $2.50, which means that I have more money than over half the world's population. Some people have to work harder than others, and I am no exception. Therefore, "get used to disappointment" because "life's not fair" and that is the reality of the situation. As both an artist and a STEM person, I look to Leonardo da Vinci as a role model for both his artistic flare and his willingness to create to solve problems. While da Vinci was remembered as both the artist and the daydreamer, people forget he also focused a great deal of time and energy upon finding innovative solutions to the modern-day problems-at one point even designing an entire city model that would benefit the health of everyone. That is the goal of which I set sights upon, as I want to be artistic (poetry, drawing, and writing) while innovative (particularly with light technology) to improve the quality of life for everyday people, regardless of nation, tongue, or ethnicity, by either light-heartedness or ingenuity. A knight may take an oath of chivalry, but as a person of STEM I make mine on such principles, such as my predecessors before me

This might sound a bit odd, but I don't want a legacy. Of course, what I want to do will leave one, however, as I doubt the introduction of the domestication of light technology will go unnoticed. I don't want to be written about in books or footnotes in textbooks. I don't want the credit. Why? It's simple really. I don't want to be someone that can be turned into a statistic for whimsical debate. For instance, most people remember Marie Curie as a strong feminist leader in an age dominated by masculinity in the sciences. I remember her as the person who discovered radiation particles and a great deal more of science that we had to rediscover because her notes are still too toxic to read safely. Most people remember Joan of Arc as a fierce, female warrior during a period when women were seen as too dainty and innocent for violence. I remember her as someone who was unrepentant for her noble actions even when she was burned alive. Most people debate if lone scientists like Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, or Nikkola Tesla were LGBT+ nowadays instead of trying to learn from the brilliance scrawled in their notes. This is the fate that is awarded to those who pioneer, and it is not a fate I wish to have, though I too wish to join those prestigious ranks. In a warped sense of the word, I would much rather my legacy be a passive thing, a backdrop that people give no mind, yet use regularly all the same. Let it be as unnoteworthy as the wind that blows, but as useful as the sunlight.

The wind is blowing again and the skies are dark with heavy clouds (letting out great gusts of what some people refer to as "snowflakes" and I as "ice bullets") and not just the night sky I've been waiting for all day. I have been out here for somewhere around twelve hours, which will surely show tomorrow when my sibling tease me about the random blotches of red that mark the long hours in the sun. I stopped feeling the skin on my face hours ago, so the only way I know about the sales-perfect smile is plastered under my glazed eyes is the way my teeth are clenched together in a way that is just a hair above gritting them. The automatic doors slide open and a foot passes the crack that I've claimed as my own. My voice is shriller than my normally low tone, filled with attempts at sounding sweeter and more energized than what I am, "Cookies today?!" The person peeks out from the probably warm collar of their winter trench coat and gasps, "What are you doing out here? It's freezing! Go home!" "Don't worry, we're doing okay!" I chirp back as my mother consoles the person by saying that our shift is almost over. I figure this is how I broke my internal clock, since "almost" in this case means "two hours" or until the parking lot traffic dies down. The person just nods and runs away from our booth and into the parking lot, her Wal-Mart bag bundled up close. I brush away the centimeter of snow that's accumulated around the seven infamous flavors, and pick up the Thin Mints box that fell forward because of the wind (despite my mother and I's feeble attempts to block the devious force). Another person pops out after ten minutes of small chit chat with my mother, a distraction from the biting cold. The routine starts again, but this time the person shouts, "You're crazy!" and runs to his car in a dead sprint. The cycle continues for over a half hour, with no sales. "You're insane! Why are you out here?" "Go home, its too cold" "That's dedication" "Look at that stupid girl" "Where's the Girl Scout, isn't she supposed to help sell?" (I'm right here, in the tan vest, sir.) I guess it's a good thing I stopped counting the "no's" when I was in first grade. That year, I was selling so both my mom and I could go on a cruise to Alaska with the rest of my Girl Scout troop. We did it, and because of those long hours, we didn't have to pay a single cent out of pocket. It wasn't the first time either. During my time in Girl Scouts, I had paid for another cruise (to the Caribbean) and at least four other weekend trips. It took somewhere over 12,000 cookie boxes to do so. Most Scouts only sell a quarter of that tally, if even that much. I carved my determination and ambition into a mold for me to reach a goal. That is what my time selling has taught me. As long as I have those two things, I can go forth and reach my goals. And I set lofty goals. I want to be an inventor with both a Materials and Mechanical Engineering degree under my belt. I want to work with light technology and get public servant vehicles up to light speed. I want to help save lives. It'll be hard. I know that, but I know that giving up is not the answer.

The volume is easily a favorite of any DC fan, Public Enemies. The specific scene that really gets me, is when Bruce and Clark (aka Batman and Superman) are both injured and beat to snot but have survived and are now walking back together. Their thoughts echo one another, talking about how much they admire what the other can do because they cannot, and how they could never actually tell the other person that. Yet, somehow they both understand. This scene has impacted me because it has shown me since I was a child, what true friendship is. I have grown up in an era where best friends are expected to become romantic partners as soon as possible. Especially in media. It's said that your best friend will walk through hell with you, but implies that you have to be extremely similar. Their friendship proves otherwise.

How can a ratty old necklace be a bold moment? When, in its threadbare strands it holds the memories of my last ten years years. It holds the agony of standing in front of a Walmart for hours on end, in Colorado blizzards, rain, and wind, selling over 10,000 Girl Scout Cookie Boxes so I could go on cruises to the Carribbean and Alaska without paying a cent out of pocket. This necklace is the reminder of pushing through tough circumstances to reach the end goal.

I grew up in a family of eight people, two parents with six children. One of my sisters is adopted and special-needs. She is also African-American, whereas the rest of my family is Caucasian, which gave me a pretty race-blind view of people from an early age. I bring this up because I believe that it has helped me appreciate humans more, because I never had racist mentality introduced to me-even passively- because of her; I will never find more value in one life over another because of such a petty thing. Not to get into too much detail, my sister's situation was not ideal, as her mother was on recreational marijuana while pregnant. Along with some other poor choices and a few medical issues, my sister was born early, resulting in only 3% lung capacity (and now she's up to around 65%) and a lower-functioning brain. A lot of this could have been guessed before she was born, yet I do not believe she should have been aborted. My sister is a person, a human, and a very dear life. No one has the right to take that away from her, especially because of a parent's bad decisions. She has faced struggles from things that were out of her control, but she is alive. She can be happy or sad, angry or relaxed. She can read and write, go on adventures with friends (albeit supervised), and most importantly live. As one can imagine, this has impacted how I approach the subject of abortion. If I believe that my sister, whom many choose to pity and say she would be better off dead, deserves life, how can I justify letting a child be aborted? Furthermore, as my sister is adopted, how can I ignore the option, even if the system is not always the best? The answer is the same for both: I cannot. So how do I promote this ideal? Very simply: I talk to people. While the concept seems like it does little because it does not have an impact on a grand scale, it does quite a bit. In my generation, especially as a female, we have grown up understanding that if we wanted to have unprotected sex as a teenager, we could go to an abortion clinic. Every health class I have ever been to that has sexual education has always handed every female a clinic card for free abortions without having to have parental consent. As a result we don't really think about sex having any real consequence. It dehumanizes the fetus. When I bring up discussions about what life is to those in my generation, I am able to bring forth ideas that the media and society ignores or tries to desensitize us to. I believe that having that conversation is more eye-opening and beneficial than joining a pep rally. The reasoning being that if you do not believe in a cause it is easy to shut it out or ignore it. You can call it stupid or the people idiots and scoff as you go about your day. It is much harder to ignore a open-minded conversation where one does not feel subjugated to hatred or shame for having an opposing view.

To me, to be an artist, is to be one of the most powerful people in the world. The pen is mightier than the sword after all. An artist has the ability to portray so much without having to say a single syllable. As someone who struggles with phonetics, this speaks powerfully to me. An artist often controls someone's dive into escapism, usually by movies, drama, or writing, and as someone who used to read all day to avoid the world, I find it a rather enlightening experience to be on the other side. It is a terribly great power, and often misused in today's generation by allowing false expectations to be seen as normal. Expectations such as a main protagonist being horrible to friends but having those same friends never being angry or upset about being in such positions or stalking a crush being an acceptable form of communicating their love for them. That is not to say that art cannot instill positive morals as well, such as realistically portraying scenarios and feelings without creating illusionary deceptions about how it will be all okay with the snap of a finger, such as getting over strong losses or through domestic disputes. It is such power that an artist possesses that drives me to produce whatever I feel up for that day, but to also produce something genuine and not what may sell easier. I am no published author mind you, but I do aspire to become one. I want to be deeply connected with all of my pieces because when an artist is connected to their work, it not only shines through the piece from pure genuine authenticity, but it gives the work meaning. How I connect is very simple, as I force each piece to be a reflection of myself, whether it be from thoughts I have once had to daydreams still occurring. This bond, sparks not only introspection of my own thoughts, but crafts itself to hold a place in my heart. As I have mentioned before, the power of an artist is great and needs a delicate balance of maturity and creativity to operate to be of the highest regard; for the power of an artist is to take and mold an audience in however the artist deems, and constant exposure to a particular audience member or group will result in the change of behavior. It is easily equitable to a person hanging around another group of friends, as slowly the person will change to become similar to the group's mannerisms. My plan for my art is to help instill realistic expectations for the future generations. As I claimed before, there has been a trend in my lifetime to produce what sells easier, even if it is not necessarily realistic, which annoys me greatly. I wish to use my art to provide a counter to such trends.

As both an artist and a STEM person, I look to Leonardo da Vinci as a role model for both his artistic flare and his willingness to create to solve problems. While da Vinci was remembered as both the artist and the day-dreamer, people forget he also focused a great deal of time and energy upon finding innovative solutions to the modern-day problems-at one point even designing an entire city model that would benefit the health of everyone. That is the goal of which I set sights upon, as I want to be artistic (poetry, drawing, and writing) while innovative (particularly with light technology) to improve the quality of life for everyday people, regardless of nation, tongue, or ethnicity, by either light-heartedness or ingenuity. A knight may take an oath of chivalry, but as a person of STEM I make mine on such principles, such as my predecessors before me.

I need this scholarship because I want to help people. It is as simple and convoluted as that. I dare not say why I "deserve" it more than other applicants because the truth is that I am no better or worse than any of the others. We are all in the fight to pursue our dreams and goals in life, chock full of ambitions. My dream is simple: I want to help improve the quality of life of people through inventions. I want to help ease daily life in whatever way I can, but most particularly in light technology. However, like many of my fellow applicants, I am paying on my own, without parents' help, and therefore need to find ways to get money to pay for the schooling I need to fulfill my dreams.

"Get used to disappointment" and "Life's not fair" are two phrases I heard countless times growing up. My father was the one to freely say it, and in turn, he got it from The Princess Bride. At first, the words sound harsh and mean, borderline ruthless, but I have grown to appreciate these phrases more often than not. These phrases are my mantra because of the truth that they possess within themselves. In this generation, my generation, we have been raised to expect instant gratification and throw tantrums when things do not go our way. We scream and rampage with little regard for anything other than our own wants and desires, declaring them as needs even when we do not actually require them. When I feel like that, those two phrases remind me that not everything needs to be handed over to me. I have to work for what I want. In the cultural shift of my generation, this makes my thoughts an anomaly. I was graced with being born in a nation where I have control of my life. I know in other nations, I would be already married and probably on my fourth child by now, if not killed by my own sharp tongue. When I whine and complain, those two phrases just remind me of that. Of how lucky I am, and how often I squander what opportunities I have because I have grown-up in a generation that believes putting energy into something is too much work. "Get used to disappointment" does not mean roll over and let the world have its way. No, it is a subtle reminder that things are not always easy, and you will have to work your way through life, even if you hit brick wall after brick wall to do so. "Life's not fair" is a jolt designed to remind me of how good I have it, and while I may not have everything (a fancy car, a mansion, and bathtubs of gold and diamonds) neither does everyone else. Yes, some people do, but others do not; I have more than $2.50, which means that I have more money than over half the world's population. Some people have to work harder than others, and I am no exception. Therefore, "get used to disappointment" because "life's not fair" and that is the reality of the situation.

While I have had the fortune of having a good handful of teachers who have counseled me into who I am today, pushing me towards higher education, the one who truthfully deserves the most credit was actually my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Johnson. I know, it seems strange to be impacted so early for something like college, but Mrs. Johnson was the one who rekindled my love of learning. To be frank, I am an intellectual. Ever since I was a young child, I have been notably gifted, and as a result, my teachers tended to ignore me in favor of helping those who were not as adept. As a child, I failed to understand that I caught on quicker than others, and often felt isolated because I was given a special treatment of practically being left alone to do whatever I wanted so long as I did not create a disturbance. I remember barely being called on, even if I was the only one who had my hand up, and eventually fell to hate school because of it. I was not challenged and did not understand my peers' struggles. I started to refer to myself as an "answer key" because most of my interactions with other students was based solely to get the correct answer as quickly as possible with as little work as possible. When I stepped into Mrs. Johnson's third grade class, things changed. This teacher took notice of my boredom and gave me things to do without it being busy work. She would talk with me and try to explain why other people struggled with concepts I felt were simplistic in nature. Most importantly, she did not let me get away with not going further. I remember clearly a day where she was checking my work and I had put a semi-colon in the wrong place. We had never covered semi-colons in my education, but I knew what they were from reading. I also had not actually meant to put one in, but I had just because I could-it was not like it actually mattered anyway, the symbol was just a little fun in the middle of class. Mrs. Johnson called me up and asked me about it. When I deflected, startled by the unusual behavior, she flat out told me what I had done. Then correctly explained where the semi-colon would go. I did not actually learn what or how a semi-colon did or worked that day, I admit. I was too busy being shell-shocked at being seen for the first time since kindergarten. I was not used to teachers caring about anything I did, or even being heard. But Mrs. Johnson did. Through little things like that, she reminded me the joys of learning, and worked to correct misunderstandings that other teachers did not care enough to. This made all the difference for the rest of my education. I actually began to try instead of scraping by (which granted, for me was still very good grades, however, the work before and after became distinguishable) and that carried onwards into the rest of my academic journey. I would not be the student I am today if Mrs. Johnson had shown me that I was more than an answer key and that I could learn even when others were still learning what I already understood. I can go further. So that is what I will do, going forth into college, getting my degree, and becoming an engineer.

My end goal in life is to become an inventor, more specifically, a modern day Leonardo da Vinci. What most people do not realize about this genius is that while he focused on the future and ways to innovate, he also spent a great deal of time focusing on his immediate time period as well. That is what I want to do. I wish to help prepare our world for the future, but also make an impact on the present. For what would make day-dreaming about the future justifiable when there is work to be done now that would create a future better than you day dream about? I want to get a degree in materials engineering so I can start working immediately on the materials we are using. For innovation, we have to focus on where we want to get to, yes, but we must also focus on the 'how' as well. I believe that it is prudent to have an understanding of materials and how to manipulate those materials so that I can get to the end results I want, hence why I am focusing on a materials engineering degree first and foremost, with a mechanical degree lingering in the background. As for the future, I think that light technology is the way to go, and where we are headed. The applications of what light has is numerous and a great deal more powerful, sustainable, and healthy. I want to pioneer in this division of science because of those reasons. With light technology, our most advanced tech will be almost akin to primary farming. This will just have a great impact on the quality of life for everyone on this planet, mostly because this technology will be rather inexpensive once domesticated because of its bountifulness. Of course, light technology is a broad field of study to claim as a goal, so my more focused point of interest would be light-transportation. The concept has always intrigued me since I first heard of it, and I believe, once domesticated, it will be a powerful, effective tool for day-to-day life. There are thousands of millions of cases for emergency situations across the world where they were just too slow because of the means of transportation. It is well-known in these circles that a second can make all the difference. Light vehicles will be able to counteract that time effectively, and can save countless lives that we would not be able to otherwise. I believe with all my heart that that is a goal worthy to pursue.

The pandemic screamed anger and vexations to me. I screamed back and said to stop trying to control my life. The end result was that I learned how to keep going forward. Do not misread me, I have always been someone who will do anything on my own terms and will move forward regardless, but the pandemic really got me thinking "enough". With how the pandemic had a lot of people wallowing in their own misfortune, I took it as a reality check to keep moving forward because life does not stop. Pulling yourself together is one of the hardest things to do, we say, but I believe moving again once you have been stopped is harder. My life became more focused once that reality check hit because it forced me to remember that time marches on and it does not care about anyone. As I move on and go through my life, there will be more struggles, and who knows if the next one will be worse than 2020? If I break down every time that happens, I will have to restart, which is not my speed, but learning and adapting is.

Brush strokes. Dictionaries. Eighth notes. Each a genius operation. All foundational in their medium. Together, humanity crafts and molds them to their whim. Coloring our world with tones and hues we never thought possible, reflecting the very lives they were born from. Although I use all three, they are not my preferred utensil of choice. No, I prefer atoms. Yes, you read that right. Atoms. Like the periodic table's main course. While I do enjoy taking time to weave a story, armed with nothing but imagination and literacy, digging into paper with soft lead to describe what words cannot, or extracting the essence of one's soul with my trombone, atoms allow me to reach a plane that not many crave. For clarification, my goal is to become an inventor, but before that I wish earn a degree in materials engineering. This specific field of engineering manipulates everyday materials (i.e. metals, plastics, etc.) at the molecular level, to improve them for a range of reasons such as durability or weathering temperance. My art will one day be my inventions, and my desire is for them to improve the quality of life for millions, if not billions. My biggest artistic ambition is founded in that principle. I want to help, change, and improve this world for the people who live here. For texture, I will use chemical properties, and for shading the precision required to ensure safety. For dynamic, the ease that my inventions bring for those who use them, and my fairy tale the summary of late nights and brick walls. For my lyrics, I will look no further than the world around me to draw inspiration, and the song titles pulled from people's hope and dreams. My album, I will call, the future. That is my ambition. This scholarship will help pay for a steppingstone to there.

I cannot lie, 2020 was not a horrible year for me. I know, it sounds crazy, with everything that happening as often and more-or-less destructively as it did, but I was not too terribly affected by what all went down. My family works in essential services, mostly medical, but a few of us do work in the food industry as well, so we did not suffer, as most people did, from lay-offs and crashing businesses, although we did have a few in my family who did. That is not to say that I had the best year of my life or anything either. I felt anger and frustration with what was happening around me, but I did not feel fear. Fear that was radiating from people I knew or hung out with. It was this fear that I still cannot wrap my head around. I remember reading a post that was talking about how it felt like life was being written by a four year old and finding more amusement out of it than anything else. It was not until a few months later that I began to realize why. As is common tradition with humans, I have found, a period of reflective introspection occurs on New Year's eve. For years, I have gone to New Year's parties, carrying casual conversation about what the last year was like. For my part, I almost always had the same answer when asked, "It wasn't a bad year for me. What about you?" Now, I know this really is starting to sound like I just hit the jackpot of life, because who never has bad years? Let me be frank, there were years when I gave that answer, my life had been completely turned around and flipped upside down. There was a solid two year period where my family was at war, almost completely split apart, my parents ready to be divorced, and the family took years to heal from it. Yet, I still managed to honestly, genuinely give that response, "Not a bad year" whenever I was surrounded by people asking. I bring this story up because while the tale makes it seem like I am apathetic and roll with anything that comes my way, it is a focal point for what I remember most about 2020: people could not adapt and try to move on. I, while loathing extreme change, am also a person who decisively moves on. If I paint the walls in my room to a different color, I'm not going to take ten minutes each day to remember how the old color looked; I will stop caring and devoting energy to the concept entirely. I apply that concept to my life. If something happened-a pet died, a friend moved, my country was put in lockdown- I accept that this is reality. If I want to devote energy to it, I must have a purpose-mourning, keeping in contact, getting informed-even if the reasoning is something as simple as "just because I want to" or something similar. Even then, I recognize that there comes a point where I have to move on from devoting energy because it is simply not productive anymore. A grieving period is designated to honor the life lived, and to help one process their emotions, but a grieving period that stretches on for too long will lead to obsession and start to destroy the person mourning. The hardest part for me about 2020 was the people. They wallowed in overwhelming fear and anger, almost seeking it out. Eventually they did, and while there are justice claims to deal with, a lot of anger that made itself known was rarely about the cause itself, but more of a forwarding motion of that refusal to face reality. It reminded me of talking about the latest year with people. Somehow, their lives never got better and each year was worse than the last, even when their lives had improved immensely. There was always something to complain about and make a bigger deal than it actually was. At times, it felt like I was the only one who could freely say anything positive. To clarify, I do understand that I had an easier year than a lot of people during 2020 because of my personal situation, and understand how difficult it would be to move on in the way that I do for some people. However, if 2020 taught me anything, it is that perspective matters. 2020 did not impact how I was going to live the rest of my life because I did not let it negatively influence me. I kept my plans to go to college and study engineering, and forced myself to work towards those goals as if it was like any other year; I moved on.

I am more stubborn than a mule and will push myself to the brink to get the job done if I feel as if that is what is required to be done. I believe in group projects just as much as I believe in solo projects, but I cannot stand competition when trying to promote an innovation (the fights between Tesla and Edison vex me very much when I think about them). My end goal is to be an inventor, a problem solver who thinks with her brain rather than through the lens of the problem handed to her. I do not hold back my opinion and speak my mind, often with little filtering from thought to mouth. If I see conflict I wish to take logical steps to avoid a drawn-out resolution. Efficiency is key. As for the biggest influence on my life, I would have to say that falls on society, because whether I agree with it or not, it is what is constantly shoved in my face everyday that I breathe. It is a hodgepodge of political identities, anger and bitterness, victimizations and poker faces, joy and happiness, friendships and relationships. Unconsciously, I have to take it all in, just like every other human out there. Regardless of my acceptance or retaliations, there are subtle differences that I must take in and that mold my nature. For instance, as an American, I naturally will open the door for someone else also walking into a building, give a friendly smile or nod, and maybe ask about their day. This would not be the same in Ethiopia. This influence has merely only given me the idea of becoming who I wish to be. I remember the exact event in sixth grade, when I was introduced to engineering and decided that that was what I wanted to be when I grew up. It was set during E-week and hosted by a group of female engineers who wanted to introduced more girls into the work-force. It would take a few years, but I would eventually realize how I was grateful that they had come to me and introduced the career options, yet I fail to agree with the politics behind it. It was the beginning of part of my struggle with my career choice. Do not misread me, for I love the engineering field and opportunities it presents, however, the biggest influence on my life, society, has screamed at me ever since I decided I was interested. I do not mean that in a sense of me constantly being told that I should choose a different field, but rather that I had to do it because I needed to become another statistic for girls going into stem to win a political fight. While I understand that it was never the intention it is what happened, which is why, when reading the information given alongside this opportunity, I was startled to find that it listed as females never having any support from "peers, colleagues, and mentors" when all I and multiple of my female engineer friends have nothing but support. Thus one of the biggest aspirations in my career was born: to be part of a generation of engineers who focus on innovating for the future for all, dismissing nation, race, or tongue (as is the job of engineers) instead of the politics that have dominated and corrupted the field in this day and age.

Jack the Ripper. Marilyn Monroe. Abraham Lincoln. Adolf Hitler. Sherlock Holmes. A serial killer. An actress. A President. A dictator. A fictional character. All five of these people are known throughout the world, for their actions, their lives, and their ideas. Each was vastly different, yet still hold influence over the world today. That is the power of a legacy. Each human left behind a different, and strangely enough, subjective legacy. Jack the Ripper, while hardly the first nor last serial killer, is the household name for killers making a comparison either a compliment or an insult. Marilyn Monroe, an actress seen as either a rising feminist or a cringe-infested airhead with a fan and a white dress. Abraham Lincoln, the man who freed the slaves or almost tore the United States to shreds. Adolf Hitler, an unbearable, pathetic excuse for a withering man or a charismatic sign of hope and change, saddled with economic growth. Sherlock Holmes, the detective who became more than just a story, the epitome of good versus evil, or just a man who thought he was above the law. Which legacy is more valuable than another? Depends on the legacy one wishes to have. If a person wishes to hold themselves as renowned and feared, then a legacy befitting Jack the Ripper or Adolf Hitler would suffice. If they wish to hold themselves noble and inspiring they would aim for the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. The truth is that a legacy reaches a point where nothing more can add to it. The accomplishments get lost and and the interest dwindles. After a while, people stop caring, but that does not mean that the legacy does not live on, it just merely becomes something that is not in common conversation. The legacy will be referenced and people will understand it, which is the farthest that a legacy can go without being powered by something else. An example can be found in foundations and grants. Often these are named after legacy-worthy people and thus done in their name, however the foundations and grants would not be able to do anything without being powered by newer generations investing within them, which often has little to do with the namesake. For me, the qualifications for having a strong legacy are very simple: when referenced the full name must be used and the legacy must still be active in some form, thus standing the test of time. Allow me to be clear, the specification of a strong legacy comes from the fact that I believe everyone leaves behind a legacy. A legacy is the remembrance of an individual or group after they have passed or disbanded. If they are alive or still a group, then reference to their work is their reputation. Suffice it to say that a legacy is the reputation of an individual or group post-mortem. In pertaining to myself, the concept of crafting a legacy is not a particular focus of mine. I could not care less if people remember me nor my works after I die or even while I live. My life is not built upon such notions, only that I achieve my goals as satisfactorily as I can without using others as stepping-stones to do so. However, if I were to dedicate myself to preserving a reputation in my life that would carry over after my death, it would pertain to a life based in truth, integrity, and solutions.

If the cornerstones of a pyramid are off by even so much as an inch, the whole pyramid will collapse. That is the power of mathematics and the real application in the world. When we sit and doze off at an eight a.m. lecture on differential equations, we tend to forget that. As mathematicians delve deeper into the probabilities and statistics of different theorems and proofs, engineers take what they have discovered and use it to innovate for the future. As someone who wishes to be an inventor, these mathematical principles have defined my world, not just my understanding of the world. For example, I look at a picture of the Gold Gate Bridge and see not the fancy red or the covered wires, but rather the triangles intricately and delicately placed to ensure the bridge's survival against tough winds. The triangles by which geometrical principle declares as the strongest shape. My understanding of the world comes from applications of theorems. I understand that for the weight of covered wires to not collapse the bridge there must be countermeasures that triangles alone cannot necessarily provide. Normal Force, G-force, and other external forces (such as cars, winds, earthquakes) must be balanced against the suspension bridge. Most of which is calculated by calculus. Such a connection is important, for it allows a direct application to be made between mathematical gibberish on paper and the complete and successful creation said gibberish construed. It is such a fine notion that it fills me with inspiration. As a prospective engineer, and eventually inventor, the goal of my day will be to innovate and progress technology and overall improve the quality of life for all, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or tongue. With the principles of mathematics, I will be able to achieve that. As with a bridge, I can use the principles of mathematics to start defining a solution to a problem (using a triangular structure), before expanding and truly creating a solution by using the core concepts of said principles to flesh out the concept (such as using height, weight distribution, stress, or pressure to build a suspension bridge). In the end, a solution will have been created that was based on mathematical principles and used to elevate human life in some way, regardless of the size of the impact. Hence is the nature of mathematics that draws me to it like a moth to a flame. It has the ability to produce anything of the mind's creation, so long as the work is put in for it. There is no dangerous "winging it" but only pure, calculated order. A carpenter can, with time and experience, carve anything, but he does not do so without his tools. Such is the nature of engineering, and in the toolbelts of engineers everywhere, the principles of mathematics lay, awaiting the next big project.