Calculus is frequently considered one of the most difficult areas of mathematics; however, its impact reaches well beyond the confines of the classroom. It forms the basis for numerous advancements due to its capacity to articulate change over time, optimize systems, and facilitate the processing and modeling of data within STEM fields. Its significance extends beyond these aspects, as a solid grasp of calculus is essential for comprehending more intricate relationships in STEM applications. Science significantly depends on calculus-driven models to forecast and elucidate natural phenomena. In physics, for instance, calculus is crucial for understanding interactions by modeling motion, forces, and energy. Newton's laws of motion, in example, employs derivatives to describe the velocity and acceleration in its models. Similarly, differential equations are used to describe the reaction rates and radioactive decay of chemistry's models. Biology also uses calculus's tools, with population dynamics, drug absorption rates, and ecological systems being modeled through calculus principles. Technology uses calculus to optimize its algorithms, process the multitudes of data, and enhance machine learning. In computer graphics, calculus enables smooth animations, realistic physics simulations, and image processing. All of which goes into the development of the development of the AI tools every tech company is rushing to develop faster and smarter than any other company. Making calculus not only important, but essential to technology. In game development, calculus is used to render realistic motion for character models, environments and object to make the game function and flow well. Applying calculus to game physics enables the simulation of gravity, fluids, collisions to make digital worlds more immersive and impressively realistic. Engineering depends on calculus to create solutions for structural engineering and aerodynamics to effectively design every road and building people rely on stability of every day. Civil engineers use calculus to determine stress distributions in buildings and bridges, in order to design ensuring safety and longevity. Electrical engineers rely on calculus to analyze signal processing, control systems, and circuit behavior to design efficient, functional and innovational electronics. Aerospace engineers apply calculus to optimize flight trajectories, fuel efficiency, and spacecraft navigation to maximize the safety and efficiency of missions. In mathematics itself, calculus is a fundamental that connects algebra, statistics, and geometry. It allows mathematicians to develop models for real-world applications. In economics, calculus helps determine and predict the future of trends to determine trends, manage risks, and optimize investments. This makes calculus an essential skill for economists to analyze costs and revenue, helping businesses maximize efficiency and profitability. Calculus is more than just an academic challenge, it is a tool for understanding, advancing and shaping the world. From predicting disease development to optimizing technology and engineering solutions, calculus is essential to STEM progress and innovation. Embracing the challenge of calculus and working towards an understanding of it unlocks new understanding of the world and the progress that comes with it.

I love math because I enjoy the satisfaction and completion that math offers. As opposed to other field, which can often be debated or left to interpretation. I also love math for its practical applications; many other fields of science, biology, health, business, account, and all types of statistics are labeled and graphed with mathematical principles. In the same vein, math is the foundation of many other fields of study such as physics, astrophysics, and engineering. I love that math can be broken down to fundamental rules and principles that build on each other to create proofs, theorems, and laws that describe complex interactions and relationships in the natural world. For me, math represents an area to both explore and explore with, it invites curiosity in its complex yet logical systems while offering structure in a seemly unpredictable world. Another reason I love math is its applicability to the natural world. From the symmetry of the leaves of plants to the perfect efficiency of photosynthesis, STEM cells, honeycomb and other natural systems. All of which can be shown to be efficient to the highest degree of accuracy through mathematical modeling. What I love most about math is its ability to connect seemingly unconnected concepts. A simple equation or ratio can reveal unseen correlations and insights to the methods in which something happens or materializes by. The bizarre randomness of letters, sounds, outcomes or choices become part of grandiose themes that appear everywhere in the world. For these reasons, I love math. It's both a source of challenge and the solution to other challenges, forcing me to think critically and truthfully to find the satisfaction of definite answers. Whether predicting theoretical concepts or apply formulas to solve real-world problems, I know math will be an essential building-block to my understanding and contribution to the world.

My biggest achievement was when I broke a 24-year-old record on my high school swim team. Getting to that point took years of time, effort, dedication, and support from my coaches and parents. I would not have had the opportunities to grow without everyone's support, and they make me want to be the same support to the next generation. I only started swimming because my parents pushed me to do something out of the house, and the pool was somewhere they already knew well (being swimmers themselves). At first, that was all it was to me too, just a way my parents were getting me out of the house and off the couch. But one summer, I had the opportunity to continue training with the most devoted swimmers on the team, as they went outside to train while covid kept pools shut down. It was in that opportunity that I learned to appreciate the calmness of honing my focus on swimming. I even began to love swimming with them; not just for the calmness of swimming, but the satisfaction of devoting myself to getting better. Especially when the results of the hard work take months to payoff. That was the beginning of the long and restless process of improving myself. It started with getting out of the house more often, to appease my parents. But it became an opportunity for me to learn how to put my head down and grind out the work that needs to be done to be great at something. Over time, it evolved to training 6 days a week of 8 practices and 3 lifting sessions, then it became not just pushing myself to be better but pushing the younger guys around me to be better too. I not only got to see myself get faster and stronger in the pool, but I also got to see how the guys I care for and spend my days with grow in the same way. Seeing their growth taught me the importance of giving back to the community that encourages you to grow. I realized that what I was doing for those guys was the same thing the older swimmers did for me, as well as recognizing the opportunities my family gave me. This all came to a climax when I was able to break the long-standing 500 Freestyle record at my senior high school districts meet. Seeing the addition of my name to the record board at my pool let me truly appreciate every opportunity, connection, and chance to grow my friends, family and coaches gave me. Knowing that the kind of support needed to accomplish such a feat took 24 years to happen again makes me feel truly blessed to have everything I have. Their support makes me want to be part of the community that allows the next generation of swimmers to do the same to my record, and to allow them to flourish in the rest of the aspects of their lives.