Writing is a form of self-expression that allows me to delve into the depths of my imagination and share stories, ideas, and emotions with others. It's like a magical portal that transports readers to different worlds, immersing them in captivating narratives. When I write, I have the power to create characters that come to life, with their own hopes, dreams, and struggles. Through their journeys, I can explore complex themes, tackle societal issues, and shed light on the human condition. Writing allows me to connect with readers on a deep and personal level, evoking empathy and understanding. One of the most incredible aspects of writing is its ability to transcend time and space. Through the written word, I can communicate with people across generations and cultures. It's a bridge that connects us, enabling us to share our experiences, perspectives, and wisdom. Writing has the potential to foster unity and create a sense of belonging in a world that can sometimes feel divided. Moreover, writing is a powerful tool for personal growth and self-reflection. It allows me to process my thoughts and emotions, gaining clarity and insight along the way. Through writing, I can explore my own identity, confront my fears, and celebrate my triumphs. It's a cathartic and empowering process that helps me navigate through life's ups and downs. In terms of making the world a better place, writing has the potential to inspire positive change. It can raise awareness about social issues, challenge prejudices, and promote empathy and understanding. Words have the power to ignite movements, spark conversations, and shape the collective consciousness. Through my writing, I hope to contribute to a more compassionate and inclusive world. If I had an extra 24 hours in the day, I would spend it immersed in the world of words. I would use that time to sharpen my writing skills, explore new genres, and experiment with different writing techniques. I would also dedicate time to reading, as it nourishes my creativity and broadens my perspectives. Additionally, I would seek opportunities to collaborate with other writers, as the exchange of ideas and feedback can be incredibly enriching. As for when I feel most creative, it's when I'm in a state of flow, completely absorbed in the act of writing. This can happen at any time, but I find that creating a conducive environment helps. Surrounding myself with inspiring quotes, artwork, and music sets the stage for my imagination to take flight. I also find that taking breaks to recharge and engage in activities that inspire me, like going for walks in nature or listening to music, helps to fuel my creativity. It's all about finding that sweet spot where inspiration and motivation collide, allowing the words to flow effortlessly onto the page. So, whether it's through storytelling, sharing knowledge, or expressing emotions, writing holds a special place in my heart. It's a journey of self-discovery, connection, and impact. And I can't wait to see where it takes me next!

Calculus is seriously a game-changer in the world of STEM. It's not just important, it's absolutely essential for tackling complex problems and understanding the intricacies of the real world. Let's dive deeper into why calculus is so significant in various STEM fields. In engineering, calculus plays a crucial role in designing structures and optimizing systems. Engineers use calculus to analyze forces, determine the stability of structures, and ensure their designs can withstand different loads. For example, when constructing a bridge, calculus helps engineers calculate the forces acting on it, ensuring it can bear the weight of traffic and withstand external factors like wind and earthquakes. By applying calculus, engineers can create safe and efficient structures that shape our modern world. Moving on to physics, calculus is the language that allows us to describe and understand the laws of nature. It provides the tools to analyze motion, whether it's the trajectory of a rocket, the movement of planets, or the behavior of particles. Calculus enables physicists to study the relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration, unraveling the fundamental principles that govern the physical universe. Without calculus, our understanding of the natural world would be severely limited. Now, let's talk about computer science. In this rapidly evolving field, calculus is used for algorithms and data analysis. Calculus helps computer scientists develop efficient algorithms for tasks like image recognition, optimization problems, and machine learning models. By applying calculus, computer scientists can optimize code, improve performance, and create algorithms that solve complex problems with precision. Additionally, calculus is invaluable in data analysis, allowing scientists to extract meaningful insights from vast amounts of data. Beyond these specific fields, calculus has broader applications in STEM. It provides a powerful framework for modeling and predicting real-world phenomena. Whether it's predicting population growth, analyzing the spread of diseases, or understanding the behavior of complex systems, calculus equips us with the tools to make accurate predictions and informed decisions. Moreover, studying calculus enhances critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. It trains our minds to break down complex problems into manageable parts, identify patterns, and develop systematic approaches to finding solutions. These skills are not only valuable in STEM fields but also have practical applications in various aspects of life. In conclusion, calculus is undeniably important in the STEM field. Its applications are vast and far-reaching, from engineering and physics to computer science and beyond. Calculus empowers us to solve complex problems, model real-world phenomena, and gain a deeper understanding of the natural world. So, it's time to embrace the challenges of calculus and fight for a better future!

In life, it seems that we rarely take time to slow down and listen to what the world is telling us, whether it be through actual words or through our experiences. It is understandable that we sometimes struggle to truly let the words of others sink in or to find some quiet time in our lives to listen to what the world is trying to tell us about our experiences and our selves. In reality, life is hard. It feels like we are constantly fighting to be heard or to make a deadline. The sad thing is, this causes us to miss out on many important realizations and experiences in our own lives. Although it may take a bit of effort on our part, this can be fixed. The key is silence. We have to learn to be quiet during our conversations and truly let those that we are talking to speak their minds. When we are silent and we are not spending all of our time thinking about a potential response, it is much easier to genuinely listen to and value the words of others. Such a simple thing as silence may make it possible for us to understand and truly hear opinions that differ from our own. Silence can also help us to get greater value from our personal experiences. In my personal life, I have found silence and meditation to be very beneficial. This has allowed me to clear mind and fully listen to what my body, mind, and soul have been telling me about certain experiences, choices, and struggles in my life. Because of this, to me, listening is everything.

My favorite artist is my mom. Although most people would think of an artist as someone who creates something physical, my mom is not a normal artist. My mom creates art with her philosophies. My mom's art has taught me a great deal about living, overcoming challenges, human interaction, and love.

The best way to live a long and healthy life is to take time for ourselves. It is incredibly important for us to focus on our own needs. If we don't do this, we will never feel true happiness. We need to realize that it's okay to take a break from the "fight, grind, repeat" of life. Taking a break to slow down, to focus on our feelings, to focus on ourselves: it can give us the time that we need to learn lessons that will help us for the remainder of our lives. We can learn to look at both sides of every story: to see the gray. We can learn to see our mistakes. We can learn to learn from our mistakes. We can learn to forgive. We can learn what we truly want. We can learn who we truly are. We can gain peace. In this constantly changing life, we must learn to slow down. If we do not slow down, we will not see the truths that we have to see in order to gain and maintain a happy and healthy life.

When I lost my PawPaw, I learned that what I thought mattered truly didn't matter, and achievement was not at all what I or even the world thought it was. In November of 2020, I lost my PawPaw to covid. PawPaw was really special to me because I spent a lot of my time with him when I was growing up. He, an 84 year old half Caucasian half Native American man, taught me everything I know about the great outdoors, and a lot of what I know about life. PawPaw taught me many things about navigation, tracking, and different actions of animals. I loved riding horses and ATVs with him. We would always stop for him to teach me small things about specific trees or animals that we saw along the way. I loved his little lessons. When we returned home, he would cook us fish sticks, macaroni and cheese, english peas, and cornbread. That meal was and still is one of my very favorite meals. I love that it reminds me of him and my childhood. After we ate, we would get cornbread, crumble ot up in buttermilk, and drink it. PawPaw lived for buttermilk and cornbread. He absolutely loved it. So did I. PawPaw had always been a good cook. Even before my mom and I were born, he cooked for the people of his community. Many of these people either couldn't afford food or were too young to cook their own food and didn't have parents who cared to do so. PawPaw loved them all, and I loved that about him. He always tried to help people in any way that he could. His wise words still echo through my mind: "A stranger is a friend that you haven't met yet." Later in PawPaw's life, he got dementia, which made it hard for us to have the connection that we once had. Although we were still close, it didn't feel like PawPaw was still the same PawPaw that I once knew. During the covid pandemic, PawPaw began to believe that my mom and I were using covid as an excuse to avoid him. This hurt us because we certainly wanted to see him, but we wanted to protect him. At one point, PawPaw fell and broke his hip. Because of this, he was forced to go to the hospital for surgery. The hospital that he went to had an absurd amount of covid patients. That scared my mom and I. We had been worried about the surgery because PawPaw had terrible heart trouble. To our surprise, my mom was allowed to go see PawPaw before his surgery. This made her feel much better. She was happy that she could see him and tell him that everything was okay in case something happened. Thankfully, the surgery went well, and PawPaw was okay. About a week later, my mom began to develop covid symptoms. She went to get tested, and tested positive. This came as a shock to both of us, and hit me very hard because I had just gotten out of a quarantine. At the time, I wasn't doing well mentally because of stress from school, track, and lack of social interaction. The thought of being quarantined for two more weeks crushed me. I definitely didn't want to get covid, but I was depressed and trying to find my way in an ever changing world. While I was quarantined, I quarantined downstairs with my stepdad while my mom quarantined upstairs. That was very hard because my stepdad and I didn't get along, and I felt alone. The same day that I tested positive, I heard that PawPaw did as well. This made me hate the world and the people that couldn't just follow the mandates that had been put in place. I knew he was going to die, and about a week later, he did. The loss of PawPaw took away all of my remaining willpower, but I had to hold it together to take care of my mom. During the next couple of months, I struggled to find peace. Everything brought me pain, and I was looking for reasons to live. I finally began to remember times with PawPaw, and look for peace in nature, as he had. Over time, this helped me to find a symbolic connection to others and my inner self. We all struggle in life, and we all have to find ways to cope. We will never fully recover if we don't take time to slow down and process our struggles. That's what PawPaw's death taught me to do. PawPaw's death taught me that true achievement and happiness comes from slowing down to focus on ourselves rather than focusing on what society sees as achievement.

In my life, I find it helpful to take time to practice mindfulness in order to stay true to myself. The practice of mindfulness helps me to better understand myself as a person and to realize when I make choices that don't truly reflect me. In addition, mindfulness helps me to sort out any negative emotions I am dealing with so that I can be a better person toward others and stay true to what I believe. The practice also helps me to realize how people have become who they are in this life and stay true to myself by putting myself in the shoes of others. During this life, we all face struggles that shape who we become. We just have to fight to find our true selves despite the challenges that we face. In order to do this, we have to be mindful and spend time with ourselves. My favorite ways to practice mindfulness are running and meditation.