I’ve known I wanted to pursue law from the first time I played make believe with my siblings. I played the lawyer, and they played the clients. This was a weekly occurrence starting when I was eight years old. I would come home from school eager to argue my imaginary case. I’ve always been driven by a strong sense of empathy and a determination to make a positive change in the world. I remember feeling this way even when I was playing make believe. This was how I knew my calling was a career in law. My urge to pursue a legal career continued to grow as I watched my father tackle a career in criminal defense law with incredible dedication and skill. I was fascinated by his work, but watching his career evolve guided me to a path distinctly different from his. After watching the obstacles my dad faced in criminal defense, I realized that my passion lies in prosecution. I felt a desire to advocate for victims who need a strong voice. My dad’s encouragement to pursue my own path strengthened my determination to make a difference, and I’m using the same level of determination to pursue the legal career I’ve always dreamed of. Throughout college, it was often difficult to balance my part-time job and academic responsibilities. Juggling these responsibilities taught me important lessons in time management and perseverance. I was able to achieve impressive grades while maintaining high levels of dedication to my job. My role as a host taught me many skills that are invaluable in a legal profession. I learned the importance of patience, empathy, and problem solving. I listened carefully to guests and learned how to resolve complaints and establish rapport. I accommodated guests with special requests and advocated for their needs to make their dining experience memorable. Although my experience isn’t law related, I am grateful for the lessons I learned and the exposure it gave me to situations that many other law students may not experience. This will not only make me an attentive law student, but a successful lawyer as well. Looking ahead, my goal after graduating with my law degree is to become an incredible prosecutor. I am ready to advocate for victims and ensure justice is served. My academic and professional experiences in college have given me a sense of responsibility to uphold the law and use it as a tool for empowerment for everyone. I dream about a career where I can bring lasting change to the communities around me, where my childhood dreams blossom into reality. My empathy has only strengthened and I am excited to utilize it in my career to make a difference that victims will forever remember. My journey towards law school has been shaped by an incredible combination of childhood dreams, familial support, and real-world experiences. I am ready to embrace the opportunities that await me in law school, turning my passion for advocacy into action. With every step I take, I am staying committed to the path I have chosen for myself and the values that have guided me along the way. I look forward to using my voice to contribute to the legal profession, advocating for those who need it most, and leaving a meaningful impact on others.

As someone who has struggled with mental health issues from a young age, I've learned that persevering through mental health issues makes someone an incredibly strong individual. My mental health has been a rollercoaster my entire life, but from my experiences, I have been pushed to be a better person, and I have learned with a clear mind what my purpose in life is. My mental health has shaped my life, and that is one of the greatest blessings I have been given. As a young teenager, I started experiencing symptoms of depression in my day-to-day life. While at first I thought this was a normal occurrence, I soon learned there was a growing need for concern. Despite this, I felt that I couldn't tell anyone about what I was feeling. I was afraid I would be judged, or no one would believe me. I hid what I was feeling for a long time, and I have never felt more alone than I did at that time as a thirteen-year-old child. No one should ever have to go through that feeling. As I grew older, I started to open up to my closest friends and family about my struggles. In them, I found a support system. I was so eternally grateful for the help they had given me, but unfortunately, it still wasn't enough. I needed professional help, and that thought petrified me. Needing professional help meant I had to tell my parents. What would they say? What would they do? I was afraid they wouldn't believe me. There were many unknowns that I could not control. However, telling my parents that I wanted to go therapy saved me, and saved them as well in the process. I was incredibly lucky to have an amazing therapist my first go around. She was kind and understanding, she listened to me with no judgment, and she helped me get to the bottom of my feelings. I quickly learned from her that many of my mental health issues stemmed from me suppressing my sexuality and from childhood memories that troubled me. She taught me how to unapologetically be myself, and how to gain control back over my emotions. I am so appreciative of her and how she pushed me to succeed. Without her, I might have never understood how to better my life, and without that realization, my parents would not have a child. Everything I learned while going through my mental health journey showed me what I wanted to do when I grew up; I wanted to help people. I know so many others have experienced the same tribulations I have, and I wanted to help people push through those experiences as well as any other injustices they face in the world. Growing up the daughter of a lawyer, I was surrounded by law my entire life. While working through my mental health, I realized I have an immense passion for law and helping people. My therapist told me that I could become whoever I want to be, and I want to be a person that creates equality and justice for everyone. My experience with mental health has shaped who I am as a person. I am grateful for the opportunities I have received, and I know none of it would be possible without the support of those around me. I know not everyone is as lucky as me when it comes to mental health, but I will live my life trying to make sure everyone knows how valuable their lives are.

Each generation gains new wisdom the previous generation never had. While we often look to the older generations for their wisdom, we can pass down our gained wisdom as well. The "Ode To Millenials-Gen Z" text proves this and shows that as a society the best thing we can do is collaborate. Millenials-Gen Z are the first generation to deal with the consequences of the Greatest Generation's actions. While we feel a sense of eagerness for life, this is not because we are avoiding the damages that must be fixed, but rather we are trying to remain positive. As a Gen Z child myself, I know that I hold on to hope that we can turn this around in society, the economy, and the environment. Many of us are leaning towards careers in fields like criminal justice, health care, and social work, all fields in which we aim to help people. Millenials-Gen Z can become "The Greatest Generation 2.0", but we can help people in ways we never could before. We have more tools at our disposal than all of the generations before us and it's time we put them to use. We can rise above everything else and create a world that our children and their children will want to live in even more than we do. We can show the world that Millenials-Gen Z have an even bigger "rendezvous with destiny" than all generations before us. The only difference between us and them is that we are finally realizing it is time for a change, and we are making baby steps towards transforming the world; all one-hundred-and-fifty million of us at the same time. This gives us the most wisdom of all, by learning how to work together to change the world and accepting responsibility for our actions. We can create a better future for all generations after us, and then they can all become "The Greatest Generation" too.