Having goals gives a person the drive and motivation they need to accomplish them. Personally, I have many goals; I would like to graduate from NSU with my master’s degree in elementary education and I would also like to become a teacher. Graduating from NSU with my master’s degree in elementary education is one of my bigger goals. I would love to go to NSU and experience the college lifestyle. Going there would be a dream come true, not only do I have family living 30 minutes away from campus, but I would also have friends that would be attending the same school. Graduating with my master’s degree in elementary education would also be huge for me. I would love to teach children one day and my degree would definitely help me achieve that. Moving on, another one of my big goals is to become an elementary teacher. I absolutely adore little kids and I love teaching them even more. I am taking early childhood classes and I am falling in love with teaching. I love the creativity that I get to put into creating lesson plans that I would later get to teach to the little ones at my High school’s preschool where teachers leave their 3-5-year-old kids. I love the idea of teaching and shaping the young men and women of the future. I know that my future is never set in stone, and I could shape it to be whatever I want it to be. That is the beauty about the future- it’s all the unknown and maybes. The could be and can be. And I know that if I continue the path that I’m on now…without a doubt in my mind, I will successfully achieve my vision for what my future can be career-wise.

Having goals gives a person the drive and motivation they need to accomplish them. Personally, I have many goals; I would like to graduate from NSU with my Master’s degree in elementary education, I would like to become a teacher, and I would like to someday have a beautiful family. Graduating from NSU with my Master’s degree in elementary education is one of my bigger goals. I would love to go to NSU and experience the college lifestyle. Going there would be a dream come true, not only do I have family living 30 minutes away from the campus, but I would also have friends that would be attending the same school. Graduating with my Master’s degree in elementary education would also be huge for me. I would love to teach children one day and my degree would definitely help me achieve that. Moving on, another one of my big goals is to become an elementary teacher. I absolutely adore little kids and I love teaching them even more. I am taking early childhood classes and I am falling in love with teaching. I love the creativity that I get to put into creating lesson plans that I would later get to teach to the little ones at my high school’s preschool where teachers leave their 3-5-year-old kids. I love the idea of teaching and shaping the young men and women of the future. Having such big goals that I must work towards truly fuels my life and gives me the motivation that I need on a day-to-day basis. Without my goals, I don’t know what I would do in life because if there is one thing that I’ve learned- it’s that the motivation that your goals provide will get you through life.

I am a true believer that everything happens and is given to us for a reason. Nothing is just coincidental- nothing happens by chance, and if there is one thing that was given to us for a reason... it would be our voices. This is our instrument, our way to get a message across to somebody, our way to speak our minds. I make sure that I use this God-given ability every day. I had always struggled with talking to people and making new friends, I was always the shy kid that just waded around quietly. One day I decided that enough was enough, I need to become more outgoing and talkative, I not only needed to make more friends but also needed to speak up whenever I wanted to. Before middle school, I never spoke up when I knew the answer to something in class, I never joined a conversation when it pertained to something I was passionate about, and I never used my voice. Since then, I made it a challenge to speak to new people every year, participate in class, and join conversations when it was about something I liked or believed in. Something I am very passionate about is teaching and the education system. I have read up on it a lot and I make sure to keep people informed when the topic comes up. In class, I started a discussion about it, and we talked about what goes into teaching and how unfair it is that our education system values money and successful test score over actually learning and spending money where it counts. My voice is my superpower- and I would be dammed if I don't get the chance to use it.

Life is too short to not do things. Any year... any month... any day... any moment, we could just be wiped from the planet- killed at an instance. It's depressing to think about, but it’s even more depressing when it happens, and you never got to do the things you wanted to. That is why I make it a mission to try new things, experience new horizons, and check things off my bucket list. It's funny how a bucket list is something you’re supposed to complete before you die, but most never do. It may be because life took over and they never had the chance or because they kept on adding to it. All I know is that instead of trying to complete it, people should just try to do as much as they can. Something on my bucket list that I have done was to make friends and become more outgoing and confident. I had always struggled with talking to people and making new friends, I was always the shy kid that just waded around quietly. So, in middle school, I made it a challenge to talk to someone new every year, participate more in activities, speak up in social situations, and just try to be more talkative. Thankfully I was successful and able to make lots of new friends along the way; because of this thing on my bucket list, I was able to connect with people easier and boost my confidence a lot. Now that's just something that I've done, there are still things that are pending. Such as becoming homecoming king, getting into NOVA Southern University, touring Europe, Getting a boyfriend, and so on... My bucket list isn't meant to be completed- it's just meant to make life a bit more interesting.

In our world, we have many stressors...and with those stressors come anxiety, depression, burnout, etc. We now are tasked to try and find ways to relieve some of that stress- find ways to cope with our reality. That is where hobbies come in, they are the portal to a realm of serenity, the map that leads you to the big red ex, the red ruby slippers that take you home. It is difficult to deal with the struggles and stress that go into planning for my future- and without a pencil and paper or a device with Word, I wouldn't have made it this far. Writing and drawing are my favorite hobbies, being able to escape into my own world and delve deep into my imagination helps keep me level-headed. I love portraying a story and developing it in my own way, I get into a rhythm and let my hands take control- they dance around my keyboard and a beautiful story is produced. It is very therapeutic to be able to get into the zone and feel free. With art, I never know what I'm going to produce- I just know that it is going to be me. Whether it’s the stride of a pen or pencil; or the stroke of a paintbrush, something about connecting lines and making shapes into pieces of beauty makes me feel like I can do anything. Hobbies are never just hobbies- they are how people escape into their own world and leave their stresses behind.

Talents are what set us apart, they are what show us if we’re good and bad at certain things. Our talents are what tell us what we are best at, what profession we should look into, and what we are educated in. Everybody has a set of talents, some have the same talents but at different levels, some have unique talents that not many people could have; But everybody has one talent that they are the best at. Mine would be my writing. I am a talented writer, I love writing and I'm good at various types of essays, such as comparative, analytical, argumentative, persuasive, directive, descriptive, etc. My favorite type of writing is creative. I love coming up with a story, being able to create characters, plot, conflict, climax, etc. is one of my favorite things to do. As good as I am at writing, I always need to be practicing. I like to write books in my spare time, specifically children's books. I love coming up with fun characters that kids love and teaching cute lessons at the end. I have people look over everything I write, to then collect their feedback. Collecting feedback is a great way to improve skills. I appreciate getting feedback, I want people to be brutally honest with me because I know that I won't get hurt by the criticism and I would only learn from my mistakes. I love improving my writing because it doesn't only sound better, but it makes really proud of my work and shows me what I can accomplish when I work hard and practice. Talents are passions, they are what make us happy; to be talented and advanced you must improve and reinforce your skills.

Skills are what set us apart, they are what makes us good and bad at certain things. Our skills are what tell us what subject we are best at, what profession we should look into, and what we are talented in. Everybody has a set of skills, some have the same skills but at different levels, some have unique skills that not many people could have; But everybody has one skill that they are the best at. Mine would be my writing skills. I have high writing skills, I love writing and I'm good at various types of essays, such as comparative, analytical, argumentative, persuasive, directive, descriptive, etc. My favorite type of writing is creative. I love coming up with a story, being able to create characters, plot, conflict, climax, etc. is one of my favorite things to do. As good as I am at writing, I always need to be practicing. I like to write books in my spare time, specifically children's books. I love coming up with fun characters that kids love and teaching cute lessons at the end. I have people look over everything I write, to then collect their feedback. Collecting feedback is a great way to improve skills. I appreciate getting feedback, I want people to be brutally honest with me because I know that I won't get hurt by the criticism and I would only learn from my mistakes. I love improving my writing because it doesn't only sound better, but it makes really proud of my work and shows me what I can accomplish when I work hard and practice. Skills are passions, they are what make us happy; and when you improve your skills and succeed, you come out proud and joyous.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"- Eleanor Roosevelt Motivation comes in many forms: money, love, and success. As great as they may be for motivational fuel, I chose something different. I am motivated by my future, the unknowing, and the ability to make it whatever I want. My future is my biggest motivator because I am in love with my vision of it. Seeing myself winning homecoming king and graduating from UCF with my bachelor’s in elementary education and becoming a teacher and winning teacher of the year and having a beautiful family is what gets me excited and keeps me on track towards completing my goals. My motivation to have the best life always puts a smile on my face, it puts things into perspective and drives me to work hard. I also have smaller motivations that keep me going every day. Things like being able to drive make me want to practice more often. Dreaming about the day that I don't have to ask my parents to drive me somewhere because I will have a car and be able to drive myself wherever I please. Things like going to college make me want to work harder, it makes me want to get amazing grades, participate in multiple clubs, work hard on my course rigor, and graduate with many certifications and a high GPA. All my goals are within eyesight and with my motivations taking control, I am able to get up every day and keep working because I know that at the end of the day I'm going to get everything I deserve and I am going to do great things in life.

Listening, listening is a great way to show others you love them. Most people believe that it's not hard to listen, but most people confuse listening with hearing. Hearing is just acknowledging that noise is going into your ears but listening means being in the moment and feeling empathetic towards someone and their situation. When listening to people's dilemmas, you get the chance to understand what they are going through which allows you to help them when they are in need and let the love shine through. With that being said helping someone with their problems is another great way to show people you love them. Helping lets others know that they were being listened to and it lets people know that they have someone in their corner, someone who loves and cares for them, someone who would drop anything to be with them. Showing love is a lot more than listening and helping, its letting people know that you care and let people know that they are being loved. I show love towards many people in my life, I check up on my friends when they are having problems with their relationships either at home or at school. I lend my friends a helping hand when they are falling behind and I make sure that they know someone believes, loves, and cares about them. With my family, I like to pop into their rooms and talk for a bit, tell them that I love them, I make my parents breakfast and give them thoughtful gifts on special days like mothers, fathers, and birthdays. That is how I chose to make the special people in my life feel loved and that's how everyone should do so; because without love, we would live in a depressing and grim world.

"People are just as joyous as they make up their minds to be" - Abraham Lincoln Some may say that to to have joy, you must live in the best house, have the perfect family and friends, have the best job, have the best pay, and so on. Having this perspective clouds people’s minds, making them believe that they aren't joyous because they don't have the best things in life. I like to shine a different light on what it takes to be joyous. Joy doesn't depend on the things you have, but rather on the mindset you have. Appreciating what you have and keeping your mind on the positives in life, is the key to true joy. Focusing on the positives makes it easier for the negatives to roll off your back. It takes a weight off your shoulders and lets you breathe for the first time. I like to reminisce on the times I spend playing games and watching movies with my family or going out to have some fun with my friends. I gain joy from the little things in life that people tend to overlook. Like the times my little brother comes into my bed because he was scared of the dark, or the times I baked with my mom, or the times that my friends made me laugh. People tend to brush off the little things because they aren't significant enough, but those little things accumulate to make a lifetime of joyous memories. So, if anyone were to ask about the secret to seek out joy, the key to living their best life. I would tell them that they had it the whole time; because joy isn't about what you need to do, but what you need to remember.

Having goals gives a person the drive and motivation they need to accomplish them. Personally, I have many goals; I would like to graduate from UCF with my bachelor’s degree in elementary education, I would like to become a teacher, and I would like to someday have a beautiful family. Graduating from UCF with my bachelor’s degree in elementary education is one of my bigger goals. I would love to go to UCF and experience the college lifestyle. Going there would be a dream come true, not only do I have family in Orlando but I would also have friends that would be attending the same school. Graduating with my bachelor’s degree in elementary education would also be huge for me. I would love to teach children one day and my degree would definitely help me achieve that. Moving on, another one of my big goals is to become an elementary teacher. I absolutely adore little kids and I love teaching them even more. I am taking early childhood classes and I am falling in love with teaching. I love the creativity that I get to put into creating lesson plans that I would later get to teach to the little ones at my High school’s preschool where teachers leave their 3-5-year-old kids. I love the idea of teaching and shaping the young men and women of the future. Finally, my last big goal is to one day have a family. I love the idea of getting married to the man of my dreams and having 2-3 lovely children with him. I love family and the idea of starting one of my own truly puts a smile on my face. As mentioned before, I love kids, so having children of my own would be amazing and joyful.

I am raised to be kind and selfless, When I was younger, I was always told to treat others how I would want others to treat me. This I why I am kind and understanding of everyone's situation even though I don't personally know what their situation feels like. One way that I love to be kind is by helping my fellow classmates. I love to help my classmates with whatever they need. I usually help them when they are falling behind. I am always there to explain what we are going over, help with an assignment, teach them something they don't understand, and answer any questions they may have. Most of the time I tend to help out with their assignments. I am a very skilled writer, so I am always helping them with essays and short response answers. One of my friends, Melanie, tends to ask for help with a lot of her writing assignments. I have spent many hours over the phone, aiding her in figuring out what to write and how to word things. I have also spent some class time helping her get through all the paperwork and certifications she needs to start a summer internship. I have helped her so much and she has shown nothing but pure appreciation for my help which I adore so much. Another one of my friends, Haley, is usually behind in her classwork. She misses a lot of school because of her situation at home. I am always there to catch her up on what she missed and help her out with all the assignments she is drowning in. I mostly help her out with writing homework such as essays, short paragraphs, and short response questions. Helping people is a passion of mine and that will never change.

I feel that people are always learning new things about themselves every single day. It’s good to take a step back and self-reflect once in a while because I have found that it is the best way to learn new things about yourself. I usually take some time to self-reflect once every week or two so I am able to find out where I am in my life and what seems new. Over the past two years that I have been self-reflecting, I have come to learn about my work ethic and my writing skills. Work ethic is very important to me, I am a true believer that work ethic gets you far in life. It is so important when going to school, managing your personal life, and working at a job. This is so valuable to me because it shows that I deserve the best in life because I have and will work hard and put in maximum effort for everything that comes my way. Without knowing your work ethic it's difficult to show others that you are a hard-working team player who has the ability to put in some effort for an assignment or job. Aside from my work ethic discovery, I have also come to find out that I am very skillful. I have recently noticed that my writing skills are on point and I sound very well educated when I express myself in my writing. This is extremely valuable to know, especially since writing is a very big part of this modern era. With things such as messages, emails, comments, tweets, etc. it is great to know that I can express myself well through my writing. It’s also valuable to know that I wouldn't have a problem with writing essays for scholarships, Universities, and cover letters.

Our world has a system for everything. Whether it be a computer system, a judiciary system, a government system, etc. Systems rule our lives and set policies in place; the thing is that most of these systems that we label important are very flawed. This amongst others is one of the biggest problems of our time. Because of these systems, a lot of people are being treated unfairly and lives are being ruined. As much as I would like to fix all the systems, I am only one person; and if there is a system that really needs fixing it is the education system. The legacy that I would like to leave after I pass is a better education system, not only to help students and families but to also help teachers. Our education systems have so many issues, one being government funding. Schools aren't being funded enough and it’s really affecting the staff and students in public schools. With less and less funding being provided every year, students are left to learn in poor conditions with broken desks, materials, and air conditioning. The amount of staff, programs, and resources has also diminished; this issue creates even more problems, such as crowded classrooms, low teacher salaries, poverty and etc. There is so much wrong with this system that 300 words aren’t even enough to scratch the surface. The biggest reason why a want to fix this is that education is one of the most crucial parts of anybody's life. A good education is a primary component of any career. This issue needs to be fixed because everyone should learn in a good environment, with enough staff, and enough resources. I want to leave this legacy not just for future children and school staff, but for the future of our world.

Everyone knows the phrase "With great power comes great responsibility". Power can mean a lot of things; it could be anything from personal abilities to authority; I believe that real power refers to willpower. With that being said, if I were to share one sentence with the world, I would say "willpower can be your greatest ally or it could be your worst enemy." Willpower is the key to doing anything, this tool can help you excel in life and gives you the motivation to succeed. This powerful tool is the foundation of living your life, and if there is the slightest crack, then everything comes crashing down. Everyone wants to succeed in life but not everyone has the willpower to put in the effort that it takes to succeed. Even though you don't have the willpower to do things you can work on gaining that willpower and set your life back on track. To gain willpower, people need to envision their future, they need to figure out what they want and how to get there. Figuring out what you want paves the way and clears your mind, which allows you to focus on your goal. Keeping your goal and plan written down and placed in a visible area that is seen every day helps people keep their willpower and guides them through their path in life. It is imperative to have willpower in your life because, without it, you are just another vessel, floating by in a sea of people who are making their way into the world.

"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be" - Abraham Lincoln Some may say that to achieve happiness, you must live in the best house, have the perfect family and friends, have the best job, have the best pay, and so on. Having this perspective clouds people’s minds, making them believe that they aren't happy because they don't have the best things in life. I like to shine a different light on what it takes to make you happy. Happiness doesn't depend on the things you have, but rather on the mindset you have. Appreciating what you have and keeping your mind on the positives in life, is the key to true happiness. Focusing on the positives makes it easier for the negatives to roll off your back. It takes a weight off your shoulders and lets you breathe for the first time. I like to reminisce on the times I spend playing games and watching movies with my family or going out to have some fun with my friends. I gain happiness from the little things in life that people tend to overlook. Like the times my little brother comes into my bed because he was scared of the dark, or the times I baked with my mom, or the times that my friends made me laugh. People tend to brush off the little things because they aren't significant enough, but those little things accumulate to make a lifetime of happiness. So, if anyone were to ask about the secret to happiness, the key to living their best life. I would tell them that they had it the whole time; because happiness isn't about what you need to do, but what you need to remember.

Beauty, some may say that it's just a concept made to make things seem more attractive; but what is true beauty? True beauty is when the flowers bloom for the first time, when seedlings turn into plants, when saplings turn into magnificent trees. Beauty is nature in its entirety; have you ever just gone outside and went for a leisurely walk, and just enjoyed the lovely aroma from the flowers, the nice shade from the gorgeous big trees, the buzzing bees going from flower to flower trying to collect as much nectar as they can. These are the reasons why I love nature; it is the most beautiful and innocent view in the world. It's serene and graceful, the way the plants and greenery sway in the breeze, the bees and butterflies bounce from flower to flower, the birds soar through the sky with no care in the world. Enjoying this spectacular world is calming to the body and soul, it's just unfortunate that most people miss it because they are too wrapped up in their own world. I take time every day to walk my dog and enjoy the marvelous view before having to go back inside. It's interesting seeing the way that birds interact with one another, or the ways butterflies and dragonflies flow through the air. I also go on hikes with my family, on these hikes I get to fully immerse myself in our environment. I see the light that shines through the trees making a sparkling pattern on the ground. I have seen adorable deer enjoying their time out in the woods just frolicking by and eating their grass. Sometimes I even get to pass by beautiful lakes and mini waterfalls, where I see tadpoles and various fish swimming around in their own peaceful world.

Body issues, anxiety, and depression are huge issues that most, if not, all of the population has struggled with, including me. I struggle with body issues, I can always catch myself looking in the mirror, grabbing my stomach, and wishing that it was flatter. There was a point in my life when I cut back on eating, I tried to substitute food with gum, and I felt awful about myself. I have since gotten better, now I feel amazing and healthy. I know of some people that have struggled with some of these mental illnesses and I know what it is like to be in a scenario like that. This is why I try to encourage my friends to be better and keep moving forward. When you are in a terrible state of mind, you tend to lose the motivation to do anything. You get weaker, thinner, and sicker. I have seen this happen to a friend of mine and I made sure to do my best in helping her with her depression. I would be there to listen to her and offer her advice on what to do and who to see. I helped her study and complete work when she was trying to get better. I helped in looking for a therapist for her and just kept being there whenever she needed me. Still, to this day, I am by her side, helping her with whatever she needs. Me being there for her, made her feel loved in a world that constantly brings you down. This is how I decide to encourage people, and how I make the world a better place to stay. Encouraging my friends is like second nature to me. Doing this is what I do best, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Listening, listening is a great way to treat others with empathy. Most people believe that it's not hard to listen but most people confuse listening with hearing. Hearing is just acknowledging that noise is going into your ears, but listening means to actually be in the moment and feel empathetic towards someone and their situation. When listening to people's dilemmas, you get the chance to understand what their going through which allows the empathy to shine through and allows for you to help them when their in need. With that being said helping someone with their problems is another great way to treat people with empathy. Helping let's others know that they were being listened to and it gives people hope that great experiences, great people, and great opportunities can show up in their lives. Showing empathy is a lot more than listening and helping, it's letting people know that you care and letting people know that they are loved. I show empathy towards many people in my life, I give guidance to my friends when they are having problems with their relationships either at home or at school. I help my friends when they are falling behind and I make sure that they know someone believes, loves, and cares about them. That is how I chose to show empathy and that's how everyone should do so.