At a young age, I had lost my closest and best friend to a random act of violence at a party. I became isolated, afraid, and soulless; to the point of breaking down nearly every night while trying to do school work. I began to believe I would live a life in solitary. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. The experience revealed to me one of my core values, patience. I began to understand that everything takes time. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. I learned that the potential inside of me could grow if I focused on myself and gave it time. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me. As an athlete, playing soccer and volleyball, I often encounter injuries which have led me to seek help with my own recovery. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patients. I want to assist fellow athletes with their recovery in the same way my physical therapist has assisted me. I understand that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. The passion and care physical therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about. When I realized that my school offered the new elective "Anatomy/Physiology" for my senior year, I was ecstatic to find out that I had been given the elective as one of my classes. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. The incident I experienced at a young age showed how delicate my life and the lives of others around me really are. As I've grown, I have built a desire to help out as many people as I can with the time I have on this earth. While I may have been struck down back then, I am more than ready to take on the journey of further education in the healthcare field to leave a positive impact on everyone.

At a young age, I had lost my closest and best friend to a random act of violence at a party. I became isolated, afraid, and soulless; to the point of breaking down nearly every night while trying to do school work. I began to believe I would live a life in solitary. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. The experience revealed to me one of my core values, patience. I began to understand that everything takes time. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. I learned that the potential inside of me could grow if I focused on myself and gave it time. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me. As an athlete, playing soccer and volleyball, I often encounter injuries which have led me to seek help with my own recovery. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patients. I want to assist fellow athletes with their recovery in the same way my physical therapist has assisted me. I understand that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. The passion and care physical therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about, and I have done research to discover the subjects necessary to enter DPT programs, such as kinesiology, physiology, and biology. When I realized that my school offered the new elective "Anatomy/Physiology" for my senior year, I was ecstatic to find out that I had been given the elective as one of my classes. I have been very engaged in this class and ask questions on the side if I am ever confused to ensure I am understanding everything the best I can. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. I will keep a strong relationship with my teacher in this class in order to get any answers that I am curious about and have support towards my dream career.

I was at a party having the time of my life. My best friend and I were playing video games, running around parents, not having a care in the world as the kids that we were. Late into the night, we decided to play tag, I went inside and hid behind a kitchen counter. Once she finished counting, commotion started to rise in the party. After a while, she saw me through the glass doors peeking around the counter and started heading towards me. The commotion got louder, one thing led to another and there was a series of thundering bangs. The smirk she had on her face disappeared when she landed on the floor. I immediately covered my sensitive ears, but now all I heard was ringing. Everything was happening so fast and so loud, my mind couldn’t process it. Once it did, I would never be able to forget. I was alone, isolated, defeated. I was numb to any feeling. Night is what I dreaded the most, the darkness made me feel soulless. The silent sounds of sleeping were intimidating. I became very familiar with the taste of salty water. It would put me to sleep soon after consuming it, but my nose would be clogged by morning. My days were no better. I had to hide my feelings from my family. I wanted to prove to myself I was strong. I lost the feeling of what smiling was like - it was all fake. I came to believe my future was a solitary life. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. This experience also revealed to me one of my core values, patience. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. I learned that the potential inside of me could grow if I focused on myself and gave it time. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me.

Throughout my life as an athlete, numerous injuries have led to a lot of care to recover my body. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patient. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Joining clubs, connecting with faculty, and providing resources to fellow students will enhance my ability to boost the wellness of the community. My experiences with incredibly helpful physical therapists led to my strong desire to become one myself, and I know that college programs can help me fill in the shoes of being such a high role model. The heat towels that melted my muscles into a state of relaxation, the specific stretches intended to reduce the pain, and the reassurance relayed throughout my period of recovery constructed my admiration for this profession. The passion and care physical therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about, and I have done research to discover the subjects necessary to enter DPT programs, such as kinesiology, physiology, and biology. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. I will keep a strong relationship with my current anatomy/physiology teacher to answer any questions that I am curious about and have support towards my dream career. The final step is to use my expertise to support similar athletes with the pain and time that comes with injuries and recoveries. Whether it is at a school to assist student athletes, or at a professional level with high risks, I will be committed to becoming the role model that inspired me at a young age.

I was at a party having the time of my life. My best friend and I were playing video games, running around parents, not having a care in the world as the kids that we were. Late into the night, we decided to play tag, I went inside and hid behind a kitchen counter. Once she finished counting, commotion started to rise in the party. After a while, she saw me through the glass doors peeking around the counter and started heading towards me. The commotion got louder, one thing led to another and there was a series of thundering bangs. The smirk she had on her face disappeared when she landed on the floor. I immediately covered my sensitive ears, but now all I heard was ringing. Everything was happening so fast and so loud, my mind couldn’t process it. Once it did, I would never be able to forget. I was alone, isolated, and defeated. I was numb to any feeling. Night is what I dreaded the most, the darkness made me feel soulless. The silent sounds of sleeping were intimidating. I became very familiar with the taste of salty water. It would put me to sleep soon after consuming it, but my nose would be clogged by morning. My days were no better. I had to hide my feelings from my family. I wanted to prove to myself I was strong. I lost the feeling of what smiling was like - it was all fake. I came to believe my future was a solitary life. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. This experience also revealed to me one of my core values, patience. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. I learned that the potential inside of me could grow if I focused on myself and gave it time. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me.

I remember from a very young age, my dad would always tell me,"you need to go to college to have a better life than me and your mom." I always felt a small amount of pressure from this, especially as the oldest of 3, but it has always been a matter of making my parents proud. My mom didn't even go to high school as it wasn't available in her hometown. My dad was barely able to complete high school and moved to the US to give his children a better chance through education. For this reason, I went to school with the purpose of achieving a great career. I remember going to many parties because such big families led to so many birthdays throughout the year. Along with carne asadas, pinatãs, and aguas frescas, my parents would brag about my academic accomplishments to my tios and tias, and I would feel proud of myself for all the hard work I have done. So from a young age I knew I had to be ambitious and dedicated for my future. When I lived in California, I lived in a house that was split in half; one half for my family and one half for my dad's tia and their family. I was told I could own my very own house if I did well in school. We didn't have much but my parents made good use of their money to keep our life exciting. However, it got too expensive in California and my family moved to Colorado in hopes of stabilizing ourselves and continuing our education. My dad was able to find a job in manufacturing and my mom cleans houses for a living. Now that I was in high school, going to college and finding a career that would get my parents a better life was terrifyingly close. As an athlete who played soccer and volleyball, I knew that career had to be involved in sports. My experiences with incredibly helpful physical therapists led to my strong desire to become one myself. The passion and care they have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. To accomplish this dream, I am committed to pursue further education, but I must also find a way to pay for the many years ahead of me.

Being able to live in two worlds where I can find success and satisfaction has been the best gift of my life. During the first half of my day, I am discovering new material that I can implement into my future and learning to expand my overall knowledge. For the last half of my day, I am heading to the field to enhance my skills as a player through practice, or competing against another team in a game. These two sides of my life have made me a passionate, competitive, and adaptable person with an eagerness to learn and grow professionally. I surround myself with positive and uplifting people, who I have built strong relationships with in my school and on the field. My competitiveness in soccer made me become a varsity player for all 4 years of my high school season and a varsity starter for my junior and senior years. This success in my soccer career was my signal that I wanted to pursue a professional career involving sports. Along with my academic accomplishments, I knew this dream was within my grasp. As an athlete, playing soccer and volleyball, I often encounter injuries which have led me to seek help with my own recovery. My experiences with incredibly helpful physical therapists led to my strong desire to become one myself. I want to assist fellow athletes with their recovery in the same way my physical therapist has assisted me. The passion and care they have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about, and I have done research to discover the subjects necessary to enter DPT programs, such as kinesiology, physiology, and biology. When I realized that my school offered the new elective "Anatomy/Physiology" for my senior year, I was ecstatic to find out that I had been given the elective as one of my classes. I have been very engaged in this class and ask questions on the side if I am ever confused to ensure I am understanding everything the best I can. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. I will keep a strong relationship with my teacher in this class in order to get any answers that I am curious about and have support towards my dream career. In a few years, I will be assisting fellow athletes on their recovery process to ensure they can continue their passionate journey similar to my very own.

I was at a party having the time of my life. My best friend and I were playing video games, running around parents, not having a care in the world as the kids that we were. Late into the night, we decided to play tag, I went inside and hid behind a kitchen counter. Once she finished counting, commotion started to rise in the party. After a while, she saw me through the glass doors peeking around the counter and started heading towards me. The commotion got louder, one thing led to another and there was a series of thundering bangs. The smirk she had on her face disappeared when she landed on the floor. I immediately covered my sensitive ears, but now all I heard was ringing. Everything was happening so fast and so loud, my mind couldn’t process it. Once it did, I would never be able to forget. I was alone, isolated, defeated. I was numb to any feeling. Night is what I dreaded the most, the darkness made me feel soulless. The silent sounds of sleeping were intimidating. I became very familiar with the taste of salty water. It would put me to sleep soon after consuming it, but my nose would be clogged by morning. My days were no better. I had to hide my feelings from my family. I wanted to prove to myself I was strong. I lost the feeling of what smiling was like - it was all fake. I came to believe my future was a solitary life. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. This experience also revealed to me one of my core values, patience. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. I learned that the potential inside of me could grow if I focused on myself and gave it time. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me.

Throughout my life as an athlete, numerous injuries have led to a lot of care to recover my body. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patient. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Joining clubs, connecting with faculty, and providing resources to fellow students will enhance my ability to boost the wellness of the community. My experiences with incredibly helpful physical therapists led to my strong desire to become one myself, and I know that college programs can help me fill in the shoes of being such a high role model. The heat towels that melted my muscles into a state of relaxation, the specific stretches intended to reduce the pain, and the reassurance relayed throughout my period of recovery constructed my admiration for this profession. The passion and care physical therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about, and I have done research to discover the subjects necessary to enter DPT programs, such as kinesiology, physiology, and biology. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. I will keep a strong relationship with my current anatomy/physiology teacher to answer any questions that I am curious about and have support towards my dream career. The final step is to use my expertise to support similar athletes with the pain and time that comes with injuries and recoveries. Whether it is at a school to assist student athletes, or at a professional level with high risks, I will be committed to becoming the role model that inspired me at a young age.

Throughout my life as an athlete, numerous injuries have led to a lot of care to recover my body. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patient. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Joining clubs, connecting with faculty, and providing resources to fellow students will enhance my ability to boost the wellness of the community. My experiences with incredibly helpful physical therapists led to my strong desire to become one myself, and I know that college programs can help me fill in the shoes of being such a high role model. The heat towels that melted my muscles into a state of relaxation, the specific stretches intended to reduce the pain, and the reassurance relayed throughout my period of recovery constructed my admiration for this profession. The passion and care physical therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. Physical Therapy is without a doubt the subject and career I am most passionate about, and I have done research to discover the subjects necessary to enter DPT programs, such as kinesiology, physiology, and biology. Learning the way bones, muscles, and nerves interact in our bodies has felt like a true glimpse into my future that I am thrilled to explore and expand. I will keep a strong relationship with my current anatomy/physiology teacher to answer any questions that I am curious about and have support towards my dream career. The final step is to use my expertise to support similar athletes with the pain and time that comes with injuries and recoveries. Whether it is at a school to assist student athletes, or at a professional level with high risks, I will be committed to becoming the role model that inspired me at a young age.

Throughout my life as an athlete, numerous injuries have led to a lot of care to recover my body. Diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter at a young age led to weekly meet ups with a physical therapist, who I admired as someone with genuine care for their patient. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Much of this hunger is derived from the loss of my friend at the age of 11. I was alone, isolated, defeated. I was numb to any feeling. I had to hide my pain from my family because I wanted to prove to myself I was strong. I lost the feeling of what smiling was like - it was all fake. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. This experience also revealed to me one of my core values, patience. I began to understand that everything takes time. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me.

As an athlete, playing soccer and volleyball, I often encounter injuries which have led me to seek help with my own recovery. My experiences with incredibly helpful therapists led to my strong desire to become a physical therapist , and I know that the certain college/university programs can help me fill in the shoes of being such a high role model. I want to assist fellow athletes with their recovery in the same way my Physical Therapist has assisted me. I developed Osgood Schlatter at a young age, and my physical therapist’s support at this time helped me get back to where I really wanted to be- in the game! The heat towels melt my muscles into a state of relaxation, the specific stretches intended to reduce the pain, and the reassurance relayed throughout my period of recovery constructed my admiration for this profession. Surgery for a twisted vein in my lower body was followed with weeks of recovery and the support of those around me. A fractured collarbone resulted in a tedious wait to return to the soccer field, but my close friends and family made the wait feel quick. All of these instances have only felt so swift because of the habits physical therapy instilled in me. I understood that my social, emotional, and mental well-being is just as important as my physical well-being. I crave to follow a career that can support these values. The passion and care Physical Therapists have for their patients are the aspects I desire to exert in my own personality. I was immediately drawn to becoming a physical therapist to support similar athletes with their recovery process and give back the positivity I have received. I plan to study an undergraduate major that will support my path towards my dream career. Networking with other health/medical related major students will allow me to build a stronger understanding of how I can support the wellness of those around me. I will construct the ability to improve the mental and physical health of future patients as a physical therapist, and support my community along with those close to me throughout my journey. During my studies, I will contact and locate physical therapists in my community to observe their processes at a professional level and how they create strong relationships with the people around them. Joining clubs, connecting with faculty, and providing resources to fellow students will enhance my ability to boost the wellness of the community.

As an 11 year old, witnessing the death of your best friend, perhaps your only true friend, can leave a big scar in your mind. The deafening sounds from that moment became burned into my memory. I have nightmares to this day. I was alone, isolated, and depressed. I was numb to any feeling. Night is what I dreaded the most. The darkness made me feel alone. The silent sounds of sleeping were intimidating. I became familiar with the taste of salty water. It would put me to sleep soon after consuming it, but my nose would be clogged by morning. Daytime was no better. I felt I had to hide my feelings from my family. I wanted to prove to not only them but to myself that I was strong. Slowly, I lost the feeling of what smiling was like - it was all fake. I came to believe I would live the rest of my life alone. I refused to seek any help in fear of grabbing unwanted attention to myself and needing any "special accommodations." I was afraid of appearing weak to my own parents and my younger siblings; I was meant to be the role model of the family with perfect grades and a happy life. I buried my true feelings deep inside and left my joyful persona on the surface that everyone knew me by. My teachers knew no better than the hardworking student they always had. Once I was by myself, I could physically feel the joy shedding from my body and I drowned in sorrow like I had always been. Despite all this, my academic life did not suffer. I stayed focused on the work and earning good grades motivated me to keep going. This made me realize what my true hunger was; success. Even if I emotionally broke down while doing homework, I knew I had a lot of potential in me. I would never be able to forgive myself if I could not satisfy what I craved the most - a successful matriculation to college. I knew if I desired to thrive in any sort of way in my future, I must go to college. This experience also revealed to me one of my core values, patience. I began to understand that everything takes time. The resilience I've developed through this experience has equipped me to face the rigors of college life with determination and a growth mindset. I learned that the potential inside of me could grow if I focused on myself and gave it time. Once I realized this, the scar in my mind began to heal. I began to open myself up to others around me who also shared a bright future. Now, I love to laugh and make smart jokes. The relationships I have today are more than I could ask for. The patience I've cultivated and my unwavering hunger for success will drive me to make the most of every opportunity in college, both academically and personally. I am ready to work even harder to see my future self thrive. I know my best friend will always be by my side, and I'm excited to honor her by embracing new challenges and opportunities in college, continuing to grow and make a positive impact on those around me.