Friendship is one of the most cherished aspects of life for me. Having someone to share your highs and lows with, someone to trust, someone to share memories with…it’s truly special. I don’t believe friends only originate from where you go to school, as they can also come from work, social media, or family dynamics. If I’m not afraid to be myself around someone, I consider them a friend. Whenever I feel alone, the simple cure is to call my friends or go spend some time with them. It’s remarkable how easily my loneliness is peeled away from me when I talk to a friend. I suddenly feel like I’m not the only person going through a situation I may be in, and I can cast away my worries in life like a rock being tossed across the water. Friendship should be beneficial for everyone involved. A safe space should be created for you to be yourself.

Happiness. I want to be remembered for my happiness, for my passion in everything that I do. I aspire to pursue a career that will bring me joy. People spend a large fraction of their lives working. If I spend my life working towards a profession just to make money, I am certain that I will become dulled, and my creativity will ooze out over the years. However, if I can explore a career I’m passionate about, my creativity will continually revive itself. I believe that if a mind can explore what it’s interested in, it has a massive potential to inspire others. If I can make films and create software programs to aid filmmakers, I believe that my career will lead me to great happiness. I want everyone I meet to take a little of my happiness with them. I want them to feel inspired to pursue their own passions, even if their career choices might seem impossible. Happiness is contagious, and it would be the best trait to be remembered for.

I have had a passion for writing ever since I was a little girl. I would write stories about fantastical lands and tragic heroes to read to my family members. I was fascinated by how I could transfer these stories so seamlessly from my mind to a piece of paper. It came so naturally to me, so I began to find comfort in it. When I got older, I loved being assigned essays because I could express myself best through writing. However, with age comes self-criticism. I convinced myself that I was a terrible writer, no matter what the people who read my writing would say. I thought the people who praised my writing were just trying to be kind, despite the unbiased grading system giving me As on nearly all of my essays. Over time, I finally accepted that I have a talent for writing. I used to look down upon giving myself credibility, but I’ve realized that if I can recognize my talents, I can help other people achieve their goals with the help of my expertise. To improve my writing skills, I read something every day. I’ll read anything that contains words, whether it be a recipe, a novel, a scientific article, or a screenplay. I also practice writing every day. I write about a variety of topics, ranging from robots in the annual engineering notebook I help with or a screenplay about a boy obsessed with fire. Whatever it might be, I find pleasure in it, and I can finally feel confident in my writing.

“The Sporting Life” by The Decemberists always manages to sneak into my monthly playlists. This song is extremely catchy, but most importantly, it also describes perfectionism perfectly. The song describes a person losing a sports game after he has won the majority of his matches. He fails one time, and his world crumbles before him. His girlfriend leaves him for the winning team’s captain, his dad and coach look down upon him, and he is left feeling extremely defeated. I interpret this as a foreboding fear perfectionists tend to have. If they fail one time, the world seems as if it is coming to an end. They believe the world will move on without them, and they can no longer succeed at anything in life. Ever since I started high school, I have struggled with perfectionism. I wanted my GPA to be a 4.0, so I would spend hours upon hours redoing assignments - sometimes simply because I thought my handwriting looked bad. If I made a grade lower than an A one time, I would be devastated. However, after many attempts at being perfect, I have realized that as long as I try my best, everything will be okay. I used to interpret “trying my best” completely differently, as I would think that my work had to be perfect. Now, I see the phrase’s meaning as balancing mental health and work. As a result, my mental health has improved dramatically, and my GPA remains a 4.0. Although the voice of perfectionism still lingers in my head, I have finally found how to ignore it. This song gives me a strong reminder of how I used to succumb to the voice, and it inspires me to never listen to it again.

Meditation is a habit that will stick by my side for the rest of my life. Ever since I started practicing it every morning and night, my overall mood has improved, I have more patience, and I can focus for longer durations of time. It is such a simple task that it can fit into anyone’s busy schedule. If you can focus on your breathing for fifteen minutes every morning and night, your entire life will transform before your eyes. Before I started meditating, I would get anxious more frequently, resulting in my entire day becoming ruined. Meditation allows me to retain my mood when I wake up in the morning, and even if I come across some daily conflicts, I can easily handle them while remaining calm. Since I meditate when I wake up and before I go to sleep, my sleep schedule is not like a random drawing anymore. I have more energy throughout the day to do my schoolwork, and I still have energy left to spend time on my hobbies at the end of the day. Meditation can take some time to master, but as I improve, I experience more positive side effects.

What would it be like if everyone were offered equal wages for the same job? America may have plenty of jobs to offer, but, unfortunately, if the person applying does not look a certain way, the applicant will receive lower pay, or may not get hired at all. Mechanism is a company devoted to making aspiring entrepreneurs’ dreams come to fruition. Therefore, this company has a perfect opportunity to help future entrepreneurs in minority groups achieve their goals. The lack of diversity in the workforce is a significant issue that must be resolved because it will improve the reputation of the diversity America claims to have, people will feel safer, and there will be an increase in innovations. Since the beginning of the Industrial Age, immigration skyrocketed because of job opportunities in America. People from every place imaginable came to the United States in search of a better life. Although they may have succeeded to some degree, the people hiring the workers automatically viewed the immigrants as less than a white American. Therefore, they were given a lower pay rate while performing exactly the same duties as their white coworkers. The United States is characterized as a diverse country because of the massive combination of cultural values and beliefs that gives America its definition. If this is the case, why is one perspective dominant in workforces? In order for America to gain a true reputation of diversity, different voices must be heard. If more women and people of color were given the chance to be business leaders, America would have the face of many, like its reputation indicates, instead of one. With millions of companies in the United States, it can be a hard decision to choose which one to buy products from. For people of color, this choice might be even more difficult. If people of color owned more companies, consumers would be able to relate to the company more, and, therefore, feel safer buying from them. If businesses could foster a welcoming atmosphere by having a diverse group of representatives and leaders, they would be granted overflowing success. I have recognized this in the film industry; when a filmmaker includes cast members who belong to minority groups in their films, more people can relate to the characters. As a result, they will likely see the next film that the filmmaker creates. No one deserves to feel isolated in modern society. With more representation in American businesses, consumers will feel valued and respected. The future will become brighter as a more diverse body of people conduct research and lead businesses. Women and people of color bring a variety of perspectives to the table concerning the development of human knowledge. Businesses operated under diverse pairs of eyes will recognize issues that only one pair could never detect. Also, more ideas will be applied to the world, and the development of knowledge will become rapid. With no boundaries to the generation of ideas, the possibilities are limitless. If Mechanism helps minority groups achieve their dreams, it will help in creating a better future for everyone.

Protecting our climate is more essential than ever before. Wildfires are continually occurring, temperatures are rising, and the glaciers that contain most of the freshwater we rely on for survival are melting. The impacts of climate change are negatively affecting every organism on the planet, so we must work together in putting a stop sign in front of its path. Before I began researching how much one person can help the climate, I thought my lone efforts would be meaningless. However, I now know that I can make a significant difference, and I can inspire others to do the same. Today, I make an effort to recycle materials like plastic and soda cans, which prevents them from dominating landfills and becoming incinerated. If plastic is burned, it releases extremely harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, which can have a massive impact on our health. I would love to enter an environmentally sustainable career field as well. Contributing to the development and wide use of electric vehicles would be a dream for me. If everyone transitions from gas to electric-powered vehicles, our contribution to the greenhouse effect will significantly decrease. I want to create advantages to electric cars that extend beyond sustainability, such as making them completely autonomous and more affordable than gas-powered cars. This would ensure that, if given a choice, many more people would choose to purchase an electric vehicle. Currently, I am increasing my knowledge of climate change and its effects by participating in a robotics competition that is focusing on environmentally sustainable demolition this year. On my team, I am helping to create an engineering notebook that involves much research on demolition and its effects. As I acquire this information, I will be able to more effectively inspire others to work in ending climate change.

Fostering growth within myself has been a vital aspect of my life. I always attempt to look at life through a positive lens, no matter what situation I may be in. If I have made a mistake, I do not dwell on it. I take a lesson from it, and it adds to my growth as a person. Mistakes are meant to be made in life, as growth does not happen without them. When I was younger, I would think that if I failed a test, the world was coming to an end. As I’ve gotten more life experience, I’ve realized that I must accept my mistakes, and accept who I was as a person when I made the wrong decision. If I can accept my shortcomings, I can learn from them, and blossom into the person I have the potential to be. A growth mentality is also vital to achieving goals. I consciously envision where I want to be and who I want to be in the future, and I can make goals from there. I enjoy the experiences I am having presently, but I know that I must move on to new experiences in the future. If I have a positive mindset, I can choose how those experiences will play out.

I see patience as a close friend. When I listen and wait for patience, I am always treated with kindness. Patience is a virtue of the wise, so it may take many lessons to acquire it. Through many trials and errors, I have learned that being patient is the key to success in many important life situations and decisions. When I was younger, I would often get anxious about receiving a test grade and wondering what time the school bus would arrive. As I have gotten older, I have realized these situations are out of my control. When I handed in a test, I would get the same score - no matter if I got the report in a week or in a month. The school bus simply arrived at the time it arrived. There is no reason to attempt to calculate outside forces that are as arbitrary as a drawing to win a t-shirt. Learning this and practicing patience instead has greatly reduced my anxiety, and it has allowed me to recognize and focus only on the situations that are within my control. The situations you can control are typically the most important, so it is necessary to be able to focus on them. With patience, this is more than possible.

The future is filled with uncertainties. However, I believe we have the option to choose whether those uncertainties are positive or negative. With diversity in the workforce increasing, people of color achieving a higher level of equality, and businesses and scientists working on higher use of clean energy, we are headed in the positive direction. For decades, the average American workforce was dominated by men. Women were seen as homemakers, and they did not have the chance to develop skills outside of the home. Scientists made discoveries, philosophers published theories of life, artists produced portraits and films, but all of these individuals were men. Women were limited to one occupation, and therefore, a harness was put around their self-expression. Today, we are experiencing innovations just in a matter of months. When women were allowed to have the same job titles as men, they added an entirely new perspective to maintaining successful businesses, creating art, and making scientific discoveries. With both genders in the workforce, the possibilities are endless. In the future, I believe there will be an equal number of men and women in high-level positions, and as a result, societal advancements will be endless. Since the founding of the United States, people of color have been discriminated against. Some were treated as below the definition of a human being. Immigrants came to the United States in search of a better life, but when they arrived, they were treated as if they were from a different planet. After people of color have fought for their deserved equality for generations, they are only recently receiving recognition for their efforts. As full equality is being reached, it is inevitable that we will see more acceptance of people of color. Educational systems will likely require more time spent learning about the abuse people of color received, and how they have had to fight for their rights today. Therefore, as new generations enter the world, misinformation will diminish, and acceptance of people of color will, hopefully, skyrocket. Scientists have warned us of climate change for ages, and at first, most ignored their findings. However, we are experiencing the dramatic effects of it today, and it is impossible to deny the destruction of our planet. With the realization of what harm humans are doing and have done to the climate, we have been making massive efforts to preserve what we still have. Hopefully, the use of solar energy will be far more prevalent than the use of fossil fuels in just a matter of years. Even though we cannot get our earlier climate back, I believe that we will work to put a stop to further climate change. This will ensure prosperity for future generations, and more discoveries will continue to be made about how we can protect our world. The world is full of challenges, but with a more unified and informed body of people, the future will be as shiny as a newly washed car.

I want to be someone who changes the world. Although making a significant scientific breakthrough or winning an award for my filmmaking endeavors would be amazing, I want to prioritize helping others live the lives they imagine. The people of the world are what create change. I want my artistic and scientific work to be an inspiration for others to pursue their dreams. To help people realize their potential, I want my artwork to reflect how people can overcome whatever challenges they may be going through to ultimately succeed in their endeavors. In the technological field, I plan to create an easy-to-access editing software program. This will allow those who are interested in film or media to create their dream projects with just their cell phones. If I get publically recognized for any of my achievements, I hope to inspire young women like me to pursue their career aspirations. Changing the world is a step-by-step process, and if I can contribute only a minuscule amount, my life will be a dream indeed.

A financial lesson that I will always remember and practice is to keep a savings account. Money is meant to be organized. It is the key to survival, and we must treat it as such. Even though the future is extremely uncertain, we can always financially plan for it. People should treat a savings account like an extra bill that they have to pay. Even though someone might not need extra money after they receive their paycheck for the week, they might get in a car accident the next day. The car is totaled, and their commute to work is an hour a day. They have to have enough money to make a down payment on a new car. If they had a savings account, they could use the money in the account. However, this person did not have one, so they had to use all of the money from their recent paycheck on the new car. Now, they do not have enough money to pay for their bills and groceries. Savings accounts can quite literally save a person’s life, so they should be highly valued. Even if a person can only set aside a small fraction of their paychecks into a savings account monthly, it would still make a significant difference.

Women have been fighting for the same rights as men for an agonizing length of time. We have made tremendous feats in achieving equality, but like the weather, our rights always seem to fluctuate. Abortions, only a month ago, were legal for most women in America. Today, Texas has banned them after six weeks of pregnancy (when women usually do not know that they are pregnant yet). Men continue to make decisions about women’s bodies and how much they get paid, and this must come to an end. For women to have equal opportunities, society must view individual men and women as equals, have an unbiased strategy of laying off people in the workforce, and they must give women the same opportunities that men are given. Imagine how different our world would look if men and women had always been treated with the same respect. We would be light years ahead of where we are today in technological advancement, and more women would be known in the field of the arts. The philosophical ideals that most of us live by today were created by men. In fact, the entire system of governing in the United States was created only by men. Kamala Harris being elected as the United States Vice President was a remarkable battle won by women, but we must continue to move forward towards more equality. Women should be elected for governmental positions just as often as men are. Since the COVID-19 Pandemic began, many women have had to cope with quitting their jobs to take care of their children. Women are still chained to the concept of gender roles, and a way to rescue them is to pass more protections for women in the workforce. The pandemic has affected men and women, but women should not have to suffer more. The children of today should be able to see that no matter what gender they identify with, they will be able to receive the same benefits. Imagine a group of people selected to interview someone for a job. If this group of people were men, it would be more likely that they would hire a lower qualified male than an extremely qualified female applicant. If women had more opportunities to attend college, they would be able to have a leadership position where they are in the interviewer’s shoes. With more women business leaders, workplaces would promote diversity in their workforce. We would be able to have more perspectives and be able to evaluate opinions about company improvements with equal measures. For the world to celebrate women, we need to ensure equality. This will not happen in one day, but as each rising generation accepts men and women as equals, there will be a wider acceptance of equality. I might not be alive to see the day where full equality is achieved, but I want to be one of the people that contributed to it.

If I were someone who could influence large masses, I would always promote gender and racial equality. Although the race to equality has allowed for more acceptance than ever today, we as a society are nowhere near the finish line. Women and people of color continue to be unequally treated through being declined jobs that they are extremely qualified for and getting paid less than their white male counterparts. With my platform, I would share articles about the current discrimination of women and people of color. If people are not aware of the brutality around the world, there is no one to spark change. I would also make videos highlighting women and minorities’ achievements in the workforce. If true equality were enforced, societal innovations would be endless. My online space would be extremely welcoming towards people of every background, and my followers and I could work to change the world for the better.

Imagine a world where no one has to learn how to drive. If you wanted to go to a restaurant with your friends, you could tell your car to take you there. All you would have to do is sit back, relax, and stare out of the window like you’re in a movie. If you didn’t have a car, you could request for one to pick you up. You can get a taxi today, but imagine avoiding those awkward conversations with your driver by riding in an autonomous car. I believe this is what the future of transportation will look like, and I’m ecstatic about it. Autonomous cars will provide a safer transportation experience, lower car accident death rates, and will always get you to your destination on time. When I’m driving around my city, it’s not uncommon to see a wreck or two every month. I live in a relatively smaller area, so I imagine that there are hundreds of wrecks that occur monthly in larger cities. Every time someone pulls out of their driveway, they run the risk of getting in a car accident. Autonomous vehicles do not get upset, tired, angry, or careless while driving. They will always perform in the same way, whether the day is full of rain or sunshine. This will allow people to feel more protected in the cars they are riding in, and they can possibly maintain the mood they had when they took their first sip of warm and soothing coffee that morning. When autonomous cars rule the road, parents will have to worry less about their teens losing their lives in car accidents. Due to the lack of experience driving, teenagers are extremely susceptible to car accidents. Even when parents are driving their children, they still have to worry about getting into an accident themselves. Self-driving cars will allow these worries to disappear. Imagine not having to worry about losing your job because you were stuck in traffic and thirty minutes late to work. If autonomous vehicles dominate cities, the traffic will flow as easily as water is poured from a pitcher. As long as you do your part in getting ready on time, the cars will handle the rest of your morning routine for you.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is an example of a perfect work of fiction. It explores themes of confusion of love, loyalty, and self-confidence. It’s written and set in the 1800s, but the themes remain relevant today. The majority of the novel focuses on Elizabeth, and it details her thoughts about her tribulations. She’s extremely intelligent, she loves her family, and she isn’t willing to risk her happiness. She’s the woman I aspire to be - someone who stands for who she is and cares for others. Although Elizabeth seems like a women who can easily defeat any problem, the conflict in the story is a romance between her and a man from a wealthy family. This conflict seems minor when no one is affected by it, but Austen takes the reader by the heart, and it’s like I felt everything Elizabeth did. The confusion of emotions is extremely impactful: tension wells up in the story, and, like a snap of the finger, it’s resolved. It reflects life so well that it gives me chills. Other than exploring the phenomenon of love, the book also highlights the conflict between daughters and the unfair responsibilities they are told they owe to their families. Elizabeth’s mother pressured her to marry a cousin of the family, but Elizabeth refused. This may have given women at the time more confidence and allowed them to have the realization that they can choose who they marry. The antagonist and simultaneous hero of the story, Mr. Darcy, is an extremely reserved individual. I believe that Austen had great sympathy for introverts, as she reveals that Mr. Darcy was an extremely empathetic person. Even today, those who stay quiet and those who are talkative misunderstand each other. Austen proved that different types of people can get along.

Technology is the lifeline of modern society. Without it, we would be traveling aimlessly, like when the DVD player icon goes from the top left edge to the bottom right edge of the television. I want our society to have the knowledge it needs to rebuild our technological world if it crumbles to dust. Technology is the key to advancement in every aspect of life, so we cannot afford to lose our knowledge of it. To preserve our knowledge of technology and further develop it, I will continue to teach about the technological aspects of filmmaking, make films with the editing software I develop, and I will be a filmmaker and a software engineer - proving that you can have more than one career path. Film production has interested me from a young age. I was always in awe at how actors jumped over buildings, or how people floated in the air. I began to watch behind-the-scenes videos, and the secrets of the film world opened up to me. As I got older, I was more interested in how lenses are made, what cameras are used and why, and how the editing process works. With my interest, I decided to start making videos to teach people about what I was learning about the film industry. I post my videos on TikTok to reach a younger audience. The younger generation has the responsibility of preserving our technological culture, so I want to help by making educational videos that are enjoyable to watch. When I attend college next year, I am planning on focusing on how to program and create effective software with a computer science degree. With this knowledge, I will be able to create my own websites to teach people how to code, and I will be able to create editing software that is available to a large number of people. Many choose not to create because they feel like the barrier to entering the creative field is nearly impossible to break through. With my editing software, I will make the learning curve as easy as possible to jump over, and I plan on providing a free course that is exciting to take part in. This will allow for more people to have the knowledge they need to succeed in an ever-increasing technological society. I do not plan on limiting my career to one field. I am planning on being a software engineer and incorporating my film career into that profession. With the knowledge I will learn at college, I will be able to break into the film industry by creating 3D animations. Afterwards, I may be able to create my own television shows or make feature films. While I am working through this process, I will also be developing an editing software that’s easy to use. I want to prove that no one has to limit their dreams to one profession. With my contributions to the technological field, I hope that I can take part in improving the world and society as a whole by helping more people have knowledge about technology, and I want to inspire others to do whatever they please with their careers. There’s a common misconception that a career features one job aspect, but it can be so much more than that. I hope that I can keep teaching people and that I can innovate the world with others having more self confidence in their knowledge of technology.

You hear the sound of ancient engines rumbling below you and smell bacon and eggs cooking above a talking fire as you wake up inside of an elaborate machine formed into a comforting home. “Howl’s Moving Castle” and other films by Hayao Miyazaki have enthralled me since I was a little girl. His films feel like Christmas morning, where you’re always excited to sit down and watch them, even if you already know the plot. The characters and atmosphere of his creations succeed in the near impossible feat of appealing to children and adults alike, with universal themes of adventure, loneliness, losing loved ones, and the struggle of wartime.

The night is bitter. The cold envelops every particle in the air, capturing every object within its path. The cold is laughing mockingly, and the crows laugh in unison. In an eerie circle, the crows surround a sheep and its deceased lamb. The sheep cries out, mourning its loved one. Its breath is visible in the barren landscape, but it is ignored like a piece of moldy bread. The murder of crows invites the viewer of the art piece inside of their circle. The choice is up to the viewer: to mock the scene with the crows or to help the sheep and its dead lamb. “Anguish” by August Friedrich Schenck has been my favorite work of art for years. When I’m looking for artistic inspiration, or even when I’m simply making daily decisions, the painting is conjured from within me. On the surface, this painting represents animalistic grief. However, it means so much more to me than that. To me, it represents the choices we have to make as humans. Will we help someone in need, or ignore them, leaving them to suffer? Will we take risks, or mock our ambitions, leaving them to rot with our childhood dreams? Will we fight in the battle for racial and gender equality, or stand on the sidelines? Will we protect our planet from the effects of climate change, or continue destroying the planet? The choice is up to the viewer: to join the crows or to join the sheep.

A perfectionist is seen as someone who will fight to the absolute end to give their projects their utmost attention. Some believe that perfectionists restart their homework assignments to obtain perfection at their own will. From my experience, perfectionism does not leave room for the free will of the victim. Perfectionism is a bully that seems to only exist in nightmares. It barks out orders in your head, demanding that you redo your math homework with “perfect” handwriting. Once the bully gets what they want, they leave, and with no control of your own, a burn-out ensues. I have experienced this cycle dozens of times. I believed that my feelings of guilt of not reaching perfectionism were universal. I thought that people were silently obeying the “perfectionism bully” in their heads, and I had to follow the same path. Once I grew older, my friends would ask me why I could not spend time with them after school, and why it took me all night to finish my homework when it took them two hours. I finally realized that not everyone experienced the same battle I was fighting. After fifteen years, I finally felt like I could talk about my perfectionism. Now that I have researched perfectionism and discovered ways to fight it back, a weight is lifted off of me. Even though my projects might not be deemed as “perfect”, I now know when to stop to protect my mental health. I am grateful for the control I have now, but I pity my younger self that was unaware she could talk about what she was going through. Some may attempt to prove otherwise, but mental health is not viewed the same as physical health. The future is bright, and mental health destigmatization must travel along with it. As a filmmaker, I will make it my mission to prove that mental illnesses are not something to be ashamed of. I want to educate the world about mental illnesses through my films, and I want the ones who are struggling to realize that they are not alone.

I can hear the faint roll of the dolly sliding down a hallway, where characters are positioned in a walk-and-talk. I talk to the director of photography to recall what scenes we are filming for the day. The megaphone is glued to my hand while I am assisting actors and looking at the beaming monitor. Butterflies flutter in my stomach as I host my first film screening. All of these beautiful imaginings remind me that I must never cease in my pursuit of film directing. Amid the chaos of the pandemic last year, I looked to films for comfort. I had been watching these pictures ever since I was a young girl, and I had dreams of becoming a director one day. However, I lived in a snow globe of a town, and my dreams were quickly forgotten after I thought I could not enter the seemingly mammoth gate to the film industry. I told the ones around me that I would be an engineer or a neurologist, but I was never passionate about these professions. I was only thinking about security and what others thought of me, not what would make me happy. When schools closed down for COVID-19, I had time to self-reflect and discover my love for filmmaking again. With the era of social media upon us, I realized that it was easier than ever before to achieve my goals. I started an account on “TikTok”, a video-sharing platform, and started making content. I was getting support from my videos, and I gained the confidence I had only dreamed of before. I started filming, editing, and writing short films with just the aid of my cell phone. I had fears of my family not accepting my career choice, but I was pleasantly surprised when I received my first video camera from my father for my birthday. Recently, I realized all of my anxieties about pursuing film directing were all originated from within me. Today, I am fighting my imposter syndrome; I am ignoring the voice in my head that tells me, “You’ll never succeed as a film director.” I am choosing not to become a doctor, but it satisfies me that I am helping people through a different form. The hardships people face daily have always concerned me. People of color are repeatedly mistreated, women risk their lives fighting for the same rights as men, and some view the disabled as nearly inhumane, incapable of performing the same tasks as “normal” individuals. I will constantly work to show how meaningful these peoples’ lives are within my films. My films will embody the phrase “equality for all”. I want to be a constant advocate for equality and spark change within my every move. My films will also be designed as somewhere where people can find comfort, no matter their situation in life. I want those who struggle with their mental health to feel recognized and realize that they are never alone in their battles. Most importantly, I want to inspire young women that will eventually be the leaders of the world. Women are constantly faced with obstacles, whether it be their family dynamic, work-life, or the world at large. I want to succeed in my dreams not only for myself but for women to have someone to look up to. If I can achieve my goals, these deserving women can as well. This scholarship would aid in my path to changing how the power-dynamic looks: white men, people of color, and women will all be at the top of the pyramid. With this scholarship, I can gain the education I need to create the films I imagine. Education is something not all people have access to, so I will use my own to give more opportunities to others. Art has the power to change a limited amount of perspectives into multitudes, and these perspectives will conjure actions to benefit the world around us.

Marcel Duchamp once said, “I have drawn people’s attention to the fact that art is a mirage.” As I was scrolling through Pinterest one night looking for artistic inspiration, this quote appeared in my feed. I acknowledged the quote quickly and then moved on with a seemingly endless scroll session for a faithful dose of creativity. Afterward, however, the quote seems to haunt me. Since my first breath, I have yearned to create something, anything, unique. As I have gotten older, I have realized that this goal is quite impossible, and my life-long passion could never fully be achieved. People are mirages of other people. As children, we develop a personality through our parents, the television shows we watch, the toys we play with, and even the food we are served. When the years start to progress, we attain idols ranging from celebrities to noble teachers. In my own experience, I have desired to become similar to these people, and at times I wanted to be them. As a result, I developed a combination of traits that originated from other people, and further originated from the people my idols looked up to. Therefore, since we are a patchwork of other people, there is no possible way for our art to be any different. Many see this theory as a detriment to their work, as I did at the beginning. After further reflection, though, I have realized that it is truly beautiful. As we imitate other’s artwork, whether it be paintings, films, music, or professional cooking, we breathe new life into it. As eras progress, we commonly see the reflections of our ancestors work on our own. Plagiarism is never acceptable, but adding another twist to a piece of art makes it entirely new again. Fashion trends of the 1990s have been prevalent in this decade, but the new generation has added their fingerprints to it. Filmmakers like Wes Anderson have created a name for themselves as being “unique”, but even he draws inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock, famous paintings, and music not of his creation. To develop a sense of who we are, we must look to others for assistance. If we fail to participate in creating a collage of who we are, we remain a blank sheet of paper. As an aspiring filmmaker, I only wish to propose a question or an idea that has never occurred to my audience. I wish to give CPR to my idol’s ideas and make something new out of their inspiration. As an artist, I simply want to contribute to the neverending mirage.

I wake up to my room flooded with morning light streaming from the windows. I let the light warm my face, and then I go downstairs for an espresso. I savor the taste of coffee and smile to myself. It is another day for creativity to spur. Being an artist is to take note of the occurrences that we may otherwise skim over. An artist will sit on a subway, not looking at their phone, but observing the people around them. They will listen to their grandma talk about her days as a bright-eyed teenager. All artists reflect their life onto their work. We have similarities in our lives, but art is about celebrating the differences. Through art, we can learn about different countries and their cultures, emotions we could not find a name for, and ideas that we have yet to consider. I live my life in the pursuit of creating art. That does not mean I venture up Mount Everest every Saturday. I love taking part in exhilarating moments, but my favorite memories in life are from my everyday routine. I feel revitalized from the most minuscule occurrences. When I view other artists’ work, I see that we have a similar outlook on the world. Some artists will exhibit work that directly mimics daily life, and others will draw inspiration from their daily experiences to make something much more abstract. Either way, artists rely on niche details and the human condition for their work to be effective. I also believe that art inspires other art. In fact, other works of art drive me the most to create something of my own. Art is itself a mirage; the first artists lay down the foundation, and as generations pass, the mirage is as tall as a skyscraper. Ideas start in a general sense, and like a funnel, they keep getting more specific and personal. Art is part of me; it has shaped who I am today and who I will become. As I grow older, abstract art interests me more and more. The French New Wave in cinema has a profound influence on me and my work. Filmmakers like Jean Luc Godard, Agnes Varda, and François Truffaut were able to turn themes we thought were worn-out rags into freshly washed linens. Their films are extremely comforting and exude life, but they seem to lead me into a new dimension every time I watch them. Art is strange and endlessly compelling; it leads me to new discoveries, yet it reminds me of my childhood. I feel that the only way to describe it properly is to create art myself. As a mammoth wave of technology is upon us, we have more access to art than ever before. I think that the comforting side of art is growing more important as generations pass. Today, the number of people that struggle with their mental health is too many to count. With art, people that struggle find solace, and find a route to happiness. Art, in a way, is medicine to the brain. As a filmmaker, I want to create pieces of work that people from all walks of life can relate to. I want parents to be able to watch my films with their children and laugh together. It is also extremely vital to me that my films reflect how our world looks. I want the people who are often pushed away from the screen to be highlighted in my work. Inclusivity is the key to true connections with the people around us. Everyone deserves to be recognized in all art forms.

The yet-to-be-finished seventy-five-page notebook leered at me as I was approaching my deadline. I, along with three others, co-wrote a book containing a completed history of our robotics competition year. I was the co-head of my department, and as a fifteen-year-old, I was terrified to fail. A leader is often seen as someone fearless, and will boldly approach any conflict. However, I believe the only attributes of being a leader are that they inspire others and they are ceaseless in their pursuits. With my own experience as evidence, leaders have weaknesses. They may become tired, unmotivated, or timid, but they find a way to overcome these obstacles. While writing the robotics notebook, I became fatigued, but I never stopped. I knew that a team of forty people depended on my work, so I persisted. I believe I radiated my energy to the people working with me with my unwillingness to back down. My entire department seemed to be aflame with motivation in the last week we had to complete our mighty task. Afterward, at our competition, we ended up placing second for our “Engineering Notebook”. Leaders not only finish a task but the performance of the task is done with care. People with leadership qualities are passionate, and they put everything into each of their projects. Passion is contagious, so the people working with them perform with an equal work ethic. In fact, the original leaders turn their followers into leaders themselves. I want everyone within the vicinity of me to not feel ashamed of their opinions, and I attempt to make them feel as comfortable as possible. I believe that the atmosphere of a place determines how people react to the world. If everyone is arguing, then morale will be low and therefore the target of finishing a project is aimless. However, if everyone respects each other and can voice their opinions, then the project will result in a wonderful work of human endurance. With this knowledge, I will be well equipped to keep morale high within my workplace. I plan on pursuing film directing, which relies on a massive amount of leadership. Film directors must conduct actors, cinematographers, sound design members, and everyone else with an intricate job in the film project. If directors are unable to master the skills of a leader, then their job might be at risk. Writing a notebook and developing a film are on drastically different scales, yet leadership is the foundation of both of these goals. Other than my profession, I will demonstrate leadership in my community by donating to charities, volunteering, and helping the ones that are around me. As the digital age is more upon us than ever, I will use my leadership skills on social media platforms as well. If I foster a welcoming atmosphere with my online presence, I can inspire others to go down a similar path. Leadership is not a daunting concept to understand and employ, but it takes years of experience to perfect it. Learning how to help and lead others takes patience and time, and with experience, I will undoubtedly become more aware of the craft. I will always look for opportunities to become the best leader I can, and I will strive to motivate others, whether the motivation spurred be like a sea or a grain of sand.

In my community, Autism needs to be more recognized and accepted. In my time at school, I have noticed many of my peers use the word “autistic” as an insult. I have an autistic brother, who is an incredibly intelligent individual, and only needs a bit more of a specialized learning experience. Therefore, when I hear this word used in the dictionary of crude namecalling, it pains me. I think it would immensely benefit my community if there were more educational resources about mental health issues and opportunities of being a mental health advocate. My thirteen-year-old brother, and many other individuals suffering from Autism and other mental health issues, deserve to be equally treated. Since the pandemic, my brother and I have been attending school virtually to aid in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, I have assisted my brother in navigating the online environment while being in a safe and not distracting area. I also provided him with studying tips, and as a result, his grades have improved dramatically. I feel that if autistic children are provided with the correct needs and resources, they can thrive as any other student can. If adults and children are more knowledgeable about this disability, then a major difference can be made in the autistic community. Volunteering at a local hospital for fifty-eight hours aided me in my knowledge of physical and mental health, and I learned how I can best contribute to the wellbeing of my community. I am a constant advocate for mental health and Autism, and I will continue to do all that I can in helping my brother and those around me live out their dreams. In the country, racism remains strikingly prevalent. Although the United States has made remarkable feats in combating this issue, it has yet to be eradicated. People of color deserve the same rights, opportunities, and resources as the white community. Many cases of racism go unnoticed, especially in the South, where I live. People of color inspire us with their innovative ideas and continue to change the world in ways we never thought possible. If systemic racism is no longer an issue, imagine how much more the world could change for the better. I am contributing to the destruction of racism by making videos on social media recognizing filmmakers of color, and how their work impacts the world. Filmmaking is a beautiful art form, and everyone deserves a chance to place their voice in the mirage of the film industry. Women continue to be rejected from jobs in the world, and they are treated as beneath men. Kamala Harris was the first woman and woman of color to obtain the position of vice president of the United States. This is a heartwarming and joyful feat, but we cannot stop at this one success. Women have been denied representation within the government, film industry, corporations that run the country, and even within their own families. Only recently commercials have started showing men participating in traditional women’s roles while the women provide an income for the family. Commercials continue to shape how citizens live their lives. If we do not showcase how diverse family roles can be, we will be hindering the process of women’s ride to equality. Since the beginning of the pandemic, women have been forced to file for unemployment to take care of their children. Traditional gender roles may seem like a past issue, but this can be proven false by the sheer number of women thrust back into their old positions. Women have to give up their dreams because of a horrid stereotype. I am helping to combat this issue by always being an advocate for equality. The profession I am choosing to pursue (filmmaking) is predominantly filled with men. I want to be a role model to other women who choose to have a career in the film industry, and prove that it is possible to achieve your dreams, despite your gender. Therefore, I am already making my own short films and learning about the filmmaking process before I enter college. I want to set myself up for success so that I can inspire other women to go down the same path. Women have such rich perspectives on life, and we deserve to have our stories told. I have a younger female cousin in my family, so I am striving to inspire her in whatever pursuit she chooses. In the next few decades, it is vital to see women receiving the same pay rates as men, and getting the opportunities they deserve.

As the world is in a constant state of rapid change, education is vital to understanding what is transpiring. Education is remarkably beautiful; it aids us in discovering who we are and how we individually respond to the demands of daily life. Without an education, we may risk wandering blindly through the world, and we might fail to acquire the knowledge we need to best serve the world with our talents. High school is an excellent educational beginning. However, there is so much more to offer, and if possible, I think it is important for everyone to reach their career goals so they can live the life they have always imagined. Although a standard education is beneficial, extracurriculars add much more to the educational experience. With extracurriculars, I have discovered what I am passionate about, and even what I can rule out as a career option. Throughout my high school experience, I have participated in a volunteering club, a robotics team, a scholars bowl team, and a math team. At home I tutor my autistic brother, I cook meals for my family weekly, and I learn more about my desired career path by making educational videos, short films, and film edits. Before the pandemic, I was extremely focused on my extracurriculars at school. I am not athletic, so I decided to substitute my time with volunteering, helping write a seventy-five-page notebook for my robotics team, and attending math and scholars bowl team competitions. When COVID-19 arrived, however, my focus shifted. Many of my regular extracurriculars were canceled for the year, so I had to make more use of my time at home. I attended this past school year virtually to aid in preventing my family from catching the virus. With the decision to attend virtually, I also had to make time for helping my brother navigate the virtual environment. I spent at least four hours a school day monitoring my brother’s learning environment to make sure it was safe and not distracting. My brother struggles with focusing, so I taught him exercises to retain his focus. As a result, his test scores improved dramatically from the past. This made me realize that no one is unable to be successful, but some need a more specialized learning environment. My father works daily, so I help him by performing household chores and cooking. Cooking used to terrify me. Now, I am extremely confident in my cooking skills, and I will be prepared for making meals in college. All of these skills have massively helped me, but my pursuit of videomaking helped me to discover what I am passionate about, and what career field I would like to pursue. Movies have always interested me, but I never used to question how they were made, and how much effort was put into each one. This past year, I have watched more films than ever, and I had to start questioning the filmmaking process. As I learned more about films, I started to make short ones of my own. Since last year, I have written screenplays, directed short films, acted, edited, and color corrected. I would have never thought of these pursuits as possible before, but they were always at my fingertips, waiting to be ignited. To further my filmmaking knowledge, I plan to attend a film school and collaborate with many people. I already have a passion for filmmaking, but a film education will allow me to make the movies I wish to make, and I can live happily with the understanding that I am contributing my talents to the world.

Marcel Duchamp once said, “I have drawn people’s attention to the fact that art is a mirage.” As I was scrolling through Pinterest one night looking for artistic inspiration, this quote appeared in my feed. I acknowledged the quote quickly and then moved on with a seemingly endless scroll session for a faithful dose of creative inspiration. Afterward, however, the quote seems to almost haunt me. Since my first breath of life, I have yearned to create something, anything, unique. As I have gotten older, I have realized that this goal is quite impossible, and my life-long passion could never really be achieved. People are mirages of other people. As children, we develop a personality through our parents, the television shows we watch, the toys we play with, and even the food we are served. When the years start to progress, we attain idols ranging from celebrities to noble teachers. In my own experience, I have desired to become similar to these people, and at times I wanted to be them. As a result, I developed a combination of traits that originated from other people, and further originated from the people my idols looked up to. Therefore, since we are a patchwork of other people, there is no possible way for our art to be any different. Many see this theory as a detriment to their work, as I did at the beginning. After further reflection, though, I have realized that it is truly beautiful. As we imitate other’s artwork, whether it be paintings, films, music, or professional cooking, we breathe new life into it. As eras progress, we commonly see the reflections of our ancestors work on our own. Plagiarism is never acceptable, but adding another twist to a piece of art makes it entirely new again. Fashion trends of the 1990s have been prevalent in this decade, but the new generation has added their fingerprints to it. Filmmakers like Wes Anderson have created a name for themselves as being “unique”, but even he draws inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock, famous paintings, and music not of his creation. To develop a sense of who we are, we must look to others for assistance. If we fail to participate in creating a collage of who we are, we remain a blank sheet of paper. As an aspiring filmmaker, I only wish to propose a question or an idea that has never occurred to my audience. I wish to give CPR to my idol’s ideas and make something new out of their inspiration. As an artist, I do not want to be unique, I simply want to contribute to the evergrowing mirage.

I could hear my heart thumping louder than a mailman’s knock at the door as the awards were called out. As I grasped the “All As” award in my sweaty hands, the teachers began to call out the two students who had the highest grade point average. At this point, I felt like I was destined to faint, and as a teacher called my name out, I walked to the podium in a dream-like state. When I received the piece of paper signifying my achievement, I looked out towards the audience. All I saw were blurry figures, and at that moment I realized what I had sacrificed. As an eighth-grader, I found myself avoiding any social situation, refusing to participate in few recreational activities, and having my nose forced between textbooks and pieces of discarded paper. I did this all for a clean, shiny piece of new paper. After I walked out of that awards ceremony with my legs feeling like dumbbells, I decided I would make some major alterations to my academic approach. Now a rising senior, I have still maintained a high class rank and made straight As, while keeping my mental health in mind. Although it took some patience and determination, I have finally reached a point in my life where I am happy with my achievements, and ironically, I have discovered a career path where creativity outweighs my grades: filmmaking. My primary function in life as an eighth-grader was to produce “perfect” work. I did not question what I had to miss out on to achieve this. I simply did the work, and as I would stay up past two in the morning erasing and rewriting a letter on a poster until I deemed it worthy, I attempted to silence my emotional responses. I worked as if I were an inhuman: a mere machine. I had no idea what career I wanted to pursue, as I simply did not think about it. Today, after many bouts of burnout, I have learned self-control. If an assignment is completed and everything is deemed successful by a rubric, I will stop. My free time is spent working on what I most value: mindfulness, my career, my overall health, the wellbeing of the people around me, and overall enjoyment of life. I no longer brood over A minuses. I willingly accept them, because I have taken my mental health into account. I studied the material and I utilized my abilities on the test, so there is no need to fret. My holy grail is no longer one area of work, but a healthy combination. I spend more time with my loved ones, making memories I would never have made if I were my past self. I meditate when I feel a sense of anxiety, and I go on runs when I want to release any negative feelings. There are books and films that I seek refuge in, and I have developed a personality that is not a direct lineage of someone else's. Photographs and films of my creation help me to discover more about myself, and how I can appreciate the simple instances in life. My main function in life is to enjoy life as a whole, not labor in one aspect of it. My friends and I venture into town to eat dinner together, and I can laugh and converse freely, as I no longer let in the voice who says, “You need to redo two assignments that are due tomorrow.” Ambient lights shine on my face as I take walks down the neighborhood with my dad. Dad and I talk about everything from philosophy to what we had for breakfast, and I can enjoy our conversations without thinking about much else at that moment. A controller buzzes as I gain a life in a video game I’m playing with my brother. I remember all of these minuscule details because it is what is vital to life. After looking back, I realize I was my worst enemy. Recognizing this fact, I see all of the people that are suffering in the same way I was. Some have lived lives of monotonous taps at the keyboard, ignoring their mental health like a dirty dish in the sink. They exist to work and work to exist. I believe our life’s work is extremely important, but there are so many more things we need to participate in as well. The world is filled with creativity, passion, and exhilarating moments, and everyone deserves a chance to experience the whole package that life offers to us.