Language is my escapism. Over time, however, this precious discipline helped me come to terms with myself. Learning foreign language has always been a passion for me, although it was only recently I decided to truly pursue languages deeper when entering college. I hope to study linguistics or foreign language; I know first-hand how fulfilling those fields are. Learning grants me tangible skills, and a greater breadth of knowledge of the culture and history of the languages studied. It's motivated me to break my perpetual cycle of low-income living. The simplicity of learning languages appealed to me because all I needed was myself and grit. I still have a long road to improvement, but I plan on developing my skills well into adulthood. My passion strengthened friendships, academic habits, and myself. Learning languages will always be challenging, but it is what gives me hope. It helps me feel confident that 'Yes, there's more out there for me to see, and it all starts with me.' I know some languages, but there's two specifically that've been most impactful to me. 1. Vietnamese My heritage language: I was determined to grip onto the cultural heritage I saw kids like me drifting away from as a kid. You don't need fluency in a heritage language to identify with it, but younger me shook proverbial fists at the sky to whoever decided forgetting was an eventuality. I was too young to see it then, but it's likely the act of defiance that sparked my lifelong desire to strive at learning. Over years, I steadily learned how to read and write, things I wasn't taught formally. Retaining Vietnamese grew less about proving something to family, and more about proving something to myself. It began feeling more like my language, rather than anyone else's. It's one of the first times languages helped me accept myself. - Languages always seeped through my life’s corners, even before I devoted myself. French became a hobby after seeing how cool it looked through videogames. Spanish was an elective. After progressing many years, I learned to grow comfortable with mistakes, and with connecting with new people — beyond the realm of language learning. Having languages permeate so many areas linked bridges between my passion and choice of study. - 2. Japanese Japanese helped me through the year online. Although I functioned in class normally, days felt monotonous; they slipped through my fingers like water. The thought of learning Japanese came on a whim, but the choice to do so quite possibly saved me. I forgot the origin, but one afternoon, I dived into hiragana. Perhaps the concoction of stress and numbness drove me to try something new, but it ultimately fished me out of the rut. I am enthralled by the language. How simple the foundations are, yet how the grand picture isn't. It’s all incredibly interesting. So many intricacies exist — I could spend countless hours unraveling them, and still only scratch the surface. The night after starting, I slept genuinely excited for tomorrow; I hadn't felt that in a long while. I dreamt peacefully. The spark of excitement I felt then was akin to rekindling a waking dream. All my experience in foreign languages thus far is more important to me than anything. It gives me drive: drive to begin something daunting, drive to accept my flaws, and drive to continue progressing despite everything. The lessons I've taken away from learning bleed into my life, making me feel real. To enjoy this experience for as long as I can, this money will fund my pursuit of language. Thank you.