1. Pre-Calculus 2. I have had and been a math tutor before 3. When we think about math, we usually tend to imagine complex equations on a sheet of paper. However, as we step forth into the real world, our perceptions of what math is can change. Length x width becomes something far beyond the formula for the area of a square and is now the formula for the dimensions of a room. Multiplying percentages later turns into a skill you must develop to pay taxes on your meal. Ultimately, math is the basis behind practically everything that's done in our day to day lives, and with math tutoring, I can be more prepared for and equipped to take these tasks on. Additionally, I feel that, with online school especially, many students, including myself, are a bit more hesitant about asking teachers for help during class which can lead to them not retaining much of the information discussed. With tutoring, not only will the main concern be understanding, but also finding new ways of understanding (for example games and real-world examples).

Braids, twists, dreadlocks, and afros. These are just some of the many hairstyles deriving from ancient African culture. Braids were a tool used for messaging and a map for escaping slavery. Twists were a symbol of status and a signifier of one's tribe. Afros, a sign of empowerment and self-discovery. All of these hairstyles were encouraged in my household as it helped my sister and I build a sense of pride in our culture and connected us to our ancestors at a young age. Unfortunately, these values were put to the test when I attended my first predominantly African American school. Contrary to what I believed, I was questioned and sometimes ridiculed for keeping my hair in these styles. “Why do you always wear braids”, “you should straighten your hair”, and “your hair looks nappy” were phrases I heard on a regular basis. This experience made me realize that not everyone has endured the same hair journey that I have and that many black women were caught up in the idea that natural hair meant “bad hair”. Although slavery ended many years ago, our black culture is still affected by the influence of European culture and beauty standards, and I for one plan to change that! I intend to bring my love for my hair and culture everywhere I go and build a sense of pride in the melting pot that is the world around me. When I'm sitting in my classes, I aim to feel content in knowing that every braid in my hair connects me to who I am and what makes my culture so rich. Furthermore, I want to show my peers who are black or people of color that you don't need to assimilate in order to be a leader, successful, or beautiful.

“Don't kill it!” I yelled, running over in desperation. My mother hesitantly backed away from the daddy long leg running across the floor trying to find a means of escape. “Hurry it up Mackenzie I don't want it getting away”, she exclaimed as her eyes rolled in annoyance. I quickly grabbed a cup and a piece of mail, yet to be collected by my father, and ran to the living room to scoop it up. I slowly placed it outside, being sure it ran into a bush so it wouldn’t accidentally be stepped on or blown away. If it isn’t obvious, I don't kill bugs. I prefer letting them live free outside. Call it ridiculous and time-consuming if you must, but if Mrs. Spider’s Sunny Patch Friends taught me anything, it's that you should “be good to bugs”. The show displays the daily life of a family of anthropomorphic spiders going through events similar to ones we humans are bound to experience, such as rejection, love, and loss. Although I was aware that the show was fake, that feeling of similarity and empathy for the living things around me stuck. Are we really all that different from that spider as we think? I found myself embodying this way of thinking as I became involved in programs and activities in my school and community; one of the most influential being my school’s Annual Oki Gakuen Language Exchange program. As an avid participant, my heart nearly skipped a beat when my teacher asked if I could be a group leader. In other words, I would be one of the main people speaking to the exchange students in Japanese. Unhesitantly, I accepted. I was ready to put all my skills to the test and make a new friend in the process! As my assigned student, Matsuhiro, walked towards me, my hands became clammy and my heart hammered against my chest. We introduced ourselves...and the crickets sounded their alarm. “What should I say next? I don't want to say the wrong thing and offend him or his culture”, I muttered to myself. After a five minute intermission, I decided to come out and say it, I was nervous. His face lit up as he replied with “me too”! This connection led to even more, including shared artists, animes, and even watch brands. Although Matsuhiro and I are different people from different backgrounds, we share common interests and emotions. Now, why can't this be the case with the spider? Although its appearance is vastly different from ours, we have more in common than we think. The satisfaction of getting your next meal, the fear of getting hurt, and the goal of survival. These aren’t just things we humans experience, but spiders as well. Because of this, I have made it my mission to find and build connections with the people and things around me and remain open-minded and adaptive when introduced to others who look or have different views than myself. This mission will also help me in my pursuit to study International Business and Communications where I will be faced with opposing viewpoints and cultural differences. In situations such as these, I will remain flexible, understanding, and practice effective communication to find common ground. In doing so, I will expand my views of the world around me and help a society, who focuses solely on differences, realize just how interconnected we truly are.

Three of my favorite places to shop online are Depop, Target, and Zen. I love supporting small creators and I've found that Depop is the best way to do so. Whenever I'm browsing, I always find something I never knew I needed, like a mushroom shirt or a rainbow purse! Plus, it's a great way to help the environment, because you're getting used or handmade clothing, and find quirky apparel that places like H&M or Urban Outfitters don't always offer. Another place I love to shop online is, shocker, Target. It has practically everything you would ever need including clothes, groceries, and even video games; and with such an easy to navigate online database, it's definitely one of my go-to's. Lastly, we have Zen. During quarantine, I've grown passionate about building my spirituality, and Zen has helped me tremendously in the process. They offer items varying from crystals to magic bath washes! My favorite item has definitely been my chakra balancing bracelet because whenever I wear it, I instantly feel at peace and relaxed. Im definitely looking forward to purchasing a pack of Tarot cards from them soon. I cant wait to shop at these places on Cyber Monday!

This is my dog, Jax! He's 5 years old, likes humans way more than he likes other pets, and his favorite human foods are tangerines and apples. In this picture, he's celebrating his first Christmas with us at our grandparent's house. At first, we were kind of nervous about how he would act since this was the first party he would be attending, but to our surprise, he did a great job! He performed tricks, let kids play with him, and made everyone fall head over heels for him. All in all, he made our Christmas, perfect! ~IG: lame.mack

What did you have for breakfast today? Was it pancakes or cereal? Or maybe it was oatmeal and a smoothie. Either way, you probably didn't have to worry about what you were going to eat then and there. Well, what if I told you there were millions upon millions of people who have to worry about if they're going to eat at all, and one of them could be as close as your next-door neighbor? Now, I grew up in a fairly middle-class neighborhood where everyone knew each other, so when my neighbor asked me and my sister if we could help carry some of her furniture downstairs, we, of course, agreed. When we finished, she began thanking us and offering that we grab a snack before we go, which without hesitation we agreed to. As she opened her fridge, we got a glimpse of what was inside: water, 2 apples, and a batch of lettuce. Overcome with guilt we kindly declined her offer, to which she replied with "I guess I'll have this for dinner" as she pointed to the apple. My sister and I looked at each other and it was as if we both knew we had to do something. My sister quickly excused herself and ran to our house. When she returned, she was holding a bowl of leftover tomato basil soup from our dinner last night. She gave it to our neighbor and suddenly she lit up! She began thanking us over and over again and even began to tear up a bit. To see the impact a simple meal can have on people astounded me and made my sister and I want to do more. From then on, we began giving leftovers, the food that we weren't eating, and sometimes even extra plates to our neighbor and homeless families we saw on the street. This leads me to say that the change I want to see in my community, the country, and the world is the accessibility to food. This can mean something as small as more community gardens and soup kitchens, to bigger things such as the equal distribution of income and more supermarkets in low-income areas. Every person, despite their race, gender, religion, and income should have the same access to food as everyone else!