I have been a fan of Sabrina Carpenter since very early in her career when she played Maya Hart in Girl Meets World. I was drawn to her character in the show because of how unapologetically herself she was. Growing up I was always a tomboy so seeing a girl character in a popular show wearing combat boots, wearing camo, sitting "unladylike", and maybe being a little louder than she should in class was comforting. I admired her and Rylie's close caring friendship and was excited to find my own best friends when I went to middle and high school. I am truly appreciative that Sabrina Carpenter brought such a genuine character to life in a Disney Channel show. I was very happy to see her pursuing a music career after the show was over. I love how Sabrina leads with kindness when interacting with fans, interviewers, and everyone she works with. Her unique style, stage presence and energy bring joy to all of her performances. Most of all her music while fun can be incredibly moving. Music is an important part in reminding oneself that we are not alone in these emotions. In Sabrina Carpenter's song "how many things" in the album "emails i can't send", the lyrics feel like they were pulled from my own diary. In this song she reflects how low on someone's priority list she is and despite this so many things still remind her of him. When listening to this song I start wondering if my friends that I have moved hours away from still think about me like I do when I see their car in a gas station parking lot. This is such a specific circumstance yet somehow Sabrina Carpenter delivers these feelings perfectly. I also love her song "Good Graces" from her album "Short n' Sweet". This song is expressing how kind and romantic she is in a relationship but reminding partners that this version of her is earned, if they mess up or let their guard down she is not afraid to leave. I think it's important to remind young people that relationships can be great, but if it is no longer acting as a positive in your life it is ok to step away and you have your own life to enjoy regardless of the relationship. I also admire the community that Sabrina Carpenter has made with her fan base. As a big fan of live music it makes me so happy to see many fans dressing up to the themes of each tour, sharing friendship bracelets and complimenting each other. Her shows and listening parties create a space for communities and friendships to form. This is only successful because Sabrina has lived up to her role and been a good role model, creating a kind and joyful fan base. Sabrina Carpenter's work ethic, kindness, and individuality are ethics that I look up to and will strive to include in my own life.

I have been a fan of Olivia Rodrigo's music from the beginning of her career. I even remember watching her play Grace in the American girl doll movie which led me to read the book and attempt to teach myself some French in elementary school. Her album Sour came out while I was in high school, meaning many of my experiences and emotions I was going through at the time were being mirrored in the album itself. It is safe to say that Olivia Rodrigo has had an impact on how I process my own life and continue to move through this world. Looking at her most recent album "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl in Love", a song that I can not get out of my head is Expectations. Olivia is singing about romantic relationships and partnerships in this song although listeners can apply the lessons in this song to any area of their life. This is my favorite part of art, especially music, a singer or songwriter can be writing about an experience very unique to themselves but millions of people can feel seen when listening to someone be so vulnerable about their life. The lyrics that resonate with me most in this song are in the Pre-Chorus section: "Took a couple months (Took a couple months) But now I am secure (Now I am secure) I am so evolved (I am so evolved) Now I ask for more and more and more and more and more" For me this song is less about asking for these "expectations" from a partner but more about striving for what I want in my own life. Growing up wanting to pursue advanced careers in STEM, move out of my hometown, and go on adventurous travels across the world I am reminded of how "unrealistic" these dreams are. In this song Olivia Rodrigo reminds me that these goals, or expectations, are ok to have, in fact having and holding these standards for yourself are encouraged. This is part of why I don't like referring to these things as dreams as others would, because to me they aren't dreams that are out of this reality, they are simply parts of my life that I am currently working to make happen. Whenever I start to doubt if I am really on the right career/education path, get tired, or have others try to discourage my goals the line "Now I ask for more and more and more and more and more" chants in my head and keeps me going. It has become my mantra this summer telling myself not to settle on the things really important to me even when challenges arise. The lines before this in the pre-chorus are also important to me. They highlight the importance of self-reflection, rest, and internal change. When chasing career and education milestones it can be easy to overlook mental and character growth. These things are even more important than career accomplishments. Without a strong mental foundation, burnout is inevitable. Most importantly how we treat others and our own happiness should always be the priority. I think this song beautifully captures living life with an open heart, learning from mistakes, keeping hope, and staying strong in the standards and goals one wants in life. I am entering my senior year of college which brings grad school, career and moving decisions coming my way. With these I will continue to listen to Olivia Rodrigo because her pop music holds deep lessons that continue to resonate with listeners, especially women and girls in our generation.

A core part of who I am is my variety of interests and hobbies that I work hard in; the throughline in all of these interests is being part of a team and learning every day. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the “how” behind the world around me, a curiosity that naturally drew me towards STEM. In high school, I was active in advanced academics, multiple community service clubs, and sports, including varsity softball all four years. Being an active member in these areas and in school highlighted to me the importance of having a community that supports you, and even more so, the importance of giving back to your community. In school, I discovered my skills in math, physics, and problem-solving, which led me to the field of engineering. I am currently a Senior at Texas Tech University pursuing a degree in civil engineering and a minor in Architecture. My goal is to use this education to advance our cities while prioritizing people and the future of these communities. Civil engineering is a combination of creative problem-solving, design, and technology to build infrastructure where people live, work, and relax. I love the variety of work that engineers do. Currently, I am interning with a public works team at a civil engineering consulting firm for my second year. This experience has taught me so much, seeing firsthand all the work that goes into creating functioning infrastructure and improving communities. I truly appreciate the attention to detail in engineering because every aspect affects people's lives. Roads, sewer systems, drainage, and utilities are all essential parts of cities and communities. Being a part of the process that creates these systems is rewarding. While I enjoy being a “Jack of all trades” in public works, my dream is in structural engineering. This internship provides a foundation of technical knowledge and career skills that I will carry with me. Furthermore, my architecture courses helped me realize that I am more aligned with the structural engineer’s perspective than an architect's. The math and structural systems that make up these large-scale projects really attract me. A Master’s degree is crucial in furthering my education in a specialized career path and prepares me for a structural engineering position. Post-graduation, I plan to work full-time while pursuing my Master's part-time. I understand this will extend my degree plan, but I do not see my career as a race. I believe taking a quality journey is more important than the time it takes to finish these goals. This approach will allow me to afford continued education while building real-world skills in the field. This will make me the best engineer I can be and best serve my community through the process. The opportunity for active problem-solving and direct impact on communities is the primary reason I am pursuing this career. In fast-growing cities, it is important to prioritize safety on roadways and in buildings, while also considering proper erosion control and other pollution-prevention measures during construction. Water and wastewater systems in these projects are incredibly important too; the current world we have built is experiencing more frequent natural disasters, so ensuring these systems can handle and even minimize problems such as flash floods is an often-overlooked feature, but it is something I would be honored to be a part of. In whichever civil engineering practice I end up in, I look forward to making a positive impact on the people and world around me through my work. (Relevant sports and art pictures are attached; my community service involvement is detailed in my profile.)

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the “how” behind the world around me, a curiosity that naturally drew me towards STEM. Watching my parents serve our community through their careers in the Police Department inspired me to do the same in my own way. In school, I discovered my skills and interest in math, physics, and problem-solving, which led me to the field of engineering. I am currently a Junior at Texas Tech University pursuing a degree in civil engineering and a minor in Architecture. My goal is to use this education to advance our cities while prioritizing people and the future of these communities. Civil engineering is a combination of creative problem-solving, design, and technology to build infrastructure where people live, work, and relax. I love the variety of work that engineers do. Currently, I am interning with a public works team at a civil engineering consulting firm. This experience has taught me so much, seeing firsthand all the work that goes into creating functioning infrastructure and improving communities. Before this, I never realized the full extent of what went into the construction of a "simple" road. I truly appreciate the attention to detail in engineering because every aspect affects people's lives. Roads, sewer systems, drainage, and utilities are all essential parts of cities and communities. Being a part of the process that creates these systems is rewarding. I am looking forward to continuing this internship and my future post-grad career. While I enjoy being a “Jack of all trades” in public works, my dream is in structural engineering. This internship provides a foundation of technical knowledge and career skills that I will carry with me. Furthermore, my architecture courses helped me realize that I am more aligned with the structural engineer’s perspective than an architect's. The math and structural systems that make up these large-scale projects really attract me. I will graduate in May of 2027, taking my FE Exam soon after to become an Engineer in Training, followed by the PE Exam once I have gained the necessary experience. A Master’s degree is crucial in furthering my education in a specialized career path and prepares me for a structural engineering position. Post-graduation, I plan to work full-time while pursuing my Master's part-time. I understand this will extend my degree plan, but I do not see my career as a race. I believe taking a quality journey is more important than the time it takes to finish these goals. This approach will allow me to afford continued education while building real-world skills in the field. This will make me the best engineer I can be and best serve my community through the process. The opportunity for active problem-solving and direct impact on communities is the primary reason I am pursuing this career. Quality design protects the environment and people interacting with the work. In fast-growing cities, it is important to prioritize safety on roadways and in buildings, alongside considering proper erosion control and other pollution prevention measures during the construction process. Water and wastewater systems in these projects are incredibly important too; the current world we have built is experiencing more frequent natural disasters, so ensuring these systems can handle and even minimize problems such as flash floods is an often-overlooked feature, but it is something I would be honored to be a part of. In whichever civil engineering practice I end up in, I look forward to making a positive impact on the people and world around me through my work.

Calculus, while it may not appear so at first glance, is integrated into every part of our lives, including nature. Math reflects the world we all live in. This subject highlights important aspects of human nature: perseverance, curiosity, and critical thinking. Math has always been one of my favorite subjects in school; this did not change when calculus was introduced. I am glad I enjoyed Calculus once I understood it because parts of it continue to show up in my education. As an engineering major, the foundation of many of my courses is calculus. There is a reason Isaac Newton created many Calculus concepts; calculus is crucial to truly understand the world of physics. I believe math and physics are the core of most science and technology fields. An understanding of these fields and their problem-solving natures will allow for continued discoveries, innovations, and new technologies. The aspect of math that keeps me interested is its rules and puzzle-like nature. Every math problem can be seen as a puzzle, figuring out which equation or law to use and which values need to be used to find a solution. This challenging journey to solve a problem is entertaining, while finding the solution is rewarding. As I have grown and reached more challenging mathematics, like Calculus and differential equations, it has become apparent that failure is inevitable. This does not mean that I should give up, but it means I should keep trying until I discover the proper solving process. This is not unique to math. This lesson has taught me that in life, when I fail or try something new, and it does not immediately go as I expect to not quit. Failing in both the real world and math shows a way that does not work, encouraging me to try a new method. I am also drawn to math because every time I learn something new, I start wondering how this rule was discovered. For example, in Calculus, almost every class, I would learn a new equation or rule and then think about what sparked the idea for Newton to come up with this rule and how much trial and error it took him. This reminds me to keep being curious about the world and work hard in the areas that interest me. Newton was very interested in mathematics and physics, leading him to spend a great deal of time focused on these subjects, and he became very well-known in history due to his impact. My goal is to be able to positively impact people and my community with the results of my hard work in my engineering career. Math is a subject that forces me to use my brain efficiently by challenging myself and building skills that will continue to help me in other fields. The problem-solving skills I have learned in math have and will continue to help me become a better student in Engineering.

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by STEM. In elementary school, I was the kid who was always asking why and how. I wanted to understand how everything worked. I would watch Bill Nye, MythBusters, Wild Kratts, and really anything that allowed me to keep learning. In university, I have kept this same mindset. I discovered my skills and interest in math, physics, and problem-solving, which led me to the field of engineering. I am currently a Junior at Texas Tech University pursuing a degree in civil engineering and a minor in Architecture. I am passionate about showing more children that a career in STEM is possible, especially girls, who tend to be underrepresented in these fields. I am part of the Society of Women Engineers, Women in STEM, and the Honors College at my university, which all play an active role in the community through efforts including volunteer work. Engineering is a combination of creative problem-solving, design, and technology. Engineers are responsible for designing the infrastructure where people live, work, and relax, with a major impact on everyday life. I love the variety of work that civil engineers do. Currently, I am interning with a public works team at a civil engineering consulting firm. This experience has taught me so much, and I am looking forward to interning here another year. Before this, I never realized the full extent of what went into the construction of a "simple" road. I truly appreciate the attention to detail in engineering because every detail will affect people's lives. Roads, sewer systems, drainage, and utilities are all essential parts of cities and communities. It is really beautiful being a part of the process that creates these systems. I love being a "Jack of all trades", working on a variety of projects in public works, but my dream career is in structural engineering. My current internship is providing me with a great deal of knowledge and skills in engineering that I will take with me throughout my career. My architecture courses allowed me to discover my interest in architecture and determine that I am more aligned with the structural engineer perspective than an architect's. The math and structural systems that make up these large projects really attract me. I will graduate with my bachelor's in May of 2027, taking my PE and FE Exams soon after to become a professional engineer. While I am working full-time as an Engineer in Training post graduation, I plan to pursue my Master's in Structural Engineering part-time. I understand that this will make my master's degree plan take longer, and I am okay with that. I do not see my career as a race. I have goals in my education and career; however, I believe taking a quality journey is more important than the time it takes to finish these goals. This method will allow me to afford continued education and help me build my skills in the field to be the best engineer I can be when I finish my degree. College is the time to learn and refine my skills without being afraid of mistakes. Making mistakes is not a bad thing; if I'm afraid of mistakes, I will not be pushing myself to my full potential. Always learning is the best way an engineer can help the people around them with their work. The active problem-solving and direct impact on communities are a couple of the many reasons I am pursuing a career in engineering.

A local issue that matters to me is the safety of our roads and the accessibility of the community. I am pursuing a career in civil engineering because it allows me to directly impact the every day lives of people. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to intern on the Public Works team in my company. This summer I have already gotten the chance to make an impact by contributing to a variety of projects, including major roads that will be built in the metroplex I live in. Working in civil engineering, the safety of the community is our number one goal. Every time we add or modify a feature of our project we must consider if this is still a safe and accessible option. This has taught me to have a strong attention to detail. I have learned about how grading and drainage systems are used to prevent flooding, how to design sidewalks to make sure everyone can safely use them, and so much more. A recent project I worked on included a bridge crossing over a creek. This means that guardrails were required. My job was to research the requirements that this guardrail would need to meet to properly determine the length of need and draw the details for our plan sheet. I worked on the illumination plan for this project as well which insures safer driving and walking conditions at night. It feels good to know that my contribution to this project can help keep someone safer in a car wreck. Another example of how I work towards positively impacting my community is volunteering. I often volunteer through clubs at my university during the school year, Society of Women Engineers and Women in STEM. This summer I volunteered with a couple professional engineering groups. I helped with a lake shoreline cleanup with Texas Society of Professional Engineers and packed birthday presents for children in need with my office. Working in a field where everyone around you is also here to serve their community is refreshing. We are all here to support each other and make each other better. When we make each other better we in turn also improve the community. I look forward to continuing this internship and my education so when I graduate I am prepared to be a great Engineer that will continue to serve my community in the best way I can.

Mathematics, the subject of pure numbers, reflects the world we all live in. This subject highlights important aspects of human nature including perseverance, curiosity, and critical thinking. Math has always been one of my favorite subjects in school. YouTube was a great source for me because when I already understood everything in elementary school I was still able to challenge myself and learn something new about the subject. The aspect of math that keeps me interested is its rules and puzzle-like nature. Every math problem can be seen as a puzzle, figuring out which equation or law to use and which values need to be used to find a solution. This challenging journey to solve a problem is entertaining while finding the solution is rewarding. As I have grown and reached more challenging mathematics it has become apparent that failure is inevitable. This does not mean that I should give up, but means I should keep trying until I discover the proper solving process. This is not unique to math. This lesson has taught me that in life when I fail or try something new and it does not immediately go how I expect to not quit. Failing in both the real world and math shows a way that does not work, encouraging me to try a new method. I am also drawn to math because every time I learn something new, I start wondering how this rule was discovered. For example, in Calculus almost every class, I would learn a new equation or rule and then think about what sparked the idea for Newton to come up with this rule and how much trial and error it took him. This reminds me to keep being curious about the world and work hard in the areas that interest me. Newton was very interested in mathematics and physics leading him to spend a great deal of time focused on these subjects and became very well-known in history due to his impact. My goal is to be able to positively impact people and the world with the results of my hard work. Math is a subject that forces me to use my brain efficiently by challenging myself and building skills that will continue to help me in other fields. The problem-solving skills I have learned in math have and will continue to help me become a better student in Engineering.

I am pursuing a degree in architecture because it has been my dream career since elementary school. I can thank my fifth-grade art teacher for introducing me to the subject I instantly loved. The Fountain Place skyscraper in Dallas was what piqued my interest when we had a lesson about one of the building’s architects I.M. Pei. In high school, I had the opportunity to take some architecture classes. These were very beneficial to me because they confirmed my interest in architecture. My school district has a career and technology center where I was able to take a college architecture class taught by a practicing architect. This was a great experience for me because the professor would give us insight into the process of his real projects. We were also taught a lot of architecture history content and how a college architecture studio would behave. The more I learn about architecture the more I want to study it and the more I want to peruse a career in the field. Architecture is a combination of creative problem-solving, design, and technology. I find it fascinating how architecture is constantly surrounding everyone and there continues to be new and innovative ideas created. Architects have the responsibility to design the spaces in which people live, work, and relax, creating a major impact on the everyday lives of people. Almost everyone experiences a variety of architectural works throughout their day-to-day life and the majority of people even start their life in something designed by an architect, a hospital, and if this is poorly designed the child and parents are put at risk. This highlights how design can either serve a positive or negative impact, causing designers to encompass a crucial role in society. These are aspects of the career that make me interested in taking part in this education and career path. I would treat this role as an honor, which is why I will approach my college education seriously, asking how I can make the most of my time in school. I will approach college as the time to learn and refine my skills without being afraid of mistakes. This is because making mistakes is not a bad thing, and if I am afraid of them I will not be pushing myself as hard as I should to reach my full potential. I also will have a creative perspective that allows me to find out-of-the-box solutions and designs. Practicing this mindset in college will lead to me continuing this mindset in my career after college. Always learning and creating new designs is the best way an architect can help the people around them with their work. Being able to have a major impact on people’s lives is a very exciting opportunity that I want to succeed in by using the education I would receive at Texas Tech. These are some of the many reasons that I am pursuing architecture as my dream career.

Mathematics, the subject of pure numbers, reflects the world we all live in. This subject highlights important aspects of human nature including perseverance, curiosity, and critical thinking. Math has always been one of my favorite subjects in school. Youtube was a great source for me because when I already understood everything in elementary school I was still able to challenge myself and learn something new about the subject. The aspect of math that keeps me interested is its rules and puzzle-like nature. Math is a subject full of rules that are not commonly broken like the rules in English. Unlike language rules, math has often made sense to me. Every math problem can be seen as a puzzle, figuring out which equation or law to use and which values need to be used to find a solution. This challenging journey to solve a problem is entertaining while finding the solution is rewarding. As I have grown older and reached more challenging mathematics it has become apparent that it is not uncommon to be wrong on the first attempt. This does not mean that I should give up but encourages me to keep trying until I discover the proper solving process. This is not a situation that is unique to math. This is a lesson that has taught me that in life when I fail or try something new and it does not immediately go how I expect to not quit. Failing in both the real world and math shows a way that does not work, encouraging me to try a new method. I am also drawn to math because every time I learn something new, I start wondering how this rule was discovered. For example, in Calculus almost every class, I would learn a new equation or rule and then think about what sparked the idea for Newton to come up with this rule and how much trial and error it took him. This reminds me to keep being curious about the world and work hard in the areas that interest me. Newton was very interested in mathematics and physics leading him to spend a great deal of time focused on these subjects and became very well-known in history due to his impact. My goal is to be able to positively impact people and the world with the results of my hard work. Math is a subject that forces me to use my brain efficiently by challenging myself and building skills that will continue to help me in other fields. The problem-solving skills I have learned in math have and will continue to help me become a better designer in Architecture because of how math influences my thought process. Math has been a large contributor to my understanding of how I learn and how to work with the world and its challenges.

Mathematics, the subject of pure numbers, reflects the world we all live in. This subject highlights important aspects of human nature including perseverance, curiosity, and critical thinking. Math has always been one of my favorite subjects in school. Youtube was a great source for me because when I already understood everything in elementary school I was still able to challenge myself and learn something new about the subject. The aspect of math that keeps me interested is its rules and puzzle-like nature. Math is a subject full of rules that are not commonly broken like the rules in English. Unlike language rules, math has often made sense to me. Every math problem can be seen as a puzzle, figuring out which equation or law to use and which values need to be used to find a solution. This challenging journey to solve a problem is entertaining while finding the solution is rewarding. As I have grown older and reached more challenging mathematics it has become apparent that it is not uncommon to be wrong on the first attempt. This does not mean that I should give up but encourages me to keep trying until I discover the proper solving process. This is not a situation that is unique to math. This is a lesson that has taught me that in life when I fail or try something new and it does not immediately go how I expect to not quit. Failing in both the real world and math shows a way that does not work, encouraging me to try a new method. I am also drawn to math because every time I learn something new, I start wondering how this rule was discovered. For example, in Calculus almost every class, I would learn a new equation or rule and then think about what sparked the idea for Newton to come up with this rule and how much trial and error it took him. This reminds me to keep being curious about the world and work hard in the areas that interest me. I love math because it forces me to use my brain efficiently by challenging myself and building skills that will continue to help me in other fields. The problem-solving skills I have learned in math have and will continue to help me become a better designer in Architecture because of how math influences my thought process.

Mathematics, the subject of pure numbers, reflects the world we all live in. This subject highlights important aspects of human nature including perseverance, curiosity, and critical thinking. Math has always been one of my favorite subjects in school. Youtube was a great source for me because when I already understood everything in elementary school I was still able to challenge myself and learn something new about the subject. The aspect of math that keeps me interested is its rules and puzzle-like nature. Math is a subject full of rules that are not commonly broken like the rules in English. Unlike language rules, math has often made sense to me. Every math problem can be seen as a puzzle, figuring out which equation or law to use and which values need to be used to find a solution. This challenging journey to solve a problem is entertaining while finding the solution is rewarding. As I have grown older and reached more challenging mathematics it has become apparent that it is not uncommon to be wrong on the first attempt. This does not mean that I should give up but encourages me to keep trying until I discover the proper solving process. This is not a situation that is unique to math. This is a lesson that has taught me that in life when I fail or try something new and it does not immediately go how I expect to not quit. Failing in both the real world and math shows a way that does not work, encouraging me to try a new method. I am also drawn to math because every time I learn something new, I start wondering how this rule was discovered. For example, in Calculus almost every class, I would learn a new equation or rule and then think about what sparked the idea for Newton to come up with this rule and how much trial and error it took him. This reminds me to keep being curious about the world and work hard in the areas that interest me. Newton was very interested in mathematics and physics leading him to spend a great deal of time focused on these subjects and became very well-known in history due to his impact. My goal is to be able to positively impact people and the world with the results of my hard work. Math is a subject that forces me to use my brain efficiently by challenging myself and building skills that will continue to help me in other fields. The problem-solving skills I have learned in math have and will continue to help me become a better designer in Architecture because of how math influences my thought process. Math has been a large contributor to my understanding of how I learn and how to work with the world and its challenges.

Sunlight can be good in small doses, but that doesn’t mean too much can't be harmful. The same can be said for the input of others. While it is good to get advice and have support, when their opinions become overwhelming, the focus should remain on what is best for oneself. I have had many high expectations from others about sports and academics placed on me, but they only caused harm. This and other challenging situations taught me to change my perspective and mindset when approaching new scenarios for the better. Growing up in a gifted and talented program placed high expectations on my future school years and created a reliance on academic validation. Due to this, I often overloaded myself with schoolwork because I believed that was what was expected of me. This caused periods of burnout. When I realized this habit of seeking validation from outside sources was not helpful for my mental health, I worked on switching my mindset. I started viewing my classes as a way to achieve what I wanted to accomplish instead of a way to meet the expectations of others. I now work hard to achieve my goals of getting into the schools I am interested in to pursue the career I desire. This perspective shift improved my mental health, therefore improving my academics, and breaking the burnout cycle. Altering my perspective and prioritizing focus on myself and what is best for me above all else allowed me to thrive in other areas of my life, including sports. Since I started, softball has become an important part of my life and something I love. After I began playing competitively I enjoyed the challenge of playing at a higher level and playing more often. When I was working and improving because I wanted to get better, I enjoyed the moments such as making a diving catch or hitting a line drive. Eventually, my perspective on softball shifted and these moments became less and less exciting due to the pressure on extremely accelerated progress, ruining the fun of the game. Instead of celebrating the small wins, I started focusing on the negative, like the one bad at-bat out of a tournament of quality at-bats. This was an unhealthy mindset that I had to recognize needed fixing. I changed my perspective by starting to acknowledge my mistakes and what I needed to fix, without dwelling on them. Seeing mistakes as learning opportunities instead of flaws in myself was vital. Focusing on bringing the excitement back into the game allowed me to improve at practice because I became more focused on the next play instead of previous errors. Making these adjustments helped me become my best self on and off the field. I stopped playing for others and started playing for myself and my team only, and became a better athlete for it. Knowing when to protect myself from dangerous sun rays has helped me become a better and healthier version of myself. The most effective way of keeping harmful mindsets, whether they were mine or others, from affecting me is by changing my viewpoint. Although changing my perspective can not change my surroundings, it has and will continue to improve my response to them.