Alongside my pursuit of a bachelor of arts in psychology, I am also pursuing a minor in creative writing. One of the factors that led me to expand my formal education in creative writing was reading. The most important thing I’ve learned from books I’ve read is resilience and how to define and achieve success in my life. Books such as the “Six of Crows” duology by Leah Bardugo and “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” duology by Benjamin Alire Sáenz have taught me resilience. The crew of outcasts set what most would say are unattainable goals and even in times of doubt they achieve the impossible. Aristotle deals with internal conflict, considering all of his setbacks, he overcame, learned, and was able to find peace and move forward. The similarities between these characters are their loved ones. These books also taught me that when you surround yourself with people who genuinely believe in you, you thrive in any environment. Success can be defined in many different ways, depending on the person. Two Mitch Albom’s books that have made me reflect upon what I want in life, my definition of success, and what it truly means to live a meaningful life are “Stranger in the Lifeboat” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. While one book introduces an all-powerful being and the other explores the possibilities of the afterlife, both have inspired me about how to go about my life and what I truly want to achieve. In light of the current political climate, I often wonder how our country will proceed after the damage has already been done. As someone who aspires to continue their education in hopes to impact the education system, I am wondering what my financial future would look like when given the opportunity. With my experience working with youth, leadership roles, and participation in civic engagement, I’ve found interest in combining all of those areas to create a positive impact on society. I plan to apply to education master’s programs in leadership, organization, and policy to continue to learn how to make a true impact on the education system. I always knew I wanted to directly help and support people. While I would love to be a teacher someday, it’s hard to work for a system I don’t fully believe in. I believe in the education system, however, it’s not equal across our nation, across our world. I would like to believe one day I can implement proper policies into the entire United States education system to ensure the success of every child in our country. Our children are our future. I want to implement healthy learning environments in our prison and juvenile systems to ensure higher rates of successful integration back into society. A form of rehabilitation rather than punishment for those who show true interest. Many people just need the opportunity to learn and be given a stable and safe environment to do so. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for millions today. I want to change that. People have used books to escape reality for a while, especially when things get hard. However, books also inspire the future. It takes us to another reality to prove what we can do, even in the darkest of times. The books I have read taught me that the possibilities for myself are endless if I am willing to work for it, believe it, and know that I did not achieve success on my own.

I grew up in San Francisco, born and raised just like my parents. Since a young age I have been aware of the privilege of being in such a historical, beautiful, culturally rich, and expensive city. In middle school I heard peers talk about a second home, their plan to attend a private high school that amounted to $80,000 a year, and peers whose parents donated tens of thousands of dollars to one of the schools I attended. That was when I became aware of how my financial situation would impact my academic future. I have attended public school my entire life. In the eighth grade I had an opportunity to attend a private school. While my mom encouraged me to consider the offer, all that went through my mind was the cost. With an accelerated three-year undergraduate plan that includes six courses for four semesters, five summer courses over two summers, I am proud to say I am finishing up my last year of my undergraduate studies. However, I am not finished with my academic journey. In the last year, I have found myself preparing to apply for master's programs. Although I am graduating a year early and the main factor in doing so came from a financial aspect, my parents encouraged and reminded me that education is investmenting in myself and that I should not turn down the opportunity if presented. We can work together as we have before, by helping me navigate taking out student loans, repayment options, and balancing multiple jobs on top of being a full-time student. I learned what it meant and how to be engaged civically at a young age. In middle school I worked with a civic engagement program to create a presentation to display at San Francisco’s City Hall, I attended and photographed (for my high school’s student-run paper) protests, volunteered at food banks, made tie quilt blankets for children in need, and those are only a handful of examples of my civic engagement before attending college. I want to be someone, as a woman and person of color, to show younger generations who may feel out of place that their voice matters in all spaces. I aspire to be an educator. Through my college experience I have had the opportunity to work with youth, take on leadership roles, and learn more about myself everyday. In my classes I’ve learned about the development of youth and the impact education plays into every individual’s life. I am applying to education master’s programs in leadership, organization, and policy to continue to learn how to make a true and long lasting impact on the education system. My goal one day is to implement proper policies in the United State’s education system to ensure the success of every child in our country, work with children in juvenile halls and the foster system, create educational programs accessible to everyone that encourages creativity to promote innovation, and fight to defend education. In communities such as the prison and juvenile system, I want to establish programs that focus on restorative justice, intervention, and diversion to ensure rehabilitation and successful integration back into society. In light of the current political climate, I often wonder how our country will proceed after the damage has already been done. I am nervous, but it hasn’t let me wander from the path I know I want for myself. Reminded by my loved ones that no goal is out of reach, one day I will achieve empowering, supporting, and uplifting scholars.

In light of the current political climate, I often wonder how our country will proceed after the damage has already been done. As someone who aspires to continue their education in hopes to impact the education system, I am wondering what my financial future would look like when given the opportunity and whether the master’s programs I want to apply to will even accept new students due to funding. As someone who was born and raised in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to learn and be engaged politically at a young age. In middle school I recall working with a civic engagement program and now, I am a mentor for a similar program. Exposed to leadership and encouraged to speak up when I see wrong in the world, I aspire to be a leader, educator, and creating spaces to uplift everyone. I want to be someone, as a woman and person of color, to show younger generations who may feel out of place that their voice matters in all spaces. My journey has been inspired by my family. One of my aunts works with toddlers who have cognitive and physical challenges. When I was a kid I wanted to embody her kindness and dedication by being a teacher. Two of my uncles work directly with those in the prison system. One has done ministry in prison for more than a year and a half. My other uncle has his own non-profit and one of their programs is sending members of his team who served time in prison into juvenile hall. The goal, to build relationships with the adolescents in juvenile hall and give them a foundation inside and continue to support them once they get out. I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about each of their experiences and learn about their impact. Through my college experience so far I have had the opportunity to work with youth, take on leadership roles, and teach civic engagement. I've found interest in combining all of those areas to create a positive impact on society. In my classes I’ve learned about the development of youth and the impact education plays into every individual’s life. College has given me the experience to work with people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. It’s equipped me to work within my local communities and branch outside of it. I plan to apply to education master’s programs in leadership, organization, and policy to continue to learn how to make a true impact on the education system. I’m interested in working with underprivileged and underrepresented groups of people such as those in the foster system and those in juvenile hall and the prison system. I’d like to dive into those communities and implement restorative justice, intervention, and diversion to ensure rehabilitation, especially in the prison and juvenile system. With education, I’m able to make learning more accessible in my local communities. I’m able to empower, support, and uplift every scholar.

In light of the current political climate, I often wonder how our country will proceed after the damage has already been done. As someone who aspires to continue their education in hopes to impact the education system, I am wondering what my financial future would look like when given the opportunity and whether the master’s programs I want to apply to will even accept new students due to funding. As someone who was born and raised in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to learn and be engaged politically at a young age. In middle school I recall working with a civic engagement program and now, I am a mentor for a similar program. Exposed to leadership and encouraged to speak up when I see wrong in the world, I aspire to be a leader, educator, and creating spaces to uplift everyone. I want to be someone, as a woman and person of color, to show younger generations who may feel out of place that their voice matters in all spaces. My journey has been inspired by my family. One of my aunts works with toddlers who have cognitive and physical challenges. When I was a kid I wanted to embody her kindness and dedication by being a teacher. Two of my uncles work directly with those in the prison system. One has done ministry in prison for more than a year and a half. My other uncle has his own non-profit and one of their programs is sending members of his team who served time in prison into juvenile hall. The goal, to build relationships with the adolescents in juvenile hall and give them a foundation inside and continue to support them once they get out. I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about each of their experiences and learn about their impact. Through my college experience so far I have had the opportunity to work with youth, take on leadership roles, and teach civic engagement. I've found interest in combining all of those areas to create a positive impact on society. In my classes I’ve learned about the development of youth and the impact education plays into every individual’s life. College has given me the experience to work with people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. It’s equipped me to work within my local communities and branch outside of it. I plan to apply to education master’s programs in leadership, organization, and policy to continue to learn how to make a true impact on the education system. I’m interested in working with underprivileged and underrepresented groups of people such as those in the foster system and those in juvenile hall and the prison system. I’d like to dive into those communities and implement restorative justice, intervention, and diversion to ensure rehabilitation, especially in the prison and juvenile system. With education, I’m able to make learning more accessible in my local communities. I’m able to empower, support, and uplift every scholar.

In light of the current political climate, I often wonder how our country will proceed after the damage has already been done. As someone who aspires to continue their education in hopes to impact the education system, I am wondering what my financial future would look like when given the opportunity and whether the master’s programs I want to apply to will even accept new students due to funding. As someone who was born and raised in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to learn and be engaged politically at a young age. In middle school I recall working with a civic engagement program and now, I am a mentor for a similar program. Exposed to leadership and encouraged to speak up when I see wrong in the world, I aspire to be a leader, educator, and creating spaces to uplift everyone. I want to be someone, as a woman and person of color, to show younger generations who may feel out of place that their voice matters in all spaces. With my experience working with youth, leadership, and civic engagement, I’ve found interest in combining all of those areas to create a positive impact on society. I plan to apply to education master’s programs in leadership, organization, and policy to continue to learn how to make a true impact on the education system. I’m interested in working with underprivileged and underrepresented groups of people such as those in the foster system and those in juvenile hall and the prison system. I’d like to dive into those communities and implement restorative justice, intervention, and diversion to ensure rehabilitation, especially in the prison and juvenile system. My journey has been inspired by my family. One of my aunts works with toddlers who have cognitive and physical challenges. When I was a kid I wanted to embody her kindness and dedication by being a teacher. Two of my uncles work directly with those in the prison system. One has done ministry in prison for more than a year and a half. My other uncle has his own non-profit and one of their programs is sending members of his team who served time in prison into juvenile hall. The goal, to build relationships with the adolescents in juvenile hall and give them a foundation inside and continue to support them once they get out. I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about each of their experiences and learn about their impact. I always knew I wanted to directly help and support people. While a teacher sits in the back of my mind, for me, it’s hard to work for a system I don’t fully believe in. I believe in the education system, however, it’s not equal across our nation, across our world. I would like to believe one day I can implement proper policies into the entire United States education system to ensure the success of every child in our country. Our children are our future. I want to implement healthy learning environments in our prison and juvenile systems to ensure higher rates of successful integration back into society. A form of rehabilitation rather than punishment for those who show true interest. Many people just need the opportunity to learn and be given a stable and safe environment to do so. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for millions today. I want to change that.

As a proud second-generation Filipino-American, I’m grateful I’m in a space where I can further my education. I was born and raised in San Francisco. I was given the opportunity to attend one of the best public schools in California. These past few years have pushed me to reach and achieve goals that may seem unfathomable. I was a part of my class’ spirit committee throughout high school and performed at every rally in front of the entire school. In my senior year, I was given the privilege to be a part of my school’s nationally recognized, student-run publication. Being on staff allowed me to travel to St. Louis, Missouri, to experience and attend a journalism convention. Along with those experiences, I was able to explore my interests and find out what I wanted to pursue to further my education. Junior year of high school I took AP Psychology. Quickly it became one of my favorite classes. Aside from my teacher who made the class engaging and interactive, I genuinely enjoyed learning about the psyche of humans. I am someone who comes from a big family and someone who is very observant. I always found it fascinating how people could be related and still have very different personalities, even if they grew up in the same household, raised by the same parents. It’s no question that there are parents who treat each of their children differently. As an older sister, it is apparent that my sister and I are treated differently based on our personalities and needs. However, I have always questioned what makes siblings and relatives in general so different. I was able to find answers through psychology. Psychology has also always interested me because I’ve always enjoyed books, movies, shows and breaking down characters. For some of my favorite movies and movies I haven’t watched, I watch movie critiques on youtube exploring the depths of fictional characters. My goal is to make the internet safer, less harmful, and more accessible. Next to my full-time job, I want to advocate for mental health and substance abuse. I plan to do so by pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. With my degree, I plan to pursue a UX design career path. While cultivating ideas for the best user experience, I can keep in mind the safety of users. It will open the door to the tech industry and give me the resources to know the internet better. By pursuing psychology I can understand why the internet is so influential on humans and what needs to change. The change and impact I would make in the ever-evolving tech industry would benefit everyone. Alongside my passion to become a UX designer and humanize technology, I want to also advocate for mental health. Next to my full-time job, I want to educate youth about the importance of mental health. I have struggled with mental health and sought help through therapy. For me, it's been very beneficial and has helped my mental health and build healthier habits. I see myself finding a community of other educators and people with similar goals to advocate for mental health. No matter what, as long as I do what I’m passionate about, I will succeed.

As a proud second-generation Filipina-American, I’m grateful I’m in a space where I can further my education. I was born and raised in San Francisco. Music, dance, writing, and creativity overall are an integral part of my life. I went to a K-8 charter school that focused on integrating the arts into our learning and everyday life. For those nine years, I got to explore dance, theater, music, and art. I continued to dance throughout high school for my class, the class of 2023 spirit dance committee where I performed at rallies in front of my entire school of almost 3,000 students. Apart from my creative outlets, my family has always played a huge part in my life. I’m a very family-oriented person. I live with both of my parents and my younger sister, who is two grade levels below me. My sister and I attended the same K-8 charter school and high school. As I continue my education journey, I want to make sure I don’t take this opportunity for granted. I plan to major in psychology. I’ll contribute to the science field by advocating the importance of social science. With my major, I plan to enter the tech industry. I want to be a UX designer while cultivating ideas for the best user experience, I can keep in mind the safety of users. It will open the door to the tech industry and give me the resources to know the internet better. By pursuing psychology I can understand why the internet is so influential on humans and what needs to change. From the many documentaries I have watched about crimes, sports, and historical events, I add documentaries about the internet to my watchlist. Whether it’s how the internet has developed over the years, its creation, the harms and benefits, and how it’s changed society for the better or worse. The change and impact I would make in the ever-evolving tech industry would benefit everyone. Alongside my passion to become a UX designer and humanize technology, I want to also advocate for mental health and continue to give back to my community. As someone who grew up in a city like San Francisco, I’ve always been aware of substance use and abuse. As a child I saw used needles on the ground, how drugs can be a cause of homelessness, and how it affects the well-being of anyone. I’ve lost family due to it and have watched friends struggle to get clean. Next to my full-time job, I want to educate youth about substance use and help others recover. I see myself finding a community of other educators and people with similar goals to help those fighting addiction and spreading awareness about it. I’m ready to take the steps and research how to use my education to achieve these goals of educating others and helping people recover. My goal is to make an impact, big or small. No matter what, as long as I do what I’m passionate about, I will succeed.

I cannot speak or understand Tagalog, Ilocano, or any of my grandparent’s dialects from their hometown in the Philippines. I’ve never been to the Philippines. For the majority of my adolescence, I was the only Filipino in my class. I knew adobo, sinigang, halo halo, pancit, and several other Filipino foods growing up. For some time, food was the only thing that made me feel close to my heritage. There was a disconnect and some sort of guilt that I was not “Filipino enough”. Most of the time my Lola spoke Ilocano and I smiled and nodded even though I did not understand. As she has gotten older she speaks more Ilocano and I do the same as I did as a child. I always felt as though I could do more to feel connected. As I have grown, especially in high school I made it a point to connect to my Filipino roots more. I joined the Filipino-American Club in my sophomore year. During lockdown joining Filam’s Zoom was the most notable and exciting part of my week. They would present slideshows and teach us words in Tagalog and share where their ancestors were from or where they immigrated from. In return, I knew a lot more than I gave myself credit for. I was able to learn more about where my maternal grandparents were from, Oas Albay. That some of the words I had heard that I did not understand, I knew. I was able to relate to others who I would consider “more Filipino” than I was. I found that my Filipino background has influenced my life and continues to be more than I had thought before. I grew up knowing what my grandparents sacrificed to get to the United States. My Grandpa Sunny served our country and received a Purple Heart Medal and a Silver Star. My Grandpa Rose traveled with her older brother to the United States by boat, leaving the rest of her family behind. By the time I was born, my Lola, was the only and only grandparent I ever met and gratefully still have. With the knowledge I have now, I work harder so that their sacrifices mean something. My Filipino background gives me the motivation to reach for the stars. To remember how hard my ancestors worked and how hard I will continue to work. Based on data from 2019, done by the Pew Research Center, 31% of Filipinos born in the U.S. over the age of 25 years old earn their bachelor’s degree. As a second-generation Filipina-American, I would like to be a part of the third of Filipinos born in the U.S. Through my career, I would also love to encourage and support other Filipinos to pursue higher education. I plan to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. With my bachelor’s degree, I plan to enter the tech industry. I want to be a UX designer. I want to use my knowledge to make the internet more accessible and more beneficial than harmful. There’s a lot that needs to be changed within the tech industry, and by understanding the human brain better with psychology, I can better understand what about the internet is so harmful to humans and what needs to change. I want to be a UX designer while cultivating ideas for the best user experience, I can keep in mind the safety of users.

Failure is feared by most humans. However, everyone fails and it’s important to not be discouraged when you do so. “Congrats, you failed your first test at Lowell,” my classmate said. There were no negative connotations or mocking tone. They said it so casually, it took me a while to process that they congratulated me on failing. I was confused, and when I asked why they congratulated me, they responded by telling me it wouldn’t be the last time I failed at Lowell. From kindergarten to middle school, the learning environment was chaotic due to my noisy and vivacious class. I never felt challenged academically. I didn’t have to work hard to get A’s and learning was boring because we would spend an excessive amount of time on some topics. Attending an academically rigorous high school like mine felt exhilarating. However, the change was drastic to hours of homework and quiet classrooms, compared to my noisy and vivacious middle school environment. Sports practice cut into my study and homework time. For the first time, I wasn’t a straight A student. By the end of my first semester, I decided to quit cheer to acquire more time and better focus on my overall wellness. I was and still am grateful for the support of my loved ones that encouraged me to make the hard decisions to put myself first. Even with more time, failing was still recurrent. Since I’ve understood failure is nothing to be ashamed of, I use my time more wisely. Now, when I fail, I don’t spend time panicking because I have other priorities. I’ve found myself smiling more because it’s easier for me to move forward. Some things are worth more time than others, but worrying about failure isn’t one of them. While in quarantine, away from the competitive school environment, I found failing isn’t as scary as I thought it was. I’ve learned failure is nothing to be ashamed of and it’s a learning opportunity. Time doesn’t wait for anyone, so why not embrace failure instead? Through embracing failure I’ve gained confidence. I ask questions when I don’t understand something and answer questions in class when I’m not sure of my answer. When I don’t see an A on a test, I talk to my teachers to gain a concrete understanding of what I missed before and how I could improve. I smile more knowing failure isn’t the end of my world, it’s the start of it.

As a proud second-generation Filipina-American, I’m grateful I’m in a space where I can further my education. I was born and raised in San Francisco. I’ve developed a love for music, dance, writing, and creativity overall. I plan to major in psychology and minor in Asian American studies or creative writing and economics or business. With my major, I plan to enter the tech industry, with the plan to enter UX design, but as well use my major to continue to advocate for mental health and conversation about substance use disorder. In my short seventeen years of life, I have had people in my life who struggled with substance use disorder. As someone who grew up in a city like San Francisco, I’ve always been aware of substance use and abuse. As a child I saw used needles on the ground, how drugs can be a cause of homelessness, and how it affects the well-being of anyone. I’ve lost family due to it and have watched friends struggle to get clean. I’ve also been lucky enough to have the people around me and school educate me on substance use. As someone who has seen people struggle with the disorder, I know there’s a need for better education on substance use and making people more aware of how to help those who need it. After going to admission day for the college I will be attending in the fall, I would love to educate those about substance use disorder in college. There’s a great and well-organized wellness center that hires students. At the wellness center, students can educate other students about the topic and be an advocate. I think working at the wellness center would be a great opportunity to make a positive impact in the community. Along with my plan to join the wellness center’s staff, I’m also a part of my high school’s fully student-run publication. Being on staff allowed me to go around the school, informing two hundred, plus students about one of the magazine issues the publication was responsible for. With such a big staff this year we were able to tackle the substance use in our community. When the issue was distributed I was able to go around the school and inform students of the issue and bring awareness to the substance use in our community. Beyond college, I would love to use the knowledge I gain from the wellness center and my psychology degree. Next to my full-time job, I want to educate youth about substance use and help others recover. I see myself finding a community of other educators and people with similar goals to help those fighting addiction and spreading awareness about it. I’m ready to take the steps and research how to use my education to achieve these goals of educating others and helping people recover. The topic of substance use shouldn’t continue to be a taboo topic. As someone who’s been educated on the topic most of their life, I’ve seen people with the same education still develop a substance use disorder. I don’t only want to educate others about substance use disorder but always continue to further educate myself.

I don’t think I would have made it out of lockdown with my sanity if it wasn’t for video calling. This includes Apple’s Facetime feature on the iPhone, Zoom, and Google Meets. These programs gave me the ability to keep in touch with loved ones, making it feel as though they were in the room with me. While in lockdown I was confined to the four walls of my home, for an unspecified amount of time. When school first shut down in mid-March, no one knew the extent of the lockdown or was aware of just how long we would all be confined to our homes. As someone who considers themself an extroverted, social, and family-oriented person, it was hard to be isolated. I love my parents, sister, and dog, but it was a lot to feel trapped in our home with them every day for months. As someone who grew up seeing their family every week or so, it was hard to not see anyone else outside of my household. Luckily, video calling exists. It made lockdown easier on my mental health by talking to friends and family face to face. Though it was still hard, video calls gave me a little bit of normality. The power of social interaction proved to be strong when a decline in mental health around the world began during lockdown. Humans are social creatures, without interaction, humans can begin to lose their grip on reality. Even if they were in the healthiest mental health situation before lockdown, I know how it can affect anyone negatively. My plan to pursue psychology stems from my plan to enter the tech industry. I want to be a UX designer. I want to use my knowledge to make the internet more accessible and more beneficial than harmful. There’s a lot that needs to be changed within the tech industry, and by understanding the human brain better with psychology, I can better understand what about the internet is so harmful to humans and what needs to change. I want to be a UX designer, and while cultivating ideas for the best user experience, I can keep in mind the safety of users. Video calling has given me further hope in technology and how it can be more beneficial than harmful.

“What Dreams May Come” changed my perception of death. My first experience with death was losing my first dog. My dog, Ricki, was a black lab and pitbull mix. In the first grade, I had gone to school like any other day and when I was picked up, I no longer had two dogs, I had one. When my parents delivered the news after school I remember being so angry with them. They weren’t honest, I was devastated, and I couldn’t sleep that night. The night I lost Ricki I stayed up with my mom and drew pictures of Ricki with our other dog, Marty, in my lap. Another memory I have burned into my memory is when my uncle, my mom’s only brother, died. It was the morning of my younger sister’s birthday party. We woke to no commotion in our home, only the stillness that was uncommon for the day of a birthday party. I remember the pain that traveled through my head that started the tears and the pain traveling from my chest to my heart when my dad told us the news. That was ten years ago. At the time, all I knew about death is that I would never see my loved ones again. Culturally and the way I was raised, I learned to put family first and value them. By the time I entered high school, I had attended over a dozen funerals. At a young age, I watched it and I was more fascinated with the concept of the afterlife than sad with the tragedies that took place. I was mesmerized by the color, joy, darkness, and life depicted in the movie. Robin Williams was also a big factor in why I loved the movie so much. His acting was incredible and he was one of the only actors I was familiar with in the movie. By the time I watched this movie for the first time, it was after I had lost four loved ones in eight months, including my uncle, and Ricki. I was infatuated with Robin Williams in the afterlife. How he was reunited with his dog and his afterlife was full of blooming flowers, with an amazing home, and he could walk on water, while his dog could run on it. He wasn’t only reunited with his dog, but his children, and the last piece to his puzzle was his wife. Though his afterlife was bright, his wife’s was dull and dark. She was stuck in a miserable space, crying all the time. She had a home, but it was broken and old, the space created for her in the afterlife after being miserable in the physical world. Seeing the wife in the space didn’t make me think I had family members in the same space. It made me aware that the afterlife didn’t always have to be a happy space. As someone who doesn’t follow a particular religion or believe in a god, I still believe there's something after this life. That concept was solidified by “What Dreams May Come”. Yes, the movie is a movie. However, the concept of what is after the physical world and how Robin William’s character was able to reunite with his lost loved ones, gave me comfort. Death is a part of life, it’s unavoidable, but knowing that doesn’t make death any less painful. The movie made me realize, there is a possibility to see the loved ones I have lost again. I believe I’ll be reunited with them. The movie made me realize death is not the end.

As a proud second-generation Filipina-American, I’m grateful I’m in a space where I can further my education. I was born and raised in San Francisco. I’ve developed a love for music, dance, writing, and creativity overall. I plan to major in psychology and minor in Asian American studies or creative writing and economics or business. With my degree, I plan to enter the tech industry, with the plan to enter UX design, but as well use my major to continue to advocate for mental health and conversation about substance use disorder. In my short seventeen years of life, I have had people in my life who struggled with substance use disorder. As someone who grew up in a city like San Francisco, I’ve always been aware of substance use and abuse. As a child I saw used needles on the ground, how drugs can be a cause of homelessness, and how it affects the well-being of anyone. I’ve lost family due to it and have watched friends struggle to get clean. I’ve also been lucky enough to have the people around me and school educate me on substance use. As someone who has seen people struggle with the disorder, I know there’s a need for better education on substance use and making people more aware of how to help those who need it. After going to admission day for the college I will be attending in the fall, I would love to educate those about substance use disorder in college. There’s a great and well-organized wellness center that hires students. At the wellness center, students can educate other students about the topic and be an advocate. I think working at the wellness center would be a great opportunity to make a positive impact in the community. Along with my plan to join the wellness center’s staff, I’m also a part of my high school’s fully student-run publication. Being on staff allowed me to go around the school, informing two hundred, plus students about one of the magazine issue the publication was responsible for. With such a big staff this year we were able to tackle substance use in our community. When the issue was distributed I was able to go around the school and inform students of the issue and bring awareness to substance use in our community. Beyond college, I would love to use the knowledge I gain from the wellness center and my psychology degree. Next to my full-time job, I want to educate youth about substance use and help others recover. I see myself finding a community of other educators and people with similar goals to help those fighting addiction and spreading awareness about it. I’m ready to take the steps and research how to use my education to achieve these goals of educating others and helping people recover. The topic of substance use shouldn’t continue to be a taboo topic. As someone who’s been educated on the topic most of their life, I’ve seen people with the same education still develop a substance use disorder. I don’t only want to educate others about substance use disorder but always continue to further educate myself.

“Know your audience.” That’s something my dad has said my entire life. My audience isn’t a crowd to entertain or impress, but rather people with whom I feel a connection. My community is my school and peers I’m surrounded by every day. “Peer Mentors” is a select program that helps incoming freshmen make the intimidating transition to high school. As a third-year mentor, I have helped a dozen mentees in a number of ways. I’m usually one of the first upperclassmen they meet and interact with. With my actions, I help them open up and feel comfortable in an intimidating environment. Especially because my mentor experience has consisted of mentees during quarantine and right out of it. I’m able to share opportunities that Lowell has to offer, like our AP classes and endless amounts of clubs. With encouragement to just try anything they’re interested in, I get to watch mentee's step into leadership roles, play sports, and even join “Peer Mentors”. Being able to watch them become an active member at Lowell is gratifying. Not only am I able to become an “older sibling” to the new students, but I can also make sure they don’t get wrapped up in the rigorous environment at the high school I attend. My high school, Lowell High School, is known for academics. It’s so easy to get swarmed by the pressure of taking as many AP classes, thinking not getting an A as a grade is failing, or trying to do as much as possible until you break down. It’s easy to be swept into a competitive and comparative environment. Until you talk to someone who is outside of the crazy loop of getting one hundred percent on everything, where a ninety-two on a test is seen as a failure, it’s hard escaping the Lowell stereotype. Along with my involvement with “Peer Mentors”, I’ve also had the privilege to be a part of my school’s nationally recognized, fully student-run publication, The Lowell. Although my role is a photographer, I've been able to pitch ideas for our magazines, conduct small interviews, and be a part of an organization that strives to amplify student and staff voices. When each magazine issue is published I get to travel to classrooms and explain the magazine. I go to around four or five classrooms and explain the magazine issue to almost two-hundred students. The publication has given me a space to express ideas freely without feeling judged. Through The Lowell I was given the opportunity to attend a three-day journalism convention in Missouri. Both programs have given me a platform to encourage my peers to voice their opinions, interact with people at all grade levels to staff members, and spread awareness of sexual harassment, cancel and sports culture at my school. I’m grateful that “Peer Mentors” and The Lowell have helped me positively impact my community. I decided to apply for both programs to make a change and be surrounded by peers who want to do the same. To impact everyone in my school community positively and graduate knowing that I helped as many people as I could.

My mistake was reaching for the stars and not the clouds he was a part of. He wasn’t the moon. No, he was the sun. He shined bright, even during the day. His passions and intentions pure. I wish I could have loved him more. No matter how much I tried. How much he was there. I couldn’t seem to love him the way I wanted to. I didn’t want to grow old with him or have children with him. I didn’t want a ring from him or a home he built just for us. No, I wanted something different, complex, drowning. He was easy. He was the breeze on a perfect summer day. A smile that brought a smile to everyone else. A laugh that nothing else compared to. He was right there. In front of me, holding me, loving me. But I had to remind myself, he wasn't the moon. He was the sun. The sun had clouds, not stars. All the time I had spent reaching for the stars, he was never a part of them. He shaped himself into anything he wanted to be. Clouds were delicate and comforting. Stars were prominent and attention-grabbing. Clouds were only loved by certain people. Though both were there for gazing, clouds sometimes made it rain. I hated the rain. But I did love him. Even when it rained, I wish every day I loved him. But he wasn’t in the stars I wanted to be a part of. He was with the clouds, drifting further and further away. Awaiting something new, something, someone, other than me.

Both my parents are first-generation Filipino-Americans, which makes me a second-generation Filipina-American. I hold my heritage and culture close to my heart. High school gave me the opportunity to share my pride for my culture and further my knowledge about it. My family isn’t limited to blood. They’re also the people I choose to surround myself with, to love, laugh, and cry with, to support and be honest with. With them I love to watch movies, sing, go to bonfires and parties, play volleyball, share food, go to museums, and walk for miles while talking. Hanging out with family is a form of self-care. Other forms of self-care for me include reading, hanging out with my dogs, listening to music, dancing, playing guitar, and writing short stories or continuing to work on one of the books I’m writing. Self-care is important to me overall and a way of putting my mental health first, which I’ve struggled to do in the past. As someone who was fortunate to be born and raised in San Francisco, I’m a die-hard Giants, Warriors, and 49er fan. Not only do I love watching sports, I enjoy playing them. I played volleyball, I did cheerleading my freshman year of high school, and girls versus boys kickball was the pinnacle of fifth grade. As someone who was one of the youngest in their family for a long time, I became observant and confident amongst older peers. Being surrounded by so many people, who have had similar and dissimilar upbringings, I’ve found no one in my family is the same. That has always fascinated me. It’s one of the reasons why I want to pursue psychology. “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable” is a book written by Seth Godin, an American author and former dot com business executive. A purple cow is described as a product that’s unbelievable, undeniable, and innovative. The possibility of creating change makes me sit straight up in my seat and ready to engage in any conversation, lecture, video, or book. The internet is incorporated into everything and it’s hard to avoid the negative impacts it causes. My impact will stem from changing the internet to be more beneficial and less harmful. That includes making the internet accessible to everyone. I want to be a UX designer, while cultivating ideas for the best user experience, I can keep in mind the safety of users. It will open the door to the tech industry and give me the resources to know the internet better. By pursuing psychology I can understand why the internet is so influential on humans and what needs to change. From the many documentaries I have watched about crimes, sports, and historical events, I add documentaries about the internet onto my watchlist. Whether it’s how the internet has developed over the years, its creation, the harms and benefits, and how it’s changed society for the better or worse. By striving to become a purple cow, the change and impact I would make in the ever-evolving tech industry would benefit everyone. Alongside my passion to become a UX designer and humanize technology, I want to also advocate for mental health and continue to give back to my community.

Grieving, it’s a universal experience and a life-changing one. You can experience it numerous times and it can be caused by multiple things. My first memory of grieving was when I was eight years old. Not only did I lose one of my closest family members, but my family also suffered the loss of four loved ones in eight months. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the last time I would experience grief. I know what it’s like to feel that there was no end to a bitter road. That the tunnels I passed through on the road collapsed and trapped me in my denial or sadness. Nothing could entice me to leave the comfort of my blankets. To not know how long I would grieve. Psychology defines anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance as the five stages of grief. However, I know there’s more than that. Psychology has given me a way to explore the human mind and try to answer my question. The human mind is beyond my knowledge. I want to pursue psychology. Not only understand others better but myself as well. “Purple Cow” is a book written by Seth Godin, an American author and former dot com business executive. A purple cow is described as a product that’s unbelievable, undeniable, and innovative. Instead of creating a purple cow, I want to be one. The internet is incorporated into everything and it’s hard to avoid the negative impacts it causes. The possibility of creating change makes me sit straight up in my seat and ready to engage in any conversation, lecture, video, or book. My impact will stem from changing the internet to be more beneficial and less harmful. That includes making the internet accessible to everyone. I can use my degree in psychology to become a UX designer. While cultivating ideas for the best user experience, I can keep in mind the safety of users. It will open the door to the tech industry and give me the resources to know the internet better. By pursuing psychology I can understand why the internet is so influential on humans and what needs to change. From the many documentaries I watch about crimes, sports, and historical events, I add documentaries about the internet to my list of what to watch. Whether it’s how the internet has developed over the years, its creation, the harms and benefits, and how it’s changed society for the better or worse. By being a purple cow, the change and impact I would make in the ever-evolving tech industry would benefit everyone.

Failure is feared by most humans. However, everyone fails and it’s important to not be discouraged when you do so. Attending an academically rigorous high school like mine felt exhilarating. However, the change was drastic to hours of homework and quiet classrooms, compared to my noisy and vivacious middle school environment. Sports practice cut into my study and homework time. For the first time, I wasn’t a straight-A student. I decided to quit cheer to better focus on my academics and overall wellness by the end of my first semester. I was and still am grateful for the support of my loved ones that encouraged me to make the hard decisions to put myself first. While in quarantine, away from the competitive school environment, I found failing isn’t as scary as I thought it was. Time doesn’t wait for anyone, so instead of sulking over failures, why not embrace failure instead? Failure is a learning opportunity. I try to relay that to everyone. “Peer Mentors” is a select program that helps incoming freshmen make the intimidating transition to high school. As a third-year mentor, I have helped a dozen mentees in several ways. I’m usually one of the first upperclassmen they meet and interact with. With my actions, I help them open up and feel comfortable in an intimidating environment. Especially because my mentor experience has consisted of mentees during quarantine and right out of it. I’m able to share opportunities that Lowell has to offer, like our AP classes and endless amounts of clubs. With encouragement to just try anything they’re interested in, I get to watch mentee's step into leadership roles, play sports, and even join “Peer Mentors”. Being able to watch them become an active member at Lowell is gratifying. Not only do I remind my mentees that failure doesn’t define your worth, but I also remind everyone. I think failure can be scary. But it’s not the end of anyone’s world. Sometimes, it can be the start of it. Through embracing failure I’ve gained confidence. I ask questions when I don’t understand something and answer questions in class when I’m not sure of my answer. When I don’t see an A on a test, I talk to my teachers to gain a concrete understanding of what I hadn’t before. I smile more knowing failure isn’t the end of my world, it’s the start of it. Failure shouldn’t be feared. The entire world should open failure with open arms. Not only do you learn from failures, but you also grow.