I don't remember who I heard say it, but a quote I will always remember and live by is: "it's not fair to the rest of the world if you only stay in one place." Another, cheesier, more Pinterest-esque way to put it: "if we were meant to stay in one place, we'd have roots instead of feet." The world is full of beautiful places that leave us awestruck. We see a sunset, a mountain, a field of wildflowers, and we walk away just a little bit happier than we were before. We take pictures and save them to show to our future children and grandchildren. When we return to the monotony of everyday life, to school, work, or home, we look at those pictures and mentally escape back to those places, even if just for a moment. Within these places, there are people. People who we never would have met had we not taken a chance on adventure and left our comfortable little bubble. People who have an entire lifetime worth of stories, wisdom, and experiences. Travel gives us the honor and privilege of sitting down with these people and getting to hear all their wonderful thoughts. Even the briefest interactions have so much deep richness behind them. Sometimes, we are even lucky enough to meet the people who become our friends, and they continue to be a part of our lives when we no longer physically occupy the same space. And there is much to be said about the things that we learn, whether we're trying to or not. We read an informational plaque at a museum and now we know all about the inspiration behind the painting. We ask what's in a dish at a restaurant and now we know what this group of people considers a delicacy that we would not typically consider eating. We strike up a conversation with the front desk clerk at our small-town hotel and now we know all about the history, locals, and hidden gems of said town. So, let's continue to pack our bags and go to new places. Let's take pictures but also live in the moment. Let's smile at everyone and ask questions. Let's leave our comfort zones and step into the greater world with an open mind. Who knows, our lives might just be forever changed.

Although I'm currently in the midst of a traditional four-year college experience, my eighteen preceding years were anything but traditional. I called it "The Trifecta": I was homeschooled, an only child, and a pastor's kid. Finding someone else who shared all three of these traits with me was about as rare as finding gold. As a result, I was often an outsider among my peers. Sure, I had friends, but I never quite fit in. I longed to be “normal”, whatever that meant. When I was fifteen I learned the name of my dream school: Baylor University. I loved everything about Baylor, from the academics to the traditions. Beyond that, I simply loved the idea of school. My grade school experience mainly consisted of sitting in my room and watching lessons online. I wanted something more challenging and exciting, and less isolated and mundane. When I was a high school junior, I got my first part-time job. Seven months later, I got a second job, and a third less than a month after that. I’d sometimes work over fifty hours in a week–all at the age of seventeen. This, of course, quickly resulted in burnout and an existential crisis. I questioned everything I’d done with my life, both the aspects I’d chosen and the ones I was given. I didn’t know if I was making any of the right decisions. Maybe, I thought, I should go to school somewhere closer to home, or even just stay home and keep working where I was. But deep down, I knew where I was meant to be. I’d known for years. Finally, in August of 2023, I fulfilled my dream. I moved halfway across the country and began my studies at Baylor. It was like hitting a “restart” button for my life in the best way possible. I was finally accomplishing things on my own and meeting so many wonderful people. Baylor is more than a school to me: it’s a home, a family, and something to be proud of. Success is not about numbers, accomplishments, money, or fame. True success is about satisfaction when you look back on your life. Not every puzzle piece that makes up your life will be a pretty one, but in the end, they don’t all have to be pretty. Life as a whole can still be beautiful no matter what the individual pieces look like. When you realize that, and when you’re able to say in the end that it was worth it, that is success. There is no one right or wrong path to get you to the destination of success. It looks different for everyone, and for me, at least right now, it looks like the school with a bear mascot. College has been an absolute dream for me, however, as with any dream, it comes with a price, and a rather big one. To win this scholarship would make achieving this dream that much easier, so that one day I might be able to help the future generations achieve their dreams as well.

The character I resonate the most with from "The Office" would have to be Erin. She's a bit of a ditz, but very likable thanks to her relentless optimism and infectious love of people. A particular Erin quote that stands out to me is "Planking is one of those things where, hey, you either get it or you don't. And I don't. But I am so excited to be a part of it!" This enthusiasm is something I've experienced many times in my life, jumping into new situations and opportunities where I don't entirely understand what's going on, but I can tell it's going to be great. The sarcasm and dry humor of "The Office" as well as its relatability keep loyal fans coming back and laughing. Many other shows are bizarre and unrealistic, which doesn't make them bad shows, however, it may be a bit harder to make connections to them. "The Office" is different: it's a slice-of-life show about something as seemingly mundane and yet universal as going to work. Often, we can see patterns reflected between the show and our real lives; the people we go to work with and the characters in the show. It's endearing, validating, and entertaining all at the same time.

@mallori.with.an.i