I am a very fortunate and thankful person. I strive to be the best that I can be, and to help others, as others help me. I religiously attend church every Sunday, where I practice my faith, and pray. I like to look at my life and realize all of the things that I have that maybe some others don’t. For example, a home, some people are homeless and cannot afford a home, some may not be able to afford food, or clothing, or anything. I like to think of how bad others have it whenever I feel I don’t have much. Someone, somewhere, always has it worse and I think that that is a very important thing for people to remember, especially when they may feel they don’t have much. There is so much to be thankful for in life, even the smallest things, and that is what I strive to always remember.

Graduating from High School was a very scary thought and idea for me. Where was I going to go? What was I going to do? How would my life have changed after 4 years of being in school? Well, fast forward a year later and I am enrolled in a trade school. So why did I decide to attend a trade school? I was never really excited or enthusiastic when college would be brought up by my friends and family. I just couldn’t see myself going to school for another 4 years, and studying something I knew I would have no interest in. Growing up, my father was always doing projects around the house and really enjoyed working with his hands, and I think that really interested me. Another contributing factor to my interest in the trades was the ability to start working at such a young age. Most degrees and careers that people go to study in typical college require a minimum of 4 years whereas a trade school is typically 2 years, like the one I am currently attending. To me, the comparison in time and money was a very big consideration. I also attended a Catholic High School, where blue collar work was not promoted or encouraged. Many public schools have the opportunity for students to take shop classes or co-op programs, whereas a Catholic school does not. I personally think that it is unfair, because not every student who attends a Catholic school, plans on attending a college afterwards. After all of these considerations and thoughts, I enrolled in a local trade school. As far as what trade I am studying one may ask? Electrical. Why am electrical? Well, after some research and conversation with family friends who are electricians, I decided that it would be for me. Electricians in my opinion are one of the highest paying trade jobs there are, and one of the most in demand. I think that studying electricity and how it works is complex, which makes me want to further investigate as to how things actually work, and why things happen the way they do. I see myself being an electrician for the rest of my life and I feel confident and proud to say it. I would recommend the trades or blue collar work in general to anyone, especially if you are like me and like to work with your hands. The opportunities are endless, and the demand for these jobs are higher than they ever were before. Now is the time to get into this industry, and to continue it for the generations to come.

Mental health is one of the most important things to me, and something I like to take care of often. In my opinion, there is nothing like going for a walk outdoors. The smell of fresh air, and an occasional wind gust to my face, really makes me feel at peace. Sometimes I’ll read a book in my backyard as well, reading relaxes me very much, and is something I love to do as often as I can. My favorite thing to do to relax and calm my mind however is yoga. Yoga is a different form of relaxation, and peace of mind. It helps me breathe properly, and allows me to use my body to stretch. I routinely practice yoga, I like to do yoga at the park, or in my backyard, where there is a lot of soft fresh grass. If you haven’t tried yoga for relaxation, I would highly encourage someone to try it out.