It was time to say goodbye-I found myself running towards my father, embracing him tightly, tears streaming down my face like rain on a stormy day. As a young girl, the thought of leaving my father behind to move to the United States with my mom and siblings was heartbreaking. What is a child without her father? A sense of loss invaded my soul. My mother's decision to immigrate to the United States was driven by the desire for a better future for their children, something that she didn't have in her childhood. I grew up in a family of six, with three siblings and my parents. Throughout my childhood, we've been on a series of back-and-forth trips from the US to Mexico to see my father. These constant back-and-forth trips to see my dad meant that I had to change homes and schools, altering my social life in the process. I recall the knot of anxiety in my stomach as I approached new faces, the fear of mispronouncing words or misunderstanding their replies as I struggled to learn the language. The once effortless flow of my conversations in Spanish was now replaced by the uncertainty of English. Every relocation felt as if I were stepping in a completely different world, as if I were piecing together a different puzzle each time. Every time I had to be the "new girl" who stepped into the unknown. I started questioning myself as to why we were relocating every two-three years. Why move into a country of uncertainty when my father was back in Mexico? As time went on, I consciously started noticing different aspects of life that we lacked back in Mexico that I hadn't noticed before. I witnessed the conditions and struggles that people faced in the small town where I resided in Mexico, lacking the resources and privileges available in the United States. I finally understood why my mother made this decision; this act of selflessness shaped my understanding of sacrifice as I grew older. Once my dad secured his papers in 2021, we were all able to move fully into the US. Experiencing both worlds has shaped me into a grateful, determined, and resilient individual. I now understand that embracing new experiences does not mean losing sight of who we are. This experience has taught me to face challenges with courage and seize opportunities with enthusiasm, guiding my path forward as I continue to grow.

A ray of light that inspired my day throughout high school was the Graphic Design Pathway at Valley High School. This pathway has allowed my creativity to flourish and helped me turn inspiration into meaningful designs. Through graphic design, I learned that small details can have a powerful impact and that even the simplest design choices can bring joy to others. The pathway pushed me to become more disciplined and consistent in how I approached my work. Deadlines and creative blocks are some of the biggest challenges designers face, and this pathway taught me how to work through them. When I began the pathway during my sophomore year, I had to learn how to use professional design software which was quite a challenge considering that I barely knew the basics of regular softwares like docs or Google Classroom at the time. One of our first big projects required us to design an original character while following the specific artistic style from South Park. While the project was fun, it was also challenging. I had to apply specific design techniques, follow clear expectations, and complete my work within a limited time frame. This and many other projects that came later on allowed me to develop strong time-management skills and showed me how to stay focused and adaptable under pressure. In terms of creativity and problem-solving, the Graphic Design Pathway has encouraged me to think more critically about my design choices. I learned how to take feedback, revise my work, and find solutions when something did not turn out as planned just like when I designed a classroom header on canva. I didn’t like this design because all the elements on it were scattered everywhere with no sense of balance. Instead of feeling disappointed when I don’t like my final result, I learned to play and adjust my designs. These abilities will play a key role in my success as I move forward in my future college. I plan to major in UX Design because it combines creativity with research and technology, allowing me to understand not only how designs look, but also how they function for other users. While I am currently waiting for responses from the private colleges that I applied to, I am also considering attending Sacramento State University or San José State University because I want to stay local. The Graphic Design Pathway has given me the skills and the confidence to approach challenges with courage and creativity as I move forward in my future college and goals.