Imagine finding yourself in a doctor’s office, being diagnosed with both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. This was my reality last year during finals weeks, a time filled with anticipation and determination to pursue my academic goals. Instead, I was consumed by stress and fear. In November last year, I began experiencing fatigue, fluctuating weight, and the inability to concentrate. Initially, I attributed these symptoms mainly to the stress of finals, as I took challenging courses then. However, as time progressed, the symptoms intensified, significantly affecting my daily life. I struggled to meet assignment deadlines, study, and participate in class discussions, and soon, my academic performance began to reflect these difficulties. My grades started to decline as my hard-earned academic achievements seemed to slip away. I sought medical advice, and after several blood tests and a referral to an endocrinologist, I finally received the diagnosis that would alter the course of my life: Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis-this pivotal moment allowed me to understand my health struggles better and formulate a plan of action to regain control. Dr. Mirza, my endocrinologist, prescribed methimazole, which significantly alleviated my fatigue. Alongside medication, I committed myself to a healthier lifestyle, focusing on a balanced diet to address my fluctuating weight and support my thyroid health. I also incorporated regular exercise into my routine, aiming to combat fatigue. These changes were essential not only for managing my symptoms but also for rejuvenating my motivation. I sought support from my college’s disability services, which granted me accommodations such as extended time on assignments and exams. This support was vital and helped me steadily regain my footing academically. Ultimately, my experience navigating the challenges of Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis has presented invaluable lessons that extend far beyond health; they relate to my major, Business Administration. In the business industry, perseverance, resilience, and strategic planning are crucial elements of success, much like the approach I adopted during my health struggles. I learned to adapt my lifestyle and seek support when faced with challenges. Influential business leaders also learn to adapt quickly when faced with challenges. In the future, I plan to use my experiences and education to help my community in the future. I plan to use my education to help consult local nonprofits with any business needs as well as help local businesses organize volunteers and engage in community projects as well. I believe this will be beneficial to the large homeless population in my community, but to everyone in the community as well by encouraging volunteering and helping those in need.

magine finding yourself in a doctor’s office, being diagnosed with both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. This was my reality last year during finals weeks, a time filled with anticipation and determination to pursue my academic goals. Instead, I was consumed by stress and fear. In November last year, I began experiencing fatigue, fluctuating weight, and the inability to concentrate. Initially, I attributed these symptoms mainly to the stress of finals, as I took challenging courses then. However, as time progressed, the symptoms intensified, significantly affecting my daily life. I struggled to meet assignment deadlines, study, and participate in class discussions, and soon, my academic performance began to reflect these difficulties. My grades started to decline as my hard-earned academic achievements seemed to slip away. I sought medical advice, and after several blood tests and a referral to an endocrinologist, I finally received the diagnosis that would alter the course of my life: Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis-this pivotal moment allowed me to understand my health struggles better and formulate a plan of action to regain control. Dr. Mirza, my endocrinologist, prescribed methimazole, which significantly alleviated my fatigue. Alongside medication, I committed myself to a healthier lifestyle, focusing on a balanced diet to address my fluctuating weight and support my thyroid health. I also incorporated regular exercise into my routine, aiming to combat fatigue. These changes were essential not only for managing my symptoms but also for rejuvenating my motivation. I sought support from my college’s disability services, which granted me accommodations such as extended time on assignments and exams. This support was vital and helped me steadily regain my footing academically. Ultimately, my experience navigating the challenges of Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis has presented invaluable lessons that extend far beyond health; they relate to my major, Business Administration. In the business industry, perseverance, resilience, and strategic planning are crucial elements of success, much like the approach I adopted during my health struggles. I learned to adapt my lifestyle and seek support when faced with challenges. Influential business leaders also learn to adapt quickly when faced with challenges. In the future, I plan to use my experiences to help my community. If I were to give advice to someone facing the same circumstances it would be to not be afraid to seek help and support. I think the strongest a person is admitting they need help during a difficult time and I know it's hard sometimes to ask for help especially if someone faced the same circumstances as I did, but your circumstances shouldn't define what your truth worth is which is something I had to remind myself.

Imagine finding yourself in a doctor’s office, being diagnosed with both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. This was my reality last year during finals weeks, a time filled with anticipation and determination to pursue my academic goals. Instead, I was consumed by stress and fear. In November last year, I began experiencing fatigue, fluctuating weight, and the inability to concentrate. Initially, I attributed these symptoms mainly to the stress of finals, as I took challenging courses then. However, as time progressed, the symptoms intensified, significantly affecting my daily life. I struggled to meet assignment deadlines, study, and participate in class discussions, and soon, my academic performance began to reflect these difficulties. My grades started to decline as my hard-earned academic achievements seemed to slip away. I sought medical advice, and after several blood tests and a referral to an endocrinologist, I finally received the diagnosis that would alter the course of my life: Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis-this pivotal moment allowed me to understand my health struggles better and formulate a plan of action to regain control. Dr. Mirza, my endocrinologist, prescribed methimazole, which significantly alleviated my fatigue. Alongside medication, I committed myself to a healthier lifestyle, focusing on a balanced diet to address my fluctuating weight and support my thyroid health. I also incorporated regular exercise into my routine, aiming to combat fatigue. These changes were essential not only for managing my symptoms but also for rejuvenating my motivation. I sought support from my college’s disability services, which granted me accommodations such as extended time on assignments and exams. This support was vital and helped me steadily regain my footing academically. Ultimately, my experience navigating the challenges of Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis has presented invaluable lessons that extend far beyond health; they relate to my major, Business Administration. In the business industry, perseverance, resilience, and strategic planning are crucial elements of success, much like the approach I adopted during my health struggles. I learned to adapt my lifestyle and seek support when faced with challenges. Influential business leaders also learn to adapt quickly when faced with challenges. In the future, I plan to use my experiences to help my community. I plan to engage in health advocacy, raising awareness about various thyroid disorders and the importance of mental health during times of stress. Through workshops and support groups, I aim to support others facing similar challenges as I once did. I will also help provide resources and strategies for navigating health struggles in my community. My goal is to not only share my journey, but to create a positive environment in which others can reclaim control of their lives, just as I did. In overcoming adversity, I have found my own mission to help others in my community face their health challenges with confidence and resilience.

My goal in life is to live life to the fullest. Become a better version of myself. Graduate college with zero debt.

For as long as I could remember it's just always been me and my mom. My dad wasn't in the picture as he left before I was born. I've learned many life lessons from my mom as she raised me by herself. My experience with my mom has be a hard and a long journey. I'm originally from New York and lived there until 7th grade. During my time in New York we moved to not the nicest neighborhoods as the cost of living there is not cheap. I was taught from a young age how to be independent. As being to reliant on someone isn't going to help you succeed in life. My mom taught me thought from a very young age. I remember she would send me on errands to the store around the corner by myself to teach me how to become independent. It was definitely scary at first as I never went anywhere by myself without my mom or another adult. I'm glad I got to know and learn from that experience. I've watched my mom grow and a I watched her struggle as a single mom. Sometimes I could see it would take a lot out of her to take care of me sometimes as we would be in situations where would couldn't buy a lot of food to eat because of the rent. This impacted me at a young age, some kids get to stay and be kids while I had to grow up earlier than most and faced real world problems. I don't regret growing up fast and becoming aware of these issues and I am grateful I've gotten the chance earlier to experience first hand. It was hard to learn we don't have a lot of money to eat, we had to cut down expense, we had to move from the only place I knew to many different places I wouldn't know. I learned throughout those experiences the reality of the real world and what's to come so I don't build any unreal expectations. Even though we were faced with those hard times what inspires me the most about my mom is that she never complained once about the circumstances we were in. I've never heard anything negative from her. She always found a way to be resourceful and come up with a solution to the problem She never once gave up which is something I wish I could say but I can't. I am inspired by her resilience to keep going and striving for her dreams. This year she was able to accomplish her dream of 4 year to buy a house. This gives me hope in the future that if I apply myself and strive for my dreams that I and only can make them come true. My mom has always inspired me to keep going and achieve my dreams. Someday in the future I hope to become as resilient as her.

I originally never liked math to be honest. It was one of those subjects sort of gave me a huge headache. It was hard for me to understand certain concepts such as finding the circumference of a circle, it was like solving a huge equation for me. That all changed in high school when I first met my math teacher for freshman year. I was already nervous because most of the people I went to school with were already advanced as we all went to different middle schools. My math teacher the first day of school just jumped right into it, honestly now looking back it was as bad as I thought it was. He explained the topics in a easy enough way for me to follow the steps in my homework. I never once had to finish my homework outside of class because I was able to process everything in an easier way thanks to my teacher. That's how I came to like math. All the numbers and formulas weren't as bad as I thought. That fueled me to take a honors math class my sophomore year of high school. I enjoyed my time in freshman math so much that even though I struggled quite a bit in honor math it didn't stop me not one bit. Once I took the time to calm down and trace back my steps the math became easier and easier. Math to me is like building a house, there's always a process if you skip one stop you'll miss everything up. I like order which is how I came to like math.

I am originally from New York but live in California due to my mom's job letting off people because, of new management. I recently graduated from high school and will plan to attend a UC. My current future dream is to be able to travel around the world why being able to financially support myself. I also want to be a college graduate as my mom didn't graduate. I think my own self confidence and doubting myself stands in the middle of my future dream. I am not confident at all going into college right now. Mainly due to the fact that I won't have anyone to rely on. The college I am going to is about an hour away from where my mom lives and 8 hours from my friends. I am constantly worrying about how am going to fit in? Will I even survive the first quarter? Will I drop out? You see I am used to moving around a lot because bad living situations. This move is different from all the rest because, for the first ever time in my life I will be alone. Which is extremely frightening to me. I know I must over come this fear in order to achieve my goal but I'm an over thinker. These thoughts and questions of will I ever make to graduation is constant in my head. As I've been thinking over and over about it, I decided to come up with two plans to overcome this obstacle. One plan being the one where I stay with my chosen college. The plan is to get out of my comfort zone and put myself out there. I am normally a very shy person, making friends in a place I'm not familiar is difficult for me. Once I get comfortable and know my surroundings it becomes easier. I plan not to waste my first year of college in order to stay on track with my goals to graduate college within four years or less. I don't want to give up in the beginning and not put any effort in making friends or becoming independent. While my other plan is if going to this college doesn't work I will go to a college in the same city I graduated from sophomore year of college. I will plan to move down there if I don't like the college. This is my backup plan but I won't use this as an excuse to just give up without trying. College has always been a stepping stone for my dream in the future, I won't allow myself to let the opportunity pass by me like this. Before the time when I have to go to college I will work on myself to become more confident and stop pushing myself down all the time. I want to come into college with a good mindset.

The most inspiring book I've ever read comes from a book I reported on. It is The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. I found it a sad outlook on the reality, of how many immigrants who came to America for a better life lived during the time of the Industrial Revolution. The main character Jurgis had very high hopes until he saw the real reality of the so-called "American Dream". Although Jurgis and his family met many challenges, for me the most inspiring part of the book is when the workers at the meat plant started a union for better working conditions. Jurgis had hit many struggles especially when he faced the death of his wife and son. That was the real turning point of the book for me, he lost his will to live, and the parts that came after inspired me not to make the same mistakes. Towards the end of the book, we learn how he and many other workers were laid off from the meat plant because there was barely any work. They all came together in the end and formed a union to get their jobs back. The part I took out of this and will apply to my life is not to get caught up with this "American Dream". That's an ideal not many can make a reality with this economy. Jurgis worked for the wrong reasons instead of the right. I want to work to be able to provide for myself and my family but, not to get as much wealth as I can. I've seen what a large sum of money can do to people and it's not pretty. Jurgis thought money would bring him and his family happiness but, that's only temporary. He failed to think about what would come after.

When I first came to high school, I hadn’t realized the big difference it had from middle school. I honestly had a very hard time transitioning from the big move from middle school to high school. Most of the skills I needed to succeed in high school, such as how to study, take notes, and organizational skills. I didn’t have any of those skills. I was recommended by my middle school teacher to take AVID, to help prepare myself for college and as well as to learn these skills. During my time in AVID I've learned a variety of skills that I had no clue of doing. Some examples are study strategies, how to take notes, and how to collaborate with multiple people in a group. These skills were taught to me for college because, in college you need to know every single one of these skills. The professor won't help me just like my high school teachers have done. So I knew I needed to take AVID in order to be the most successful in college, I didn't want to jump into college and not have a clue of what I'm doing. I didn't want to be completely lost. Another reason I took this class was because there are people in there who also have similar goals as mine. It puts me in this work environment where I know I can work towards my goals with other people. My AVID teacher said it's better to work in a group rather than independently because you can get different perspectives from other people. Which helped me to learn to work in groups and not independently, this is another skill taught.

An influential woman in my life is my mom. She made me into the person I am today. My mom has always taught me how to be independent from a very young age, independency has always been integrated into my life. Being a single mother independency was natural to her. She always had my respect by raising me without my father around. As I grew up, she slowly started to loosen the direction around me. I was taught to do something I want, I shouldn't wait for those around me to help. I need to put in the effort to get what I want. This came in handy during high school, nobody was there to hold my hand through every little thing. I am truly grateful my mom taught me this early. Back then I didn't appreciate what she taught, I thought it was a huge waste of time. The lessons taught didn't sink in well enough for me to really understand. There is a saying my mom always used to tell me "You can't wait for someone to get the job done, you have to try and do it yourself". I live by these words now. I learned that the hard way at my first job. I expected my coworkers to help me with everything but, that's now how the work world is. Slowly after I settled in, I started to rely on myself more rather than on others. My mom has taught me the most important lesson independency.