Emma (2020) "Emma" is an unusual experience for me because I began reading the book after watching the film. All devoted readers know the feeling of reading an awesome book, watching the film adaptation, and being sorely disappointed. Though sticking to the plan of reading the book and being disappointed by the movie can produce a feeling of elitist pride for die-hard bookworms, the more satisfying option is likely to watch the film, enjoy it, then read the book and be astounded by how much better it is. My (perhaps a little more than snobbish) opinion is that a movie can never surpass the beauty of a well-written book. That being said, there is beauty that can be achieved in films that can't be achieved in books. The best way to "bridge the gap" is to simply delight in understanding what each can and can not do, and then experience each's merits to the full. If you know Jane Austen, you know a quintessentially British world of regency period upper-class life that is so far, yet so close in its human-ness. The movie, beautifully shot in a rural, luxurious country house setting with a glamorously polished society, delicate china tea sets, and dramatic personalities, dazzled me while simultaneously keeping me at a distance. I would have never so clearly and beautifully visualized each character in my imagination. I would have never experienced the beautiful images of trees and wildlife, the fine silver tableware, the empire waist gowns, and the glass-windowed carriages. It captured a world of the past that I would never be able to live in, which made it extremely appealing. However, when I started diving into the book on my charming e-book reader, I was a little bewildered. It was completely different! The glam and glitz, the obvious horror, drama, and passion that was present in the movie were seemingly diminished. In reality, all of those elements are present but to a much smaller degree. The absurd characters in the movie are only slightly amusing in the book, and lovers heatedly yelling in the movie is only a little disagreement quickly smoothed over. That doesn't mean that the book is watered down. It had a more complex flavor. Everything was less perceptible, but more delightful when percepted. If I were to compare the glamorous movie to strong coffee sweetened with condensed milk, I would compare the book to a nitro cold brew with an almost imperceptible fruity note. The film jazzed everything up and touched up the weak notes. The book captured the true, slight complexities of each character. What I'm trying to say is that they both taste great, but in different circumstances and in different ways. There's no real way of reconciling them, and there shouldn't be. After all, who would watch films after reading books or vice versa, if each was identical in charm? I don't commend this book and movie set because they're so well linked, rather the opposite! The fascinating difference in categories of charm allowed me to realize that both book and movie have their merits. One never has to be labeled better than the other.

Plenty of people believe that healthcare is a pathway to an elite status and an extravagant lifestyle supported by an enormous paycheck. While this can be partially true for people who have the means to go through college without tens of thousands of dollars of student debt, I envision a completely different lifestyle for myself. More importantly, being a pediatrician requires anything but an elitist mindset. Children need adults who naturally treat them as equals, not some stuck-up doctor in a white lab coat who sees them as patients rather than people. My dream is to become a pediatrician because I believe it's the most influential career in the medical field. While adults often have fixed perceptions of terminal diseases, sexual health, issues in interpersonal relationships, and other difficult topics, children are profoundly open to discussion and are willing to ask questions. Children often desire to know more about everything, including their health, without the constraints that most adults face. Therefore, pediatricians can have the largest impact in steering children toward physical, mental, and emotional well-being. One of my most treasured experiences with a healthcare professional was when I was a pre-teen struggling with acne, hormonal changes, and self-consciousness accompanying the rapid changes of puberty. Periods, acne, mood swings, and sexual health were not things that many adults in my life were willing to dive into, or even mention at all. However, my pediatrician skillfully incorporated my family into a safe, comfortable, and open discussion about positive habits and knowledge regarding topics that would normally be awkward for most adults to even mention. My pediatrician was able to teach me about why my body was changing, and how I should treat it with proper care. I am still touched by how my pediatrician treated us with empathy, equality of standing, and complete honesty while having the practical tact to bring up difficult topics to lead us toward better lifestyles. There are many issues in healthcare, especially how people generally regard difficult issues such as mental health and relationships. I hope to make a positive impact on the world by encouraging children to grow healthy habits, relationships, and beliefs. Many adults are afraid of addressing difficult or societally uncomfortable questions that children have, especially regarding sexual development. However, it remains that these questions need to be answered so children can develop into adults who know how to handle themselves and others with care and respect. Of course, what gives this profession such power and responsibility is the impressionability of children. However, rather than just "Impressioning" and "Influencing" children, I want to have real, genuine conversations to answer all the "Why" questions that they have. I believe the most lasting and positive change I can make in this field is through giving sound advice throughout child development while explaining to each child why it's important to act responsibly and lovingly towards one's body and mind. Knowing how strong a positive difference I will make through this career will motivate me to grow mindful of my responsibility as an individual and a member of society.

"Young Sheldon" is a 2017 sitcom series that I "discovered" on Netflix. In reality, I walked in on my family watching it, and unable to resist the temptation, joined in beside them. Once I started watching, it was very difficult to tear myself away, though there was seemingly nothing profound or extraordinary about it. The series is a parody of the "Big Bang Theory", a comedy about a genius young scientist. In this show, the childhood and family life of this young scientist, Sheldon (or Shelly), is represented in a remarkably ordinary (but fascinating way). Perhaps what is so captivating is how plain and real everything was. Let me just get this out of the way. I live in Texas suburbia. Sheldon does, too. Though he's hilariously out of place from his community due to his intelligence (and arrogance), it's hard to miss how normal and real his family and community are. The dad who drinks a cold beer while begging his cheeky mother-in-law for her famous brisket recipe, the annoying neighbor next door who makes some serious backhanded comments in her patronizing Southern drawl, and the girl who fights for her spot on the baseball team. It's just as life is and has been in slow, well-connected Texas suburb communities. Let me add that, just because I love the show doesn't mean I like the main character. He irks me, not because of his intelligence, but the condescension and arrogance he shows others on account of it. This show is not about a singular outstanding character who lives in a series of crises and resolutions. The meaning of watching this show is derived from the human nature that it so perfectly demonstrates. What made me fall in love was the humor, flaws, wit, and rough reality of every member of the community. Nothing is sugar-coated, not even the cursing. Parents fight with one another over painfully stupid things. A boy fails to attempt sneaking out of the house to go see a girl. A seemingly stuck-up nine-year-old is embarrassingly afraid of being beaten up by a "Sweet" six-year-old girl who plays in her sandbox. At the same time, nothing terrible happens either. Even when daily challenges arise, the members of the community are strong enough to sip a cold beer, take a nap, and weather the storm. After a bout of terribly boring textbook reading or washing some yucky dishes, it's a joy to sit down with my family and watch a little, just to get to know more about how gritty, funny, and real each person is. In conclusion, no matter how hard I try to eloquently convince you how adorable this show is, I can't do it justice by just telling you about it. The only solution: You need to go watch it!

Princess Mononoke is a Studio Ghibli film that I've watched time and time again. Despite being created almost 30 years ago, this film carries a message of discovering personal identity that is deeply relevant to my story. San, or Princess Mononoke, was abandoned as a baby and raised by wolf gods. As a young woman, she fully considers herself a wolf, but can't help but revert to her human nature. At the same time, she finds it difficult to connect to feel human in human society. I was born in Japan to a White American mother. In a racially homogenous nation such as Japan, I was as a rule treated as foreign, even if I felt that I had a right to feel Japanese through and through. Many would be surprised when I could speak to them in fluent Japanese. They would say, "How is it that you speak our language, though you're a foreigner?" The quizzical looks and the comments about my "Exotic" face challenged my sense of who I was, even when I felt that I had every right to be accepted as an idea that I didn't look like. Both San and I struggled with not being fully accepted on either side of our identities. San wanted to be a full wolf, but her fellow wolves saw her as human, rather than a wolf because of her looks. On the other hand, the humans saw her as a wolf, rather than a human because of her behavior and past. However, San eventually realizes that she doesn't have to choose between the two aspects of her identity. She is a wolf, and she's also human. For children from mixed-race households, especially in racially and ethnically homogeneous communities, it's easy to be trapped in the faulty mindset that we need to be authentic, assimilated, and completely and unquestioningly accepted on one side or the other. This is also emphasized by colloquial language and even government policy. People call individuals like me "Hafu" (or the Japanization of "Half") and many nations, including Japan, do not recognize dual citizenship. This mindset placed my sense of worth and identity on the shoulders of other people, making me unable to accept myself without the approval and reassurance of society. San showed me that I don't have to forge my identity on how others see me. I don't have to be half wolf and half human. I can be both completely human and completely human. We should respect ourselves enough to consider both identities just as real and rich as anybody else's. We can make our own identities because society will always have issues. Princess Mononoke is a timeless film because it recognizes that personal identity is complicated and often deviant from what other people want it to be, while it demonstrates that individuals can overcome and enjoy who they are in full, loving both worlds that they are a part of.

My passion for spending time with children and providing for them sprouted from a young age. This interest and my strong desire to work in biology led me to pursue a pathway toward becoming a pediatrician. Raising me and my brother, my mother and father did their best to expose us to as many languages, cultures, and people as possible. Because my parents are a biracial couple, they deeply understand the value of seeing different people in a positive and accepting light. They encouraged us to learn about culturally and racially diverse people. Throughout my childhood, I met many unique individuals from different ethnicities, backgrounds, social statuses, cultures, and religions. In total, I was able to live in 3 countries (Japan, Singapore, and the US), have dual citizenship (the US and Japan), and be bilingual (Japanese and English). After we moved to Houston, my parents supported my Japanese education at a private supplementary language school and my public school. Not only did my parents give me pivotal experiences but affection and support nobody else could. Talking, eating, meeting, worshipping, learning with, accepting, loving, and understanding people entirely different from me did not erase my disagreements with them or make me lose sight of my identity. However, my life has been shaped to think, speak, and act respectfully towards others, regardless of our differences and disagreements. Because of this, I wish to serve all children from all ethnicities, languages, religions, belief systems, genders, and cultures equally with love. By pursuing my education and becoming a pediatrician, I want to create a safe space for unrestricted, kind, and accepting conversations with children. Although I grew up with loving parents, many children don't have the care they deserve. Sometimes this is not the parent's fault, but it's never the child's fault. I want to be an adult in a kid's life that they can talk to when they don't have anyone else. I want to serve a positive role in a child's development and do my best to keep up with children's constantly changing emotional, social, mental, and physical needs. Furthermore, I understand that pursuing an education in this field is a lengthy and emotionally, physically, and financially draining path. However, I believe it will be well worth it if I can continue to know that my passion and effort can serve a greater purpose, and live upon that belief. Through the experiences that my family, my community, and my world have given me being a mere child, I believe that I can mature into a person that can make a little child's life better. With clearly defined goals and a pathway to achieve them, I aspire to have the guts to fearlessly and recklessly pursue what is good not just for myself, but for the world that has taught me everything.

The complexities of altruism confound me. When I seek happiness by making other people happy, I'm pointed to the conclusion that philanthropy, in a sense, is never purely altruistic. Our love for humanity is always tinted with self-interest, the pursuit of happiness through helping people. We can never separate the joy we receive through service from our ideals of selflessness. Depending on how we look at it, this can deeply taint agape, or open our eyes to the divinely perfect nature of love: finding comfort - even pursuing it - through comforting others, can never be robbed of its justification. As a volunteer at Kiwanis International, I have met many volunteers with different motivations and values. Many do it to grow their portfolio and character, as a hobby, to gain moral justification, or because of their religious or cultural upbringing. One commonality of all volunteers is that they find happiness and purpose in helping others. As a volunteer, I have focused on underprivileged and vulnerable individuals, namely the impoverished and homeless. "Washing feet" of people who are traditionally underlooked, underserved, and trivialized is deeply rewarding, because of my moral belief that such service is of the most upright, noble kind. Showing humanity to people who don't regularly receive human treatment validates their existence, and showing someone they are worth it is empowering to any volunteer. Most importantly, I value this service because I will never receive a reward except for deep comfort and moral validation. Giving away something and understanding I will never get anything back except happiness is one of the best feelings in the world. Ultimately, I gain from my service, perhaps more than what I give. However, happiness rooted in service can never be morally challenged. Why? Because in the most base, sordid kind of service - where someone has completely lost interest in the well-being of others - it's impossible to gain anything worthwhile without genuinely caring for someone else. Think about it: if volunteers didn't yearn for others' happiness, we would only find pain in freely giving up a part of ourselves. Though those served by loveless volunteers may be comforted, helping others without love is redundant to individual happiness. If my motivations for service are selfish, I can't gain anything. Selfish service doesn't exist, for without selflessness, service can't yield anything self-serving. It's an enigmatic loop cycle, but by feeling joy through service, I know I am going in the right direction.

Serving in a childcare ministry helped me realize my passion for caring for and nurturing people around me. I learned that toddlers need a snuggle just as much as they need their diapers changed. Love for people is what service, particularly caring for children, should stem from. However, love needs to be coupled with knowledge and practicality to make a lasting impact. I have always been grasping for what I want in my life, but only finding ways to get to things I didn't want. Through spending time with these children, I was able to see that I have a passion for caring for people. In the future, I aspire to pursue a healthcare pathway where I will be caring for and working to heal people. Though unrelated to community service, living with a family member experiencing dementia is eye-opening that caring for people is not easy or pretty. Though we feel warmed by the cuteness of babies and the growth of toddlers, it's difficult to share that sentiment with the disabled, elderly, and dying. And yet, all these people are human beings that need and deserve the same tenderness and kindness that any other person does. The reality of healthcare, and frankly, any other type of care, is that not everyone wants, appreciates, or accepts care. Many don't heal, and some don't want to heal. Working to care and heal may not always mean that I can find a solution for someone. I want to be someone that can appreciate the life before me including the body that surrounds the life. Something that lies at the root of caring for other people is understand them, who they are, what they want, and why they live. Even with toddlers, I have experienced that children feel more at ease when they are surrounded by people who they know understand them and care to understand them. To further complicate things, I want to add that many people don't understand what they want or need, and that is precisely why they need care. As I emerge into the group of healthcare professionals that put themselves out for people, I want to be someone who causes change in the direction of making yourself available for the right reason. On a moral level, helping others before your "Knowing better", apprehensions, and needs is not natural. It has to be motivated by something. For many, this could be money, status, intelligence, or qualifications that come along with training and studying for years to place in a healthcare position. I want to exemplify the right reason of caring for people: because I decide to love them. Changing the way we see our responsibilities and jobs is one way to move our world into a warmer, loving place. My goals, pathways, or interests may change, but I want to change the world through having a different motivation behind my pursuits.

What is correct will never be wrong, and what is wrong will never be correct, and I have the assurance that this will transcend time, even when the people around me are gone and I am long forgotten. Seeing math in that light is oddly comforting because one is sharing something with everybody else who has learned math, anywhere in the world, in any period. Countless people have walked in my steps, and numerous people will follow. Unlike the varied linguistic characteristics of people around the world, math is a lingua franca, which is shared by an innumerable amount of people, from the old greats to the high schooler me, to some 1st grader 82 years from now. When I moved to the States from Japan in 2016, I had difficulty communicating with the people around me in English. Math was the only language that could flow forth gracefully from inside of me and not be lost in my linguistic challenges and social clumsiness. Math also was the language that helped me reach out into other languages, notably music. The beautiful, mellow timbre of the cello is based upon 442hz=A, which is the base of all musical scales that create a beautiful pentatonic circle called "The circle of fifths". People long ago, way back from the baroque era, have used slower frequencies for A such as A=415hz. This is why baroque-style recordings, and even normal recordings from the 20th century, tend to sound different from the tuning of our music nowadays. I heard long ago that this frequency has slowly gone up in vibration speed. We as people are speeding up, sometimes even being swallowed into the ever so slowly accelerating frequency of daily life. Subsequently, we forget to think about where we are. Then, we forget that there are infinite combinations based on infinite rules. That there are infinite circles of fifths based on infinite "A"s, and though I said earlier that math is very black and white, there are infinite pathways under infinite ways of thinking, under infinite possibilities, just like there are infinite stars over our infinite sky, which infinitely await us to reach out and find infinity. We don't have to be bound by ourselves, because we alone are not infinite. This is beautiful to me. This beauty can be shared, and if it can be shared it will be shared, and math will reach out to what is uncountable and ever-reaching, or infinity.

Having practiced Aikido for nearly 7 years, I have realized that this fascinating art is based on entirely different principles, which shape people in a way that few other sports can. Aikido has taught me that brute strength gets one nowhere. Brute strength strains you, can't prevail against the physically stronger, and hurts the opponent if they are weaker. The best way to move others is through soft skills, technique, and control of your desire to win. This can be said in day-to-day situations as well. People get into disagreements and conflicts all the time. Aikido has taught me that the most beneficial way to deal with conflicts is not to butt heads with people, but to look at other people, adjust to see their perspective, and look for a resolution, not victory. Aikido is not only a sport. It is also a way of life. Aikido is physically challenging, but it values harmony between practitioners, not hate and ugliness which can so often take over in achievement-based sports. Many other sports focus on domination, resistance, and glory, which can cause practitioners to lose sight of more important things. I do not practice for others, or for what others think. The ultimate goal is to improve not only my physical abilities, but my patience, rationality, and humility which can be applied to many areas of day-to-day life.

After immigrating to the states in 2016, I could only do math. My language skills were deficient to the level that I had difficulty reading, writing, and having age-appropriate conversations with kids around me, making me feel isolated and inferior to my classmates. Math was the single area I excelled as a new American elementary schooler. Prior to coming to the US, I had felt comfortable with math, and even in my new environment, math class was a safe space where I was able to find new confidence in myself and my abilities despite the language barriers, culture shock, and isolation that I experienced shortly after being placed in a new environment. Doing math was one crucial way I was able to tie the dots between where I came from and where I was going. As I went on to be a middle schooler and high schooler in the US, math helped me create relationships with similarly-minded peers, especially with kids that had immigrated here, who also found a unique connection with math. Though my English proficiency has increased, I still see math as one of the strongest types of communication, because there is one correct answer that everyone will get to if they keep reaching for it. I also appreciate math because it's a positive way to look at life. People often see "Rational people" and "Mathematicians" as pessimistic, but I believe that math gives the correct mindset when looking at our circumstances and goals. The rationality that is grown through logic helps one to set realistic goals that have real value, as well as shape a black-and-white mindset: The more effort that is poured in, the more fruitful you will be. Albeit there are people without this mindset that are "Successful" and people with it that are not, the belief that effort is proportional to growth nurtures a hardworking and morally upright way of life, which I want to demonstrate through my decisions. Math has given me more than being able to calculate a tip. It has provided me with a means to forge bonds with people around me, given me confidence when I have needed it most, and helped me see through a clear lens, which will outlast all of the formulas that I'll ever need to learn.

In a service event at my church, I was able to experience the bond of a community when we fed struggling members in our surrounding area with a warm Thanksgiving meal, regardless of their religious beliefs or background. As a Christian, I have always been inspired and convicted by Jesus's love in his ministry to the poor. The Bible has stated that giving to the poor is giving to God and that we should love our neighbors just as much as we love ourselves. It was beautiful to see white, yellow, brown, and black people coming together to serve. This event was eye-opening because I saw first-hand what can be achieved when people share an important common goal: To demonstrate with our actions that everybody is loved. I was able to meet and interact with countless struggling members of our community, and serve food to many families that have felt the effects of the pandemic and inflation hard. It was shocking how normal these people looked, and I was moved that people who seem to be "Fine" are struggling and are waiting for someone to reach out to them. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a day to be thankful for what we have, but it is much easier to glut over a feast and take a long nap. This also can be said with the other 355 days of the year. An overwhelming majority of us pronounce with our tongues that poverty and hunger are terrible, while we take no action to help the situation, pacifying our guilt by our ideals. It was a blessing to be able to take part in giving, not just taking, and to demonstrate that "Actions speak louder than words." As somebody living in a community with many members with lower incomes, I understand the devastating impacts of economic strain, especially with soaring inflation that has led to higher food and gas prices. This year was significantly busier for our church, as many can't adequately provide food to put on the table, much less a Thanksgiving meal. It is difficult to be complacent about so many adults and children alike going to bed with an empty stomach when I have seen what poverty and hunger can do to damage individuals, families, and communities. Ideals without works mean nothing, and goodwill that is not put into action will never benefit anybody. It is painful that we can so easily deceive ourselves into apathy by convincing ourselves that we are not apathetic. Real love is not only being emotionally driven to do something kind for someone but having the patience and willpower to go through with it. Now, when many are needing a helping hand, it is more important than ever to reach out that hand from one's own commitment and will.

If all elements of books were compressed into one tiny (or rather huge) diamond, it would be "Anna Karenina". Many see Tolstoy as an author who left insufferably enormous tomes to carry on his namesake, which one would only read if circumvention were in no way possible. However, many fail to realize that many of his works, including "Anna Karenina", are tomes for a reason. Anna Karenina, the title character of this piece, is an aristocrat in a love affair with a young officer who is trying to escape a loveless marriage. With this, it may seem that Anna is a frivolous, morally deficit woman, but understanding her circumstances, one realizes that she is a noble, generous, virtuous woman whose judgment is clouded by her circumstances. She is unloved by her husband, unappreciated, and required of much but given little. In an astoundingly eye-opening way, the reader comes to the realization that, in the same circumstances, somebody much stronger than one's self would have made the same decision. Naive judgment is overridden when you realize you aren't-so-perfect either, and that life is found in the shades of grey, not in the clear-cut black and white. Confusingly, Anna Karenina isn't even the main character, in the whole grand scheme of things. The story starts with 2 whole different stories that seem to have little to no relevance to Anna. A rural aristocrat that is denied his love's hand because of complicated family problems in both the lady's family and his, and a couple who reach a short reconciliation when the husband fathers a child with a mistress. Then, it branches out into even more people's lives and circumstances, that seem to infinitely stretch forth as though to cover a whole society. And yet, you finally realize how closely interconnected all the characters are, one secretly longing for another, one hating another, one trifling with another, one ashamed of another, and one depending upon another. "Anna Karenina" is not an elegant diamond solitaire, rather it is a slightly awkward, bulky, yet ornate and precious Kundan, studded with the intricate carved lives and circumstances of people, high or lowly, right or wrong. The real value of this masterful and delicate blob of this book is the fruit that it yields, manifested in the growth of the perspective of any reader of this book.

Although generational wealth is formally defined as financial assets that are passed down from generation to generation, I am averted at the idea that the only meaning of wealth is money. Throughout my childhood, my family wasn't particularly rich in that sense. My parents supported a middle class livelihood, but that wasn't their only goal. In fact, they gave me many educational assets that I believe could be just as valuable in the long run. Because both my mother and father went through rigorous education, they were able to teach me and my brother much more than we could learn in school, by spending time with us and sharing their insight and views with us. Later, when we entered junior high and high school, they invested their time, money, and dedication into our education, resulting in my involvement in extra-curricular music, a Japanese supplementary school, and many volunteering and public service opportunities in my community. I believe this has shaped my character more than what just money could do. However, I recognize that this would not be possible without a livelihood. When I decide to have a family, I want to be in a position to give them my time, as well as educational and economic opportunities. Without a income and assets, it would be difficult to impossible to pass these kind of assets down to my children. Some say, "You can't buy everything with money, but you can't buy anything without money." To achieve generational wealth, my goal is to graduate college debt free so I am in a position to be able to have the time and opportnity to pass down more than money. To achieve this, God willing, I plan to keep my GPA equal to or above a 4.0, graduate in the top 10% of my class, and apply to as many scholarships early on, as a highschool freshman. I believe starting early will give me more opportunities to little by little gather insight and funds, and will help me become a well rounded and educated person seen to be worthy of pursuing a post-secondary education. I plan to major in biology, go to medical school, and become a pediatrician, without any living members of my family having experience in getting a doctorate degree. Many medical students graduate tens of thousands of dollars in debt, often more than $100,000, due to the financial strain of attending 8 years of post-secondary education. Many can't focus on their education because they can't afford going through college and medical school without a job. To be able to focus on my education in college, I believe that it is not enough for me to excel academically, but also have a thorough plan to apply to many scholarships (As I am doing at the moment), and create a balanced profile of extra-curriculars, grades, community service, and social skills that will help me be an ideal candidate for college, medical school, and eventually my dream career. Though this will undoubtedly be challenging, I believe it will elevate people besides myself by supplying younger members of my family with more opportunities after I am able to walk on my own two feet. Although I have never found myself to have natural intelligence or a knack for anything, I do know that I have the gift of determination. I have set my mind to do my best, and with God's help and the support of the people around me, I will.

She most likely came from a troubled family, although she avoided speaking about it. After getting to know her through a mentorship program at my school for new students, it became apparent that she suffered from suicidal feelings. When upset, she would direct her anger and disappointment back at herself, and it hurt me to watch her suffer. We had conversations about mental health all the time, and we spent time together. Looking back, I am astounded by how brave she was to open up about her struggles, and feel honored that she trusted me enough to talk to me. However, seeing the situation very seriously, when she strongly declined when I suggested getting more help for her mental health, I decided to tell someone who could help her more than myself. Thankfully, we are still good friends, and now many more friends surround her. I don't know if I made the right decision by telling someone else for help, but it is clear that her life has made a turnaround. I often see her confidently laughing with her friends, and she even flashes a brilliant smile sometimes, something I rarely saw when she was struggling the most with her mental health. I know that she still fights with loneliness, but she is slowly and surely conquering it. As her former mentor, I feel joy seeing her discovering her happiest self, along with people who support her and appreciate her. I don't know to what degree of positive influence I had on her, but know that the time listening to her, and letting her voice be heard impacted me. It also made me contemplate how serious and damaging mental illness is. Had I not mentored her, I would have been oblivious to her struggles. She would have just been a quiet girl, an acquaintance, ordinary. Getting to know her showed me that she was a unique and precious individual, battling raw and sensitive problems when most people couldn't or wouldn't see beyond the surface. If she had not received support or had decided not to share her problems with others, she may not be here today. It is a testament that many people quietly battle mental illness on their own, and when nobody cares to notice, irreversible damage can be done. I believe that the problem lies in the fact many believed mental illness is a defect, something to hide. Subsequently, when they find themselves entangled with it, they apprehend to reach for help. Many fail to share their experiences because of fear. They feel uncomfortable interacting with people who suffer. Even worse, when a person decides to reach for help, onlookers often decide not to give it, thinking the victim is not worthy, or ourselves incapable of helping. In turn, this hardwires the mindset of people that life is hopeless and that nobody cares. We need to start seeing mental illness as it is. We need to stop denying that it exists among us, our families, and our communities. We must stop thinking that nobody “Sane” has a mental illness or that people who do are “Freaks”. I believe that the first step in achieving this is to pay attention to other people’s lives and start listening to other people’s experiences and struggles with mental health. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be mentally healthy need to be empathetic toward other people and not run away from interacting with people who are going through difficulties. Fixing these problems starts with the willingness to care about other people's lives, and being willing to open up your ears and heart to people who are suffering.

I've met many men (and some women) who, misguidedly throw around the word "Feminist", believing it to be some term that puts women over men. Instead, feminism is the willingness to give women equal economic, social, political, and most importantly, educational opportunities. Being part of the Christian community, I have been surrounded by all kinds of views about femininity and the roles and rights of women. While I have never heard the "Be thou in the kitchen" before, I have heard that women are "Lesser vessels" and have a fixed duty to raise children and take care of the home. I have also heard Christian brothers and sisters say that women and men are valued equally by God and have individual callings not dictated by their gender. My father and mother decided to raise me in a way that was equal to my brother, valuing thought and effort rather than what we were born with. As a Christian woman, I have had some difficulty grappling with what we women mean to God. My conclusion is that any conclusion that leads to "Men are better and deserve better" is not only arrogant but anti-biblical. In the bible, God tells us that he made us differently, yet both in his image and each person, whether slave or free, rich or poor, man or woman, is one in God. I do not deny that women and men have differences, but we women should be granted equal opportunity, treated with honor and respect, and seen as people instead of lesser beings that need to be belittled. The "Role models" that have impacted me the most hit pretty close to home. My mother and father are an example of a God-loving couple that loves each other enough to treat each other with the same love and care they show themselves. By no means are they perfect, but they demonstrate the mutual respect and honor that should be there in a Christian home. They work together, make decisions together, and support one another emotionally. They also taught me and my brother that we were to treat each other and the little girls and boys around us just like we would like to treat them. They gave me countless educational opportunities based on my effort and willingness to learn, not my gender or intelligence level. I someday want to have a family with children, but that is not for all women, and should not be pushed upon anyone. I want to demonstrate in my school and community that a girl of faith can play with toy trucks instead of barbie dolls, get her hands muddy, actually do things and make decisions for herself, and take ownership and responsibility for her future.

Have a Life: I have had friends that always seem to be studying, or at least claim to be. Studying is essential to academic success, but have a life! You're not going to get far if you don't care about the people around you. Don't let friends guilt-trip you into studying. That's the worst way to study. You learn because you feel the motivation to do so, not because of pressure from other people (Out of all people, your friends!). On the other hand, don't get involved in drama. Keep away from gossip. If people try to gossip with you, chances are they gossip about you. Make friends, but don't play with their feelings. They are people, just like you are, and deserve to be treated honestly. Attend school events...go to dances, HoCo, spirit days, pep rallies, whatever! I've never heard people say that they wished they had attended fewer activities in school. Most of all, value the people around you, not just your studies! You go to school not just to study, but to build special connections with other people, which will give you memories you will never forget.

We often see "Learning" as something that elevates us and our future. That's (Under most circumstances) probably true. You go to high school, aim to ace your AP exams, graduate in the top 10% of your class, go to a university, do your best, work your butt off, and finally earn a bachelor's. Maybe if you are an overachiever (AKA willing to go into more debt) you even go to graduate school. And I will ask, why is that? You'd say, "To get my dream job". And what defines your dream job? "I'll be getting a real sweet paycheck, and I shouldn't have to work too hard... And also, yeah, don't forget I'll be able to make the world a better place." What? You'd never, ever go through 16 years of school just to make a nice paycheck? You'd never put financial gain over ethics? The thing is, a few years ago I would have put money over principles. At that time, I still didn't have any sort of pathway that I wanted to follow, nothing that I was seriously interested in. I thought, "If I never figure out something that I like, I'll just study to get a job that'll pay me real good." My goal was to suck a living out of my learning, instead of using my learning to live. What is "Life worth living" anyway? Is it a person who is a blood-sucking parasite to their job who receives, takes, and expects more? Can you call that a life? Serious students can give up many things. Many of us study hard. Often, we lose fragments of our life, trying to cram, score, and achieve, just to be "Successful". In the process, we start believing that we have lost so much, while we receive much more. We think that what we work for, our education, qualifies us to immediately receive whatever we are looking for. No matter where you came from or how you were raised, or what you had or didn't have, you received something that makes you who you are. And if you forget that you have received, you make yourself unworthy of giving. Hey, don't get me wrong. Money is important. But shouldn't your first goal be to find a place where you can be who you are meant to be? And isn't that the purpose of learning? To freely give, just as you have freely received? Don't we receive by giving? Recently, about 3 years ago, I got to spend time at a nursery at my church, where I found what I was looking for. I saw an impressionable, vulnerable me, small, young life so precious that I could give all my years for. I want to spend time with little minds and learn to love them, care for them, and understand them throughout my life. It is my aspiration to find a career where I can use my effort and passion for someone else, whether that means a class of pre-schoolers or a crowd of adolescents. Learning is a significant thing when you are willing to not only reap its benefits for yourself but share it with other people. Perhaps stolen water is sweet and bread enjoyed in secret is delicious. But how will I feel at the end of my life when I see that I used a gift and hid all the benefits for myself? How much sweeter will the gift of learning be if I share it with the people around me?

She most likely came from a troubled family, although she avoided speaking about it. After getting to know her through a mentorship program at my school for new students, it became apparent that she suffered from suicidal feelings. When upset, she would direct her anger and disappointment back at herself, and it hurt me to watch her suffer. We had conversations about mental health all the time, and we spent time together. Looking back, I am astounded by how brave she was to open up about her struggles and feel honored that she trusted me enough to talk to me. However, seeing the situation very serious, when she strongly declined when I suggested getting more help for her mental health, I decided to tell someone who could help her more than myself. Thankfully, we are still good friends, and now has many more friends that surround her. I don't know if I made the right decision by telling someone else for help, but it is clear that her life has made a turnaround. I often see her confidently laughing with her friends, and she even flashes a brilliant smile sometimes, something I rarely saw when she was struggling the most with her mental health. I know that she still fights with loneliness, but she is slowly and surely conquering it. As her former mentor, I feel joy seeing her discovering her happiest self, along with people who support her and appreciate her. I don't know to what degree of positive influence I had on her, but know that the time listening to her, and letting her voice be heard impacted me. It also made me contemplate how serious and damaging mental illness is. Had I not mentored her, I would have been oblivious to her struggles. She would have just been a quiet girl, an acquaintance, ordinary. Getting to know her showed me that she was a unique and precious individual, battling raw and sensitive problems when most people couldn't or wouldn't see beyond the surface. If she had not received support or had decided not to share her problems with others, she may not be here today. It is a testament that many people quietly battle mental illness on their own, and when nobody cares to notice, irreversible damage can be done. I believe that the problem lies in the fact many believed mental illness is a defect, something to hide. Subsequently, when they find themselves entangled with it, they apprehend to reach for help. Many fail to share their experiences because of fear. They feel uncomfortable interacting with people who suffer. Even worse, when a person decides to reach for help, onlookers often decide not to give it, thinking the victim is not worthy, or ourselves incapable of helping. In turn, this hardwires the mindset for people that life is hopeless and that nobody cares. The victim IS worthy. The victim is you or me, your brother or sister, your friend, an individual you love. Each deserves acceptance, sincere devotion, and sympathy. Each is loved and endowed by their creator, a man or woman created for a purpose and a future. I learned each person IS capable of helping someone. When I first met my friend, I had no clue what to do. Should I try to give her advice? What should I say? What can I do? Those were all important questions. But first, I needed to close my mouth. Then, I opened my ears and listened to her. Every individual needs someone who cares enough to listen. I didn't need to make an eloquent speech about how valuable she was, give her gifts, or try to change how she felt. Sitting there, devoting your entire and undivided attention to someone, and demonstrating with your attitude that you don't think they are defective or unsound because of their illness gives them strength and confidence. We need to start seeing mental illness as it is. We need to stop denying that it exists among us, our families, and our communities. We need to stop thinking that nobody “Sane” has a mental illness or that people who do are “Freaks”. I believe that the first step in achieving this is to pay attention to other people’s lives and start listening to other people’s experiences and struggles with mental health. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be mentally healthy need to be empathetic towards other people and not run away from interacting with people who are going through difficulties. Destigmatization starts with the willingness to care about other peoples’ lives, even though it may make you feel awkward, uncomfortable, or embarrassed, and to have a heart ready to aid, whether that be through intervention, spending time together, or just listening to his/her stories. After my relationship with this student, I aspire to value each individual despite their mental state, and never be afraid to have open conversations with people bravely, boldly, and lovingly.

One key characteristic that is important for anyone's career is the ability to appreciate others the way they are. When observing the human body which is intricate and perfect, it fascinates me what good in the world could be achieved if people viewed our bodily, mental, and emotional differences as valuable instead of unacceptable. Our uniqueness shows how beautiful and precious each life is. It is my dream to study biology and become a pediatrician to make a difference in the development of children and the lives of families. Raising me and my brother, my father and my mother did their best to expose us to as many languages, cultures, and people as possible. Because my parents are a biracial couple, they deeply understand the value of seeing different people in a positive and accepting light. When they were offered transfers abroad, they accepted it to give us the opportunity to learn about people who were different. Throughout the time and education I had abroad, I met a variety of unique individuals from different ethnicities, backgrounds, social statuses, cultures, and religions. In total, I was able to live in 3 countries (Japan, Singapore, and the US), and be bilingual (Japanese and English). My parents gave me important experiences that taught me to meet people and appreciate them. Talking, eating, meeting, worshipping, learning with, accepting, loving, and understanding people that are completely different from me did not erase my disagreements with other people or make me lose sight of my personal beliefs/identity. However, my life has been shaped to think, speak, and act respectfully towards other people, regardless of our differences, and perhaps, disagreements. Because of this, I wish to serve all children from all ethnicities, languages, religions, belief systems, sexual orientations, and cultures equally with love. By pursuing my education and becoming a pediatrician, I want to create a safe space to have unrestricted, kind, and loving conversations with children. Although I grew up with caring parents, many children don't have the affection that they deserve. Sometimes this is not the parent's fault, but it is never the child's fault. I want to be an adult in a kid's life that he/she can talk to when they don't have anyone else. A kid can't pick to be born in the richest, most supportive family, or to have a certain race, background, or social status, and it is unfair for an adult to treat a kid any less for those reasons. Therefore, it is important to let every child know that it is both their gifts and flaws that make them unique (in a good way) and that it's their individuality that makes them perfect. I believe that pediatricians play a major role in a child's development and that they have to do their best to keep up with the constantly changing emotional, social, mental, and physical needs of a child. Passion for my education does not singularly rise up from my challenging spirit, but also because I believe that gifts can serve a greater purpose. Through the experiences that my family, my community, and my world have given me being a mere child, I believe that I am capable of maturing into a person that can make a little child's life better, by accepting their individuality instead of trying to compromise it. I aspire to have the guts to fearlessly and recklessly pursue what is good not just for me, but for the children out there who need someone to care for them unconditionally.

When my school started a mentorship for new/transferred students called "Gator Guide", I knew I wanted to volunteer. One of these students that I mentored had depression. She had suicidal thoughts and would often talk to me about it. I repeatedly asked if we could go find some helpful resources or a counselor, but she declined. I felt troubled if I should tell an adult because I wanted to do the best thing for her safety, yet I didn't want her to feel like I betrayed her by telling somebody she didn't want me to. I thought about it for a long time, and I decided to tell an adult. Because of that, she received help and now has a much more stable emotional and mental state. Thankfully we are still good friends. Now she has many friends, and I think she is discovering herself again. Although at that moment she may have not felt that I was being a good friend, she needed help, and I am proud that I did what was good for her. In mentorship, I believe that it is important to weigh what is best for the person you are mentoring. Not just treating them as "The kid you mentor", but actually caring about how they feel or what they need. In my case, it was choosing to decide that what she needed was more important than what she thought of me. I want her to know that I care about her and that many other people do too. I want her to know that she is loved. There are difficult decisions, but I want to be a mentor that thinks and chooses the best option of what I can do, not for myself, but for the person I mentor.

Biology has often been one of my biggest interests, and becoming a pediatrician, who not only gets to work in biology but can help people directly through her work is my dream. Although I love science, particularly biology, as a pediatrician I want to spend time with children and support them through their growth and development, understanding and meeting their physical, emotional, and mental needs. I am passionate about becoming a pediatrician because it means I will be able to work in a science field that I love while helping and caring for other people. If I can go to complete my education and work as a pediatrician, I will be the first female in my family to get an education beyond a bachelor's degree. In my family, many of the women have earned bachelor's degrees or none at all. While there are 2 doctors, a master's, and 7 college graduates that are male in my family, only 3 females in my family have earned a college education. Additionally, all of the women in my family have gotten jobs that have relatively low incomes as primary school teachers, whereas the men got higher-income jobs in IT, business, and technical education. I think there is a stigma in my family that women should be at the house, cooking for and taking care of children, instead of exploring a wide range of career options that become available with higher education. Cost is another barrier that I am sure that I will face. Because my family is part of the middle class, we can't apply for many of the financial benefits that are available to lower-income families. At the same time, my family is nowhere near being able to afford the massive bills of going to college and medical school. By earning as many scholarships and grants as I can as a high schooler, I want to increase the chances that my education is successful. I grew up in 3 countries, Singapore, Japan, and the US. Throughout that time, I have met a variety of individuals from different ethnicities, backgrounds, social statuses, cultures, and religions. I wish to serve all children from all places equally with love because every child deserves love, support, and care. I feel prepared to face financial struggles and stigma against minorities and women if that means I can accomplish my goals and help other people along the way. I want to prove to my younger cousins and siblings that a woman from a minority and immigrant background is capable of earning a doctorate, shouldn't need to rely on her male spouse, and can achieve her dreams. I think I am a good candidate because I am passionate about my education, have clearly defined career goals, and am ambitious to achieve my goals despite being female, a first-generation immigrant, and a minority. I am confident that I have what it takes to commit to getting an education and becoming who I've wanted to be, who I want to be, and who I will want to be.