Education is something, I believe, that a lot of people take for granted; whether it be through text books in school, or through people in our lives showing us the difference between right and wrong, education takes place in every aspect of our lives. In my opinion, though, most of it happens in school; because we spend so much time in schools growing up, that is where most of our education takes place, and where most of our understanding of the world starts to form. What we learn about in school is what we will keep with us as we grow up and start to experience the real world, so a good, thoughtful, and diversified education is essential in understanding and formulating worldviews. I was a kid that liked school growing up; I was eager to go to school and have fun, because it was easy. However, as I started to move up grades and eventually into high school, I started disliking school more and more, because it was becoming more difficult for me to grasp and understand things. Furthermore, it made me upset that teachers would try to force their ideals on their students. Now, in my second year of college, I love school more than ever: yes, the classes are difficult and the learning is hard, but college is a wonderful place where I can see the worldviews of my peers, and allow my peers to see my own, all while educating each other, being educated by others, and being encouraged to have discourse. Education has shaped my understanding of the world by allowing me to be more perceptive of things that are different from what is normal for me. I think that without a proper education, I would not be able to appreciate different cultures and customs like I do now. The world is such a ginormous place full of wonder, creativity, and uniqueness that can only be seen through the eyes of people that use their education as a tool to help them understand the world more. Without having education to teach us about international life, our lives would be dull and subject to a single story, a story that cannot flourish and grow in perception. It has also shown me that I do not need to follow what other people say and do just because they believe they are right. Yes, school is where most of our education takes place, and in many cases institutionalized us, but this is real life experience and education comes in; because we have real world education to back up and conflict with what we learn in school, we are allowed to see the diversity of opinions in the world. We do not have to follow one person and one opinion, because education allows us to have our own voice and say. Education gives us knowledge; it gives us perspective, allows us to form opinions, and it allows us to have civilized debates. Education makes us capable of interpreting different things, and gives us an outlet to express our thoughts and beliefs. Education has allowed me to see the world from many different perspectives, understanding all of them along the way. Without education, I would be ignorant and blind to the wonders that our world and its people have to offer.

I used to be a people pleaser; I used to believe that my worth depended on how many people liked me, so I worked myself to the bone trying to please everyone and making sure no one had a reason to be upset with me or hate me. I was always hurting myself and allowing others to use me because that is what I used to believe taking care of myself was all about, but boy was I wrong. Today, I am a completely different person, all because I learned what it truly means to stay true to myself. I stay true to myself in daily life by telling myself it is okay to say no. I tell myself everyday that I do not need the approval of others in order for me to be loved, appreciated, and wanted. I know in my heart that I need to be true to myself and that I need to protect myself from negative thoughts and toxic people, so I have learned to say no and learned how to distance myself when I need to for just that. Sure, it may hurt at times having to say no and be distant from people I used to care about, but I always remind myself of the one person in life I need to take care of most: Me!

When thinking about the word independence, many people simply look to the dictionary to find their definition: Merriam-Webster defines independence as being“free from outside control; not depending on another’s authority.” Although technically correct, this definition simply isn’t an in-depth answer to the question of what it means to be independent. The question itself even looks like it has a simple answer, but the reality is that, at least in my opinion, the question of independence is really asking, “what are you going to do to better yourself in the next year? What about the next 5 years? The next 10 years? How will you keep bettering yourself throughout your whole life and career?” To me, independence means being a self-starter; it means being in control of my life and what I want to do with it. If I want something, I am going to reach for it, and I am not gonna wait for any opportunities to come my way; instead, I will be going towards the opportunities, and making opportunities for myself, taking advantage of all of the tools I have been given in order for me to achieve success. Being independent, and having this self-started mindset really impacts my life today because without it, I would have never found Bold.org because I would never bother going out and looking for scholarships and opportunities to better my college experience.

“I’m sorry, but we cannot afford that right now.” This is a sentence I have heard more often than not; whether it be something as simple as a carton of eggs and a gallon of milk, to something as important as a Christmas gift or birthday gift, those words always seemed to make the moment go sour. Nevertheless, my response was always the same: “That’s okay, don’t worry about it!” Why would I want to stay in a negative mindset, stalling not only myself, but those around me? Instead of wallowing in sadness, complaining about how my family cannot afford things we need and want sometimes, I decided to say “this is okay, and this will not bring me down.” Why? Because optimism is so crucial to have during hardship; optimism, though hard to find at times, is one the only things that will help you get through rough patches in life. Without it, people look at all the negative aspects in their life, either not seeing the good things they have or not believing that things can and will get better. I believe that it is important to stay optimistic through the rough times, because it never benefits anyone to stay beating themselves or others up, even if it is about things not in their control. Staying optimistic and positive, even through struggle, has taught me how to be a more persevering person, and has taught me not to let anything get in the way of me accomplishing things I never could have thought I’d be able to do without optimism. If I had stayed in a negative mindset my whole life, complaining about my family’s financial struggles, I would not be here, applying for scholarships to help me better myself and further my education.

I felt a tap on my shoulder as I was asleep. As I opened my eyes, I saw grandpa’s face. “Time to get ready for school.” I woke up and got ready. When I finished, there was a plate of eggs waiting for me, made by grandma. When it hit 8 a.m, I heard a honk: it was my dad’s friend, ready to drive me to school. I went to school, studied, and finished at 3. When school ended, my mom’s friend was waiting for me. “Ready to see your parents?” she asked. I nodded, and we drove off. My mom had been in the hospital for the past three months, dad by her side the whole time. My siblings and I had people coming in and out of our house everyday, feeding us, clothing us, and making sure we got to school, something my mom stressed. Those memories and experiences shaped me into a more understanding and kind person. How so? The kindness of friends, family, and strangers alike taught me that I need to be someone that helps others. If nobody came and helped us in our time of need, my siblings and I would not be here today, simply put. We would have starved if no one cooked for us, and lonely if no one came to keep us company. Most importantly, I would not be sitting here typing this paper today if it weren’t for those that drove me to and from school everyday for months. By having people that helped me in my vulnerable state, I learned that I need to be someone who does the same. I always try to help people however I can, because I know what it is like to be in need yet not be able to do anything.

My way of making a positive impact on the world is typically overlooked by many, unfortunately; it is a spectacle when it happens in today’s society, but it is something so crucial to humanity and the world today, and something that everybody needs. Kindness is overlooked; it is overlooked unless someone is looking for praise and attention. We see acts of kindness on social media a lot, but a lot of those “random” acts are either staged or used as a way to bring attention to someone who wants it. Natural, real kindness is what the world needs right now. We tend to focus on all the violence and hatred in the world, the only things the media seems to show nowadays, but kindness happens too. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it still happens. That is why my way of impacting the world positively is by being kind to people. No matter how big or small my impact is on a day to day basis, I continue to make an impact in any way I can. Holding the door open for someone, giving to those less fortunate, and just smiling at someone in passing all make a difference in people’s days and lives, whether we believe it or not. Until the day that I get the resources necessary to pursue my educational and career goals, and until the day that I use my education to make a career out of impacting people all around the world, I will be kind to anyone and everyone, and make my impact one person at a time.

Financial literacy was something taught to me almost all my life, yet it was something I never took seriously until I got to highschool. Family, friends, and teachers always drilled the same financial lessons into my brain, yet I rarely listened. That is, until I saw just how much financial issues crippled my parents. My parents never saved money, and were never able to after a certain point in time because they started having children and had to take care of us. On the other hand, my maternal grandparents live comfortably in retirement, traveling whenever they want because they saved their money when they were young. The dichotomy between my parents’ lives and my grandparents’ lives are drastic, and really opened my eyes to just how important saving money and doing so at an early age is. Because of this, the most important financial lesson to me is to start saving and start young, no matter how much money you have to start off. I am a 20-year-old college student that is racking up debt, but because I started saving money, I can hopefully pay my student loans off in a timely manner. On top of that, after paying off my loans, having money in my savings account can help me start my independence and help me live a more financially stable life at a younger age, rather than having to work myself to the bone and living paycheck to paycheck. My parents tell me everyday to save all the money I have, and no matter how much I want to spend my money, I listen to my mom and dad because I know they are looking out for me and want me to have a life different from their own, free of financial stress, debt, and instability.

Sipping wine in a mansion, flying in private jets, and owning luxury cars may sound like a dream to many, but for me, the dream life looks quite different. Yes, all of this stuff would be nice, but does it really help anyone? Not really. My dream life is one where I am able to help and educate people in both big ways and small. It does not matter to me where I work so long as I am making an impact, but that doesn’t mean I do not have big dreams and aspirations. With that being said, this, is what my dream life looks like: Waking up as the sun rises in Tokyo, Japan, I start my morning with a warm cup of tea. Later on in the morning, I am greeted by my wonderful husband and two beautiful children; I send my husband off to work, and my two children to school. Then, it’s my turn. I either walk, bike, or take public transportation to my job at an international educational institution. I’m not quite sure what exactly that would look like, but nevertheless, wherever I may work, my goal is the same: with my background in political science and international relations, my dream life is living in Japan, educating people on the importance of cultural awareness. I take advantage of my Puerto Rican-American heritage to teach Asian people of all ages about different hispanic cultures, American culture, and the importance of understanding people different from your own. Whether my influence reaches one person or a million, I will continue doing what I love, since in the end, Asia, America, and maybe even the world, will be more understanding and welcoming to all.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” Proverbs 31:25-26 Some people say that their moms are their rocks, but to me, she is my mountain. This woman has not only taught me how to be an independent woman and how to walk with God in my everyday life, but she has also shown me that it is okay to make mistakes in life as long as I do not let them define me. She has impacted my life in positive ways more times than I can remember; everything she says and does is for my benefit, and all of her life lessons were instrumental in shaping me into a strong, independent, loving young woman that fears God. Throughout all of my mom’s teaching, the one thing that impacted me most was her strength and unwavering faith in the Lord. My mother suffers Grave’s Disease, which is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system attacks the thyroid, causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones. Because of this, she has had surgery to remove her thyroid, and has to take multiple medications everyday for the rest of her life. Even through all of this, she still gets up everyday and works to provide for her four children. Seeing her go in and out of the hospital and visiting her hospital room every week at such a young age led me to having a not-so-normal childhood. I was sad, hurt, and angry at God: why would He do this to me? Why would He do this to my mom, someone who would never hurt a fly? Whether my mom was feeling great or feeling the worst pain of her life, whether she was having a good health day or had 20 needle pokes in her arm, my mom smiled through it all. She always told me to trust in the Lord, so I did. Seeing her unfaltering faith in God only made my faith stronger. Even when my mom was in the hospital, she always told me not to worry; her words only made me stronger, and made my faith stronger. The more she told me that everything would be okay, the more I believed her, and believed that God would work in our lives. If it weren’t for my mom, I would be a wreck; I would be weak, lonely, and turning to the world for comfort rather than believing in the Lord. My mom has gone through and continues to go through so much in front of me and behind closed doors, yet she always remains steadfast, strong, loving, and encouraging. She teaches me something new everyday, and does all that she can to help me succeed. Many people have come and gone throughout the years, but the one thing that has always remained the same in my 20 years of living is my mother – the one who raised me, the one who always loved me, the one who told me that everything will be okay, even if the whole world seemed to be falling apart. She is my world, and I look up to her everyday for inspiration and strength. I thank God everyday for blessing me with a mom like her. “Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Proverbs 31:28-29

Loving myself is something I have struggled with for many years; no matter how much my friends and family tell me I am beautiful and I am loved, it just never seems to penetrate the wall built around my heart and the fog that clouds my thinking. I still struggle with loving myself, but something important that I have learned is that I do not need to love my physical appearance in order for me to love myself: sure, today’s society may only judge people based on looks, but there is always more to a person than what is on the outside. With that being said, the thing I love about myself is my ability to love other things, and my determination to bring happiness to myself. I love that I am giving myself the time to learn how to love myself through my love for anime and manga, things that have saved my life on more occasions than I would like to admit. I love myself because I love anime? I know, not the most conventional answer, but at least hear me out: I do not have the best relationship with my family, nor do I have a lot of close friends I can talk to, so sometimes I need a shoulder to lean on; anime is that shoulder. Watching anime and collecting manga make me happy. It may not be a normal way of bringing about happiness, but it is what makes me happy, and that is what matters. I love that I have given myself something to lean on when I cannot lean on anyone or anything else. Being able to love something that tells me it is okay for me to want to live and be happy, that is what I love about myself.

I grew up in a house where hobbies were enjoyed by everyone and encouraged at a young age; my older brother plays baseball, my father collects comic books, my mother collects Peanuts items, my younger sister paints, and my younger brother recently started collecting Pokemon cards. As much as my family had their fun hobbies, if someone were to ask me what I enjoyed doing for fun ten years ago, the best answer I could give was doing homework. Back then, I did not have a consistent hobby; I was always trying new things, but nothing really stuck to me, nor could I keep it up for more than a few months. That is, until my best friend introduced me to something that no doubt changed my quality of life. When I was fourteen, my best friend introduced me to what would be my two favorite hobbies, which I still actively enjoy nearly ten years later: watching anime and collecting manga. I will be focusing on manga collecting, since I consider it as more of a hobby than anime watching. Although I started watching anime in seventh grade, I only started collecting manga a few years ago, around the time I started my freshman year of college. Starting my manga collection when I did really helped relieve the stress of college for me, and still does today. I enjoy manga collecting because, of course, I enjoy the medium; I used to read manga on my phone, but it never felt authentic. Reading manga is not the same as holding a manga book in your hands, physically flipping through every page with excitement and anticipation of what will happen next. I started collecting manga so that I can enjoy that kind of excitement you can only get from reading a physical book. I also enjoy manga collecting because it helps me make friends in school. I live at home, and commute to and from classes, making it hard for me to actually meet people. On top of that, I was recently diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, making it even more difficult for me to communicate with others. I feel at ease when I am talking about manga and anime, and some of my symptoms of anxiety go away. Even more, my hobby helps me create bonds with people that would be difficult for me to create on my own: I may not have a lot of friends in college, but the ones I do have I am close with because of our shared interests. My manga collection is something I can look forward to everyday when I wake up, when I am coming home from school, and when I am going to sleep. It is something that fills me with pride and joy, and something that cools my head when I am angry. It can get expensive at times, but to me, something that fills me with the kind of happiness that manga collecting does is worth every penny.

Title: Mid-School Crisis Songs: 1) The Title Track -- Origami Angel 2) Test Drive -- Joji 3) Stargazing -- The Neighborhood 4) Television/So Far So Good -- Rex Orange County 5) Daylily -- Movements