Mykenzi_19

When I was getting ready for my first job interview, I anxiously researched common interview questions and how to prepare my answers. One question that stood out to me was "what is your greatest weakness?" Every site I looked at suggested using a weakness that could be viewed as positive; the most common weakness suggested was perfectionism. While working too arduously to achieve perfection is negative, it shows you strive for excellence. Their definition didn't reflect my own definition, the definition of a fear of being imperfect that was so profound, that it defined and controlled my life. Everyone strives to do their very best work, but not everyone allows the fear of imperfection to dominate their lives. For years I let the fear of being imperfect control me; every day I faced situations where perfectionism would overtake me. In class, I would shrink down in the belief that everyone else had a much better answer. Being assigned an essay is never fun, but knowing it would mean writing as many versions as I could handle and then hating them all only made the assignment worse. I excelled in math, but if I didn't plug everything into a calculator, even something as simple as two plus three, seven different times I would refuse to believe I had done a problem right. The fear grew so overwhelming that I would rather not try and fail than do a less-than-perfect job. After my junior year of high school, I knew I needed to make a change. I was going to be a senior which meant the real world was right around the corner. I was not going to be able to succeed if I continued to focus on being perfect. For once, I refused to limit myself academically, knowing fully that I was only being held back by fear, so I registered for all Honors and AP classes. Then I worked on my self-doubt, and now if I have an answer to a question I say it because being wrong is okay. Throughout the past school year, I have changed so much about myself. I push myself to strive for greatness, but don't let my imperfections weigh me down. Learning to trust yourself after years of doubt is difficult, but by pushing myself I've built trust and confidence in myself. I'm more confident in what I'm doing, and I no longer value myself to be below everyone else. I’ve grown to challenge fear rather than cower behind it. One of the most important lessons I have learned this year is that mistakes aren't the end of the world and that they often contribute to growth. In order to improve myself, mistakes must be made. I learned to challenge myself and put myself out there even when I'm not confident. I now know I am capable, and I am committed to continuing to push myself to grow, even with imperfections. Living in constant doubt of yourself drains your ability to produce quality work and succeed. I always knew perfectionism was a problem, but I didn't have the courage to overcome it, or so I thought. I’ve learned my true capabilities and strength, and that growth is still possible even when I don’t meet my expectations. This past year has allowed me to grow beyond limits I never imagined possible and has taught me that being a perfectionist only holds me back.

Imagine being able to slip into a completely different world; a world where the human imagination can be stretched beyond its limits. Well nowadays you don't have to imagine, with augmented and virtual reality at our fingertips, this once crazy idea is now readily available. Virtual reality is a new technology that I am very excited about. Having the ability to place someone in a world where they can interact and be in an environment that isn't actually there is insane. Virtual Reality allows us to have endless possibilities with how we use it. It can be anything you want it to be, and it can do anything you want it to. Virtual reality shows it potential through the many applications in which it is currently being used in. I thought first person video games were cool when I started playing them, but with virtual reality you can have a full immersion in the game. Virtual reality video games aren't just fun, they're educational. VR is being used to train med students without the risk of injuring someone. It is being used in schools to take children on field trips, and not just to cool monuments, but to outer space and the solar system. Virtual reality is already being used in many world bettering ways, but I think it stands to be used in a more impactful way than it already is. There are so many people in a situation where they can't leave a place like the elderly, chronically ill people, hospital patients, etc... . In a world with VR people bound to a place wouldn't be bound to a place, and that is great. VR has great potential for our world; it is being being used in so many ways that don't fully tap into its abilities. In years to come, like all tech, the kinks will be worked out in VR and it will become better. A future with VR allows us to have so many possibilities. VR allows us to socialize with each other in a body-like form. It allows us to experience and be in places from the comfort from our home. VR is so exciting to me because it has endless possibilities and is bound to change the way we live our lives today for the better. The future will be a world where sliding on a headset. And that to me is thrilling.

61% of people in America don't have enough money to cover a $1,000 emergency. That means that a little over 200 million people in the U.S can't afford an emergency like a car repair or medical bill. This statistic is why the best piece of advice I've received was "Start saving young". Many people brush off teaching kids to save young as they don't have jobs, but in my experience it has been very useful. Because I started saving young I have, at 16, managed to save up enough money to purchase myself a decent used car, or to use for an apartment when the time comes. It also has helped me become one of the 39% that have enough money to cover a $1000 emergency bill. By learning how to save money, I have not only prepared myself for a potential emergency in my future, but I have also gained great skills. Since beginning to save money, I have become more mindful of my purchases. I tend to focus on only buying things I really need or that I think would provide significant benefit to my life. It has also taught me about a lot about budgeting. Since getting a job with a more steady flow of income, I feel prepared on how to manage my cash. By beginning to save money when you are young, it allows you to have a bit of financial security when you begin your move towards independence, and it also teaches you some very vital personal finance skills. By adopting this advice in my life I have a good savings for my future, and I have gained a considerable amount of skills to aid in my advancement towards financial freedom.