Euler's Method, created by Leonhard Euler, is a famous formula for approximating solutions to certain differential equations using a combination of line segments. To simplify, it's a mathematical way to measure the total distance of something by adding the distance a few steps at a time instead of finding the whole measurement altogether. I never really favored this Method; why couldn't I find the entire length distance using the distance formula instead of breaking it down into parts and going step by step? I never really understood the importance of this formula…well, not until recently. It's ten minutes before the end of my final AP Calculus exam, and I am nervous. I have excitedly (reluctantly) been able to answer most of these previous multiple-choice and open-ended questions except for one. "Use Five steps of a Method to approximate the solution to the differential equation with the given conditions." I pause, feeling overwhelmed with dread and inadequacy. I continuously tap my pencil on the paper, leaving black marks next to the empty text under the question. This burning, anxious feeling triggers other memories that share this exact feeling. In 9th grade, I had a panic attack after seeing my grade go down from an A to a C after a failing test grade. I broke to a lowest that I have never been before, overriding the constant signs of my declining mental health, all for a letter in a grade book. It was then that I realized that my crippling obsession with grades had put me in the wrong place where I needed to be. I should be enjoying the last moments of my teenage years, not endlessly watching my phone and waiting for an update on my grades. I want to find real friends, have picnics and movie nights, and gain a sense of found family. I want to get my driver's license and learn how to cook without burning food. I want to feel, not to be, an emotionless robot whose only contribution is grades. I put my pencil down, taking a deep breath. It's Euler's Method, calculating the solution using little steps. Coming out of that exam with an A, I finally understood that instead of looking at things on a bigger scale, I take them one step at a time. I decided to take a step back, turning off my grade notifications, understanding triggers for anxiety, and things that work for healthy productivity. I began to take small steps, like finding love in reading sappy rom-com novels, listening to podcasts, and understanding that working towards my path of greatness doesn't mean that I have to give up the joys of living. When coming into my life, I will focus on the greatness of my academics and put time and effort into creating a community I love being around. Being active with like-minded people, learning how to do specific skills, and being able to enjoy college life by making memories I'll never forget.

My favorite aspect of Minecraft is that it creates a world that enhances the enjoyment for kids and young adults everywhere and sparks inspiration and motivation for learning about and finding one’s life purpose. Starting with exploring the deep blue depths of the ocean, you can find an infinite amount of life, coral, and lost treasure. Minecraft allows people boldness and the desire to explore places many people can’t reach. Swimming with sea turtles, feeding the dolphins, encountering an unwelcome sea zombie, or finding an abandoned shipwreck helps us learn about the characteristics of sea life and also initiates a need to discover the hidden secrets, species, and history of the ocean, which would be considered the essential occupation of a marine biologist and (or) an oceanographer. If the sea is too scary for you to explore like some people (me), then I bet home crafting is something everyone enjoys. Although my only house was ever a dirt one underground, Minecraft gives an endless choice of house architecture. From a lovely brick house cottage to a modern dark spruce mansion, players can learn and experiment with building the house of their dreams based on choosing an exceptional environment, the shape of the house, and the different types of tiles; the game overall shows the fundamentals of how to create a great, structural, and stylish home. But the fun and learning do not just stop on the outside; filling the house with the personality makes a desired house desirable. Minecraft gives players all types of trinkets of art, pictures, pottery, books, carpeting, and many other personalized things to undoubtedly make each player’s house a home of their own, learning how to turn a dark house with four walls into a lively home with wise craftsmanship. I can confidently say that Minecraft has shifted many kids to become top-notch home interior and exterior designers. But for me, Minecraft has dramatically influenced my love and eagerness to uncover all the tricks and uses of engineering. Being introduced to red stone in the game opened a new place for creation and inventions. Not only does Minecraft give you the free space to learn the fundamentals of coding, but it also gives you the desire to branch outside to create things that people have yet to think about. Creating an exciting roller coaster using railroad tracks, a lever, and some red stone to zoom across the high and low depths of the map shows players simple coding to create machinery based on preferences and interests. I could create melodic tunes by researching how to make musical tiles of my favorite song based on the key of the music boxes, tiles, and the dreadful amount of red stone used. This game enhances my want for knowledge of the multitude of inventions I can complete within the game. From the beginning of Minecraft all the way to the present, this game helps players with what interests them and what they would enjoy doing as a life career. The game lets us be confident enough to make us have the desire to experience our engrossment in the natural world.