I have challenged myself academically in high school by maintaining high A’s in my honors and AP classes, while also participating in clubs and volunteer work. For all the assignments I get at school, I always try my hardest. Just maintaining a 90% in any of my classes isn’t my goal. The goal I set for myself is to have the highest grade I can possibly have, so my grades can reflect my efforts. When it comes to volunteering, whether it be through musical performance, service to schools in my community, or service to my local shelter, I put this same effort in. I am the vice president of a music club at my school, and also the president of my school’s chamber orchestra. This means I have more responsibilities than usual. Along with these responsibilities, I have to practice pieces at home. I perform at senior homes in the community with my club, and at concerts with my orchestra. I am also in a volunteer club that allows me to help local elementary and middle schools with events. This club has a 10-hour service requirement per semester as well. While maintaining straight A’s in difficult classes, practicing music, and helping schools in the community, I also volunteer at my local animal shelter at least three times a month for at least two hours per visit. Despite the challenge it brings, I am committed to helping not only my school but also my community.

In my opinion, playing games with friends or family is always more fun than playing them alone. When my brother and I got Samsung tablets for Christmas as kids, we begged our parents to let us buy Minecraft on them. Our parents agreed, and my brother and I would spend hours building houses with crazy materials, making rollercoasters, and taming tons of wolves. It was super fun to have the opportunity to do anything we wanted in the game with enough creativity. Eventually, my brother and I got bored of the game and stopped playing. Years passed and then in 2020, the pandemic started. My school friends wanted to make sure we stayed in touch despite not being able to see each other every day, so we called through Discord every day after online school ended. On weekends and school breaks, we played tons of games together including Jackbox, Gartic Phone, and Minecraft. Minecraft was a group favorite, mainly because we all had one “survival multiplayer server”, or an SMP. So much love was put into that world, with my friends and I creating a community in the game that was like our own utopia. We all had our rooms, pets, and materials in one giant home. This Minecraft world was something we all came back to often, whether it be individually, in groups, or all together. If more than one person was playing on the server at a time, it was most likely they were on a voice call together. On the best nights, we would all join one call together and play for hours having fun and forgetting about any worries we had in the real world. We each contributed something to the world to make it more unique or practical, such as stables for our horses or decorative ponds with tropical fish. We went on adventures exploring caves, mineshafts, and biomes together. On the nights when we stayed up super late grinding experience points, we would all join Spotify listening parties and have meaningful conversations. Despite not seeing my friends in person at all for months, I felt closer to them than ever before. The combination of being forced to stay inside and the existence of multiplayer servers in Minecraft helped me strengthen and even create friendships that still last to this day. For this reason, my favorite aspect of the game is by far the survival multiplayer feature. All of the days and nights spent playing on this server with friends created memories I will cherish forever.

In the second grade, I asked my mom if I could get singing lessons. I don’t think she ever expected me to develop a deep passion for music that would last for years to come. After all, it was a Barbie movie that sparked my desire to learn how to sing (I was a very impressionable kid.) I went through many phases of extracurricular activities as a kid: ballet, karate, basketball, you name it. However, after receiving singing lessons, and eventually piano lessons, I was hooked on music. It all started when I was seven years old. As the years have passed, I’ve gained more experience in music. I have realized that music is, without a doubt, my passion. What I didn't realize was that it also helped shape the way I view the world. Music has helped me see the world in a more positive and meaningful light. It brings meaning to my life, and I can see how it brings meaning to the lives of others. Hearing how music becomes an important part of someone’s life is heartwarming to me. Everyone has a story, shaped by their experiences and choices. Bringing music into their life is a simple yet important choice. People enjoy music through different mediums. They listen to it, perform it individually or as a group, or even create it from scratch. My second favorite way of experiencing music is listening to it on speakers or headphones. My absolute favorite way of experiencing music is performing it with others. Performing with others is an experience unlike any other. To me, there is nothing that can replace the immense feeling of satisfaction and joy I feel when doing so. I feel free, like I was born just to experience moments like these. Knowing I can create something so beautiful with an instrument in my hands is something I will never take for granted. It is something I want to experience for the rest of my life, no matter what path I choose. Listening to music doesn't take time or effort, but playing a musical instrument does. I want to be able to play my violin or guitar, even when I feel that I don't have time. Without being able to play music, I am not complete. I truly believe that this is the case for musicians everywhere. Knowing that I’m not the only person who feels this way and that other people find immense joy through music, has shaped the way I view the world in an optimistic and hopeful light. Communities of musicians exist all across the globe. These communities share a common love for something so simple and beautiful. Even though the world can be chaotic, music will always continue to impact people, bring them together, and bring joy. Music transcends time, cultures, and other barriers, connecting people near and far. The effects of music will always help me see the world in a more positive and hopeful light.