Ever since I was little, I've always loved to travel and stay in hotels. Whether it be that signature scent upon walking into the lobby of a hotel, to swimming in the pool, to even closing the blinds and preparing for bed, I've always loved every aspect of hotels and staying in them. As a result, ever since I was seven years old I knew that I wanted to take this passion with me into the real world and hopefully own or manage my own hotel one day. As a hotel manager, I plan to share my passion with all guests. Creating a positive guest experience is the epitome of the hospitality industry and is crucial to get guests to return. I want to see guests leaving my hotel with smiles on their faces, knowing that I helped them curate a memorable experience. Not only do I want my guests to return, but I genuinely care about them as people. As the manager, I can't wait to get the opportunities to engage with my guests and learn about them, whether it be their life experiences, family, challenges that they overcame, or anything that makes them the unique person that they are today. Every person has a story, and I cannot wait to relate with my guests and unlock their stories, which will in turn make me a better person. In all, I want to make the biggest impact in the world by creating a positive experience for guests, by getting to know them and relating with them. Positive guest interactions are extremely important to not only keep the business running, but to also humanize every person that walks through the front doors. After all, we all want to be heard and seen, and to aid people in that common human desire will fulfill me in all my future endeavors and goals.

I have learned so much from tennis. From the first time I made contact with those fuzzy rubber balls to the time that I earned my number 1 singles spot in high school, it has been a journey of self-improvement both in my physical skills and on a mental level. When I first started playing the game, I had no idea what I was doing. I would jump around and try to just make contact with the ball with my 20-year-old Target tennis racket. From this point forward, I knew that this was the sport I loved. As I grew with the sport, I became more skilled. My footwork improved, my accuracy improved, my speed improved, and I was overall playing at a higher level than before. As time went on, I became the player that I am today, with lightning-fast forehands, impeccable backhands, and smart footwork. However, what has been the greatest aspect of self-improvement for me would be my mental strength and growth. As mentioned by many people, tennis is a mental sport. You may have all the skills necessary to be a successful tennis player as outlined in the previous paragraph, but if you do not have any mental toughness, you simply cannot carry out all of your physical skills to the best of your ability. I'll be the first to admit that I used to be a hothead on the tennis court. If I missed a shot I would get so frustrated and I would get into a sort of funk that I could not get out of. This negatively affected my performance in the game and would put me at a disadvantage against my opponent. So, to combat this, I had to figure out what my problem was. As a wise person once told me "The first step to fixing your problem is admitting that you have one in the first place." So, I realized that I had an attitude issue while playing. So, instead of getting frustrated at every little thing that went wrong, I stop, take a deep breath, and encourage myself. I then address the issue and keep going with my life and the game. This mental self-improvement has been instrumental in the improvement and development of how I play. I'm able to keep a strong positive mental attitude which helps me play to the best of my ability. Not only is the mental improvement making a positive impact on how I play, but it will also play a major role in my future life. There will be many instances where frustrating experiences will arise and I will have to deal with them. One cannot handle frustrating experiences unless they are mentally "in it". Whether it's a problem with a coworker, a boss, my spouse, my child, a neighbor, or anyone else, I will need to be able to control myself, calm myself, and figure out in a sane and respectful manner how to best handle the situation. So yes, growing your skills is important if you want to become a tennis player. But those skills only apply to the game. Growing and developing your mental strength can be applied in the game as well as outside in your life, not only in the present but also in your future. A strong positive mental attitude will be instrumental and help you achieve success and get closer to your goals.