The USS Enterprise starship enters the screen, navigating through the darkness of cosmic space, lit only by far-off twinkling stars. Captain Kirk starts his voice-over with, “Space. The final frontier.” At the end of the opening credits, a woman sings a high opera note, and the Star Trek Original Series episode begins. I remember the day, six years ago, when my mother insisted I watch a Star Trek episode with her because she had been in love with the character of Captain Kirk when she was a teenager my age. By the end of the episode, I was the one hooked. The idea of exploring unknown frontiers fascinated me -- not just through starships, but through the systems that powered them. What intrigued me most was the intricate “brain” behind them, the logic and structure that controlled vast technology with precision -- the software. The television series inspired me to enroll in online computer science classes during middle school and high school. I wanted to understand how to write my own algorithms. To my mother’s displeasure, my desk was often messy with various algorithms I wrote for different programs, like a simulation of a bank with different accounts, which my sisters and I once used to manage our finances before we got a Greenlight credit card. In high school, I studied physics, both through classes and through clubs, and participated in programs about aerospace engineering, such as the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) at Johns Hopkins, striving to learn how to apply computer science to rockets. At Penn State, I’ve used my major’s Computer Science resources to found Parkner, a soon-to-launch mobile app that connects amusement park visitors. Working with a small team, I’ve led its development from concept to early-stage design. The project has taught me more than just coding; it has shown me how to lead, solve real problems, and translate an idea into a working product. After graduation, my dream is to work in product development or software engineering at a company focused on building technologies that connect and empower people -- whether that’s in transportation, space tech, or civic applications. Eventually, I hope to launch my own startup, innovating cutting-edge algorithms that combine efficiency, accessibility, and creativity, and make a good impact. I believe I’m a strong candidate for this scholarship not only because of my academic dedication -- maintaining a 3.61 Cumulative GPA and making the Dean’s List -- but also because I bring initiative, enthusiasm, and a commitment to meaningful innovation. For me, choosing Computer Science means choosing to follow my passion for building digital solutions that help shape a better world for future generations. With the support of this scholarship, I’ll continue pushing boundaries and building technology that improves people’s lives. And while my final frontier might still be out there, I am grateful to have the opportunity to explore it.

I push AirPods into my ears, my wistful gaze fixed on the passing scenery through the yellow bus's window, and listen in repeat to Olivia Rodrigo's song "Lacy" from her new album GUTS. The song paints a portrait of the idealized girl that many teenage girls like me see in their minds. Lacy is not just one girl; she represents the many perfect girls that surround me "everywhere." Their flawless physical attributes—skin "like puff pastry," "eyes white as daisies"—coupled with their likable personalities, "smart" and "sweet," can make me consumed by envy. There are days when I feel as though I can never measure up to all of the Lacys, an issue that is exacerbated through social media. Their carefully selected photos and TikToks with the stunning filters that they upload to their accounts make them look divine, as if they are "made of angel dust." I cannot be fully satisfied even when I achieve a meaningful goal, like volunteering or writing a new poem or story. Instead, I compare myself to what I perceive to be the impossible standards that the "Lacys" set- they "poison every little thing that I do." Despite my attempts to remain positive and avoid comparisons, jealousy "takes over my life" as they seem to be effortlessly excelling in every aspect of life. While these girls never wronged me (with most of them probably not even aware of my name,) my mind often plays tricks on me, convincing me they are somehow conspiring against me and are "out to get me." The ironic part is that although I envy all of the Lacys out there because they are everything I wish to be, I still cannot help but love and "worship" them in "my rotten mind" as much as everyone else does. It is much more difficult to despise nice and friendly girls than condescending, mean ones. They end up being a bittersweet torture, "the sweetest thing on this side of hell." A particular feature in the song that I especially admire is how the initially subtle, darker undertones gradually escalate, becoming increasingly prominent. It mirrors how I am often trapped in a loop of negative thoughts, and the longer it takes me to break free, the more noticeable these toxic voices in my head get. The way she delivers the song and the quiet, delicate voice she uses flips my stomach. She sounds chilling and creepy, which is the sensation most teenage girls get when they obsessively think about the Lacys in their lives and compare themselves to them. Olivia Rodrigo's song "Lacy" captures the deepest insecurities teenagers grapple with, exposing the struggle to navigate the complex maze of self-acceptance and societal standards. It conveys the constant pain in our souls to become the idealized girl we are expected to be, the "Lacy" we aspire to become, with the cost of potentially losing our identity in the process.