The book I believe everyone should read is A. A. Milne’s Winnie-The-Pooh. This book is a very significant part of pop culture, it’s a fun story with lovable characters, and it has a strong philosophical and emotional depth. The knowledge and understanding of pop culture is an important skill for everyday interactions in society. Pop culture serves as a common ground and it enables young people to build connections with others. Being aware of significant pop culture references allows younger generations to bridge gaps and fosters a sense of community with those from older generations. Pop culture also plays a significant role in shaping identities. Individuals can find elements that resonate with their own experiences, contributing to the formation of their identities. The characters and stories of Winnie-The-Pooh have a timeless and universal appeal. Winnie-The-Pooh and his friends have become iconic figures in popular culture. The story is not only cross-generational but cross-cultural being recognizable and cherished globally. The ability of the stories to connect with multiple generations and cultures fosters a shared cultural experience within families and transcends cultural boundaries. The iconic characters of Winnie-The-Pooh distinct personalities and endearing qualities have rightfully made the book timeless. The characters are considered so great due to their sincerity and the meaningful relationships they share. Each character has a complexity and depth that allows them to resonate with all readers. Their flaws and genuine relationships make them relatable and shows the importance of embracing individual differences. Despite A. A. Milne’s book being a children’s story, he has created a book containing philosophical and emotional depth. The stories address important developmental themes, like empathy and emotional intelligence. The characters struggle with issues such as kindness, friendship, and self-discovery. The simplicity of the narrative allows readers of all ages to find meaning in the stories. In summary, the book I believe everyone in the world should read would be A. A. Milne’s Winnie-The-Pooh due to its cultural significance, iconic characters, and emotional depth. This book rightfully holds a special place in the hearts of many readers in the world and I believe it will continue to captivate readers for a long time.

A hot Chai tea latte will always make me nostalgic and holds a special place in my heart. My go to order at Starbucks in the fall and winter months has almost always been a hot chai tea latte ever since my older brother introduced them to me back in high school. The warm blend of spices will always make me think back on my first one I ever shared with my brother. My siblings and I are very close and I treasure every memory I have of them. They were my first friends and are my biggest supporters in pursuing a higher education. I still share a chai tea latte at least once a year with my brother now that I live in a different city than him, but every time I get one in the fall I feel that warmth I get when I am able to see and spend time with my siblings. The warmth I feel when drinking chai tea lattes truly helps me to feel the comfort of home on my loneliest days. I moved to a new city and started graduate school this year. While I still I’ve in the same state I no longer have the luxury of driving ten minutes down the road to see my brother when I have a bad day or just need a good laugh. There have been many stressful and lonely moments for me this year and having a small comfort to fall back on, to feel that nostalgic warmth, has been more important than ever. Knowing that, that feeling is just a sip away is a small but important comfort in such an important and difficult time for me. My midterms this year were fueled on Starbucks warm chai tea lattes and it was not only the caffeine that got me through them but that familial comfort of knowing I had people back home rooting for me and wishing for my success. While I did not get to enjoy a warm chai tea latte with my brother this fall I was able to share one with him this holiday season while I was back in my home town. I know when I get that lonely feeling in the coming semester and years of graduate school I will have a way to feel some familial comfort when I really need it by picking up my brother and I’s favorite drink, a warm chai tea latte.

Travel has always been an important thing for my family and I really believe my experiences abroad have helped to shape me into who I am today and why I have the beliefs I do. I have traveled to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Austria, Prague, Turkey, and Egypt. Getting exposure to all of these different cultures has been the most fulfilling opportunity that I am so grateful to have be able to have. Each place has really shown me how different and beautiful each culture really is. From the cenotes in Mexico, the ocean life in the Dominican Republic, the art in Germany, the castles in Austria and Prague, the Mosques in Turkey, and the temples in Egypt I feel deeply blessed that I have been able to immerse myself in so many different cultures. In each place I was able to learn more about the people who live there and a bit about the history of the places we stayed. My first solo trip was in Germany, and I stayed with locals in smaller farm towns, and in some bigger cities. Each place offered a completely different experience and I truly was able to immerse myself in the art and culture of southern and northern Germany. One of my most magical experiences of that trip was in a small farming town of southern Germany where a group of elder Germans sang traditional christmas songs in a small cafe. Getting to see something like that is a memory that I will deeply treasure and I believe it is one of the reasons I like to try and find out as much about a places culture and history as a can before going. I want to find small and special moments like that everywhere I go. On my most recent trip I went to Turkey and Egypt. The culture there is so deeply rooted in history and beautiful. Touring some of the truly beautiful mosques in Turkey was such an amazing experience that I would not trade for anything. Touring the ancient temples and tombs in Egypt was something I have always wanted to do and getting the opportunity to do so is something I will always be appreciative for. The deeply rooted history of Egypt and its mythos has held my interest since I was in middle school and to be able to appreciate the amazing feats of mathematical genius displayed in the works there was truly humbling. We went during Ramadan and got to really experience a beautiful time to be in these two countries. Seeing the gatherings at the end of the day (Iftar) was an amazing experience and culturally something I deeply appreciated. Being able to travel and experience other cultures is a beautiful thing and something I will continue to prioritize in my life so I can be a more well rounded and welcoming person to people of all backgrounds. Traveling will open your eyes to the beauty of each culture and why it’s so important to learn and respect more than just what your home country will teach you.

If my year had a soundtrack the songs Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version), This Love (Taylor’s Version), Shake it Off (Taylor’s Version), and Clean (Taylor’s Version) would be on it. Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version) is representative of all of the months of this year through July. I moved to Dallas to start law school in July and the lyrics “It’s been waiting for you,” really embodies how I felt starting the next chapter of my life. The song just has such an upbeat and hopeful feeling behind it and I feel like that really embodies how I had felt in that waiting period. It also parallels in the fact that I moved to a new city, Dallas instead of New York, that’s bigger than where I grew up. This love (Taylor’s Version) and Clean (Taylor’s Version) both really represent me taking this next step in my life and committing to this huge change on my own. I moved leaving behind my family and friends. I started therapy for the first time and am really starting to create a life not just worth living but enjoying. I have discovered so much about myself and what I want to do. Taylor’s lyrics, “these hands had to let it go free and this love came back to me,” really reflect that for me. The entirety of Clean (Taylor’s Version) speaks to me on a very deep and personal level and listening to it really feels like getting cleansed by a rain or a breath of fresh air. In starting this new chapter of my life it has been very important to me to, “finally be clean.” I also started my sober journey this year, five months, and I really love her lyric “ten months sober I must admit just because you’re clean don’t mean you don’t miss it. Ten months older I won’t give in. Now that I’m clean I’m never gonna risk it.” I made myself the promise to no longer drink for health reasons and I have never felt better. I’m excited to reach the point of saying I have been sober for ten months. Shake it Off (Taylor’s Version) would have to go on my soundtrack because every time that song comes on I have to scream/sing along to it due to nostalgia. I love the message behind this song and how fun it is. I listened to this a lot on the drive to therapy after school this year. Coming from a childhood of divorce, abuse, and bullying I really relate to the ideas in this song. I also am a member of the LGBTQ+ so the idea of shaking it off and continuing to live your life is a very powerful message to me.

A movie about a shadowy CIA agent on the run from a psychopathic mercenary with a fantastic soundtrack is sure to have you wanting more. In the movie The Gray Man we get not only a thrilling story about agent “Sierra Six” but we also get to enjoy a classic and fun soundtrack to go along with it. In this story Six finds out an unsavory secret about the agency and due to this he has become a target from the very agency he works for. Mercenaries and massive bounties creates a fun and engaging story that helps show that Six really has to rely on himself to ensure that the information he has found can be discovered. We get to enjoy colorful scenes around the world in this movie. From the United States, Bangkok, Prague, and Croatia we get to enjoy the multiple different beautiful shots from around the world in this story. While the movie is classified as an action/thriller the movie also has a fun and comedic side to it. This is shown through out the movie but also reflects in the punchy music chosen to pair with the gripping scenes. Silver bird by Mark Lindsay, Spinning Wheel by Shirley Bassey, and the Oogum Boogum Song by Brenton Wood are just some of the great songs in this movie that allow the fun nature of the movie to really shine through all of the heavy action scenes. Growing up on James Bond, Jason Bourne, and other similar movies has allowed my love for action spy movies to grow and The Gray Man is definitely a new and instant classic for this genre of movie. The story is engaging through out and the character work is great. If the story alone isn’t enough to get the attention of watchers the choice is cast will be sure to draw in even those who don’t trend towards these types of movie. Ryan Gosling, being the it boy in Hollywood after his performance in the Barbie movie, is sure to bring in many people who would not normally be drawn to this kind of movie. Chris Evans will help draw in more due to his big name and known history of action movies, though his casting in this movie was refreshing for is casting archetype. Ana De Armas has made a name for herself as an action/thriller actress and any fan of hers would be thrilled with her performance in this movie. In short this movie has an engaging story with gratuitous action scenes but still retains a fun and punchy element through its soundtrack and great casting choices.

In October of 2009, my father was arrested for improper photography (of my sister and four of her friends earlier that summer, before they went to high school.) Following the arrest, children’s protective services special investigators pulled me from class to ask me questions about my father. It was during this month and year of my life that I realize that my family was different than others, and that abuse was not normal. What I believed to be normal at the age of thirteen was really considered abuse. I thought everyone’s father treated them the same way we, my siblings and I, were treated. In our house you were hit, and it was always your fault if you were. You might get hit for any number of reasons (including just being in the wrong place when father was mad). In one of countless similar instances, I talked back at the dinner table. I was then kicked in the back, dragged by my neck into his garage, and locked in there (in the dark, and the Texas Summer heat) for over an hour. My siblings suffered as well, on one occasion, my father, threw my brother down the stairs at his house, and he frequently hit my sister. This abuse was so regular that it became normalized. I still loved my family and loved my dad. My parents divorced in 2007, roughly two years prior to the arrest (and a year before the improper photography). My mother, nearly escaping the abuse herself, had been terrified to speak up about the abuse due to fears for her own personal safety. Hence, joint custody was granted, and every other week we now had to endure his abuse without the thin veil of protection, provided by my mother. After his rest, the situation only worsened for me personally. My CPS required therapist told me it was my fault for aggravating the situation with my father by pushing my dad too far. My friends were no longer allowed to be my friends (per their parents). At 13, while in middle school, I suddenly felt dirty, unclean, and somehow damaged, following the intense ostracizing by my friends and classmates. Ultimately, after his arrest, we were removed from joint custody and placed solely with my mother, but that didn’t change the fact that we had lingering scars. My father was never charged for anything related to the years of physical abuse he put my brother, my sister, and I through, nor were there repercussions for him for the years of emotional abuse, and it’s long-term consequences. We simply fell through the cracks of the system and were left to carry the lifelong pain and trauma; alongside the new blow that we didn’t matter enough to anyone in authority to invoke action, a feeling that we just weren’t important enough of a case for there to be action taken on our behalf. It is because of my past experiences that I am studying law. I am motivated by a desire to see justice through to the end, to ensure that there are no faults in the system, and that no other child’s case slips through the cracks. I want to help solve problems. I want to help others, especially those who are hurting or scared. I also want to share my passion for change and make a difference. I believe that through my past experiences, I have the insight to be that person that I wish had been there for me, for my brother, and for my sister.