My dream is to become a musician who can inspire hope and change amongst others. I also plan to work alongside my brothers with their future endeavors as well. To do this, I decided to go to college to learn more about music and psychology as well as improving my vocal skills.

When going back to school, it's always important to have the books we need for our classes. However, these books can cost over $150, with the prices rising with every new edition. This already becomes problematic when some students may not have enough money for the books, or worse, the books they need are already sold out. I remember my first semester of college, I had to pay over $200 worth of books, just for that semester alone. Books are one of the main contributors to the financial stressors for college students. Luckily, there are other options that can help out college students. First off is finding out what books you will need for your future classes. But before buying them at the college bookstore, try finding them on other websites for a cheaper price (Ex. Chegg, Campus Book Rentals, etc.). You could also try other local bookstores and libraries to see if they'll have the books your looking for. Additionally, you may run into other college students who may be willing to share their book with you, or if they no longer need it, they'll give it to you. @ice_dragon29

When I was in middle school, I was listening to some music made by a rock band called Skillet. One day, my mom walked in on me and asked what I was doing, so I showed her one of Skillet's songs that I was listening to with this self-conscious fear of what she might think of me afterward. Yet I was surprised to find out that not only did she like the music but that they were also her favorite band. What made this discovery even better was that her mother had a hearing for music, and she started telling me these stories of how she would play all kinds of songs on the piano in public and at their house. Hearing those stories of my grandmother bringing a sense of joy and peace into people's hearts, including the hearts of her family, has brought a greater love of music for me and still does to this day. Not only that, but her stories inspired me to become an influencer of music. I plan to inspire hope and change amongst others with the power of music.

My talent is singing, but it didn't become a talent until I joined my high school's choir at the start of my first year. In all honesty, I was a bit of a trainwreck. I could not match most of the pitches, my vowels were not round enough, and I did not understand the music theory well, leaving me unable to read music. But one day, I received an email from my choir teacher. It was for my parents, but I ended up reading it accidentally. The main context of the email was that I should pursue another class instead of being in the choir. After reading the email, something within me finally clicked as if Shia Labeouf was screaming at me, "Just DO IT." From that day on, I kept the email to myself and started to pull my weight. Whether the sun began to rise or set, I went to every choir practice before and after class. And whatever I lacked in reading comprehension for music, I made up with my hearing so I could get it to pitch-perfect. Additionally, I also picked up on music vocab terms and their meanings so that I could better my music reading. I was more than prepared for my first concert and felt overly excited to perform with the other choir students. And afterward, I was proud of myself for persevering' knowing that my and the rest of the choirs' hard work paid off in the end. Also, I am grateful that my choir teacher helped me in my goal to become a better singer. Even now, I am persevering through all my challenges toward my goal of music.

I remember a time in high school when my parents could not pick me up from school, so my mom told me to call a taxi. I walked home that day instead. It was not out of spite towards my parents or my inability to call a cab. I walked home because I wanted an excuse to enjoy the fresh air, to feel the sun's rays on my arms and face. To take in the scenery as I walked back towards the house with my backpack on my shoulders. Walking where I need to go is something I do not mind even when it tires me out because I use those walks as opportunities to enjoy the nature around me. I enjoy experiencing the different seasons outside the comforts of the indoors, winter being my favorite out of all the seasons. The funny story is that most people I have met share a great dislike for the cold season, which I will not judge, but I have always found the chilling air more grounding. And the sparkling snow can inspire all kinds of exciting ideas, including mischief. But the main reason I appreciate nature so much is that it reminds us that we are still here. When I look at fields of grass that encompass flowers, leaves, and trees of all shapes and sizes, it reminds me that I am still on this Earth. Nature reminds me that I can make a difference in the world.

During my first year of college, I had my first exam for my psychology class coming up. Unfortunately, I was not the best at managing my time, nor could I keep the focus on my studies very well. Two days before the test, I went to the store with my brother to get groceries for my dorm. On our way back, I explained my worries about the upcoming exam, and he offered me a few study strategies that worked for him. One of these strategies involved making a practice test of my own with the study material from class. After he dropped me off at my dorm, I immediately put this strategy into motion for the next two days. First, I came up with questions about the study material. I also included true/false and fill-in-the-blank questions as an added challenge. After writing down thirty-forty questions, I would answer those questions without looking at the answers. Finally, I would check the answers to those questions, and if I got some questions wrong, I would study the answers more carefully; so I was more prepared for the actual exam. On the day of the exams, I felt more confident with answering the questions and received a good score. So I continued using this strategy for other exams when and if applicable, getting good scores throughout the school year. Additionally, I tried to study outside my dorm room more frequently as I have learned that doing so gives a person better focus.

1. Because I really wanted it. 2. My academic goals are to achieve Es in school, because it's the one letter grade that gets constantly ignored and it needs love too. Plus, its technically not failing, so its still a win-win. 3. One summer day, I had to overcome the struggles of a final boss for a video game. Unfortunately, all of my tactics were proven fruitless so I decided to activate plan Z. Turning off the PS4 and never playing again.

I remember my mom found one of her old phones, it looked similar to a flip phone, but it had a slide-out keyboard instead. The phone also contained pictures and videos of us when we were younger. One of those videos happened to be me playing a toy guitar while bouncing around shouting, "I wanna be a rock star," along with other make-shift lyrics I could not decipher. Seeing this at first felt embarrassing, but later on, be something I will never forget. In middle school, I grew attached to a band named Skillet, and I loved listening to one of their songs, Awake and Alive. But my mother had found out about it one day, which scared me. I always felt insecure about the type of music I listened to, so I was surprised to hear her say it was one of her favorite bands. She even told me stories of how her mother had an ear for music and always played the piano in public. I had more music appreciation and opened myself up to other genres and artists. My love for music grew further when I joined the choir at the start of high school. It took a lot of practice to better my vocal skills, but eventually, that hard work paid off. But the best part of that experience was getting to sing in the May concerts, where we spread messages of love, hope, equality, and change through the power of music. One of my favorites was when we collaborated with another choir for a may concert titled, Breaking Barriers. Singing with both choirs made my soul fly higher than ever. Although my graduation year ended on a sour note with the global pandemic, I am still glad I spent four years singing in an inspirational choir with an inspiring teacher. These memoirs of music are something I cherish every day because they give me hope that things will get better if we keep trying. Thinking of the kid that wanted to be a rock star was the start towards becoming one myself. The stories about my grandmother's passion for music gave me the courage to find that musical gene within my blood. The years I spent with my high school choir showed me the impacts of the hope created by music. Music has given me hope since I was a child, and I hope to bring hope to others through the power of music.

When my thoughts have become overwhelming, I like to take a minute or two to stop what I'm doing and collect my inner thoughts. Then I would go to YouTube and watch some of my favorite YouTubers to help calm my nerves. Some of them include Thomas Sanders, The Try Guys, and Game Grumps. They've always managed to put a smile on my face, especially on days when I was at my lowest, and I hope to meet a few of them in person one day to thank them for making me laugh. I also like to pace around my home 2-3 times a day because it helps me feel active, and I have read reports on the many benefits pacing can provide. Additionally, I found that journaling can also be a great way to regulate a person's thoughts and can be beneficial on an emotional level. Instead of using a notebook, I used the journal app, Alan Mind, since I like to keep my privacy, so I felt more secure with my thoughts on my device.

Two of my favorite hobbies are cooking and singing because I find them enjoyable and relaxing. I even thought of pursuing culinary arts at some point but decided to strive towards a musical career instead. I enjoy cooking different recipes now and then, but it can be tasking, not to mention expensive. However, singing is something that I've felt deeply rooted within me and is something I wish to use to give inspiration to future generations. Other hobbies I enjoy are playing video games on the Nintendo Switch, including some of my favorites: Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Persona 5. I often use video games to de-stress by immersing myself in virtual reality. Although, I do love playing multiplayer with my brothers sometimes. Video games also helped me meet other gamers like myself from other gaming communities, including the gaming club at the college I am currently attending.

My talent is singing, but it didn't become a talent until I joined my high school's choir at the start of my first year. When I first started, I could not get a single pitch right and could barely keep up with the rest of the choir. So I decided to go to after-school practices to better my voice and memorize all the song pieces we were practicing for concerts. My voice had improved a lot throughout my high school years. When I went to Concordia, I took some voice lessons to adjust my voice where it needed improvements the most. Since then, I've been attempting to practice more with singing by using the tips & tricks my teachers have taught me. One of the things I practice while singing is breathing techniques since I struggle most with my breath intake when singing. When going over a score, I usually focus on the parts where I lose air support and go over those areas until I get the required air when singing. Additionally, I work on releasing that air when singing without letting it get stuck towards the back of my mouth. These would include: reminding myself not to dip my tongue when singing, keeping my mouth open wide enough to let air out, trying not to anticipate the next pitch while singing, and being confident in my voice when performing in front of an audience.

These photos are from the “Breaking Barriers” concert. It was a collaboration project about equality and love involving the choir of Lincoln Senior High School, Patrick Henry High School choir, Darnell Davis, and guest gospel singers Tonia Hughes and Robert Robinson. In one photo is the the Patrick Henry high school choir. The other photo, from left to right, is me, Kailee Vigen, Tonia, and Aly Karpov. This was one of the best concerts I have ever performed and if I was given a chance to do it again, I would gladly take that chance.