Gravity Falls has had the biggest impact on me. In what appears to be simple children’s programming, they achieve landmarks in showcasing complex moral dilemmas and expert characterization, while still maintaining a structure easily followed by children that in no way reduces the value of the overall content. The series actively encourages viewers to speculate, to investigate all the strange goings-on in this quaint northwestern town. The Pines twins Dipper and Mabel take on challenges and learn moral values in the end but also include humor to keep the content friendly and engaging. It’s a visual triumph powered by witty writing and a stellar voice cast, but it’s also a continuation of Disney Television Animation’s epic legacy.

Friendships are easily one of the best things you could have in life. Friendship is a celebration of your similarities and differences to others, and loving them for the ways your minds meet and the way they are astoundingly different. I believe that friendships are a privilege, especially when you find that one person to call your best friend. Being able to connect with someone mentally can be super challenging. With my bestfriend it took us years to fully understand how different we were but also how we can connect/talk to one another. Having a friendship means you get to learn about a new person in every way possible. I look for people in life that have goals to travel and live life freely. I feel that I connect best with that crowd where life is so much fun and stress free. Once I get older I understand that I can't always think this way but being young is the best time for me to meet people who enjoy these simpler things in life.

One of the most authentic ways of staying true to myself is how I dress and where I get my clothing from. My style speaks volumes on its own. I love wearing bright colors and I am not shy about layering them. I live with 5 other girls and my closet is known as the "fun" closet. It is the perfect place to play dress up in. I am a fashion design major so I am passionate about my outfits speaking for my personality. I thrift 100% of my clothes whether it is at Goodwill, or buying on Depop or Poshmark. I am passionate about staying sustainable. Covid-19 has changed the way we were living and gives us more time to appreciate what the earth has given to us. By continuing to stay sustainable I am feeling happy that I can help our earth as well as buying/finding unique pieces of clothing for myself.

I have definitely faced many challenging obstacles in life. One that still sticks to me is my physical appearance. It is not nearly as bad as what it used to be but I still have my moments of insecurity when I go shopping or look into the mirror. I spent all of high school and a little into college wearing a full face of makeup. It wasn't until recently where I needed to let it go and let my skin clear up of all the acne and embrace being natural. Clairo's music is poetic and soft. It simply hits all of the right beats and creates a great sound. The song "Pretty Girl" and "Flaming Hot Cheetos" speak about moments of trying to look and be someone you are not while also trying to please others. I always felt like I had to look a certain way to get approval from others. The lyrics "I was so blinded by you, now I cry Just thinking 'bout the fool that I was" speak real truth about trying to look good for someone else. Another obstacle that I still face is my mental health. My anxiety has always been my worst enemy. I have let my mind lose itself so many times and the panic attacks that I have to overcome are some of the scarier moments when battling my anxiety. My roommates are my biggest motivation to stay strong. We all struggle with mental health and find ourselves always diving into deep consersations about it. We continue to motivate each other with strong words of encouragement as well as talking about dreams/goals in life. I also write a lot of poetry. My poems mostly talk about my anxiety and fear of losing friendships. Writing is one of my silent stress relievers. I absolutely love the song "Alewife". It usually puts me into tears. I strive to have friends that will continue to reach out to me later in life to check in. The story of "Alewife" and the way it was produced has such an incredible ethereal sound. The lyrics are so touching. This song speaks out about helping your friends when they are in such need. I have been that friend who has stopped someone from taking their own life and I am a sister who has helped my brother from that. The adrenaline from those feelings in that moment is indescribable and this song by Clairo speaks from the other perspective. It speaks from both perspectives in such different ways but it connects so well together.

A few bucket list ideas that I have been able to achieve so far is going on a cross country roadtrip and learning/ speaking fluently in another language. This past winter break I visited a friend out in California and the plan was to drive back home to New Jersey before Christmas. We were able to stop and see the beautiful red rocks of Zion National Park, to the Bean in Chicago, all the way to the Delaware Water Gap and hike a trail. I love to travel and sight see so this was the perfect trip for me. In high school I started to take Italian and continued with it all the way through my senior year. I was partially fluent due to the amount of practice I continued with it. I was able to read and write fluently but I still had a barrier when it came to speaking. I spent some time in Italy before I started college and was able to meet a friend who spoke both Italian and English which helped me improve on speaking fluently. I use apps like Toucan and Duolingo as well as watching Italian movies to help practice and continue to understand what's being said. I am looking forward to achieving more on my bucket list that include traveling and experiencing more thrilling moments.

My favorite piece of art is "Drowning Girl" by Roy Lichtenstein. His images and inspiration came from comic books and advertising and became known for his humor and was recognized as a leader of the pop art movement in the 60’s. Pop art at the time was a cultural reset in art. It allowed artists more creative freedom to produce nontraditional art and voice their opinions in pop culture. Lichtenstein’s technique is using stencils to show and give the look of a commercial printing process. For Drowning Girl the actual image of the drowning girl shows her boyfriend standing on a boat above her. The condensed photo and text completely change the perspective of what the comic once was. Furthermore, he stuck to his signature style of work by using thick, bold lines, primary colors, and the Ben-Day dots that create dimension. Lichtenstein also wanted to implement Abstract Expressionism and Surrealism with his pop art style. This contrasts the pop art movement a little bit because a pop artist's style and belief were to rebel against the social norms of what art is supposed to be. I use his influence on Pop art and try to incorporate it into fashion for myself. I have used his art to inspire print and textile ideas for fashion illustrations. "Drowning Girl" ipitimizes humor and when art can make me feel light and happy I will always gravitate towards that.

One thing I love about myself is my personality. I have overcome so many confidence issues growing up and found myself just letting go of insecurities. I have embraced my sense of humor and optimistic outlook on life. It is so vital for me to live my life happily and I love being able to spread that to others. People thrive off of good energy so it is important for me to always stay consistent with who I am. My personality is also adaptable to so many people. I am able to stay myself while also getting a read on the person that I am communicating with so I can cater my personality traits to theirs. Being a camp counselor for the past few years has also been a major confidence boost. It has allowed kids and coworkers to thrive off of my positive personality and allow everyone to feel safe with who they are around me.

The best way for me to stay optimistic through tough times is by making other people smile. I typically have a big and bright personality and I really try to continue showing that even when I am struggling. It can be as simple as joking around or even listening to someone else who may be having a tough time. I would almost describe it as a distraction but it really is helpful for me to be there for someone else. I have learned that people respond to kindness. I believe that the amount of happiness that you give someone will always come back to you. Just like the saying "Treat others the way you want to be treated". I feel that how you think and treat others will reflect on how you think and treat yourself. Staying optimistic by providing myself and others positive outlooks has been my best lesson.

I created this purple gown inspired from the Renaissance Era. The goal was to take a historical garment and modernize it. There are multiple versions of puff sleeves but I created a few different ideas until I felt that this puff sleeve was new and elevated. My vision was to create a slimmer fit gown to change the shape of what a classic Renaissance gown would look like. The typical puff sleeve would usually extend all the way to the cuff but I felt that making the shape only half of the sleeve it allowed me to create volume within that and add intricate embroidery to the sleeve itself. I am so proud of myself for creating this whole garment because I have never made a gown in my life. I am someone who continues to push themselves through anything and this project gave me the oppurtunity to dive into a new style of fashion. I also gave myself only 3 weeks to come up with the concept, make the muslin copy, and then create the final product. I was able to prove to myself that my time management skills has improved and that I can manage working quickly.