To a five-year-old, anything in a toy store catches their eye. I was mesmerized by the large Lego sets, fascinated by remote-controlled cars, and intrigued by the art of various board games. But there was always something more interesting to fixate on, until I saw a guitar. I didn't understand what it was back then, but I still stood in the middle of the store, staring at a pink plastic guitar with wide eyes. I never told my parents about it, about how I thought it was the best thing invented, but somehow, my dad recognized my interest. A few weeks later, he bought it for me, surprising me and my entire family. That was just the type of person my dad is: quiet but observant, humble but incredibly talented, sarcastic but attentive. He recognized the look in my eyes, the look of desire and fascination, and that one purchase changed the entire trajectory of my life. Music is essential to me, a form of expression when I cannot find the right words to say, a way to connect with people around me, and an escape from the stress of everyday life. Without my dad, I wouldn't have discovered music. Without my dad, without his attentive care, I would forever be missing a piece of myself. To a five-year-old, the quiet help my dad offered can be overlooked. I was content with my guitar, with the private lessons he paid for, and never cared to understand how my dad knew to buy it for me. I took those lessons for 11 years, but I never expressed my gratitude towards him for what he had done. Yet, my dad never complained about it. He never expected anything in return. Instead, he was at the front row of all my performances, making plans around his demanding job to record every note I played. Because, to a dad like him, they don't need anything in return. My dad did everything he could, buying that guitar, going to my concerts, and immigrating to this country, just to see his children be happy and succeed. That was the best reward, not any material possession. And now, for me, the best gift isn't a musical instrument, a set of Legos, or any monetary gain, but to understand the immense love my dad has for me and to be assured that he would always be there for me, no matter the circumstance, in any way he could.

One of the most flawed aspects of American society is the public opinion towards higher education. STEM or financially stable majors are highly praised and favored, while more artistic majors are heavily scorned. Those who pursue a study like art or music are said to be doomed to a life of poverty and instability. If this attitude wasn't enough, the excessively high tuitions further pressure students into picking a more financially stable major. Instead of pursuing their interests, students are forced to think practically about their major in fear of wasting their money. I am not entirely affected by this attitude, because I'm pursuing a career in computer science and do thoroughly enjoy it. However, in high school, I discovered that my interests go well beyond just coding or math. I fell in love with writing, history, and music because the classes I took, the information I learned from them, and the discussions I had with my peers. To recreate the same experience in college would mean taking more classes, which would mean increasing the price of an already high tuition. I don't want to give up pursuing my passions in college just because it would not be financially wise, and nor should anyone else. Pursuing the humanities goes beyond satisfying my interests in them. A field like computer science is incredibly diverse and useful, because almost everything now relies on computer science. Learning more about subjects like English or music will only benefit me more in my computer science studies. My extensive knowledge would allow me to apply computer science in more innovative ways, giving me significant advantages in my future career. Our country values individualism, and we should extend this value towards education as well. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, "the secret of Education lies in respecting the pupil". The student should have free leisure to choose what they learn and what career they pursue. However, changing the public's attitude on education cannot be done quickly or easily, and we have seen that lowering tuition prices or loan debt is not a viable option right now. However, we can still subtly change post-secondary education through many ways, like through scholarships like this. This scholarship will help me pursue my future goals by allowing me to pursue my diverse interests without the fear of substantial student debt. With this extensive knowledge, I will become more qualified in my career through my ability to apply computer science to multiple fields. Through this scholarship, I can pursue a more ideal and individualistic education, which will lead to profound effects on my career and my own well-being.