My future self is a trailblazer at the intersection of biology, chemistry, and technology who walks into her workplace every day with the confidence that her unshakable passion and contributions to science positively impact underserved individuals, her loved ones, and her community.

As I don an armor of colorful silks and wield a bow and strings far more powerful than a bow and arrow, with dangling earrings as my warpaint, I am overcome with profound and unshakable confidence accompanied by exhilaration. Carnatic music has dyed me inside out with hues bolder than the turmeric that stains my hands after eating my favorite dishes. As a child, when asked if I played any instruments, I simply replied that I played violin. I never explained the traditional outfits I wore for performances or that my friends and I sat on the floor as we played. Carnatic violin was something that needed to be kept separate from my “normal” life at school. I loved wearing colorful skirts and blouses that my mom sewed for me and making my earrings reserved for performances sway and chime. But, I did not realize the impact that the Carnatic violin has had on me until years later. When I started playing, I often grew frustrated with myself for being unable to memorize songs or play certain notes crisply. As time went on, however, working hard to perfect pieces with complicated finger movements and rhythms alongside my friends taught me the importance of collaboration, perseverance, and patience. Listening intently to my guru, or music teacher, speak passionately about nuances in songs and emotions that should be conveyed instilled in me respect for my mentors, my art form, and myself. For the last nine years, I have been immersing myself in my South Asian culture through Carnatic music. I no longer worry about my friends failing to understand why I sit on the floor to play and why my guru frowns upon looking at music while playing, even though most Western musicians keep sheet music with them for performances. Instead, I share this key aspect of my identity with them, invite them to my performances, and bring Carnatic violin up whenever I have the opportunity to share something unique about myself. I love sharing stories of moments from various points in my musical journey, and enjoy showing others pictures of my performances. At my most memorable performance, I accompanied around fifteen singers who were each no more than seven years old. I played three songs, two of which I practiced for hours on end as an eight-year-old, and I was grinning the entire time. As a five-year-old, I dreamt of roaring crowds and adoring fans. While my dream of being a pop star has been replaced, Carnatic music allows me to fulfill this dream in a way. I may not be swarmed by crazed fans everywhere I go, but I am overjoyed with the friendships, confidence, and appreciation I have developed, and I will grasp these treasures tightly for the rest of my life.