I was always that kid that sat in the back of the class. Not because I was too cool to show that I’m interested in school, but because I never wanted any sort of attention on me. Getting called on to answer a question was my worst nightmare, participating in waterfall reading left me anxious all day. I was just a very shy child, and I was content in staying in my bubble for as long as possible. That’s until I met my high school Drama teacher, Mr. A. He saw right through my attempts to slip into the background and consistently gave me roles and responsibilities that forced me out of my shell. Sitting in the back of the class was not going to cut it anymore. Mr. A taught me an important life lesson: “Growth starts outside of your comfort zone”. Throughout my high school years, I kept focusing on that lesson. I continued to push myself in my theatre program, eventually getting the lead solo role in my senior year. I would have run away at the thought of me singing a solo on-stage my freshman year! But by doing little things everyday that were uncomfortable for me, I grew resilience and was able to accomplish so much more than I initially dreamed of. The lesson ended up becoming my life motto. Whenever I would feel myself growing anxious about speaking out, standing up for myself, going after things that I want, I reminded myself that there is no way I can grow as a person if I stay comfortable. Once I got into that mentality, it was like a snowball effect. This propelled me into pushing myself out of my comfort zone during college, all on my own now. There was no Mr. A in college to push me, so I had to be my own strength. Learning that I have to step out of my comfort zone if I want to grow was fairly difficult at first, but I never regret the experiences I had leading up to now. I know I am a stronger person because while I still have my inner anxious and shy self, I fight through it. I put myself out there, stand up for what I believe in, and speak my mind even when it’s hard. This lesson will always be my driving force, moving me forward in life with whatever I set out to accomplish. I know I have an inner resilience that will sustain me through whatever challenge I face, especially those outside of my comfort zone.

One book that changed my life is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The story is full of challenges and treasure, yet the beauty is found in the journey. Not only is the message of the book what compels me to consider it my favorite book, but the writing style and magical realism also is unlike any other book I’ve read. The Alchemist is about following your personal dreams while appreciating the important people you meet along the way, which has stuck with me since my first reading. The story’s protagonist is Santiago, a Spanish shepherd who dreams of finding treasure at the Egyptian pyramids. He goes on a journey there and ends up meeting three important people along the way: a gypsy, a king, and an alchemist. They all assist him in seeing the omens that the universe has put in his path to propel him along his journey. In the end, he reaches the pyramids only to find out that the treasure is actually in his hometown in Spain. Santiago returns back to claim the treasure that was right under his nose the whole time. Although he could have been upset to have wasted the time for the treasure, Santiago appreciates the lessons he learned and people he met on his journey far more worthwhile than the treasure. The Alchemist taught me that the world gives us all the signs we need, as long as we pay closer attention. We need to stop ruminating on the past and worrying about the future, when the present is here and now. This book also taught me how to value the people that play a role in following your dreams. The Alchemist is one of those books that will always be on my bookshelf, and hold a special place in my heart.

At my core, I am a creative person. I was that child doodling all throughout class, much to the dismay of anyone except my art teacher. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, I am a proud Latina woman and daughter to immigrant parents. My Cuban and Venezuelan roots shaped me into the woman I am today. Living in such a vibrant cultural city, I have embraced my creativity through art and design. I feel fortunate to have gotten the education I have thus far, so I am even more determined to be a strong Latina voice in the graphic design and advertising community while completing my master’s. The master’s program I will be enrolling in this Fall 2022 is the City College of New York’s Branding and Integrated Communications (BIC), Creative track. The motto at BIC is to enter curious, and leave curious. The program is centered on providing the students with real-world advertising campaigns and challenges in the heart of the media center of the world, New York City. What drew me to this program is the creative freedom students get during the master’s program. Students leave with a portfolio of their own unique work and are inspired by their cohort to push the boundaries. I am looking forward to being in a new environment that pushes me to challenge what I can create. Books used to play a huge role in my life when I was younger. I would fly through book series’, one after the other. I recently have picked up the hobby again and gotten to read a lot more books throughout the year. I find that the beauty of books is the way they can transport you to a completely different universe, or feel so relatable to your everyday life. The power of words is a different type of creativity that I find fascinating. Books teach me to view different perspectives from unique characters that I may have never considered. I also am inspired by books. Reading makes me wonder how I can use my words in conjunction with my art in storytelling. I plan to make an impact because I know how much it took for me to get to this place in my life. For one, just my parent’s immigrating to the United States in hope of better opportunities for their children. They worked hard so that I could get the education that I did, so I will always honor that and work hard at whatever I do in life. I also have worked hard to push myself all throughout my education to reach this point. I know I can be a powerful, creative, bright Latina voice in the advertising field. I intend to do everything I can to make that impact.

Like everyone else as January approaches, I decided I wanted to exercise more as my new year’s resolution. I did this by choosing to take up yoga as my new hobby. I specifically signed myself up for a one month trial at my local yoga studio. Fully anticipating not being flexible or athletic enough to carry on with the hobby for more than a month, I thought, “At least I can say I tried it.” Yet class after class, I continued to surprise myself with how strong I felt and how much I adored the practice. Yoga allows me to freely express myself and move my body without any internal judgment. I don’t worry about how I look when I attempt a challenging pose, or care about the weight on the scale. Yoga has made me care less about my image and more about how I feel. It’s helped me feel proud of my body for all it can accomplish in such a short time of practicing yoga. It’s mental stimulation also brings me a peace I haven’t found in any other hobby. I used to not be able to sit in silence without feeling uncomfortable, but now I can mediate for up to three minutes! It has taken a lot of work to get to that point, but over the course of the year and with my amazing yoga instructors I feel happy with the progress I have made in my meditation goals. Yoga has become a part of who I am, not just something in my daily routine. I feel more at ease throughout my day, mentally and physically. I constantly test new studios and classes and experiment with difficult poses, things I never thought I could do due to my inexperience. Yoga has become my most fulfilling hobby that I can’t imagine living without. What started as a one-month trial has become a lifetime one.