I was born in a toilet. This fact has caused me much embarrassment in my life. Whether it be a family get-together or a simple event, my dear relatives never forget to mention how I burst through this amazing world of ours. Several times, I visited my hometown - a small city called Eluru - in the vast state of Andhra Pradesh in India; and, every year I walked through the city I found its beauty diminishing little by little. Throughout the city, you can see people using the pavement as their personal little toilet. Shopkeepers and rickshaw drivers can all be seen taking a few moments out of their busy lives to finish their business on the streets. The issue with this is that my hometown is getting more and more polluted. There is a severe lack of public restrooms in Eluru, and this problem has become increasingly intimidating. The term "Wonderful India" has been given to the affluent sectors of the country. "Taj Mahal", "Elephanta Caves", and "Taj Hotel" - all these locations are commonly associated with the term "Wonderful India," and have government-issued funds to keep them absolutely spotless for tourists. But what about the little villages? The areas where the majority of the population lives in. These places are where the heart of my country resides. Trust me, one visit to these villages and your entire perspective on life changes; I know mine did. But why do I want to help this community, a place that I have visited less than ten times throughout my life? Well, it is because Eluru is the only part of my life where I feel culturally connected to my homeland. Seeing my homeland covered in feces simply because people do not have public bathrooms available shatters my vision of India - a country that has all the potential to break free of its stereotypes. As a student who has been part of various social service clubs in high school such as the Interact Club and American Relay for Life, as well as a leader in my high school's Viking Leadership Alliance club, I know how to successfully transform my community in Eluru. The implementation of public restrooms is not as expensive as one might believe. I have written several letters to Eluru's MLA (the local mayor) about my ideas to implement public restrooms; in addition, I have also recently started a charity to fund these public restrooms. With enough persistence and a bit of luck, I believe that Eluru can soon become one of the very few villages in India that has a public restroom service. While it is a complete coincidence that my birth in a toilet has led me on this path, I strongly believe that my efforts will help my community grow and become a model town in my "Wonderful India."

I felt my heart drop to the floor. There I was staring at those words that had the power to change my entire life. "Your transaction with your PayPal Cash Card was declined." "What? What card? I did not make any purchase, nor do I have a card on file!" Useless. Yelling these sentences to the operator was useless. Although I did not lose any money, I realized that at any point in time our online security can be at risk. I did not know it at the time, but this little incident sparked a small fire inside me. That fear of not having the knowledge to understand what was happening in my online life was concerning. Then began the research. I clearly remember the first sentence I typed to understand more about information security - "How do I learn how to not get scammed?" I realized having this information was crucial. When I start earning my own money I want to protect it. It is mine. But how do I learn this secret art of security? My little introspection led me to pursue Computer Science as well as harboring an avid interest in Cybersecurity. What happened to me was terrifying, and I wanted no one else to experience the terror I went through. I am still very early in my career, and I have a lot more to learn. But this fire inside me will continue to rage on until I can clearly defend myself and learn what it takes to protect myself online. Schools do not teach us this information. They do not tell you that "hey, one day you can be completely bankrupt if you are not careful online." So at the end of the day, it is up to us to understand that we are the only ones who can protect our information online. The computer science classes I am taking now in college are not sufficient. Along with this, my thirst for understanding cybersecurity is constantly evolving. I want to learn more, read more, and see first hand what this industry has to offer. For me, the reason for pursuing information security is a personal one. But the knowledge I will gain will allow me to help anyone I know protect themselves against online crimes. College can only take us so far in understanding a world where the rules change by the second. Every minute, the online world evolves, and in order for us to understand it we need to evolve along with it. I hope to continue to learn more about information security by reading more about it as well as joining internships and companies where online security is a guarantee.

The relationship between spirituality, science, and math is that there is no tangible relationship. Spirituality is a belief, a form of believing in an idea that cannot be held physically. A spiritual person possesses no physical "want", and is centered on the notion of "self". Like spirituality, science and math are not tangible either. Science and spirituality share a very thin line. Both are ideologies and their main objective is to better human life. When we consider inventions such as the wheel, technology, and the internet, the idea of making human life more efficient is evident. Similarly, when we talk about the Bible, Quran, or the Bhagavad Gita we are examining texts that discuss the concept of an "efficient life" and a life worth living. Spirituality and science are the backbones of civilization and they have kept us alive for millions of years. Math is the centerpiece. Can spirituality, a concept that focuses on the idea that there is a greater being, involve math? Math is not variables, coefficients, algebra, calculus, trigonometry, or geometry; math is simply a medium to describe the modern world. When you ask a five-year-old to describe what math is, the most plausible answer they will give you is 1,2,3... The reason for this is that numbers were created as a form of efficiency in daily life. Without numbers, imagine what our world would have become. Similar to science and spirituality, math is also a belief. It is a form of science that conveys the ideas of daily life through numbers. The connection between spirituality and math is underscored through the concept that they are both omnipresent. We cannot touch or feel them, but they surround us through various forms. Spirituality, science, and math. Thousands of years ago, would past civilizations possess the ability to evolve without these three? Like many ideas, each of these three facets contains a purpose. Spirituality is meant to provide people with faith and an opportunity to see life past themselves. Science bestows knowledge to make human life structured. Math allows for communication; it is a language that has no words. These three aspects of life share the same ambition: making human life efficient. Without these three we would linger in a black hole where life itself ceases to exist. Through spirituality, science, and math we can hold a magnifying glass over our own lives, and question whether we are truly living life the way it is meant to be lived.

Connections and happiness. These two aspects directly translate into a life of fulfillment and longevity. As someone who has not had many friends before college, and as someone who was self-centered before the pandemic, I have learned that life is meant to live for others. The connections, friends, and people I met since I first started college have changed my life completely. The people we meet in our life are temporary. Some stay and some go, however, these connections we make with those who care about us enable us to live a healthy life. A healthy life is not defined by financial status or large mansions, rather is it defined through experiences with others. Our family and friends are the only connections we have to see that life is bigger than us. My grandfather was a man who was centered on the notion of building a business empire. He would stay away, months at a time, from his family to focus on his work. However, I remember vividly when he was on his deathbed he had only one wish: to be surrounded by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren for one last time. I could see the regret he had in his eyes. This man spent his entire life chasing after wealth that seemed meaningless when he was informed he would die of cancer. A long, healthy life is not characterized by materialism; it is characterized through relationships. As I am writing this, I have already taken my oath to take a break from the rat race and spend some time with those I love. At the end of our lives, all of us must have the satisfaction of living a life where we spent time and built connections that will never be forgotten.

Who knew that a young boy in Rameswaram, India would eventually be known as the "Missile Man" of India? A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was an aerospace scientist who helped India develop their first ever ballistic missile; in addition, his contribution in launch vehicle technology inspired millions of Indians to study engineering and missile technology. Kalam's story is undoubtedly inspiring; his journey from the horror of poverty to a Nobel Laureate in Physics underscores the importance of education in life. To me, Kalam sir is the main reason as to why I am determined to study computer science and technology; my parents tell me countless stories of his adventures, his struggles, and his victories. If I can achieve 1 percent of his success, I can consider my purpose in life to be fulfilled.

A few miles past the border of Andra Pradesh, one of the biggest states in India, there resides a small town. This small town is named Eluru. When I was five years old, I first ventured into this land with my family. As a kid from America, everything was foreign. People did not use toilets; rarely was there indoor plumbing; and as a result, people would use the streets to complete their "needs". My parents kept me shielded from these sites whenever we would cross a road, but I have never stopped thinking about those images which are forever wedged in my mind. Recently, I have started a project to build several restrooms around Eluru. These restrooms will not be located in highly crowded areas, rather, they would be located in rural lands where people do not have easy means of traveling to the city. This project started with a desire to bring forth change to the local government of Andhra Pradesh. For years, the government has shifted aside the needs of local people and focused on increasing the wealth of the rich. Even the smallest thing, such as a public restroom, will bring about a positive change in terms of cleanliness and respect for the lands. This journey has not been easy. There was an extensive amount of research that went into understanding why Eluru's local government has refused to install public restrooms for several years. At one point, I was so confused that I even sent an email to the local civic administration asking them questions as to why no initiative was taken to put restrooms and educate people about the need for cleanliness. I still have not received a response. Maybe they think a kid from America does not possess the knowledge to solve community problems. Maybe they do not believe that someone from America cares enough about his native town. Maybe they are simply lazy. So why do I have such a strong desire to help this town? This desire sprouts from my parents. They were born in Eluru, and they have worked extremely hard to eradicate themselves from poverty to provide me with a life better than theirs. You can say this is "giving back" or a "return gift" to the people who have raised me, but I see this as a chance to show my parents I care about them. This is to show them I understand what their struggles were, how they felt, the cleanliness they lacked when they were younger, and the problems they went through every time they wanted to use the bathroom without being ashamed to. It may seem silly to install some restrooms in a town. But they are not just restrooms to me- they are the symbol of a growing nation. A nation that focuses on the smallest aspects will reach the biggest goals. If there are restrooms for people to use, roads will be clean. If roads are clean, litter and pollution decrease. If they decrease, public transportation and walking will increase. If they increase, then the number of motorized vehicles on the road will automatically decrease. Simply installing one public restroom has the potential to reduce pollution in the second most populated country in the world. Through this experience, I have learned that- at times- it may seem that nothing is in your control. Some will "fake" their support towards your ideas; most will laugh at your goals, and others will just give you a blank stare. But, regardless, I plan to fight ahead and achieve my goals for my parents.

"Siranovirus? Wasn't that the virus in 2040 where President Vinjamuri eliminated through the support-clean group?" The support-clean group. If I were to die in the next 50 years, I would have liked to been known for creating the support-clean group; a program where volunteers focus on undeveloped areas and launch clean up crews who help sanitize communities. This is the legacy I would like for myself, but a legacy has a much more deeper definition. To leave a legacy is not just working for the people during your lifetime. It means working for the people even after your death. If you create a movement so strong that people remember your efforts a century from now, then you can claim to have left a legacy. If people forget what you have done for them a day after you die, you have no legacy. So how is a legacy created? You are responsible for your own legacy. Your choices determine your destination (No, I do not believe that the universe has already written our future and has saved it in a folder), and your destination determines your legacy. An entire lifetime can be spent working on a government project to install wells in deserts, but nobody will remember you. The reason for this is because they question if you worked for them or if you worked because you had to work. They key to building a legacy in your name means interacting with the people themselves. If you want to leave a legacy where people remember you for your efforts, then you need to talk to them. Understand their problems, treat them like actual human beings, not puppets whom you desire to control. A legacy does not need to be large. You can set a legacy within your family. How you do this is your choice. There are different types of legacies and every legacy has a different journey. The legacy I want to leave behind is in fact the support-clean legacy. In the near future, I hope to visit several underdeveloped countries, speak to families, understand their situations and construct different solutions to help them. If their community needs cleaning, then my support-clean group will help them. If they need emotional or financial support, my group will make sure they get help. I want to leave a legacy where no one should ever be scared for asking for help, but most importantly, I want to leave a legacy where no one should ever need help.

A blank screen in front my eyes, but all I see if a field of opportunity. "A for loop to start this process or a function?" I think to myself as my mind races through all the things I can create within the next hour. To me, computer science is more than just math, functions and algebra; to me it is a chance to express myself. A chance to forget who I am and discover the true potential I have within myself. Pursuing computer science in college would provide me with a chance to find myself and really explore what I can accomplish in the field of coding. Ever since the summer of 2016, when I made my first program, computer science has been a part of my life- a part of my personality. When I first saw my admission letter from the University of Texas at Dallas' computer science program, I was ecstatic. I realized that this acceptance letter was an invitation to explore the unknown part of coding; it was a chance to better myself. However, I will admit, computer science is not everything in my life. Since the sixth grade, volleyball has always been my favorite sport. Stress, anxiety, worry all vanish the second I step on the volleyball court. The adrenaline I feel while playing this game provides me with the same feeling as finishing a new program in Python. Every Indian child understands that playing an instrument presents an opportunity for bragging rights. Parents use this bragging opportunity to show how well versed their children are in the field of music. And, in my life, the piano is my designated instrument. What started off as a "show off" festival for my parents in 2016, has ended up becoming a crucial part of my life today. Every time my fingers touch the keys, there is a small shock that runs through my body. The excitement of playing a song, the feeling of being lost in sound for a minute and half, and the natural voice of the piano are events I go through whenever I sit in front my Roland baby grand piano. I do not view playing the piano as an extracurricular activity. I view it as the best gift my parents had ever given me. As of today, my current passion is not restricted to one activity. This past year has shown me that, although computer science may be the reason for my existence, it is not my life. My life is dedicated to supporting my family and making sure their lives are always at ease. Pursuing computer science will enable me to support them in the long run and make me happy knowing that I followed my life long dream.