I grew up in a house that valued education and the pursuit of higher education. My maternal grandma was an elementary school teacher, my paternal grandpa was a principle, and my mom was a kindergarten schoolteacher before she became pregnant with my big sister and then became a stay-at-home-mom. My mom and my dad are both college graduates who fought hard to get their respective college degrees. Both have instilled the value of education in me because it is one of the few things people can’t take away from you; once you earn it, it is yours forever. I have always enjoyed discovering new ideas and exploring different subjects. It’s something that has always made me happy. Even as a child, college felt like an exciting dream—an opportunity to grow into the person I hoped to become. Movies like Legally Blonde inspired me because they showed that determination and resilience can overcome any stereotype or challenge. That message stayed with me: if you work hard and stay focused, you can build the future you imagine. Although many people in my life have supported me and encouraged me to pursue higher education, my mom has been my greatest cheerleader and advocate. She has gone up to bat for me and defend me more times than I can count. Ever since I showed interest in college, she has been right there beside me, accompanying me on campus tours, researching with me and cheering me on through my final stretch of high school. This year has been especially difficult—socially, emotionally, and personally, but my mom has never let me forget how hard I’ve worked or how capable I am. Her belief in me continues to push me forward, even on the days when I struggle to believe in myself. My mom’s strong Catholic upbringing influenced our family deeply. Growing up, attending Sunday Mass together was a weekly tradition, but my connection to my faith strengthened even more during high school, when my mom began working at our parish, and I started seeing my faith through a new lens. I saw the church in its empty state on weekdays when I would visit my mom and I couldn’t help but embrace the calm, stillness, and peace that rained down on me when I went into the chapel. When moments like that becoming more frequent, I grew to appreciate the subtle beauties of the church more, and felt God’s presence in the silent, ordinary moments of my life, which in turn has grown and deepened my faith. As I stated previously, my senior year of high school has not been very kind to me, although I still maintain good grades, I have struggled greatly with the social side of high school after my best friend abandoned me, and dealing with the loneliness that accompanied that. My mom and my family’s unwavering support has kept me going, but above all, my faith in God has helped give me the confidence that I am ready for the challenge of college, the new beginning it presents, and the opportunity to grow academically, personally, and spiritually. I am so excited for what lies ahead, and I trust that both my family and my faith will continue to light the path as I take this next step into the future. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13