I used to describe my future solely by my dream career: practicing entertainment law, but in reality, the dreams of my future are defined by my self-confidence, healthy relationships with friends and family, and my ability to give back to both my community and everyone who has helped support me along the way.

1. I think my dog would be really proud of me if I got this scholarship and I want to make him proud. 2. In an ideal world, I would sit around and do absolutely nothing all day. My only concerns will be what swimsuit to wear while I lounge by the pool. 3. One time I was playing the Wii Sports obstacle course game and had to avoid a giant wrecking ball. It was tricky, but I did it.

You are your own person. Yes, I know, it's simple, it's obvious. I am not the same person that you are. It seems clear, but when you think about it, how can you really understand life other than your own? All we know about others is what they tell us, what we observe, and what we infer. It is easy to apply our personal experiences and preferences to others' lives and stories, but really, all you are doing is attempting to relate someone else's life to your own. While this reassurance is helpful in sentiment, in reality, it can be dismissive. How could I ever fully understand you and your life if I haven't lived it? How would I understand the inner workings of your mind without having lived the experiences that shaped it? To put it simply, you can't, but that is okay. Really, it's quite wonderful. While being your own person may mean that it is difficult to fully understand or be understood by others, it also decrees your own autonomy. You are your own person- you can do what you want to do with the time you have. You can pursue your passions and be who you want to be. You are not forced to follow the career path that someone may hope for you or continue living in the small town which you were raised. This realization has ensured me that I can follow my dreams and do what I see to be best for me because at the end of the day, I am my own person and I am the one who must live with myself and what I have done. Knowing that, why wouldn't I do what I see as best for me?

As frustrating as it can be at times, I love that I refuse to settle. As a high school senior, I applied to 15 colleges and universities in the hopes of finding the perfect fit for the next four years. After this excruciating process, I was excited to be done with the college application process; however, I soon found out that the university that I chose was not the correct fit for me. Although it was difficult and a lot of work, I refused to settle when I knew that I would thrive elsewhere. I put in many hours of research and work to apply as a transfer student for the Fall 2022 semester. When discussing this process with others, I learned that my feelings about my school were shared by students at a variety of colleges across the country. Many students had chosen a school that was not a good fit for them personally, but very few of them said they were going to go through the transfer process. While I appreciated their determination to work hard regardless, I couldn't help but think about how that never felt like it was an option for me. I couldn't bring myself to simply manage when I knew that there was a better option, even if it required a substantial amount of work. At the end of the day, I am proud of myself for my dedication and determination regardless of how difficult it may seem in the moment as I know that it will be beneficial in the long term.

For the majority of my life, I was a very closed-off, independent individual. I built up walls and blocked people out because I felt that it would protect me from some sort of hurt that the world threatened. I was safe inside my mind, but I was lonely. So incredibly lonely. As I aged and matured, I realized that as scary as the world is, sometimes closing yourself off from everything is more damaging than the sting of vulnerability. I grew closer to friends and began to allow myself to open up. After the initial paralyzing fear of doing so began to dissipate, being honest and opening up became like opening the flood gates on my psyche. At first, this brutal, unbound honesty was intoxicating, but as this initial high began to wear off, I was struck by that which caused me to retreat into myself, the betrayal of others. I quickly moved from fearfully and privately sharing select, filtered information with close friends that I felt I could trust; to anyone who seemed nice. Trust became a quality that I perceived to be inherent. Of course, as I am sure you can imagine, neither extreme is effective nor efficient in the long term. I had been burned by both and had to find a solution, a compromise within myself. First, I had to find a way to set up boundaries, intrapersonally and interpersonally. I started with myself. I began to consider my own emotions and situations before sharing them with others. I would write my feelings out in journals and on notes, helping me process them more clearly. Then, I would evaluate my need to share the information. Most of the time, I would still share my feelings but now, the haze of emotions started to clear as I had more time to think. These confessions would become much more narrative and clear as opposed to the previous passionate ramblings that they were before. Similarly, if this information was to be shared digitally via the written word, I would allow the message to sit for at least a day and settle. Then, I would return and reevaluate the need to share the message. I began to allow myself to get caught up in the emotional whirlwind that I was experiencing but prevented myself from sharing it at the moment. This allowed me to be much more cognizant of what I was saying and how I was saying it. I began to regret these confessions of emotion much less as I had already done the hardest part before sharing them: I had sat with my emotions. When it came to my interpersonal communications, I became more selective with those with whom I shared deeply personal information. I found that sharing this information with at least one close, trusted individual made me feel much less alone. I felt as though I could tell them the most personal and intimate details of my life without fear. This being said, I still find it important to share details of my life with others, just details of a lesser intimacy. This way ensured that I would have someone to talk to while not having to fear mistrust of the masses. To me, this analysis has been the characteristic that I am most proud of as it has taken a significant amount of time and consideration to develop, but it has proven to be wonderful in practice as it has improved not only my relationship with others but my relationship with myself.

My dream life is outlined by what my home life would look like. To begin, my family would be loving and close. In my perfect life, my household would consist of myself, my husband, and a few children, but we would be surrounded by a strong community of close friends and family with who we would be able to visit frequently. Financially, I don't dream of wealth, but comfort. I hope to not have to worry about feeding my family or paying my bills and being financially comfortable enough to purchase a random bag of cookies or a grocery store cake for no occasion. Careerwise, I hope to be able to call myself successful and happy in my chosen field. I hope to enjoy going to work and look forward to interacting with my coworkers on an upcoming project. To compile every component of my dream life into a single sentence would be as follows: I dream to live a life full of passion and happiness, surrounded by family and loved ones.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has lived a million lives while only having experienced one, but for some reason, we expect everyone to "get" what we have each individually been through. Through my mentorship of others, I hope to help others understand that you don't have to have experienced something to be empathic and understanding of the position it may put someone in. Overall, I hope to teach my mentees that it is possible to support someone without having stood in their shoes, and, just as importantly, that unless you have been in their situation, not to claim that you have, as it may present more harm than good. Everyone is their own individual, each coping with life in their own way, each with their own support preferences. Sometimes you will swing and miss, but as long as you have them and their best interest in mind, this sentiment can genuinely change a life. You can make a change, and the second you realize that it becomes all the more true.

To me, financial freedom is the ability to not only be financially comfortable but do not have to rely on another financial source, such as a loan or family member. It is to be able to support your needs while not sacrificing things that you need for your emotional well-being. For example, if music is very important to you, financial freedom would allow you to be able to afford the necessities to live in the literal sense while allowing you to afford to have a streaming service subscription to listen to music or be able to attend a concert or performance once a year. Being financially free does not necessarily imply wealth, but an ability to sustain a lifestyle that is fulfilling to you individually. I hope to achieve financial freedom through a combination of financial strategies. First, I hope to continue my financial research. Although I took a "Personal Financial Management" course in high school, my memory of the details of this course is foggy, which I would like to clear up. This would assist me in figuring out what is the most effective and efficient method to work towards my second step: investment. After completing more research, I hope to invest in at least one of the following methods: stocks, bonds, and or a mutual fund. I hope to begin one of these investments as soon as possible, as it will allow me to acquire interest. This will allow me to gain passive income while working towards my third step: employment. Although I have been completing yard work and chores for family members my entire life, I got my first job at the age of 14 at a local ski area. Even then, I put the majority, if not all of my paychecks into a savings account. This savings strategy continued with my other jobs throughout my high school career. This being said, as I age, I hope to employ a budgeted strategy with a similar intention to my high school savings strategy. To do this, I will start by writing out my monthly income. Then, I will write out and calculate my required monthly bills, such as rent, electricity, and grocery. Following this, I will calculate things that are not necessities to support life, but things that I consider significantly important to my quality of life, such as a subscription to a music streaming service. With any remaining funds, I will divide them into varying categories including, savings, investments, and "fun" money (a category that would allow me the opportunity to go to a movie with friends or fund any sort of extra outing or purchase). Through this process, I will be able to support my lifestyle with minimal financial stress, as I will not only have a system for spending money currently in my checking account while additionally having a savings account available to me with funds which ideally could be used for substantial life purchases, such as a home or car but additionally as a "rainy day fund" in case of emergency.

Mental health is something that impacts everyone in some way at some point in their life, yet few people are comfortable discussing it or seeking assistance. Because of this, I believe that a practical solution for helping people who are struggling with their mental health is by destigmatizing the issue and creating easier access to professional care. People always talk about listening to and being there for others as you never truly know what they are going through. While this is true, with all the negative stigma surrounding mental health, it can be difficult for those who are struggling to speak up. Whenever I consider the issue of mental health, I like to use the analogy of the broken arm. This idea simply substitutes a mental health issue with an undeniable physical health one, which allows those who do not understand the importance of mental health to see it in a clearer light. If someone broke their arm, of course, you want to listen to them explaining that they are in pain, but you also want to help them deal with the issue. This is the same for a mental health crisis. While you want to listen to someone who is struggling, it is important to know that sometimes this alone is not enough. Sometimes mental health issues are not something that can simply be talked out but a chemical imbalance that requires professional treatment. By destigmatizing mental health and increasing the accessibility to professional care, those who are struggling can receive personalized care and treatment allowing them to better maintain their mental health and cope with any mental illness or mental health issues that are occurring by receiving continual professional care and support in addition to the care and support from the community.

My high school was very adamant about creating a sense of community with students by building advisory groups which would stay together with the same teacher for 4 years. Unfortunately, for my advisory group, my advisor retired after our first year. When it came time to return to school in the fall, I was anxious. I knew where my classes from the previous year were, but I was still unaware of where my new classrooms were scattered across the building. I was not even sure where my new advisory would meet, I felt lost and without a support system. Eventually, after wandering around the halls for a long time, I found my way into the room. Replicas of the Constitution and prints of paintings of old white men in powdered wigs lined the walls of a classroom I had never been in for an advisor whom I had never heard of. I timidly sat down and listened to the lecture he had prepared about us beginning our sophomore year and our next 3 years of high school. I did not realize the importance of this switch of advisors at this time, but my new advisor, Mr. Marcus, would become an incredibly important teacher and resource in my life over the next 3 years. After getting to know Mr. Marcus as my advisor throughout my sophomore year, I began to know him as a teacher much better during my junior year. This year I spent multiple hours in his classroom each day where he instructed me on AP United States History and in a "We the People" course, an advanced civics course that included a competition. While both courses were incredibly impactful for me, "We the People" was incredibly insightful to me in terms of my future career as it allowed me to experience a fraction of what I hope to do for the rest of my life. For this course, I created a presentation with a team of two of my peers surrounding a constitutional concept. Following our presentation, we were asked questions by working professionals in the judicial and legal fields, allowing us real-life experience responding to questions and conversations in our topic it the moment rather than simply preparing a response. Throughout this process, Mr. Marcus was incredibly supportive and helpful to us as students. We spent time as a class practicing outside of designated class times to not only strengthen our debate skills and knowledge but our bond and friendship. Walking away from this course, I was confident that this was something that I wanted to spend my life doing in some context. When it came time for me to choose a coach for my capstone project in my senior year, Mr. Marcus was an obvious choice. He assisted me promptly on every aspect of my project, from grammatical checks to considering the legalities of everything, as he was a practicing attorney before being a teacher. He was incredibly prompt and considerate when answering all my questions on this project, allowing me to spend my time improving my project rather than worrying excessively about the details of everything. Mr. Marcus' had an attribute which many of my other teachers did not possess: his previous career. Because he was previously in the field I hope to end up in, he was able to share advice and experiences with me that would benefit me in my career and education. As an advisor to me, Mr. Marcus taught me important lessons to consider when applying to law schools and furthering my education and career.

Music is the key to my happiness. As simple and cliche as it may sound, it's true. Music in all forms has always been important in my life. I grew up attending my aunt's gigs, listening to my father play guitar, and singing with my cousins. We blasted the radio in the car and sang until our lungs gave out every ride. At school, I learned music literacy and techniques, and at home I was constantly living in a world, narrated through song. I hummed to myself and listened to music every moment of every day. I sang and created melodies with my cousins, convincing ourselves that we would be the next Taylor Swift. As I grew, this love never died, but simply grew. I began to learn basic guitar, keyboarding, and ukulele. I sang not only in the comfort of my car but in a chorus. I not only read music, but I understood it. Throughout this evolution that I underwent, I realized something so incredibly simple, yet so incredibly vast, when all else failed I always had music. When a day went terribly, I could sit and listen to music. When I was stressed I could play out my emotions on the guitar and step into a different world. But most importantly, whenever I needed a break or wanted to experience pure bliss, I would simply pick up an instrument or open my music app. The world of music is ever-changing, there is always something new to learn and experience. This vastness is what is so enticing to me, yet so comforting. I may never know all the details, but what I do know is that music will eternally be there for me, and that alone makes me quite happy.

Amongst my cousins, I was always the youngest. Whenever we were able to see each other, we would spend hours running around outside, climbing trees, and exploring streams. Of course, being the youngest, I was always the smallest. I was slower and it was harder for me to scale trees in the same way that they were able to. I remember desperately wanting them to slow down because I needed more time or more assistance than I did. I needed them to be patient with me, I needed them to get it. This anecdote put the importance of patience into perspective for me. In some situations, some people need more time or assistance than others. In the same manner, this ideology can be applied to situations in the world or life- some things just take more time and resources than others, and that is okay. To me, patience is important because of the personal impact a lack of it has had on my life. Even with this, there are so many more important and substantial examples of the importance of patience than this. Certain people need more time to think and process ideas, even though others can more easily work on the fly. Some of the best ideas would have never been conceived without time and patience.

When I was little, I thought that being independent meant that I could live alone, off the grid, without ever having to reach out to my parents for assistance. While this could be the case for some, I learned that this is not necessarily the overarching definition of independence. At the age where this idea was at the forefront of my mind, to be honest, I was the farthest thing from independent. I was a shy little girl who clung to her mother's leg at family gatherings. I was a very dependent individual, which of course, at that age was very appropriate. The possibility of one day being on my own was daunting. As I grew, I learned that this extreme was not the end all be all when it came to independence. Being independent could be as simple as doing chores without being asked, going grocery shopping on your own, or even knowing when it is important to call for help and when it is not necessary. Being independent is being self-reliant, but not alone. It is being able to ask for help while being comfortable enough with yourself to handle situations alone. Being independent has allowed me to experience a variety of things at various risk levels like going on walks alone, driving a car, grocery shopping alone, going on a date, and even going to college. To me, independence is important because it allows me to do what is necessary for me to be the most successful and the happiest, I am capable of being without having to worry about relying on someone else. Through being independent, I can live my life to the fullest and live my life in ways that are important and beneficial to me.

As morbid as it may be, when I consider my legacy and what I want to be left behind, I consider what I would like to be said about me at my funeral or in my obituary. What will be said and remembered about me when there is no conceivable way, I will ever hear it? For starters, I hope that I am never treated or spoken of in an inhuman nature. I do not want to be considered a legend or a deity, regardless of what I complete, because it is simply not true. I am simply a human, a young woman, and to presume anything less than or greater than this is simply false. Secondly, I hope that I am remembered as someone who positively impacted other people. Nothing crazy or monumental, just impactful to an individual. Even if just one or two people have this thought when remembering me, I would be beyond satisfied with the impression that I have left on people during my time on earth. In a career sense, I wish that I will be able to accomplish enough that at least those with whom I worked see me as someone productive and accomplished. Someone who was hardworking and did what she could to advocate for others. Someone who fought for what she believed in. All this being said, if I had to wrap up my desired legacy into one sentence, it would be someone who loved. I hope that after I am gone, I hope that those who knew me look back at me as someone who just loved them and cared about them deeply. To be quite simple, this is my overarching goal in life- to love and to be loved.

Throughout my life, I have been a chronic people pleaser. I would go out of my way for others' happiness at the risk of my own. And to be fair, this did provide me with some sort of happiness and satisfaction, I enjoyed helping others, but as I aged, this trait became detrimental. I soon stopped caring about what I wanted if it was not something that someone else would appreciate in some way. I stopped living for myself and began living for others. As time went on, it became abundantly clear that I could not continue down this path. I had to change my path and start living for myself. This was more difficult than one might imagine, but you have to remember, this was all new for me. I felt like I was trying to learn a new instrument or relearning how to drive. I was scared and confused. In a sense I was learning something new, I was learning that I was more than an accessory to better other people's lives. I am my own human, with my own wills and desires, my own dreams, and talents. In the process of learning this skill, I learned that helping others achieve happiness is not something that I must quit cold turkey, but rather a valuable skill that I simply must harness in moderation. Selflessness is a wonderful trait to have, as long as you still know when it is necessary to be selfish. In the same way that you have to put your oxygen mask on first in an airplane, you must provide for your own needs first. It's okay to be a people pleaser, but the person you should worry about first is yourself.

"It's only weird if you make it weird", uttered a classmate while presenting in my 9 am class. Although she was discussing the differences between high school and college, her words and their message settled deep within me, in a myriad of unusual ways. While it applies in the initial intended context, suggesting that activities and behaviors which you may exhibit in dining halls or while around campus, it also applies to the much broader world stage or life itself. In a general sense, my classmate meant that life is what you make of it, every negative feeling or emotion you experience can be perceived more positively - a silver lining can be found. It can also mean the opposite, anything can be perceived in any way, even a negative one. As simple and cliche as this philosophy may be, it is equally complex. My whole life, I have struggled with how others perceive me. I have spent so much of the little time worrying about what people thought of me and how my actions impact this. And, in all honesty, it was exhausting. While I could present myself in a way one audience would adore, another would loathe it. I never knew how I could make myself be this "perfect" image that I longed for, but somehow this simple quote eliminated this worry by putting things into perspective. Everyone will perceive you differently and uniquely, this is something you cannot change. Regardless of what you do to avoid it, you will be perceived, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. With all of this in mind, I begin to consider if "it's only weird if you make it weird", then all I must do to cease my concerns is stop making things weird, respectively.

Throughout my life, I have watched friends and family members struggle with their mental health. As I stood on the sidelines, I wondered what I could do, not only to assist them personally in their battle but on a broader world stage. What could I do that would make a difference? I began with a small circle and research. I spent hours listening to others' stories and to what has helped them. I did not want to be a performance activist- I wanted to make a real change. During my sophomore year of high school, I was allowed to participate in the pilot of an initiative to destigmatize mental health. Through this, I was able to learn and attend training programs that broadened my knowledge of the subject, as well as facilitation. After the research process, I was able to take my knowledge into the field. Local middle and high school students attended a seminar on mental health and its impact on families and communities, given by a judge. Following these seminars, I facilitated conversations in which students were allowed to discuss and learn more on the topic. After these community dialogues, I was asked to represent the initiative on a local news channel. Through this project, I learned the importance of advocating, not only for yourself but for those in your community, as you never know whom you may positively impact. After the completion of this program, I still yearned to hear people's stories and, at a bare minimum, spread awareness about mental health. This curiosity stood out to me as my senior year approached and it became time for me to choose a senior capstone project. This is when "Overcoming Adversity" was born. Throughout this project, I interviewed college and high school students on the adversities which they had faced on their path to success. I compiled these interviews into a book, a compiled narrative of genuine life stories. From these stories and interviews, I was able to better understand, not only personal struggles but what others had been able to do to best support them throughout these challenging times. As of the present, the issue is still incredibly important to me. Currently, I am working again at a much more personal and individual level, talking to my loved ones about mental health, asking what they believe can be done to destigmatize mental health and to support them. I hope to adopt more projects to advocate for mental health support throughout my life, but between projects, I believe that this personal level of research and involvement will always be important to me and a part of my life. Mental health is something that you can never escape, and should always be aware of, both your own and others. You must work to maintain mental health in the same way which you maintain your physical health, by adopting healthy habits and seeking regular appointments with professionals, both for maintenance and a crisis. Think about it, if you were in severe physical pain, you would immediately make your way to the emergency room to feel better. So, why wouldn't you do the same for mental and emotional pain? The same analogy can be used regarding any mental health crisis. Through my work, I have learned one thing if nothing else: everyone faces adversity and challenging times at one point or another, regardless of how to put together they may seem. No one is happy 100% of the time, and that is ok. That is simply human.

Throughout my life, I have watched friends and family members struggle with their mental health. As I stood on the sidelines, I wondered what I could do, not only to assist them personally in their battle but on a broader world stage. What could I do that would make a difference? I began with a small circle and research. I spent hours listening to others' stories and to what has helped them. I did not want to be a performance activist- I wanted to make a real change. During my sophomore year of high school, I was allowed to participate in the pilot of an initiative to destigmatize mental health. Through this, I was able to learn and attend training programs that broadened my knowledge of the subject, as well as facilitation. After the research process, I was able to take my knowledge into the field. Local middle and high school students attended a seminar on mental health and its impact on families and communities, given by a judge. Following these seminars, I facilitated conversations in which students were allowed to discuss and learn more on the topic. After these community dialogues, I was asked to represent the initiative on a local news channel. Through this project, I learned the importance of advocating, not only for yourself but for those in your community, as you never know whom you may positively impact. After the completion of this program, I still yearned to hear people's stories and, at a bare minimum, spread awareness about mental health. This curiosity stood out to me as my senior year approached and it became time for me to choose a senior capstone project. This is when "Overcoming Adversity" was born. Throughout this project, I interviewed college and high school students on the adversities which they had faced on their path to success. I compiled these interviews into a book, a compiled narrative of genuine life stories. From these stories and interviews, I was able to better understand, not only personal struggles but what others had been able to do to best support them throughout these challenging times. As of the present, the issue is still incredibly important to me. Currently, I am working again at a much more personal and individual level, talking to my loved ones about mental health, asking what they believe can be done to destigmatize mental health and to support them. I hope to adopt more projects to advocate for mental health support throughout my life, but between projects, I believe that this personal level of research and involvement will always be important to me and a part of my life. Mental health is something that you can never escape, and should always be aware of, both your own and others. You must work to maintain mental health in the same way which you maintain your physical health, by adopting healthy habits and seeking regular appointments with professionals, both for maintenance and a crisis. Think about it, if you were in severe physical pain, you would immediately make your way to the emergency room to feel better. So, why wouldn't you do the same for mental and emotional pain? The same analogy can be used regarding any mental health crisis. Through my work, I have learned one thing if nothing else: everyone faces adversity and challenging times at one point or another, regardless of how to put together they may seem. No one is happy 100% of the time, and that is ok. That is simply human.

John Singleton Copley’s oil on canvas painting Mary and Elizabeth Royall, located at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, pictures the daughters of a Boston merchant. The girls are lavishly dressed in expensive gowns and draped upon furniture upholstered in a satin-like material. Unlike many paintings from this era, this piece does not picture a man. Copley paints one of the daughters with a hummingbird perched upon her finger while the other holds a small dog. The place card noted that both animals in the painting are symbols of the family’s wealth, as are the extravagant fabrics which the girls are surrounded by. Copley’s painting initially inspired me because of the lack of apparent male influence in the portrait, which was common at the time. The piece includes neither a man nor a sexualized woman, but instead, two young girls: the picture of innocence. I began to ponder on the idea of being a young woman at that time, specifically in the situation which these girls were in. I thought about what I know and value in my life and the world now and how different it was then. This piece of art inspired me to look beyond the surface, not only in terms of art but in terms of life. Symbolism is everywhere, both in the classical sense, commonly seen in literature and artwork, but also the human sense, seen in micro-expressions and body language. Through Copley's work, I am inspired to relook at the things I see and reconsider what I had previously looked at simply at a surface level.

Close your eyes. Picture yourself on an airplane, staring out the window as you fly home for winter break. As you watch the landscape underneath you change, your mind cannot help but wander to the thought of that one special person. The person you adore and admire. The person you want to claim as your person. After a bout of turbulence, you begin to think about how short and fragile life is, leading you to an ultimatum: to tell this person how you feel and risk them not reciprocating or to never tell them and live in the world of "what if". This is the story of "Pancakes for Dinner" by Lizzy McAlpine. Through instrumentation with a strong focus on guitar and vocals, McAlpine illustrates a specific story, but more importantly a circumstance and emotion that many can relate to. "Pancakes for Dinner" provides commentary on both love and life, as it compares the pros and cons of sharing your true feelings and allowing yourself to be vulnerable. My inspiration from this song is rooted in the relatability of the topic. Everyone has loved and everyone has lost. Everyone has feared rejection, but Lizzy McAlpine has a way of displaying not only the stakes of sharing your emotions, but the stakes of not doing so and missing the possibility, memories, and joy that you could experience simply from telling someone how you feel.

Salvador Dali's work is an incredible representation of the human experience, simply because it is so unrealistic. Humanity likes to attempt to fall strictly within certain criteria and rules, yet to be so cookie-cutter is utterly inhuman. To be human is to be unique yet the same, to be abstract yet classic, to be surreal yet genuine. All of these things are something that is exemplified through Salvador Dali's art.

When I was locked in the four walls of my bedroom, I was given no option but to evaluate the choices and decisions which I had made throughout my life, as before this I had intentionally kept myself busy to avoid even considering these questions. After contemplating my choices and decisions up to March 2020, I quickly realized that I had never lived for myself. All 17 years of my life up to this point had been led to make someone else happy and proud, whether they specifically noted how a decision would receive this reaction or not. I joined clubs because they would "look good" to someone else. I ignored things I cared about because I knew that other people did not find them important. Unsurprisingly, as soon as I was isolated, my mind wandered into paths that I had not previously considered. I began to contemplate the possibility of a career involving the arts, something before that I had quickly passed off as unrealistic. As lost as I felt at first, suddenly being without the guidance of others' desires, I finally began to understand who I was, what mattered to me, and what I wanted.