While growing up, I have always had an interest in movies and TV shows that evoke memories and emotions out of me. I have always liked movies, and I watch several movies ranging from military movies like Full Metal Jacket and animated movies like Ratatouille. I feel that a movie that has always made me think more critically was Call Me By Your Name. I first watched this when I was in quarantine with COVID-19. I was watching the movie, and I heard the line, “is it better to speak or to die.” While laying in my bed, I found that this would stick with me throughout every little part of my life. The line made me realize that staying silent can be the worst feeling of regret. Staying silent when you feel passionate about something can be utterly devastating. When you hear people talk poorly about something you feel so strongly about, and you just sit and listen, it hurts. While at school, I always hear people say derogatory words about other people, and I hear degrading remarks made towards other people. I cannot sit there and listen to that and assume that it is okay if I do not step in and try my best to make someone rethink what they are doing. Another thing I found this movie made me feel with this line is the idea that speaking can also lead you to be closer with other people. I found that the only reason I have friends is due to the fact I talked to them while in band class or in my algebra 1 class my 8th grade year. I found my closest friends this way, and I also found my girlfriend this way. I always wanted to reach out to her because I wanted to become friends with her. I feel that this line made me feel confident enough to reach out to her, and while doing so I became comfortable with my sexuality and I became comfortable with my life as a whole. This movie changed my perspective of life, and it has made me to be more confident in what I do with my life. I never feel discouraged from speaking out when it’s necessary and saying things to people if I feel the need to. I think this movie allowed me to be a confident person, and I have since been able to not be outspoken.

Empowering is a strong word that I have come to identify with as I have gotten older. I used to be a timid person who could not feel confident in my own abilities to do anything. I would stress over starting something new. This can also be just reaching out to people to become friends. I This could be jobs I have or classes I have decided to take. I realized that taking the hard classes and joining a group of employees would be stressful at the start, but it will have been a regret to not at least try to see what I can do. What helped me become more comfortable was people reassuring I was doing good, and I was worthy of being in the spot I was in. I feel that empowering is making other people feel more confident in themselves and making many people feel confident in their actions, ranging from school work and social life. This can be done by little comments that make the people feel great about what they are doing. I tell the people in my classes who are struggling that they have achieved more than they think, and that they are very intelligent humans who will amount to great things. I have become more comfortable with communicating to people I know on how they are doing a great job because they struggle to see that themselves. I also have several classmates who feel they not going to do well in college, and they see themselves possibly dropping out because they will not be capable of the difficulties that come with college. Coming from someone that used to struggle with this confidence, I found that telling people these few words gives them a push to keep themselves focused and motivated to keep going. At work, I feel I empower my coworkers to continue doing the work they are doing by telling them they are doing a good job. This keeps them motivated to continue pushing through even when it is not simple. Even in these stressful rushes that we get thrown into, I found that the words helped my coworkers do better. Empowering people is going to help them continue to do the work and putting in the effort. Throughout my life, I have consistently worked since age 15, and I have been in classes that have challenged me. I feel that the teachers empowered me to strive for greatness, even when I was not doing the greatest. I think it is important in my life, and the people I am around, to continue doing their best. The push that can be done with the empowering words is a necessary step to making this happen. I feel that life is all about working together and making everything flow. I hope that in my future, in college and in everything I do, I can empower everyone around me to do my best. I also hope other people can uplift me by empowering me to do my best. It does not take one person to make greatness happen.

When I was in second grade, I always knew I did not fit in with some of my friends. My fellow classmates talked about having crushes on boys, and I never quite felt that way about what they were saying. I did feel that way about girls. I found out in 2nd grade that I was a not attracted to men, and this followed me all throughout my elementary, middle, and high school experiences. I had many friends who decided we could no longer we could be close due to this. I got called derogatory names, and I always received dirty looks. For one of my school dances, I got called a nasty name due to the fact that I wore a suit instead of a dress. With this obstacle, I found my people. I found people who accepted me for who I am, and I eventually told my parents. I was absolutely terrified, and I never knew how they would react to their child being a lesbian. I told my mom, and she told me she would always love me for who I am. This changed how I viewed this idea I used to hate about myself. Through all of the mean words and dirty looks, my mom telling me she still loved me helped me accept myself even more. I came to accept my sexuality more as time went, and I even have a girlfriend now who helps me understand how it is not a bad thing to be gay. It is out of my control to try and change some thing so natural about me. It was simply the way I was made. I am now the happiest I have ever been, and I feel that this will transfer to my college life because I will find more people who make me feel at home. This personal accomplishment to accept who I am has changed my life completely. I am not able to be active in my school because I can fully accept myself for who I am, and be a part of so many other areas in my school. I am active in my FFA chapter, my FBLA chapter, show choir, band, soccer, and theater, and I thrive in them, placing 2nd in the state individually for FFA food science. I also placed 2nd with my group in our state in show choir, and my soccer team (where I started on defense) allowed us to have the best record for our team since 2016. I have been able to have many personal accomplishment, and my biggest on has to be the fact that I can accept who I am no matter what people think of me.