To me, joy is the sun bouncing off my childhood room's pink walls at exactly 2:45 pm. Joy is the feeling as you turn over the peak of a rollercoaster and can see everything but at the same time nothing at all. Joy is sitting in the kitchen at 12 am laughing at my mom’s horrible impersonations. Joy is painting a United States mural at my local elementary school for fun. Joy is in the silver ring I wear on my left index finger with a ‘4L’ engraved on the front. Joy is everywhere that you are not looking. It took me a while to find joy in the minuscule aspects of my day. Prior to the pandemic, my list of joys would have appeared drastically different. In March of 2020, my list consisted of concerts, roller coasters, and day trips to the city. That all changed when I was forced to let go of anything that matched the stereotypical definition of fun. While stuck in isolation with high-risk family members, I was unable to visit my friends and extended family. Though difficult at first, I am so grateful for the mindset change. If I was still living with the idea that joy can only be found through high-thrill activities, I would pay most of my tending to someone else’s list of joy rather than my own. To me, joy is driving by yourself with the soundtrack from Moana supporting you metaphorically.

If I could share one sentence with the world it would truly be the overused (yet for good reason) saying “Live in the moment”. I know that most people have listened to this statement but not many have truly heard it. This year, this statement became my motto. As I am graduating high school this coming June, I spend most of my time either thinking about the future or the past. Most days consist of me listening to the Moana soundtrack wondering how I grew up so fast and wishing I could relive my childhood. The other half of my brain is occupied with feelings of nervousness and anxiety when thinking about the new experiences and people I will be met this fall at Boston University. I came to the realization that we spend our whole lives either reminiscing over the past or longing for the future. When I was 10 years old, I could not wait to be a teenager because my older cousin was allowed to watch Hannah Montana and I was not. At 16 years old, I wished I was 9 years old again and had time to play ‘the airplane game’ in my backyard again. When I am in my 20s I know I’ll wish I had spent more time cherishing my teenage years. When I’m 80 years old I will look at my grandchildren in envy wishing I was at the young and ignorant age of 5 years old. Sadly, the list goes on. Every stage of our life comes with highs and lows, but that doesn’t make any year more compelling than the next. Though I wish I had realized this sooner, I am grateful to have understood it now. Live in the moment, your future self will be grateful.

If granted $1,000 I would split it into the 4 major aspects of my life: religion, family, Barnes and Noble, and education. I would separate 2.5% of the amount as donations because in my religion it is customary to donate 2.5% of one’s salary. Though I do not have a set salary at the moment I try to prioritize donating to others as much as I can, whether that’s through donating my time, my money, or my experiences and knowledge. I would then use another 25% towards my family because they are the sole reason I have made it into college and am able to partly afford it to the best of my ability. This would be a small thank you, that could never be fully expressed in monetary value. Furthermore, I would take a trip to Barnes and Noble and peruse through Eileen Hoover, Karen McManus, and the selection of self-help journals and bookmarks with pressed flowers. Reading has been the main supporter in my life and has helped me take a break from the acts of Macbeth and the articles regarding Darwin’s Theory of evolution that surround me during the school day. Finally, I will gear the rest of my $1,000 towards my tuition this fall at Boston University. I know that I will be provided with various opportunities that will aid me in my further education in medical school, allowing me to make an impact on those that need it most.