A few years ago, an incurable illness ruthlessly stole my family member from us. Despite the doctors' countless efforts to save him, he left us. As he closed his eyes and released his last breath, I felt lost. As a habit, I looked at the stars, a symbol of hope in my culture. Never disappointing me, I found my way. I made an Emotions Jar, and whenever life becomes overwhelming, I fold paper stars and store it there. Doing so has never failed to calm me. I have filled one jar after another, all with my optimism. Life has not become easier, but I can cope with struggles better. I understand the pain of losing someone special, desperate but unable to help, and I regret seeing others experience what I had to. Because of this, I aspire to become a biomedical engineer. I want to assist in developing medical technologies and therapies or anything that could alleviate patients' misery. There is so much we can do to relieve patients of their burdens. And there are more ways than we have currently discovered. The path to becoming a biomedical engineer will be stressful, perhaps even hopeless, yet I must never forget to be optimistic. Everything happens for a reason because something or someone from the future will be waiting for me. Therefore, I cannot surrender before then. My paper stars are a symbol of my mental strength and hope. They will accompany me and remind me of what I want to do for others. Through every difficult time in my life, I always looked to the stars for a solution. They have always shined a light and led me home no matter how lost I was. I hope you have a blessed day and an even better one tomorrow. Thank you.

As the world enters a stage where we enjoy better standards of living and longer life expectancies, we discover more illnesses that accompany aging. I met an elderly lady at my part-time job and she suffers from strokes, migraines, and even heart failure. Seeing her struggle to form her words and apologizing for the “inconvenience she has caused us” pains me. She is only one of many people who are struggling with health related problems, and it is absolutely cruel to me that there is nothing I can do to help them. To cope with these emerging health issues, we must also discover and invent treatments to relieve symptoms. I will pursue a degree in biomedical engineering to take my part in uncovering more scientific mysteries. Upon enrolling in Georgia Tech and beginning my studies, I will strive to obtain a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering. As I am studying at Tech, I will engage in labs, volunteer work, and other activities related to this field. After completing this degree, I will enter the workforce and apply what I have learned. I want to help discover more treatment types for people in need. Whether it's for the elderly, people with rare or untreatable illnesses, I want to discover a source of hope and relief for them. To complete my studies to become a biomedical engineer while keeping the financial burdens on my parents as small as possible, I need assistance from organizations such as the "I Am Third Scholarship." I come from a household of eight that is supported only by my father’s source of income. As a first-generation college student, my academic achievements in college will not only benefit me but will be used to aid my family later on. My parents have given us so much, however, they too, are aging, and it is my turn to give back to my family. I greatly appreciate your time and consideration. I hope you have a blessed rest of your day and an even better, healthier and happier one tomorrow. Thank you.

My family originated in China, with ethics of diligence, determination, and conscientiousness coursing through our blood. My parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and every other ancestor I cannot remember the names of, have lived through immensely challenging periods. They were far less fortunate than my generation. Sharing their blood, I dare not disappoint them or myself. A few years ago, an incurable illness ruthlessly stole my family member from me. Despite the doctors' countless efforts to save him, he left us. As he closed his eyes and released his last breath, I felt lost. As a habit, I looked at the stars, a symbol of hope in my culture. Never disappointing me, I found my way. I made an Emotions Jar, and whenever life becomes overwhelming, I fold paper stars and store it there. Doing so has never failed to calm me. I have filled one jar after another, all with my optimism. Life has not become easier, but I can cope with struggles better. I understand the pain of losing someone special, desperate but unable to help, and I regret seeing others experience what I had to. Because of this, I aspire to become a biomedical engineer. I want to assist in developing medical technologies and therapies or anything that could alleviate patients' misery. There is so much we can do to relieve patients of their burdens. And there are more ways than we have currently discovered. The path to becoming a biomedical engineer will be stressful, perhaps even hopeless, yet I must never forget to be optimistic. Everything happens for a reason because something or someone from the future will be waiting for me. Therefore, I cannot surrender before then. My paper stars are a symbol of my mental strength and hope. They will accompany me and remind me of what I want to do for others. Through every difficult time in my life, I always looked to the stars for a solution. They have always shined a light and led me home no matter how lost I was. And after reading Courage to Be Disliked, I am more certain of my desires. The book taught me that I do not need to live my life how other people want me to. Life is way too short, and the more I want people to like me, the more I will dislike myself. I do not need to change myself for anyone else but me because I am the one who will spend the rest of my life with me. The more caught up we are with other people’s perceptions of us, the less time we have to focus on ourselves and improve our lives. The sun will always rise, and a new day will come. Whether you like it or not, whether you choose to live happily or not, a new day will start, and you have to keep going. Time is cruel, it will keep going no matter if you are laughing or crying. And perhaps sometimes a cloudy day will hide the sunlight, but a more exquisite and precious sunset will greet the end of a rainstorm. And sunrise will not be far away. No one will love you more than you will, so love yourself before you try to love someone else. Make appreciating yourself a habit, no, make it a daily celebration, rather than a holiday. Please enjoy the rest of your day and appreciate how wonderful you truly are. Thank you~

Perhaps “85%” is not an accurate statistic, maybe the number is even higher. The younger generation has become more self-conscious and has lower self-esteem. Girls start wearing makeup well before they reach their teenage years because they believe they need makeup to look pretty, and boys think they have to play sports and be fit to attract girls. In past years, I have also been guilty of this. But recently, after reading the book Courage to Be Disliked, I realize I do not need to live my life how other people want me to. Life is way too short, and the more I want people to like me, the more I will dislike myself. I do not need to change myself for anyone else but me because I am the one who will spend the rest of my life with me. The more caught up we are with other people’s perceptions of us, the less time we have to focus on ourselves and improve our lives. The sun will always rise, and a new day will come. Whether you like it or not, whether you choose to live happily or not, a new day will start, and you have to keep going. Time is cruel, it will keep going no matter if you are laughing or crying. And perhaps sometimes a cloudy day will hide the sunlight, but a more exquisite and precious sunset will greet the end of a rainstorm. And sunrise will not be far away. No one will love you more than you will, so love yourself before you try to love someone else. Make appreciating yourself a habit, no, make it a daily task, rather than a holiday. Please enjoy the rest of your day and appreciate how wonderful you truly are. Thank you~

A few years ago, an incurable illness ruthlessly stole my family member from us. Despite the doctors' countless efforts to save him, he left us. As he closed his eyes and released his last breath, I felt lost. As a habit, I looked at the stars, a symbol of hope in my culture. Never disappointing me, I found my way. I made an Emotions Jar, and whenever life becomes overwhelming, I fold paper stars and store it there. Doing so has never failed to calm me. I have filled one jar after another, all with my optimism. Life has not become easier, but I can cope with struggles better. I understand the pain of losing someone special, desperate but unable to help, and I regret seeing others experience what I had to. Because of this, I aspire to become a biomedical engineer. I want to assist in developing medical technologies and therapies or anything that could alleviate patients' misery. There is so much we can do to relieve patients of their burdens. And there are more ways than we have currently discovered. The path to becoming a biomedical engineer will be stressful, perhaps even hopeless, yet I must never forget to be optimistic. Everything happens for a reason because something or someone from the future will be waiting for me. Therefore, I cannot surrender before then. My paper stars are a symbol of my mental strength and hope. They will accompany me and remind me of what I want to do for others. Through every difficult time in my life, I always looked to the stars for a solution. They have always shined a light and led me home no matter how lost I was. I hope you have a blessed day and an even better one tomorrow. Thank you.

Although I have not personally been involved with all of the financial decisions in my household, I realized the importance of finance. Through the past few months of investigating the cost of attending colleges and comparing the costs, I found that I am in deep need for financial aid to achieve my goals as a biomedical engineer. I am enrolled in Georgia Institute of Technology, however, I have failed to first find out the total cost of attending. I need more financial aid to help me pay for my education. It is important to plan ahead of time so that we do not find ourselves in heavy debt. The most important lesson I have learned from this process is not only to plan ahead but keep track of every penny so your financial information can be as accurate as it can be. Now that I have learned this lesson, I hope to apply this to my future, where I will be more involved in financial decisions in my life. In the midst of learning finance lessons myself, I want to spread awareness to high school students like me before they find themselves drowned in student debt. To do so, I can make announcements in our broadcasting videos to inform them. Thank you for your time and consideration. Hope you have a blessed day.

Sometimes I feel emotionally distant from my surroundings. A few years back, after experiencing a traumatic event, I felt lost. As a habit, I looked at the moon and stars. Never disappointing me, I found my way. In Chinese culture, folktales and ancient poems express the beauty of the night sky in the eyes of poets and storytellers. In one poem, the narrator felt astray and found the stars to be a guide. He saw the moon as a symbol of reunion with family. On the evening of the tragedy, I made an emotions jar. I fold a paper star and add it to the jar whenever I feel my emotion is getting out of control or that I need time to cool down. Whether I was happy, sad, stressed, tired or angry, the size and color of the star correspond with a different emotion and how strong it was. Doing this has always helped me, and it became my hobby. Recently, at the end of every month, I take the stars out and count how many there are. I then reflect on my emotions for the month. In January, I felt tired and stressed due to sickness and my inability to complete schoolwork. I felt happier in February because I finished all my work and had more free time. In March, I felt slightly stressed and angry with myself, sometimes feeling sad or lonely. My younger siblings have become more active than before, constantly interrupting my tasks, but I have tried to stay calm. After reflecting, I try to remind myself to change my behavior and emotions so I can be even happier the following month. It was relieving to dump the stars out and have a fresh start. Every month is a new month to become a better me. These stars represent my mental strength. I may have uncontrollable emotions sometimes, but I take care of them. Whether it was writing stories, exercising, or listening to music, I always found a way. The path to reaching my career goals as a biomedical engineer will not be easy, it will be stressful and difficult, but my stars will accompany me. It will remind me of my dream career and what I want to do for others. These stars will bring hope to my future and for everyone that I will be blessed enough to assist. Thank you and please do have a wonderful rest of your day. And ame for every day that follows.

A few years ago, an incurable illness ruthlessly stole my family member. Despite the doctors' endless efforts to save him, he left us. I understand the pain of losing someone special, desperate but unable to help, and I regret to see others go through what I did. Because of this, I aspire to become a biomedical engineer. I want to assist in developing medical technologies and therapies or anything that could alleviate patients' misery. There is so much we can do to relieve patients of their burdens, with many more ways that have yet to be discovered. After experiencing this traumatic event, I felt lost. As a habit, I looked at the moon and stars. Never disappointing me, I found my way. In Chinese culture, folktales and ancient poems express the beauty of the night sky in the eyes of poets and storytellers. In one poem, the narrator felt astray and found the stars to be a guide. He saw the moon as a symbol of reunion with family. And that evening, while trying to hold back tears, I wrote a story about Zai, a teenager who grew up in a single-parent household. However, Zai's mom was unsupportive and called her a “tow oil bottle,” which Chinese people refer to as an “unnecessary burden.” Zai was fortunate to have her childhood best friend, Wainie, who always supported her. But Zai felt that she should not bother Wainie with all her problems. To Wainie’s complaints, Zai assured her that she had an emotions jar, which would help her deal with her problems. She said, “I put a star in when I feel unhappy, then I would forget all about my stress. I will take one out once I feel happy.” But she meant to say, “Once this jar is full, I will leave. This is how many chances I give the world to keep me here.” And she never took one out, her hope just kept escaping, but Wainie didn’t know this until she lost her best friend. The jar was one star away from being filled, but Zai had already left the world. She took her life by overdose, and the last pill from the medicine bottle fell in the star jar, which filled it up to the top. Before Zai broke down that night, a ruthless man took her dignity, ruining her and crushing her last hope. After Wainie found out, she cried, “I still had one chance to keep you here longer! But you left me… No, I will bring this jar with me to my next life. I'll throw the stars out one by one and give you all the reasons to stay with me. And no more stupid excuses of yours, not again. Ever.” Zai’s name means “again” in Chinese, while Wainie’s name means “I love you.” Despite Wainie’s love for her, Zai could not cope with hopelessness again and again and chose to give up on her life. This story does not reflect my life, but sometimes I feel emotionally distant from my surroundings. After writing that story, I made an emotions jar, just as Zai did. I fold a paper star and add it to the jar whenever I feel my emotion is getting out of control or if I need time to cool down. Whether I was happy, sad, stressed, tired or angry, the size and color of the star correspond with a different emotion and how strong it was. Doing this has always helped me. After an incident, my plastic jar shrunk to nearly half of its original size. But I purposely put my stars in there because it will never be filled to the brim, meaning I will never give up. Everything happens for a reason, so perhaps the shrunken jar was not a mistake. Recently, at the end of every month, I take the stars out and count how many there are. I then reflect on my emotions for the month. In January, I felt tired and stressed due to sickness and my inability to complete schoolwork. I felt happier in February because I finished all my work and had more free time. In March, I felt slightly stressed and angry with myself, sometimes feeling sad or lonely. My younger siblings have become more active than before, constantly interrupting my tasks, but I have tried to stay calm. After reflecting, I try to remind myself to change my behavior and emotions so I can be even happier the following month. It was relieving to dump the stars out and have a fresh start. Every month is a new month to become a better me. Although the last star, a pill, in Zai’s jar symbolizes emptiness and despair, my stars will represent my mental strength. I may have uncontrollable emotions sometimes, but I take care of them. Whether it was writing stories, exercising, or listening to music, I always found a way. The path to becoming a biomedical engineer will not be easy, it will be stressful and difficult, but my stars will accompany me. It will remind me of my dream career and what I want to do for others. When the stars left Zai hopeless, my stars will bring hope to my future and for everyone that I will be blessed enough to assist. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

Reading has always been my passion; mysteries, historical fiction, philosophy, and nonfiction books always overfilled my shelves and sparked my interest in humanities. They allowed me to enter the mystical realm of the characters’ lives and walk their journey with them, which made my path to learning English much easier and more pleasurable. For the past few years, I have wanted to start a club for English learners to read or share their experiences with others. I believe reading not only makes learning English more delightful but also helps them master the language quicker. On top of that, it would bring a sense of community for them, letting them know that there are others just like them. However, due to my responsibilities at home, my plans could not come into action. Yet, I did not give up entirely. I started The Bookfood Reading Competition for my little sisters. Every week they recorded how many books they read, and whoever read the most would choose something for me to make. Soon “Tiff’s fried rice” became their favorite. I called this hitting two birds with one stone. Their English skills improved, as did our relationship.

The tiny fish tickling my toes, the fresh breeze blowing on my face, the smell of grandma’s dishes calling me home… are all left behind. I took one last look at everything that would soon escape from my life. I tried to take it all in, from the pond across the street to my dogs’ tearing eyes, from the leaves on our longan tree to the smell of the chicken barn. I cried in my grandparents’ embrace, unwilling to let go because I didn’t know when I could feel their touch again. When I was peeled away to board the plane, I held back my tears and promised them that I would be a good girl. I was only eight years old, but I knew what a promise meant. Life on the other side of the world was something I could never have envisioned. The overwhelming dissimilarities and hardships discouraged me. However, I knew that a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. Keeping my promises in mind, I took that first step: a greeting. The transition was certainly not smooth, but the process was far more delightful. My avid interest in reading and language drove me down the path. I voraciously tore through books, soon accelerating past the children’s books to the exceedingly complex chapter books. Eventually, I could effectively communicate within a year. Although images of my childhood continue to degrade, the memories only become dearer. I miss it all. Yet with every loss, there is another win. I may have missed significant events, but more opportunities lie ahead of me. I will never be the same person I was. And through hard work, I know I can become a better version of myself. Someone who will use her past experiences to help other immigrants adjust.