Part of creativity is being brave, because creativity stands out in this world. A brave thing to do is being yourself, even if that means being different from everyone else. While being left out in school throughout my elementary and junior high years, I have been alone most of the time, however, have never stopped being myself. Those unique traits caused me to stand out even more than I already do. By high school, I met someone who has had very much in common with me, and has been my best friend ever since. I don’t allow myself to be someone else, because I was given my own life and characteristics and couldn’t be more grateful for the fact that everyone has the chance to show the world their unique personality.

Sometimes, you are the bug and other times you are the windshield wiper. The meaning of this phrase was told to me by my uncle. In life, each person goes through a situation. They're either in a situation where there is a problem and would be the bug on the car window being hit by the windshield wiper, while other times, they have overcome a problem and are the windshield wiper scraping off the bug. This is one of the wisest sayings I have ever heard, because this implies that life has problems and solutions, as it already does, whether that is personal, society, nationwide, family, work, relationships, finance, friends, and more. In every one of those categories, being the bug or windshield wiper can apply to all.

Generosity, it means to be willing to give something to others that will benefit them. Sometimes, making sacrifices come with it. It is cherished throughout religions, kind acts, people’s hearts, and from simple actions that go in one's thoughts, which can make one’s day simply from that. It is something that we need to practice in our daily lives—in our society, in our families, even in businesses. Generosity means caring for others, sometimes more than you would for yourself. It's an act of kindness that one takes out of their day to help someone else’s day, and any size counts and makes an impact on someone’s life. Without generosity, there is greed and selfishness, as seen on a daily basis. It means something very important and our world would be an even harsher place without it. It takes place within people we know and don't know, and an opportunity to place an act of generosity can happen when we don't expect it. Also, generosity comes in different forms- direct and indirect- such as giving a meal to someone on the road, or donating to an organization that uses that money to feed starving children. This trait is also contagious, seeing a kind act can influence another to do the same. It is an example that everyone has seen at some point or another in their lives. It is brought down from generation to generation, first seen in family, then friends, to strangers, and is something that needs to continue to be taught within families, businesses, schools, and society.

One of my goals for the future is to learn how to budget money in college, and as an adult. To do that, I will be taking a personal finance class in addition to my degree program classes to understand the concept of investing money correctly, which can help me learn how to avoid student debt, and make wise choices that will help me save money for retirement early, while having enough at the moment. My other goal is to graduate with an associates degree in STEM, and then my bachelors with a more specific degree that involves STEM. Currently, I am undecided on which specific STEM career I would like to do, however, by having a STEM degree, I can go many directions within that category.

Studying strategies that have helped me are writing notes for important information that I would need to memorize for an upcoming test. Up to two weeks in advance, I start studying for a test by reading through a certain amount of notes each day, covering one concept at a time, until I have read through and understood the whole concept of the unit. I like to have all the sections in the unit to be completely memorized two days before the test, that way the day before the test, I use the study time available to review my notes one last time. Oftentimes, I read my notes right before I go to bed and as soon as I wake up, because the last and first thought of a day stays engraved in my brain longer.

Since the age of 9, I was a competitive gymnast, with the goal to make it level 6 JO and compete with my own floor music and choreography (according to JO guidelines, any level before 6 is compulsory and everybody has the same floor music and choreography). Working my way up there, I went through health obstacles such as scoliosis, Irritable bowel syndrome, OCD, hypothyroidism, and severe anemia. Nevertheless, I persevered, because of how much my goal meant to me. Struggling to finish every routine in practice and competition, I still welded tears of joy from each performance in level 6, knowing I had done what I had strived to accomplish for nine years. In addition, I had earned the title of being in the top 100 best ranked gymnasts for floor when in level 4, 5, and 6. During anemia, I had to persevere, to make my dream a reality and it wasn't easy, but my ambition kept me motivated to make it to the finish line of the season. I knew I would only have one chance to do this, my nine years of hard work for that moment, it would be a waste in my opinion to just stop. In order to make it through 4 1/2 hour long practices five times a week, I had to modify my rep of routines in order to not pass out, so I made each routine count and utilized the time I wasn’t doing routines by doing anaerobic conditioning to keep my muscles strong for the big kills I performed in my routines, while not draining too much energy. During my time with anemia, I had taken weekly IV’s with B vitamins, as well as taken supplements that made my body produce more red blood cells.

Helping others is very important, as it shows your care for them, and builds their trust in you. I listen to the person I am trying to help, without interrupting them, and console them not by stating how I have gone through the same experience, but what I had done to help myself out of that position, and assure them that I will be there for them anytime they need someone to talk to or even just to be there to listen (because not everyone likes to talk about their problems when they are feeling bad. At times, people just need company from people they feel comfortable around). With close friends and family, I try to distract them with hobbies they like to do, and when I need to leave to go back home, I give them an object that helps them remember me or someone else they love. Depending on the person, I take a different approach on helping them take their minds off of their problem. Also depending on the problem I would take a certain approach. Even when not feeling well myself, I feel worse not being there for a person close to me that is going through stress or a physical problem, and am willing to stay day and night with the people close to me if that is what it takes to help them feel better (whether if that is distracting the from a worry factor, or working with their problem to improve the state of their problem).

I relax by doing my hobbies after a long day of studying for classes and working out. If I'm not too physically tired, I like to ride a scooter to my neighborhood park and swing on the wings while watching the sunset and listening to music. I also like studying Japanese and taking notes on my own to get a better understanding of the structure of Japanese grammar. I admire painting in a way because each brush stroke requires focus to which direction it’s going and how long each stroke is to create a desired texture (smooth or rough). Playing piano is another hobby I love to play everyday, usually once or twice a day. Normally I would try to combine chords and create an original composition, and record my progress so I don't lose track of where I left off. When stressed, I know I can always come to the piano and play away my stress to take my mind off of it. Connecting with my friends is also another way I manage my stress, and build a stronger relationship with those people. When very tired, I would lay on my bed and watch videos on YouTube, such as Daily Dose Of Internet, earth science or space science videos, and funny clips of animals on Pinterest.

Despite growing up without a home to stay, rather just moving throughout the nation living in tiny apartments barely big enough for me, my mother, and father to live in and afford, I made most of my time outside of school and sports to discover my hobbies. A few hobbies I discovered after trying it were swimming, gymnastics and cheerleading and diving. After trying these, I had signed up for private swim lessons at an affordable price a few times per month (also joined group lessons, and those were free because my mother worked there (Rose Bowl Aquatics Center), teaching as a water fitness instructor), and joined the YMCA gymnastics team (CCY Dynamites), and took free diving lessons at the Rose Bowl my mother worked in because she worked there. I was at such joy being actively involved in these different types of sports that kept me in great shape and gave me something to do when not in school, preventing me from sitting in my small room at the apartment. I participated in cheerleading when my school offered it. Having gymnastics as my background, I was placed in the varsity team for Holy Family Grade School. Together, me and my teammate won 1st in the Sharp International national tournaments in 2014 and 2016. I loved all of these sports, and if I were to go back in time, I would do it all again. Outside of sport and school, my other hobbies were playing piano (practiced on a keyboard my father had owned since I was a toddler), and painting (I loved painting landscapes and animals with acrylic paint on small canvases).

I strongly believe there is a solution to every problem. World issues such as world hunger is a real problem, and with the population expanding and prices going up, it isn’t bringing help to those people and children. Organizations that have the mission to deliver food that is fresh of nutrients to those people are what give me hope to reduce world hunger. Organizations that try to end world hunger is a wonderful mission, and slowly maturely, there are children being fed more across the world. Most of life’s problems won't be fixed overnight, but with continuous dedication to hard work, and patience, results will prevail accordingly. Another example of something that gives me hope for the future is a student's ability to go to college. Many scholarship programs are growing throughout the nation to help fund low income students who really want to pursue a degree for a career. Especially with prices increasing within the last couple years, I have hope that scholarship programs will continue to expand and fund students with families with low income and in need of financial aid. In addition, I have hope for the scholarship programs for students who aren't considered as low income, but don’t have enough money in their budget to go to college without a heavy loan. For students like me who want to graduate with no loans and little to no debt, scholarship programs that reach out to “non low income students” are very helpful. I hope that those programs continue to expand, that way they will be able to fund more students in the future. Losing patience happens often in our society, some things can be solved as a community, and others, we must figure out and solve ourselves. Continuing this practice, strong individuals are on the rise, as well as a community.

Skills that I am talented at are playing classical piano pieces by ear, gymnastics, swimming, and speaking other languages. I had started since the age of two. Without much practice, I was already pulling ahead of my teammates, and was soon sent to a higher level of practice. There I practiced swimming with a higher league of aspiring athletes like me with strong talents. Me and my new teammates were coached by a coach who competed in the Olympics. In gymnastics, I started when seven years old (2011), and was already on the competitive level within two years of practice. I trained with this sport alongside with my swimming, and while doing competitive cheer-leading for my school, Holy Family Grade School. We won the Sharp international tournament in Las Vegas in spring of 2016. All of these I really enjoyed. After my parents have gone through a financial struggle, I was forced to pick one sport. I chose to pursue gymnastics, with one goal in mind. To make it level 6 JO and compete with my own floor music and choreography. (according to JO guidelines, any level before 6 is compulsory and everybody has the same floor music and choreography). Working my way up there, I went through many health obstacles such as scoliosis, Irritable bowel syndrome, OCD, hypothyroidism, and severe anemia while in level 6. Nevertheless, I persevered, because of how much my goal meant to me. Struggling to finish every routine in practice and competition, I still welded tears of joy from each performance, knowing I had done what I had strived to accomplish for nine years. In addition, I had earned the title of being in the top 100 best ranked gymnasts for floor when in level 4, 5, and 6.