Going into the dental field has always been an interest and goal of mine. I want to be an orthodontist and have the opportunity to help others increase their level of confidence. A few years ago, I had an under-bite which made me feel deeply insecure about my smile. I would never show my teeth in photos. I remember thinking, "Why couldn't I have a normal smile like everyone else?" Luckily, all that changed after I went to the orthodontist and had braces. I looked forward to every orthodontist appointment because every visit meant one visit closer to having my perfect smile. I was smiling ear to ear for the next few days after I got my braces off. I want to help people who will go through the same insecurities as I did, feel better about themselves. I also want to acquire knowledge on different techniques and procedures done in dental, such as learning to do veneers. I want to construct new ideas and innovations, exactly how Invisalign has made its way. However, recently I discovered my interest in medicine and wanting to go to medical school. Specifically, I want to be an anesthesiologist or a cardiovascular surgeon. Going into healthcare was something I thought I did not want to do. There is a need for more healthcare professionals. That inspires me to be a part of the next generation of healthcare workers. Medicine interests me, and I would love to gain an understanding of how anesthetics are distributed in different procedures, people, etc. I also want to advocate for better healthcare access for those who cannot acquire the care they need and deserve. Going into the medical field takes tremendous hard work, dedication, and courage to reach that high level of expertise. I am willing to put in that hard work and dedication to get where I want to be and to accomplish the goals I have set for myself. Anesthesiologists are very dependable people, and they have to be. They are just as prepared and equipped for any type of emergency as their fellow surgeons and doctors around them. In biology class, we learned about the human heart and its four chambers. We learned where deoxygenated and oxygenated blood flows from and to. There are far more immense details than that, and I am very interested in learning more about them. I also want to learn about different procedures and treatments provided to help those with heart defects. To conclude, pursuing higher education motivated me to go to college. I envision myself in either the medical field or the dental field. I love how technology and medicine have evolved, especially in the last 50 years! I would love to be there to witness the next big medical breakthrough, and possibly discover one, myself!

My name is Olivia Tran. I am a freshman in college and am majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. I live with my parents and two younger brothers. Going into healthcare has recently been on my mind. Before, I was set on going to dental school to be an orthodontist. However, being an anesthesiologist or a cardiovascular surgeon has piqued my interest and is now thrown into the mix. I want to be an orthodontist because after I had braces, I was more confident in my smile than I ever was when I had an under-bite. I enjoyed every orthodontist visit because it meant it was one visit closer to having my perfect smile. I remember the day I got my braces off and I was smiling ear to ear for the next few days. I want to be able to help people who are going to go through the same insecurities as I did. I want to learn other techniques and procedures done in dental as well, such as learning to do veneers. I would love to construct new ideas and innovations, too, exactly how Invisalign has made its way. Anesthesiologists are dependable people. They are just as prepared and equipped for any type of trauma or emergency as their fellow surgeons and doctors around them. Going into healthcare has not been something I thought I wanted to do until recently. I see that there is a need for more healthcare professionals and I want to be a part of the next generation of healthcare workers. I want to be knowingly dependable in any type of emergency. Medicine interests me and I would love the opportunity to learn more about how anesthetics are distributed in different types of procedures, people, etc. I also want to advocate for better healthcare access for those who are not able to acquire the best care they need and deserve. Nobody in my family, who live in Louisiana, is in healthcare, so I do not have second-hand experience with what it is like to be a healthcare worker. However, I do know that it takes a tremendous amount of hard work, dedication, and courage to get to that level of expertise. I am willing to put in that hard work and dedication to get where I want to be and to accomplish the goals I have set for myself. In biology class, we learned about the human heart and its four chambers. I learned that deoxygenated blood first enters the right atrium through the superior and inferior vena cava, flows through the tricuspid valve down to the right ventricle, and then through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary artery where it goes into the lungs to exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen. The oxygenated blood comes back into the heart through the pulmonary veins and enters the left ventricle, flows through the mitral valve, into the left ventricle, and then into the aortic-semilunar valve. The blood then enters the aorta and gets distributed to the rest of the body. I know that there are far more immense details than that and I am very interested in learning more about them. I also want to learn about the procedures and treatments given to help those with heart defects. To conclude, going into healthcare has recently been on my mind, and I can definitely envision myself working in the medical field. I love how medicine has evolved throughout time, especially in just the last 50 years! I would love to be there to witness the next big medical breakthrough, or possibly discover one, myself!

Friendship means numerous things to me. Two of the many important things in friendship are trying your best to be reliable and being loyal. This does not go for one person, but all people within the friendship. Trying your best to be reliable is one of the most important things in friendships. I always do my best to make sure my friends know I will try and be there for them at any time. That is whether I agree or disagree with the matter. Being supportive helps the other person know they are not alone in facing difficult situations. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to reciprocate that action. For example, I had a friend that always needed a shoulder to lean on. I was always there for her, but she was not there for me when I needed some advice. It took a lot of courage for me to unfriend her, but it helped me see what friendships should not look like. Another important thing in friendships is being loyal. I could not imagine talking behind my friends’ backs. It would be devastating to lose someone important to me because of something I said. As the golden rule says, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” I have always lived up to this quote because I, of course, would not want my friends to talk about me behind my back. Staying truthful to each other and yourself is always the best thing to do. All in all, having wonderful and loving friendships is a great way to experience some of life’s best feelings and adventures. Friendships mean so much to me because I have the most amazing people by my side and I would never want to lose them.

Practicing self-care impacts my daily life because it allows me to live comfortably in my own skin. Self-care accounts for where the majority of my self-esteem arises from. If I did not take care of myself in a healthy way, I would not be the confident and glowing person I am today. Having routines is one of many ways I practice self-care. Every morning, I get ready in the same order: wake up, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, cleanse my face, fix my hair, and change into new clothes. It gives me a sense of security and control because I know that I am taking care of myself in a way that makes me feel amazing. Another example is my skincare routine. I have acne-prone skin, but having a skincare routine extremely helps me in feeling beautiful no matter what. Even though ance makes me feel insecure at times, doing my best to take care of my skin still makes me feel wonderful. Self-care is much more to me than looks, though. Being around positive energy and people is another way I practice self-care. Positivity radiates off to me from those who I am around which helps me in having a positive state of mind. If I were to keep myself around a toxic atmosphere, the way I think and operate would negatively impact my self-care. To conclude, self-care is really important for my well-being and it shapes my life in the most positive way. I would not be the person I am today if I did not take care of myself physically, emotionally, and mentally. Doing the things that make me the happiest is how I practice self-care.

Doing activities that I love and make me happy helps me in keeping a growth mindset. Being around good energy contributes tremendously to my mental health. Learning new things, whether it is in school or life experiences, helps me grow into an intelligent and experienced person. Studying and taking notes is a way I keep a growth mindset. Learning is one of my favorite things to do. My favorite subject to learn is science, more specifically biology and chemistry. Being able to learn new and interesting concepts about the world around me is a blessing since I know others do not have the same opportunities as I do. Being in a calm and quiet environment plays a part in keeping my mind focused and engaged. It assists me in feeling at ease when I am taking notes and studying. Having positivity around me and hanging out with my friends is another way I like to keep a growth mindset. Before this year, I would not go out as much. Happily, I started going out with my friends and enjoying my life before high school ends. I have gone to more football games, night-outs, sleepovers, and much more. I also have burst a little out of my bubble this year! I now have the courage that I never had before to approach new people and build new friendships. To conclude, having a growth mindset could be practiced in many ways. A couple of ways I keep a growth mindset are by learning new things and being around the people I love. I will continue with my productive habits and discover new things about myself in keeping my mindset growing.

There is so much to be passionate about. I am most passionate about making myself proud by accomplishing my dreams and goals. Since I was younger, I knew going into dental was right for me. I want to become an orthodontist to help numerous people acquire their perfect smile. Wearing braces for two years is what fixed the underbite I had. Having an underbite made me so insecure about my smile, and I disliked the way I looked for so long. Hiding my smile was something I did daily. Thankfully my bite is fixed now, and I am so glad to have a smile that makes me feel confident. Having confidence in my smile has increased my self-esteem tremendously. I cannot wait for the days where I make a difference in people’s lives because of what I do. Long-term goals such as owning a dental office and having a small side business are what I envision for my future. Entrepreneurship is something I would love to be a part of. Owning and managing my own dental office would be an amazing achievement. Having a small business would also be amazing because I would love to run a little boutique, coffee shop, or bakery! Working in my parents’ salon has helped me see the value and effort it takes for running a business. All in all, I am very passionate about my future, and I want to make myself proud of the things I can accomplish. Every day, I am one step closer to achieving my goals.

Long-term goals such as becoming an orthodontist, owning a dental office, and having a small side business are what drives me to do my best every day. Going into the dental field has always been my passion. My dream is to help countless people obtain their perfect smiles and build their self-confidence. Making an impact on others is one of my biggest goals. I know the feeling of self-consciousness with having crooked teeth or a bad bite. I had an underbite before receiving braces which made me so insecure about smiling. I would not smile or talk as much because I was afraid of what others would think about how I looked. Now, my smile is where the majority of my self-esteem is. I cannot wait for the days where I make a difference in people's lives because of what I do. In college and dental school, I am required to take anatomy and physiology courses. I have already taken dual enrollment in anatomy and physiology my junior year of high school (2020-2021) to have basic knowledge going into higher anatomy classes. Right now, I am maintaining a 4.1923 GPA. My goal this school year is to increase my GPA, and I am achieving this by taking multiple dual enrollment classes. These classes will also help prepare me for college classes next year. I have always worked hard for my accomplishments and I will continue to work hard to fulfill greater things in life! To finish, becoming an orthodontist, being successful in my career, and having a side business drive me to work beyond my limits. I want to accomplish so many things in life. With motivation and hard work, I believe I could make my dreams come true.

Joy, to me, means being happy with the way I live. I do activities that bring me positivity and happiness. I seek joy in my life by hanging out with my friends, drawing, painting, and exercising. I love to do things that uplift my spirits and help me improve my well-being. Hanging out with my friends gives me so much joy because I am surrounded by the people that bring so much love and support. I love the radiant and good energy I am surrounded by when I am with my friends. Drawing and painting always bring me joy. It helps me feel at ease when I am creating artwork. At the end of a project, I am always satisfied with the outcome because, usually, I take many days to complete a painting. Also, I always depend on drawing when I am feeling stressed and want a little reality break. Even if it is watching other people paint on Instagram or TikTok, it always helps me calm down and intense. Another thing that brings me joy is working out. I would like to start going to the gym but having other responsibilities prevents me from doing so. I would love to continue to grow my body, be stronger, and have more self-confidence. This obstacle leaves me no choice but to work out at home. After each workout, I am exhausted yet, satisfied. It is a great feeling because I proved that I could challenge myself beyond my limits. To conclude, joy means doing hobbies and activities that fill me with ecstasy. I love doing things that help me grow into a stronger person. When I feel stressed and need a break, I will try to relax and take in positivity by being around friends, creating artwork, and working out.

Giving love is one of the most important things in maintaining strong relationships in life. I like to make my friends and family feel loved by checking up on them and giving them reassurance. It is important to me to make sure the people I love know that I love them. Checking up on my friends and family is a small gesture that allows them to see my effort. It lets them know that I care for them and it is as simple as, “How are you? Is everything going okay?” That can make someone feel a little better because they know I am thinking about them and their well-being. Being there and checking up on loved ones builds trust and loyalty that is wonderful to have. Another way I like to show my friends and family I love them is by giving reassurance. Repeating myself to make sure the people I love know that I am here for them is perfectly fine. If I were feeling down in any way, I would want to have reassurance too. I would not want anyone to feel like they are alone and have no one to talk to. Bottling up emotions is not ideal, so letting those close to me know I am here to talk to is the best thing I could do for them. To close, I like to make my friends and family feel loved by checking up on them and reassuring them. I check up on them by asking how they are doing and if everything is okay. I reassure them by telling them they are not alone and they will always have me to talk to. Giving love to those close to me is so important because it lets them know they are cared for and loved.

Simple pleasures in my life that make me happy are being around the people I love, watching the sunset, and having the perfect song playing at the right moment. More simple pleasures make me happy, but these are the ones that make me the happiest. When the holidays come around, I get to be around my family more often. I do not live near most of my family, so when Thanksgiving and Christmas arrive, we are all together celebrating. Happiness overwhelms everyone and it is an incredible feeling to be laughing, eating, and enjoying the holidays with my family. Watching the sunset is so mesmerizing and makes me feel in awe. Seeing all of the beautiful colors painted in the sky always captivates me in so many ways. Sometimes, I go to the parking tower to watch the sunset and it is one of the most beautiful and calming things to do. Especially in the summer when my friends are available to watch the sunset with me. Listening to music and talking is relaxing and helps me forget about other things just for the moment. Another simple pleasure that makes me so happy is when the perfect song starts to play to match the mood. I remember this day when I was with my boyfriend. We were shopping, riding around, and listening to music and “Better” by Khalid started playing. My heart wanted to burst with happiness. It was the perfect song that described how the day was going and it made us so joyful. All in all, simple pleasures that make me happy are being around loved ones, going to watch the sunset, and hearing the right song at the right moment. There are so many simple pleasures in life that make everything better and make me so happy.

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult is the most inspiring book I have read because Anna, the main character, is very determined in fighting for what she deserves. Anna is a thirteen-year-old girl who is fighting for the rights of her body against her parents. I love the plot of this book because it is nothing I have ever heard of before. The story sends a strong message of, "Go after what you want, no matter what anybody else says." Ever since Anna was born, she has undergone multiple surgeries and transfusions for her older sister, Kate, who suffers from leukemia. The next surgery is a kidney transplant, but Anna does not want to go through with it. She wanted her parents to consider her feelings so badly that she saved some money to find herself a lawyer. She did not have enough money, but, fortunately, Mr. Campbell took her case without any charges. Going to court was long, exhausting, and caused everyone to be distraught. Anna knew proceeding with this case was going to tear her family apart. She could have stopped the whole thing and continued with the procedure, but it was not something she wanted to do. She continued to fight even when she felt weak because it was important to her to have her voice heard. To conclude, this book is very inspirational to me because seeing how hard Anna fought was so captivating, especially since she was only thirteen years old. I realized that going after what I want, despite anyone’s opinions, should be the most important thing. This story sends a message to anyone who reads it by saying anything is possible as long as you put your heart into it and it is truly important to you.

Achieving life-long goals and being successful motivates me on a daily basis. Becoming an orthodontist has always been a dream of mine. I have seen the works that orthodontists do and I find them fascinating. Having confidence in my smile has increased my self-esteem and I would love the opportunity to impact other peoples’ confidences, as well. Long-term goals such as becoming an orthodontist, owning a dental office, and having a bubble tea shop on the side motivate me daily. Owning and managing my own dental office is the final goal in my career path, including a little side business. Having a bubble tea shop would be amazing because I love drinking milk teas and making drinks. Working in my parents’ salon has helped me see the value and effort it takes for running a business. I imagine achieving all of my goals which motivates me to work harder every day! In college and dental school, I am required to take anatomy and physiology courses. I have taken dual enrollment in anatomy and physiology in my junior year of high school (2020-2021) to have basic knowledge going into higher anatomy classes. Right now, I am maintaining a 4.1923 GPA. My goal this school year is to increase my GPA. I am achieving this goal by taking multiple dual enrollment classes that will also prepare me for college classes next year. I have always worked hard for my accomplishments and I will continue to work hard to fulfill greater things in life! To finish, becoming an orthodontist and having a successful career/business motivates me on a daily basis. I want to achieve so many things in life. With motivation and hard work, I believe I could make my dreams come true.

The discovery of cells by Robert Hooke is my favorite scientific discovery because it led to the phenomenal understanding of the smallest unit of life. Learning about cells is fascinating because there are so many functions that cells, and the organelles inside them, do. When learning about cells, I researched Robert Hooke and his improvements on the microscope. By adding a screw-operated focusing mechanism and lighting, Hooke was able to look at thinly sliced cork under the microscope and saw “tiny rooms.” He called those rooms “cells.” His discovery was the start of the basic understanding of cells and what we know about them today. Now, it is mindblowing that there are even tinier organelles operating inside of the cell! At least 13 organelles are inside animal cells. The nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, centriole, and many more serve specific roles to keep the body functioning just like the organs in our bodies. For example, the mitochondria are the producers of energy. It converts glucose that we intake into a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Every organelle and its function is vital to keep the cell alive and working. There is so much more to learn about cells. For instance, the two kinds of cells are prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms that do not have a nucleus. DNA, RNA, and ribosomes are free-floating inside the cell. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and many organelles inside them. Despite their differences, they are both similar in having a cell membrane, ribosomes, DNA/RNA, and cytoplasm. To close, the discovery of cells is my favorite scientific discovery because it led to the understanding of the smallest unit of living organisms. It is captivating to have so much knowledge about what makes up all living things.

Robert Hooke is my favorite scientist because of his discovery of cells and changes within the microscope. His wide span of research included biology where he used microscopes and improved them. Improvements composed of two additional lenses, an eyepiece lens, and a tube lens which led him to discover cells. Hooke’s 1665 “Micrographia” was one of the most famous publications because of his groundbreaking discovery of cells!

The best way to live a long, healthy life is to take care of your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Taking care of those three components helps significantly in improving your standards of living. Having strong mental health improves life magnificently. Being mentally strong comes with knowing your self-worth. For example, being around a toxic atmosphere could negatively affect your mental health. I had a “friend” who always belittled me and brought my mental health down. Over time, I thankfully gained my mental health back and built up the courage to remove them from my life. I have lived a much happier life since then! Taking care of your physical health remarkably contributes to living a long and healthy life. Most people exercise to be physically healthy, but there are plenty of ways to maintain good physical health. I like to keep my physical health strong by walking around my local sports complex. Being active keeps me feeling fit, healthy, and good about myself. Being emotionally healthy is another vital aspect of living a prosperous life. It is acceptable to let our emotions get the best of us sometimes. However, it is not significant to always allow our emotions to influence our actions. When something is stressing me out, I set it aside, take a break, and think before taking action. I will try to get my mind off of it by doing some of my favorite hobbies. Doing activities that I enjoy helps me in keeping my emotional health strong. All in all, taking care of yourself in all aspects is the best way to live a long, healthy life. When having strong mental, physical, and emotional health, positive energy gets attracted while negative energy gets repelled.

Favorable outcomes result in one’s ability to have patience. Having patience helps me to be successful and persevere through anything I do. That is why being patient is important to me. One of my favorite hobbies is painting. Constructing a piece of artwork is very time-consuming and requires a lot of dedication. There were many times where I rushed through a painting without adding small details. When I lack patience, the results ruin my expectations because they are not up to my standards. On the other hand, when I spent multiple hours a day working on a painting, I had the most amazing outcome since I took my time and worked hard. Ironically, writing about patience calls for a lot of patience! I spend an abundant amount of time and effort writing essays for college applications and scholarships. For me, gathering my thoughts and writing them out takes a large amount of time. I tend to overthink and overwork myself while writing essays because I want everything to sound so perfect. However, I know that practicing being patient will help me to ease up and hit all the points in my writing. To conclude, most activities take tedious work and require being patient. The results would not be best accomplished when there is a lack of patience. Being patient helps me to prosper through everything I do. It is a great thing to practice because having patience is a huge factor throughout life.

Going to the dentist is one of my least favorite things to do. Ironically, I have always wanted to go into the dental field for as long as I could remember. As kids, we were asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My response was never to be a teacher like most of my peers, and I would always say I want to be a dentist. However, after going to the orthodontist and seeing all of the interesting things they do, I now want to be an orthodontist! My dream life is to help numerous people achieve their perfect smiles and be confident in their own skin. Having an impact on others is one of my biggest goals in life. I dream of going to work every day knowing that I am helping my patients with something they might be insecure about. I know the feelings of self-consciousness about having crooked teeth or having a bad bite. I had an underbite before having braces which made me feel so uneasy about my smile. I always hid it or simply tried not to smile as often because I was so scared of what others would say about how I looked. Now, my smile is where the majority of my self-esteem is. I cannot wait for the days where I make an impact on people's lives because of what I do. Having a great smile that I love makes me so happy and feel so beautiful. I dream of helping others in having the same feeling of self-love through their smile and confidence just how I do. Thinking about being an orthodontist and providing people with a service brings so much joy to me!

Friendship means numerous things to me. Two of the many important things in friendship are trying your best to be reliable and being loyal. This does not just go for one person but all people within the friendship. Trying your best to be reliable is one of the most important things in friendships. I always do my best to make sure my friends know I will try to be there for them at any time. That is even when I agree or disagree with the problem. Being supportive helps the other person know they are not alone in facing difficult situations. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to be there for you even when you were there for them. For example, I had a friend that always needed someone to lean on. I was always there for her, but she was not there for me when I needed some advice. It took a lot of courage for me to unfriend her, but it helped me see what friendships should not look like. Another important thing in friendships is being loyal. I could not imagine talking behind my friends’ backs. It would be devastating to lose someone I love because of something I said about them. As the golden rule says, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” I always live up to this quote because I, of course, would not want my friends to talk about me behind my back. Staying truthful to each other and yourself is always the best thing to do. All in all, having wonderful and loving friendships is a great way to experience some of life’s best feelings and adventures. Friendships mean so much to me because I have the most amazing people by my side and I would never want to lose them.

Doing activities that I love and make me happy helps me in keeping a growth mindset. Learning new things, whether it is in school or life experiences, helps me grow into an intelligent and experienced person. Being around good energy contributes positively to my mental health for being as strong as it is. Studying and taking notes is a way I keep a growth mindset. Learning is one of my favorite things to do. My favorite subject to learn is science like biology and chemistry. Being able to learn new and interesting concepts about the world around me is a blessing since I know some people do not have the same opportunities as I do. Being in a calm and quiet environment plays a part in keeping my mind focused and engaged. It assists me in feeling at ease when I am taking notes and studying. Being around positive people and hanging out with my friends is another way I like to keep a growth mindset. Before this year, I would not go out as much. Happily, I started going out with my friends more and enjoying my life before going to college. I have gone to more football games, night-outs, sleepovers, and much more. I also have burst a little out of my bubble this year! I now have the courage that I never had before to approach new people and build new friendships. To conclude, having a growth mindset could be practiced in many ways. A couple of ways I keep a growth mindset are by learning new things and being around the people I love. I will continue with my productive habits and discover new things about myself in keeping my mindset growing.

Practicing self-care impacts my daily life because it allows me to live comfortably in my own skin. Self-care accounts for where the majority of my self-esteem arose from. If I did not take care of myself in a healthy way, I would not be the confident and glowing person I am today. Having routines is one of many ways I practice self-care. Every morning, I get ready in the same order: wake up, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, cleanse my face, fix my hair, and change into new clothes. It gives me a sense of security and control because I know that I am taking care of myself in a way that makes me feel amazing. Another example is my skincare routine. I am a person who struggles with acne, but having a skincare routine extremely helps me in ways of still feeling beautiful no matter what. Even though ance makes me feel insecure at times, doing my best to take care of my skin still makes me feel wonderful. Self-care is much more to me than looks, though. Being around positive energy and people is another way I practice self-care. Positivity radiates off to me from those who I am around which helps me in having a positive state of mind. If I were to keep myself around a toxic atmosphere, the way I think and operate would negatively impact my self-care. To conclude, self-care is really important for my well-being and it shapes my life in the most positive way. I would not be the person I am today if I did not take care of myself physically, emotionally, and mentally. Doing the things that make me the happiest is how I practice self-care.

"My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult is my favorite book because Picoult portrays her characters in such a fascinating and coordinating way. The story is about Anna, a thirteen-year-old girl, fighting for the rights of her body against her parents. Ever since Anna was born, she has undergone multiple surgeries and transfusions for her older sister, Kate, who suffers from leukemia. The next surgery is a kidney transplant, and Anna does not want to go through with it. I love the plot because it is nothing I have ever heard of before. It sends a strong message of, "Be grateful for what you have because when it is gone, you will never get that time back." The story is told from multiple point-of-views and as it goes on, you can really see how each character deals and reacts to their internal and external problems. Having a multiperspective story was very necessary for this storyline because, without it, we would have been only limited to one person's thoughts and feelings throughout the mass amounts of emotions and events. Picoult captured each individual's feelings and turned them into something so powerful. I felt a connection to each character and that is what I really loved about this book. The character development is one of the greatest qualities that made this book amazing, as well. I specifically loved Anna's character. She knew going to court to have legal rights over her own body was going to tear her family apart, but she still did it because it was important to her to have her voice heard. This is so empowering because Anna is only thirteen years old and it sends a message to everyone saying anything is possible as long as it is truly important to you and you work for it.

One night I was hanging out with an old friend where we were on snapchat just like all the other 14 year-old girls. She took a picture of me and sent it to a boy where the boy sent a picture back with the caption, “Who’s the asian girl?” At the time, I did not think much about his question and I just laughed it off. I did not think his question was at all offensive because I had grown up around people who made racial jokes to me and thought of it as being the “norm.” However, my friend got so angry with the boy and started to defend me by saying, “You know, she has a name. Her name is Olivia. Not ‘The asian girl.’” She went on and on to him. I was shocked and a little embarrassed. All I could think was, “Why is she taking this way out of proportion?” Fortunately, looking back at this time I am thankful to have had a friend that great. Someone who really stood by my side even when I did not see the wrong in the situation. Without this incident, I would have realized a lot later about the importance of self respect and standing up for myself. Thinking about this makes me think about more memories where I mistakenly saw disrespect disguised as casual jokes. Maturing and growing up, I realized that I should not take the disrespect anymore and I have to stand up for myself and my ethnicity.