As someone who has been a fan of Billie Eilish ever since the release of "Ocean Eyes", seeing her develop and turn into a huge pop star has made me happy for her. I love all of her songs but if I had to pick 3 top songs they would be the following. Starting at the bottom of the list, I would say "Idontwannabeyouanymore” from her EP ‘Don't Smile At Me’ would be placed at number 3 just because this song has always resonated with my insecurities and my childhood growing up. The song focuses on the struggles of body image and not wanting to be yourself because of how you look. A verse in her song states, “Tell the mirror what you know she's heard before, I don't wanna be you, anymore.” This verse here tells us how she feels about herself, she’s unhappy with herself. She just doesn’t want to be herself anymore, due to the heavy struggle of insecurities. When I was young, body image affected my mental health. I constantly stared at myself in the mirror wishing I was somebody completely different. I was unhappy with the version of myself I saw in the mirror. Entering high school the feelings just got stronger making it hard to feel good about myself anytime. In 2nd place, I would have to go with “Getting Older” from her ‘Happier than Ever’ Album. This song has always touched my heart, hearing it live in 2022 on her tour was one of the best days of my life. The song focuses on the aspects of growing up and leaving childhood behind. My favorite line in the song is, “I'm getting older, I think I'm aging well, I wish someone had told me I'd be doing this by myself.” This song to me perfectly represents the transition from childhood to adulthood. Her wish that someone would have told her she’d have to start doing things alone was how I felt in high school. Applying for colleges wasn't easy, I thought I'd have more academic support and resources. I soon then realized I did not and that I would have to look for ways to succeed on my own. Attending college was also incredibly difficult especially when I moved 7 hours away from home, I knew things would just be independent. I wouldn’t have any family support and it was a big transition for me. Coming in 1st place would have to be “What Was I Made For” from the 2023 movie Barbie. This song places 1st because it resonates with me the most right now and it probably will for the next 3 years until I graduate college. As a college sophomore, I’m not sure what my plans are after school. In the song she states, “I used to know but I'm not sure now, What I was made for.” In college, I know I’m supposed to study, graduate, and get a good-paying job afterward. But I can’t help but feel lost at times while I’m there. In high school, I used to sort of have an idea of what I wanted to do after college. Now that I’m here I’m not sure anymore. I have no idea what I was made for. I don’t know what I’m really supposed to do after college and that still scares me sometimes.

Growing up Guatemalan means we are family-oriented, I never knew we would be so family-oriented that my mom's whole family would move into our one-story home. Living with twelve other people was extremely hard and came with challenges. Lots of family in one house is a Latino stereotype, but it also is true for some such as myself. Living under one roof created many educational obstacles for my sisters and me. We did not have a quiet environment to do our homework or study, it was hard to get proper sleep on school nights, and we often had to clean and cook for our family members which took time out of our days and prevented us from studying. Ever since these challenges started I learned lots of new things about myself, such as new life and academic life goals. I decided I would be pursuing higher education for myself and my family due to watching the struggle my parents were struggling with. Living with so many also made me realize I want to be more independent, I wish to have my own space. In a way this convinced me studying a bit farther away from the Bay Area would be great. During college application season having such a crowded environment I made it hard for me to work on my applications. I would have to find coffee shops to get some alone time to review my college applications. I applied to a total of fifteen schools, with a result of thirteen acceptances. I’ve always wanted to make my parents proud, although I was not accepted to all fifteen schools I got into my top university. The University Of Southern California, many know it as ‘the university of spoiled children.’ But when you come from a background where no one in your family has gone to college, a prestigious university such as USC is an honor. I have been called spoiled for attending this school, someone even once told me that my parents must have ‘bought my way in’. But with thirteen people in a singular house, there is no such money to buy yourself into anything. I reflected on this and realized I did an amazing job with my studies considering my challenges and circumstances. I got into a top university with an acceptance rate of 9%, coming from a very small school and very limited college knowledge. My father is the only person in my family who works, my mother is unemployed as she takes care of my sisters and me, but also has her other family to take care of. In a house with thirteen people, you can expect it to not be in good shape. Our fridge has constantly been broken, our cars have been in the shops, and our bathroom sink has constantly leaked. No one talks about how much money goes into your family's home fixes. With my father being the only working income we have, it genuinely has been a struggle. When decision day came around I knew talking to my parents about financial aid would be hard. I committed to USC as they offered the most financial aid out of all the schools I had applied to. But the estimated cost of attendance for this school isn’t cheap, my dad used his life savings for my freshman year of college. Now entering my sophomore year I know I need to help more because we don’t have a lot. I just wish to help my parents and pay them back in any way I can.

Reflecting on my teenage years and experiences I think a lot about what we learn and realize as teenagers. Around 13-14 years old I realized people only really care about what others looked like. It was especially difficult and harder on girls, I saw it with those I went to school with. Olivia Rodigro’s ‘Pretty Isn’t Pretty’ track on the GUTS album speaks highly about the problems I witnessed during my teenage years, specifically around girl’s appearances. The lyric states “I could change up my body and change up my face, I could try every lipstick in every shade, But I'd always feel the same, 'Cause pretty isn't pretty enough anyway.” I relate when she mentions trying lipsticks on in multiple shades because for some reason in middle school lip glosses and lipsticks were very popular. I honestly don’t remember how many tubes of gloss and lipstick I purchased in middle school. I only really bought them because lots of girls my age were using them and I thought they’d help me look prettier or at least fit in a bit more. Now that I think about it, the only reason I thought that way was due to things I heard people say about me at a young and complicated age. I heard people say my lips were pale. I bought tinted glosses and lipsticks. Suddenly my lips were too small and thin. I would buy plumping. I let so many words and thoughts get into my head that I wanted to change everything about me at once. At one point it wasn’t about your facial appearance but your physical appearance. People only thought good and well about the girls who were ‘skinny.’ I struggled a lot with body insecurities in middle school. I still do now that I’m in college but slowly I’ve started to like myself a bit more. In middle school, I would do many things to make myself prettier which was another word for skinny. I would suck in my stomach constantly until I felt strange when I didn't. My stomach at one point would start to do it on its own will. I also looked at very dumb internet ideas just to appear and become ‘skinnier.’ I would wrap saran wrap around my stomach because somehow that made you ‘sweat’ your weight off. Or I would start buying baby snacks because those have 0 calories. I did a lot to watch my weight and I knew I was not the only one doing so. A few of my middle school friends said they’d do other things to lose weight such as roll their stomachs with rolling pins. Literal rolling pins that are used for bread and cookies. Hearing this was what in a way opened my eyes to how crazy we were and how crazy people were for getting ideas like these into young girls' heads. My friends and I realized that even when we did look different or finally sort of fit into the ‘pretty’ category, people still found things to criticize us on. Even when we looked a bit different we also felt the exact same way as before. Ugly and insecure. Being ‘pretty’ isn’t pretty enough for anyone at all. The prettiest people will never ‘be enough.’ Being a woman is hard, being a teenage woman is even harder, teenagers face so many challenges and obstacles growing up.

I am the oldest of 3 kids, my younger twin sisters are in middle school. My parents are Guatemalans from a small city called Huehuetenango. I live in a one-story house with 12 other people, 13 if I include myself. Growing up with many people has taught me many different obstacles and struggles. I've heard stories of how my mom's family lived in Guatemala and I realize we have a lot more than we think. While in comparison they lack many things that one needs to live and be safe in this world. I've grown up to be a motherly person, I care for others and I find ways to help others. I think it's an instinct I've developed being so involved in helping my family. Often going to the doctor with my family was a struggle, going to any medical center was a struggle. My family doesn't speak English, my mother only speaks broken English. I didn't think I would have great memorization by the age of 6 but I do. I've had to learn the answers to all the doctor's questions. When you're the eldest and the only one who speaks English they in a way use you and your abilities. I grew up having to translate a lot of things for my mother. Such as mail, paperwork, and ingredients on food labels. growing up this way helped me learn and realize what the world strongly lacks. Such as women healthcare workers and women in charge. Since my young realization, I told myself and my family that I would become a doctor. Or even possibly a surgeon. I grew a huge interest and love in the medical field because of families like my own. I saw how badly we would struggle and how other families beside us struggled as well. The healthcare system is very strange and complicated, especially when you can't speak English. That just makes it a lot harder. If more people struggle, people won't reach out for help or assistance. people will start to care less about themselves which could lead to harm. Being a doctor to me means being there for others and making sure no one is left behind in a grey cloud. My family and I were usually left in grey clouds when I was a child. Becoming a doctor or health care worker would open so many new possibilities to different kinds of healthcare. I hope to make a positive impact on today's world with my care and knowledge. No one should struggle alone, I have been an advocate for the Latino community when it comes to healthcare and rights. Everyone should be given equal opportunities and importance in this healthcare system. I hope to make some changes and make it easier for lots of people to obtain healthcare and proper insurance.

My favorite concert memory is my first concert memory as well. On March 30, 2022, I saw Billie Eilish for the first time in concert ever. I never knew my favorite music artist would be at my first-ever concert. My god sister had sent me a message around mid-December with a small picture of Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever photoshoot. She just sent the image and I replied ‘???.’ Next thing I knew she said, “GUESS WHO’S GOING TO SEE BILLIE EILISH!” I just remember going into shock and I started crying, as any fangirl would. I had just learned I would be seeing Billie Eilish live with Pit tickets. Meaning I would see Billie right in front of me. I started listening to Billie in 2015 shortly after Ocean Eyes started to blow up. She has been one of my biggest role models and idols. I then spent weeks figuring out an outfit because the fangirl in me kind of hoped Billie would notice me in a good outfit. I remember waking up around 6 am the day of the concert, I had struggled to sleep the night before due to the excitement. My god sister picked me up and we drove up to Sacramento, we got there early so we could get a good number and spot in line. We were at the arena by 9 am and we picked up our wristbands. Our numbers being 478 and 479 lots of people were ahead of us but it was okay. To spend some time we headed to the merch table where I couldn’t make up my mind on what piece of merch I would want settled on a black tour shirt that had pink text stating, ‘Happier Than Ever, The World Tour 2022.’ After buying merch we were a bit hungry and you know that anytime you are around a concert arena, you will 100% see a hot dog cart. So that was what we got, a bacon-wrapped hot dog. As we sat on some benches in front of the arena eating our hotdogs, I looked around and saw many cute concert outfits. I wore a big corduroy cover-up that had patches of different shades of brown, with a white tank top under. Some baggy straight jeans. As well as my favorite shoes. My black Doc Martens. I wore a pearl necklace and did some gem makeup. Making eyeliner out of jewels on my face. My god sister had some face glitter we put on our cheeks. Oh and don’t forget the mask. A black face mask because I was not going to risk catching COVID-19 on the best night of my life. Shortly After getting back in line, the line started moving. We were finally being allowed in. I remember feeling a bit dizzy. I think it was the excitement. Everything felt fake. The concert started and I had the best view ever. I had got to the barricade, and Billie was right in front of me. Midway through her show she had a ‘water break’ where she was making sure people were given water bottles. Next thing I knew the BILLIE EILISH was handing me a water bottle. It was just a regular Dasani water bottle, but to me, it was an honor and a gift from herself. It happened so fast but it felt like no time was moving. I just remember feeling like I was in a deep sleep. This will forever be my favorite concert. I can’t wait to see her again on December 15th In Los Angeles.

Growing up Guatemalan means we are family-oriented, I never knew we would be so family-oriented that my mom's whole family would move into our one-story home. Living with twelve other people was extremely hard and came with challenges. Lots of family in one house is a Latino stereotype, but it also is true for some such as myself. Living under one roof created many educational obstacles for my sisters and me. We did not have a quiet environment to do our homework or study, it was hard to get proper sleep on school nights, and we often had to clean and cook for our family members which took time out of our days and prevented us from studying. Ever since these challenges started I learned lots of new things about myself, such as new life and academic life goals. I decided I would be pursuing higher education for myself and my family due to watching the struggle my parents were struggling with. Living with so many also made me realize I want to be more independent, I wish to have my own space. In a way this convinced me studying a bit farther away from the Bay Area would be great. During college application season having such a crowded environment I made it hard for me to work on my applications. I would have to find coffee shops to get some alone time to review my college applications. I applied to a total of fifteen schools, with a result of thirteen acceptances. I’ve always wanted to make my parents proud, although I was not accepted to all fifteen schools I got into my top university. The University Of Southern California, many know it as ‘the university of spoiled children.’ But when you come from a background where no one in your family has gone to college, a prestigious university such as USC is an honor. I have been called spoiled for attending this school, someone even once told me that my parents must have ‘bought my way in’. But with thirteen people in a singular house, there is no such money to buy yourself into anything. I reflected on this and realized I did an amazing job with my studies considering my challenges and circumstances. I got into a top university with an acceptance rate of 9%, coming from a very small school and very limited college knowledge. My father is the only person in my family who works, my mother is unemployed as she takes care of my sisters and me, but also has her other family to take care of. In a house with thirteen people, you can expect it to not be in good shape. Our fridge has constantly been broken, our cars have been in the shops, and our bathroom sink has constantly leaked. No one talks about how much money goes into your family's home fixes. With my father being the only working income we have, it genuinely has been a struggle. When decision day came around I knew talking to my parents about financial aid would be hard. I committed to USC as they offered the most financial aid out of all the schools I had applied to. But the estimated cost of attendance for this school isn’t cheap, my dad used his life savings for my freshman year of college. Now entering my sophomore year I know I need to help more because we don’t have a lot. I just wish to help my parents and pay them back in any way I can.

Growing up Guatemalan means we are family-oriented, I never knew we would be so family-oriented that my mom's whole family would move into our one-story home. Living with twelve other people was extremely hard and came with challenges. Lots of family in one house is a Latino stereotype, but it also is true for some such as myself. Living under one roof created many educational obstacles for my sisters and me. We did not have a quiet environment to do our homework or study, it was hard to get proper sleep on school nights, and we often had to clean and cook for our family members which took time out of our days and prevented us from studying. Ever since these challenges started I learned lots of new things about myself, such as new life and academic life goals. I decided I would be pursuing higher education for myself and my family due to watching the struggle my parents were struggling with. Living with so many also made me realize I want to be more independent, I wish to have my own space. In a way this convinced me studying a bit farther away from the Bay Area would be great. During college application season having such a crowded environment I made it hard for me to work on my applications. I would have to find coffee shops to get some alone time to review my college applications. I applied to a total of fifteen schools, with a result of thirteen acceptances. I’ve always wanted to make my parents proud, although I was not accepted to all fifteen schools I got into my top university. The University Of Southern California, many know it as ‘the university of spoiled children.’ But when you come from a background where no one in your family has gone to college, a prestigious university such as USC is an honor. I have been called spoiled for attending this school, someone even once told me that my parents must have ‘bought my way in’. But with thirteen people in a singular house, there is no such money to buy yourself into anything. I reflected on this and realized I did an amazing job with my studies considering my challenges and circumstances. I got into a top university with an acceptance rate of 9%, coming from a very small school and very limited college knowledge. My father is the only person in my family who works, my mother is unemployed as she takes care of my sisters and me, but also has her other family to take care of. In a house with thirteen people, you can expect it to not be in good shape. Our fridge has constantly been broken, our cars have been in the shops, and our bathroom sink has constantly leaked. No one talks about how much money goes into your family's home fixes. With my father being the only working income we have, it genuinely has been a struggle. When decision day came around I knew talking to my parents about financial aid would be hard. I committed to USC as they offered the most financial aid out of all the schools I had applied to. But the estimated cost of attendance for this school isn’t cheap, my dad used his life savings for my freshman year of college. Now entering my sophomore year I know I need to help more because we don’t have a lot. I just wish to help my parents and pay them back in any way I can.

As a kid, I loved watching Wizards Of Waverly Place, but I also loved watching Kim Possible. If I ever thought about the two collaborating It'd go a bit like this. Picture Alex and Justin in the family lair, which we know is where they practice magic, and something always happens to go wrong. It more than always ends up tracing back to Alex. So imagine Alex and Justin are practicing in the lair and they are arguing and fighting like most siblings do and their parents are about to enter the lair as they hear this fight going on. They know they’d get into huge trouble if their parents find them in there. So Alex and Justin decided to ‘Flash’ which in their world means teleport, but since they both are so angry they can't control how strong of a flash they have made, next thing they know they're cartoons. They start looking for their wands and the wands are nowhere to be found. They started looking around and decided to just walk to a phone and see if they could call their parents. Back in Greenwich Village, New York, Max, Alex, and Justin, little brother is watching some TV when he notices that the two new characters look oddly familiar. He points this out to his mom and she laughs about it and goes 'Those two look just like Alex and Justin huh." The next scene is Alex and Justin walking down the Middletown plaza and then out of nowhere Shego and Dr.Drakken are using a laser machine to shoot down the buildings of Middletown. We see Alex and Justin run into a department store and inside are Kim and Ron of course. Kim and Ron explain to them who they are and what they are known to do. We then see Kim and Ron starting to fight with Sheingo and Dr.Drakken, Alex tells Justin ''they look like they need some serious help." Then Alex and Justin go outside to see that everyone disappeared. They get a feeling that something is wrong, from the distance they see a very bright light that keeps flashing. Alex asks Justin, " Did you see that light there before?" Justin shook his head, they decided to go towards the flashing light, which led them to what looked like an old warehouse. Looking through a small window inside they see Kim and Ron trapped in a cage while Shego and Dr.Drakken point a huge laser at them. Since they are in a cartoon on television their wands appear right out of thin air like most things do in cartoons and they use that as a sign to help save Kim and Ron. Then we see a fight scene where Alex and Justin use their magic to help destroy the machine and handcuff Shego and Dr.Drakken. We then see Alex and Justin say a spell that will set Kim and Ron free. We then see Shego and Dr.Drakken being put behind bars. Kim and Ron then tell Alex and Justin they know how to get them back home. Kim takes them to her house where she owns a teleportation machine of her own and then step in Alex and Justin. As they wave goodbye to Kim and Ron, the sight then becomes pitch black. Alex and Justin wake up from a deep sleep on their couch. They’re woken up by their parents asking how their naps went, they just smiled at each other and said it was interesting. We then see Kim and Ron wave at Alex and Justin from the living room television.

As the oldest sibling in a Guatemalan family, you are either the 'role model' or the 'guinea pig.' I would say I am both. My parents didn't attend university my mother was forced to drop school in third grade by my grandfather. My dad graduated high school In Guatemala but was not given much after that. As the eldest, it's my job to make sure my younger twin sisters have someone to look up to. I don't wish for them to think high school is all they can do like my father. Which is why I've made myself the guinea pig and the role model. In the eighth grade, I applied to a selective program at UC Berkeley which I was then accepted for and mentored till I graduated high school. A program where I learned about business management and college careers and possibilities I had never heard about. Due to the lack of not having anyone in my house know much about the U.S. forms and path of education. Throughout my four years of Public High School, I made it my goal to make sure I was well-known around the school for my enthusiasm and commitment to the clubs and programs my school had. I was a part of the student council my full four years and was elected school president. I was also the volleyball variety captain for two years. I was an assistant coach for middle school volleyball. I was a part of my high schools student panel to address certain problems that went on around the school. I took all the AP classes my high school, offered which were three but I took them anyway to make sure I could become an assistant the school year after. During quarantine, I joined another program with the University Of California San Francisco where I became a research assistant. Looking for the biggest problems COVID-19 was leaving around the world. Such as food desserts and inflation which lead to the building of a community garden. My college application season started my Junior Year of high school as I realized I wanted to go to college. I had a list of around fifteen different universities. My top school being The University Of Southern California, I was extremely committed to attending that university when I had not even begun my application. I then applied and shockingly was accepted with a seven percent acceptance rate. The day I was accepted I felt a flip in my stomach that immediately told me that this was it and that I was making my way to a brighter future. That I would become the role model my sisters needed, the role model who found her way to a prestigious university coming from a small low-income area. I knew I wanted to attend college the day I was accepted when my parents told me they were proud I made it so far at a young age. I was eighteen about to move seven hours away to start making a future for myself and for my family too. I hope to graduate from USC and then attend PA school to become a physician assistant. To give my family support and inspiration to my sisters. I want them to know that high school is not where they have to stop. It was not where i stopped.

I believe everyone's mental health including my own is important. As someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression going to university was extremely difficult for me and my family because it was so important. I have always told myself to put myself first and my mental health and I do my best to do so. But college was a huge step for me, preparing myself mentally for new challenges and such was a struggle. I believe mental health is important because it keeps us safe and aware of what is going on in our thoughts and bodies. Making sure you're doing okay mentally is important every single day as we continue to work and work sometimes we tend to push ourselves over the edge and that makes us a bit unwell. My first semester at The University of Southern California was rough, I remember telling myself that I needed to be as good as the rest because this school has a big name. I kept telling myself things to make me want to work harder but in reality, I just pushed myself over my limit. I had lots of breakdowns, so many I lost count that first semester. I just remember constantly feeling sick because I felt as if I did not belong at USC. When people ask where I go to university and I answer USC they give me this face that says, "I can't believe a girl of color, Guatemalan, from the Bay Area, is attending a private university." Whenever I doubt myself I see these faces people have given me and I've made myself pressure myself because of it. I tell myself I have to live up to this university's name I have to be this and be that. I have to be better. My freshman year at USC was when I was officially diagnosed with depression. At first, I was shocked, but I then really noticed how the diagnosis made everything make sense. I now knew why I felt so tired and worn out from the stress and pressure I put on myself. Now I knew why sometimes I felt like if I was to disappear no one would notice. Feeling this way made me think about how others might feel the exact same way I do but they don't have the support or resources I do. So I started to reflect on why mental health was so important. It's important because it makes us who and what we are. the way we go about mental health shows what kind of a person we are. The feelings I have felt and the emotions I have experienced I know hurt others. I have learned to maintain my mental wellness by doing things I have learned to relax my body and mind. Such as going to the gym, playing volleyball at a park across the street from my house, taking my dog for a run, or giving my cat a little bath. I also talk to my therapist and write down our conversations so I can remember what we discussed. We sometimes go over plans on how to make myself feel better and I always learn something new. I never knew starfish breathing was a thing. It's when you breathe as you trace a set of fingers on one of your hands. It's honestly very calming and I sometimes have my sisters join me because they find it relaxing too.