When I was younger, I knew AAPI culture was a part of the people I loved and myself, so I valued it deeply. The school I went to for 11 years had heritage day, where everyone would wear garments of their ethnic origins. I still remember wearing my áo dài (“ow-yai”) and revealing a frame to the class when it was time to present my heritage in kindergarten with a printout my parents helped me design and write. There was a small graphic of a bowl with chopsticks above, clamping noodles. This graphic was of my family’s favorite Vietnamese dish in the winter, phở. Underneath was text explaining that I was Vietnamese and my pride in being so. I remember entering the cafeteria that day, where all the parents stood by their tables, welcoming students to try some of their food. I remember Shivani’s mother’s samosas, Moira’s mom’s youpo chemian, and visiting my own mom’s table for enchiladas. People wore saris, kilts, huipils, and other traditional clothes and accessories. I grew up in Pittsburgh, which is a small city with a significant population around it. A lot of people of a lot of different backgrounds live here. I would say it is a pretty multicultural area—a block from a Korean Presbyterian Church is a Synagogue, and a 10-minute walk away from that is the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh. There are mom-and-pop shops of various origins, which my family got well-acquainted. I remember visiting Texas during winter break. We visited family to celebrate Tết Nguyên Đán. My các dì and các chú would give me the iconic red envelopes but warn me not to open them until Tết and to sleep with them under my pillow for extra good luck (and money). The environment I grew up in fostered self-love; I did not grow up like the characters in Amy Tan’s books, with internalized racism eating away at their self-worth. I always felt like I was pretty. And I was never ashamed of my heritage. However, while my parents warned the outside world was much meaner, I never experienced it first-hand. I think I took those times for granted while I lived them, as when COVID hit, I got exposed to more feelings towards my culture than admiration. When my family got thrust into a recession, we could not keep up with property taxes in the neighborhood, so we moved out to Potter county. I enrolled in a predominantly white institution where the students were very insular and very unwelcoming to my family. I was remote. The student majority went to school outside of when the school shut down for COVID outbreaks. While the faculty was kind and respectful, the students would say all sorts of slurs and insults when I went to take my exams and SATs. Many bought the propaganda surrounding COVID being a "Chinese" virus. My family only Asian family I knew of within a 50-mile radius. It's homogeneous. I missed the communities and people in Pittsburgh. I missed the safety I felt in the city versus the broken beer bottles found around the property, the tampered doorknob next to a dent in the metal door, and the tire tracks in the snow. I missed when I could openly speak my thoughts and feelings without fearing my safety—everyone knew each other in that small town, and my family was ostracized. I am so happy I got to move back to my hometown for college, and I think that while absolutely horrible, the move did pop the protective bubble I had growing up. Every culture I have sat down to learn about was beautiful, profound, and mesmerizing. AAPI culture, I hold AAPI culture close. I see it as more than food, celebration, and clothes. It is family; it's comfort. It's my dad slicing a persimmon when I am having a bad day or my bà nội singing while braiding my hair. AAPI culture is integral to how I view the world—and how the world sees me. Now that I am in a safer area, I will help to be a voice for recently resettled refugees and immigrants from all places. Especially those marginalized and discriminated against like I was.

My ethnicity may not be on full display while I'm not white-passing, but many people guess wrong; I have faced discrimination and harassment for being Mexican, Vietnamese, multiracial, and several other incorrect ethnic backgrounds. One thing I'm choosing to reveal when I feel safe to do so is my queerness, which has no physical equivalent that flesh can have to ethnicity. While I may not be out of my "walk-in" closet yet, I would like to help gender-diverse POC to pursue pre-health—there are few gender-diverse physicians in the field, and providing opportunities AND quality healthcare to this demographic is crucial.

Aerie is a Great Pyrenees dog. She is an alert shepherd dog, and she makes us feel safe in our home. I grew up in the multicultural city of Pittsburgh, where many were LGBT friendly and kind to me despite my hard-to-pronounce name. I got familiar with my school and attended kindergarten until tenth grade when COVID happened. We had to move to rural PA because of money, but the life experience there was much different than mine. While I meet people repeatedly in some areas of Pittsburgh, it is not the same as a small town. While we were moving, someone attempted to break into our home. Even though the whole town was asking about who is moving into the old abandoned house that has not been touched in years. We also found broken beer bottles and other signs of multiple people trespassing at different instances. When we got Aerie, those fears were able to go down. Since we have been there more permanently and Aerie was put there, we have not seen any more signs of trespassing besides one of our neighbors driving into our flower field for native bee habitat rehabilitation on a four-wheeler. Aerie makes me happy, whenever I go hiking she comes with me. She is able to part the tall grass we keep for critters and insects for me so I can step through with as little damage as possible. I cannot imagine how many sleepless nights and thorny pants I would have without Aerie there with me. Aerie is more than a family dog, she is a farm dog and protector.

Blanco came into my life when I had just started first grade, and he was a cat with a—you guessed it—white pelt. He was scared of my younger sisters who slightly terrorized him, but I was always gentle and never pressured him to let me pet him. Ironically, this flexibility allowed him to trust me and for us to build a bond. He was a muse of mine for many art projects whether it be clay, watercolor, acrylic, glass, or pencil. The cat was there with me alongside all of my memories and during all the ups and downs in my life. Blanco was a force of calmness in the chaos. When my parents were arguing or were separated, I had to be the pillar for the girls. I had to be a co-parent, a calendar, an alarm clock, a coat rack, a babysitter, and a mediator. While my sisters had my back, it was Blanco with his simple needs and physical affection that was always able to cheer me up. He would lick my tears and knead the dough on my legs when I cried or move from the extra pillow beside me to my chest and rumble a purr whenever I had a nightmare. He was essentially a beta-tested weighted blanket for elementary school me. I taught Blanco to open doors, close doors, get on the skinnier window sills, and always gave him stimulation through his cat toys or my feet under a blanket. My mom always says that he just associates me with consistent food, water, warmth, and engagement—but I have to say that I do think, even if it is a simpler form, that he loves me. He even meows in a way that almost sounds like my name, which my mother does concede to with the rest of the family. Through the events in my life and the challenges, Blanco was always there waiting for me. When we would put the keys in the door after school, you could see him run down the stairs to greet us. It makes me sad that his lifespan is so much shorter than mine, that despite the major impact we have had on each other’s upbringing, he will most likely die before me… it is devastating. I had to confront that fact a year ago when he had involuntary convulsions that were seizure-like. That day, I was so scared I would lose him. The veterinarian saw nothing wrong and no cause for it, and it thankfully has not happened since, but it still shook me up. All my friends know Blanco and forget my other pets’ names because I simply do not talk about them often. Anytime I am anxious to reach out to people, Blanco’s photogenic fluffy fur provides the perfect excuse and I can message them a picture to get the conversation going. Blanco truly is a part of our family. He has made his imprint in my heart and life so that even once he passes, he is immortalized through the memories we made.

Math and academia have always held a place in my heart. I appreciated being able to run through problems and figure out what concepts I needed to use to solve them. I enjoyed the certainty it provided me, as I went through turbulent times when I was younger. Being aware that as long as I use the proper steps and calculate correctly I would get the right answer put me at ease when I was younger. It was not erratic; it just was. As I got older, math became more flexible. There were multiple paths to bring you to the same spot. There were different ways to solve a math problem. I also enjoyed helping others figure out the solution and guiding them through it, which helped to strengthen my confidence in the subject and my understanding. The act of digging into the nitty-gritty with classmates enables active retrieval of information instead of passively reviewing the material. Trying to explain it on different levels of knowledge can also help solidify your comprehension. I love the humanities, but science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is what my brain clicks with and enjoys the most. My two favorite sciences are biology and chemistry. Biology I find fascinating with the intricacies of life, but chemistry is fun to me too. When I first took a chemistry class, it seemed purely grounded in the periodic table and chemical elements; however, as I got deeper into the course and we performed conversions and calculations, I realized math intertwines with chemistry. Perhaps not as much as physics, but it still plays its role. I was comfortable in math, but in high school, the subjects did challenge me more. I had to start figuring out how to add and subtract matrices, learning about logarithms, and being able to do synthetic division—it taught me to challenge myself and not stop learning just because you do not understand it at first. Resilience coupled with self-care is an important lesson. I believe that even students who ace their math problems in their sleep should absorb this. Not performing to the highest level possible does not inherently mean you are less intelligent or capable; find the tools you need to succeed and utilize the provided resources. Valuing progress over perfection is a vital step in growth and reaching even further academically, socially, mentally, and even in other aspects of life. Too often, people put their well-being after attempting perfection, but when you do not prioritize yourself, you wind up decreasing your quality of work and productivity. Take breaks, preserve your energy, but still push yourself. Do not be afraid to reach out to mentors and peers for help if you need it.

My first name, said together, is Sao Mai. I am 18 and am the first of my sisters to start college this fall. I am a declared biochemistry major with Duquesne University’s Bayer School of Natural Sciences, an enrolled member of the Honors College, and an accepted student of the Pre-Medical and Health Professions Program. I am excited to be a member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, Asian Student Union, and be a part of a program called Hello Neighbor to help recently resettled immigrants and refugees in the Pittsburgh area. My parents were both impactful forces of influence in my life. My dad always encouraged me in maths and sciences. Education was his way out as an immigrant, and he taught me that school allows you to learn things and opens doors to new opportunities. He never underestimated me and taught me to keep my head up because nothing can hinder me as self-sabotage and self-hatred. He pushed me to find my passions and be competitive, not to the point of obsession, but to learn how to fight for what I want. My mother went into the military after she was kicked out at 17 when she graduated early. She was a black sheep, and her mom was not fond of her. Her father could not protect her, so they figured she was old enough to be on her own. My mom did not have any relatives to turn to, so she enlisted in the Army. She was in Intelligence and was even placed abroad in Germany for a year. When she was honorably discharged, she wanted to pursue education too. Both of my parents taught me different aspects of the same core values. Honor yourself enough to keep going despite your tribulations. While my parents pushed me hard to be independent, I found I did thrive on my own, and I learned later in life that needing help is not a weakness. They ultimately encouraged me to reach for the stars, and I plan on it. I will be the first in my family to pursue education beyond a four-year degree and hope to enlist in the military. It is so complex when parents that love you deeply are also intense and harsh because you do not want to disappoint them. After working through the pandemic together as a family, I feel it only made us stronger. It opened up authentic communication and allowed us to get closer to one another; I feel like they understand me as a person now. I hope to go into STEM like my father, care for my neighbors and my country as my mother did, and do my best to reach the goals I aspire to. Medical school is not a cakewalk, and neither is the military, but I am sure of myself and what I want—my parents taught me that much.

I am pursuing a degree in biochemistry because I was super intrigued by my biology, chemistry, and biotechnology classes in high school. I love these sciences and find the subjects fascinating to me. When it comes time to study, pursuing a degree in a topic you get absorbed in is helpful. I am queer and mixed, so I get many “What are you?”s. I do not experience gender exactly the same way most trans people do and I do not have the whole “stuck between worlds” experience many multiracial people do. I find that because of this, I can, ironically, be isolated within the LGBTQ+ and ethnic communities. I get jabs about being a lazy Mexican from my Vietnamese side; get some derogatory comments, insults, and slurs on my Mexican side (g**k); and I even occasionally get harassed from random strangers' misinterpretations about what ethnic groups and cultures I am a part of (ch***, g**sie). Within the queer community, there can also be a lot of gatekeeping and exclusionary behavior. There is also a prominent issue with racism and in-fighting (anti-trans, biphobia). While I still feel connected to how I express my gender and the predominant cultures I am a part of, it is not preferable and sometimes unsafe to engage with prejudiced people. Ultimately, I discern and try to find safe and inclusive places and relatives that are accepting. Being forced to move rural during COVID was really jarring because it felt like a lot of my support. There were still some good people, but at times I felt unsafe. After having my bubble popped, I gave more appreciation for diverse spaces, especially in school or the workplace. I already had an interest in medicine, but after finding out just how few Hispanic and gender-diverse health practitioners there were I felt like I could be the one to help permeate this field. Be one to advocate for others and ensure people feel safe. I remember how it felt being rejected by some family who was meant to support me, having to leave a school that accepted me fully, having to walk on eggshells to not be ostracized in a small town, and how different it felt when I saw someone with a certain pin on their bag or who gave their pronouns conversationally. It is like you can relax, you can breathe, when you know being who you are is not going to cause an argument or confrontation. Diverse workspaces should not have to be a breath of fresh air. Technically, anyone going anywhere should feel safe to be themself. No one should need support from others with similar lived experiences because people are empathetic and tolerable. Unfortunately, in homogeneous spaces where there is not a lot of diversity, there is an “otherness” to any minority or marginalized person that enters that sphere. This can cause microaggressions, implicit bias, prejudice, and outright discriminatory or hateful behaviors and actions. This is why I am trying to specifically find medical schools and employment that are inclusive and have a rapport with marginalized communities—it has become crucial for me. I do not want to feel unsafe unless there is a natural disaster. I do not like being afraid of fellow human beings, but I have to be wary simply because of how I look and exist. This being said, I feel like, with proper leadership and understanding, there are places where I can feel safe discussing the lack of gender diversity in medicine. It is all about diversity and how it breeds an open-mindedness.

I would like to say I am always myself, but that is not the case. As an AFAB, multi-racial, queer teen who moved from metropolitan Pittsburgh to rural Pennsylvania… I can say that the only times I was more scared for my safety were when grown men challenged and intimidated me. When a school trip would pass through homogeneous areas with hate symbols plastered everywhere, I used to make light of it with my friends when we went to an overnight camp. However, when I had to move rurally and interact with the community, I worried. We found broken beer bottles and tire tracks on our property with evidence someone tried to break into our house. There were some good people there, but the vast majority seemed to range from slightly disdainful to outright upset at our presence. Definitely not always safe to be me. Out there, it's not cool to have a rainbow heart pin on your bag. One thing I am proud of is my growth while isolated during COVID. I had to be the Atlas in my household—for my younger sisters... and even my parents. Things have improved vastly since then, yet I was on the decline. I could not understand why I suddenly could not manage everything—why I was breaking down. One way I am boldly living is by accepting and caring for myself. Lizzo said, “self-love is survival.” Audre Lorde said, “caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” It is too convenient for a sick society to denigrate myself—by restoring and prioritizing me, I order others to respect me and not trample on me. In a world built to subjugate and discriminate against those marginalized, it is crucial to not cave.

I would like to clarify that while my heart goes out for all dogs, I am a big dog person. My experience with small dogs is that they have more concentrated rage. My pet is a Great Pyrenees alert dog, we got her to help on the farm we had just moved to from our home in Pittsburgh, but she wound up being so much more than a working dog. Polaris is a family dog. We call her “airy,” spelled “Aerie,” for simplicity in verbal commands and because of the definition. Aerie, noun, a large nest of a bird of prey, especially an eagle, typically built high in a tree or on a cliff. While we did not know this while she was a puppy, she is an excellent hiking companion for the mountains and keeps me safe. I have a very mild case of visual snow, or in my case, static. I have had it without thinking much of the little twinkling dots as I thought everyone saw them and just ignored them. Recently it has gotten slightly worse. During the day, it remains mostly the same, almost as if I have a grainy filter over my eyes that is translucent—barely noticeable. During the night, however, I have found that without a light, the static takes on a vivid form that is more apparent. One day I was walking with my dog through the yard when it got unexpectedly dark once the sun sunk behind the hills. I had a difficult time seeing where I was. We are particularly environmental, so we like to keep the grass tall for the bugs, critters, and birds. But with no path, this was not exactly the beautiful, ecological-friendly haven it was in the sunlight. I had no flashlight or phone on me, as I honestly did not consider that without the lights from the city, I was left in darkness—and it was getting darker fast. I picked up the speed, but in my haste, I fell. Nothing was broken, but I did tweak my ankle a bit. I called for her to come back since she was working through the grass a yard or two in front of me, and she came immediately. I got up with her nudges and utilized her bright white coat as a soft bounce board (like in photography) to see her surroundings better. We slowly made our way through a much larger yard than what I had in the city, and I went inside. While this was not a life or death situation, she did come in a pinch to help me. My parents tell me that animals cannot actually feel emotion, at least to the depth we do, but I would have to disagree. When I seem scared, Aerie goes on alert. When I am hurt, Aerie comes over to support me. When I am sad, Aerie lays by me and comforts me. I find that with all the effort and care I put into her, she returns. When we hike together, she does not walk in front of me, and I do not drag her around; we walk side by side (unless we are going through the grass, it is helpful to have her part the shrubbery before I walk through). I love big dogs—I love Aerie. She is a protector, a herder, and a lover. She has really helped me through some tough times physically and emotionally, and I am glad that while I am leaving for college she is protecting our very docile chickens.

Interest rates can be low and still be more expensive than other options. Often, a seemingly lower price seems like the best choice, but you must consider how long you will be paying it off and how much money that adds on. Now it is not the only thing to look for. There can be hidden fees if a payment option for a loan has no interest. You will have to run the numbers on whether or not those fees put you under or give you a leg up on other payment options with just interest. I would say always be cautious. It is difficult with so many other tasks on the to-do list before you head to college to stay on top of everything. I found Google Calendar and Reminders (on my phone) to be life-savers when applying for scholarships, enrolling in classes, reaching out to the right department with a question, figuring out different insurance plans, and trying to find a way to pay for the tuition bill before autumn rolls around. Ultimately, it can help to get financial guidance from a parent, professional financial assistant, or your school’s financial aid department. A financial assistant can be a trip to your local bank’s branch, an appointment, or a phone call with the U.S. Department of Education’s very own Federal Student Aid Information Center. There are numerous options for different types of loans, so it is crucial to evaluate your options and get the best one for your situation.

My body knows more than my brain at times. I never realized how against my body I was until I went through the challenges one goes through when you do not allow some of the natural courses your body goes through to take place. I would try to suppress and control healthy bodily functions such as coughing, sneezing, and crying. I was socialized as a girl and am a water sign, so I was always teased with the stereotype of being a crybaby. But I saw that connotation as extremely negative and despised the idea of anything related to showing sadness. Through breakups, pain, and grief, I never felt it was appropriate to cry it out. It felt uncomfortable and made me feel pathetic. Toxic positivity culture didn’t help. “Think positive thoughts” and “keep pushing” isn’t helpful when dealing with the death of family members. I think it is an important lesson to let your body do what it needs to do. The way the stress compounded making an excess of cortisol for such a long period was unhealthy. Not coughing when my body wants to get phlegm out or sneezing when my body wants to get out debris is unhealthy. I should not apply negative aspects to these actions as I would not apply negative connotations to breathing or blinking. These are necessary functions of living. I don’t need to worry about being a disruption or being seen a certain way if it impacts my well-being. I know I’m not alone in this. Whether others relate to my sneezes, coughs, and tears—or whether it applies to other non-controllable body functions like sweating or vomiting—it is important to practice self-kindness. Do what is best for you to be comfortable, and happy, and listen to what your body is telling you.

There are so many dangers approaching in the world, let alone environmentalism, it can be challenging keeping tabs on them. However, I would state that climate change is one of the biggest issues our civilization is facing and will have to continue to manage. I have taken out the plastics I can from my life, though when I must, I try to get highly valuable recyclable plastics (such as HDEP). I jog with a trash bag in hand to pick up litter as I go. I speak with friends and family who want to listen about what plastics get recycled versus which aren’t sold at a high price for the recycling centers and to make sure you do not contaminate a batch with food or drink residue. I do everything I can—even when the bamboo paper towels cost more. Because ever since I heard the story of the boy on the coast throwing the beached sea stars back into the ocean—a story that argues that even if you can’t save them by the thousands, you can make a difference with your efforts to the ones you’re able to toss back in—I cannot conceive a world where I turn a blind eye to a global problem. Despite my changes, one of the most crucial acts I do to help battle climate change is to email legislators and huge businesses repeatedly. Virgin plastics are cheaper to use in products versus recycled plastics, which is just one example of the ways capitalism impacts our fight for climate change mitigation/recovery. The government must provide financial incentives for corporations to not use virgin plastics or non-compostable products. While individual efforts are impactful, forcing giant corporations to make changes on such a large scale can make a dent in the numbers.

Natural soap. My mind cannot seem to escape it. Cells are the smallest unit of life. Nothing alive is smaller than it. Apparently, not only can humans communicate, animals communicate, bugs communicate, and trees communicate—cells can communicate. Through signaling and responding, organisms can develop vast networks of interconnected communities. Bugs have pheromones, trees have mycelium fungal networks, and cells have chemical signals and responses. There is so much complexity, from giant trees to small cells, with so much we have yet to discover. Dr. Anna Wang, who is trying to assemble a cell from scratch, has theorized that it all started with soap molecules. Cells are composed of many things, but one of the characteristics all cells have is a cellular membrane formed of a phospholipid bilayer. The phospholipid bilayer has a hydrophilic exterior and a hydrophobic interior. By looking into water's interactions with soap, with its hydrophilic oxygen heads and long hydrophobic hydrocarbon tail, Dr. Wang explores the structure soap molecules take in water. When soap molecules are in the water, the negatively charged heads interact with the polarity of the water while the hydrophobic tails all stay together, forming a tiny cluster called a micelle. RNA has been highly buzzed about in the scientific community to potentially be a component of the first cell to duplicate itself. When Dr. Wang introduced RNA to some soapy water, the micelles rearranged, enveloping the RNA inside, creating larger, cell-sized spheres. When looking closer into the new arrangement of the soap molecules, the micelles have entirely changed. Now, the hydrophilic head is still sticking outward, with the hydrophobic tail going inward; but there is now a reversed layer towards the inside. The new arrangement is a sort of lipid bilayer that circulates the RNA, similar to a cellular membrane. Still, it is created purely physically without the biological means yet to give and read coded instructions to multiply and continue. Many people want to look to the future and expand and develop, solely prioritizing advancement. I would say that the inability to retrospect and search in the past for information can be a dire error. While the world we live in now is not one of the only simple organisms or early forms of proto-life, looking back to this era to find answers to the what's, how's, and why's of its beginning can bring us a greater understanding that can aid us in today's world. Potentially, it can give us tools to help defend our population from diseases like cancer and other illnesses.

The “American Dream” means that I am safe with my future family and can sustain the cost of living for however big the household is, and that when I accomplish that, I can go on to help others. I hope that after completing my bachelor’s degree, I can attend a medical school that provides free tuition to its students or has a history of lower student debt. I want to have a job that will always be necessary no matter what the state of the world, so it is imperative to me that I specialize in a career in medicine that is well-respected and pays well. My father came from overseas with his mother at the very end of the Vietnam War; they were fortunate to board an American helicopter and be transported to a refugee camp on American soil after the Fall of Saigon. My dad entered school not knowing any English but graduated salutatorian of his class with a full-ride academic and sports scholarship to a nearby university. As a kid, he cut a plastic gallon bottle and used melted wax to secure a small engine from a toy boat into it so it could sail across a small pond. Today, he is an engineer who is respected and found his niche so that he is a prized member of the company he works at and is an integral part of their operations. My goal is to be integral where I work—to be at the top. This way, I can care for my family when disaster strikes or a medical emergency occurs. Or, in a time of devastation, lend a hand to my community. I crave financial security and reaching a place in life where I can give to charities, organizations, and individuals without worrying about my funds. Many missions are noble and that I would love to make donations to, such as conservation efforts, human aid and rights organizations, and shelters here in Pittsburgh. America founds itself on liberty and governmental enforcement of inalienable rights. The founding fathers who created the framework of this nation believed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights as crucial ways to preserve the freedoms in this nation. I want to utilize the liberties this country affords me to make a lasting impact on the people around me, my future patients, and the local community. Once I go through my residency, I also hope to work with Médecins Sans Frontières and The American Red Cross to be at the forefront of assisting those in dire need.

“Ikigai” is a Japanese concept that my aunt shared with me. It's essentially a Venn diagram with four circles, and each of the different categories is what you are good at, what the world needs, what pays, and what brings happiness. In the center is your ikigai, meaning to life. While I think I could thrive in various sciences, there is a problem with the shrinking middle class in America and field research funds. I decided I needed to specialize in something highly regarded and necessary to ensure I have enough money for all necessary expenditures. I have chosen to major in biochemistry on the pre-med track. The path is a great way to immerse me in science while helping people. I hope to continue as a surgeon to aid my debt and support my parents. I selected this career for its financial security as most Americans live paycheck to paycheck; a medical emergency can deplete a household’s savings. Since I lived with an irregular income, I grew to value a steady, insured income. I plan to be frugal, house my parents (given the expectations of their cultures), and support my two younger sisters so they have the freedom to pursue a career that may not be as lucrative but can still sustain them. Even with my safety measures, I realize my diligence may not make me as protected as I would like. Unfortunately, with the hate, prejudice, and bias in the world, I've seen how my mere presence impacts others’ attitudes and behavior. Because I am AFAB, a melanated multiracial individual, and at times queer-presenting… others do not give me the respect or mere tolerance I deserve. I have developed a bit of hyper-awareness of homogeneity and am more comfortable in diverse, urban metropolitan areas. This comfort in higher safety does not translate to a higher comfort zone, though. I am challenging my implicit biases, knowledge, and thought process while collaborating with people of different backgrounds and talents. I firmly believe that while we should be pushing for more racial and ethnic diversity in medicine, we should advocate for more LGBT+ representation in healthcare and try to create more access to more people. Gender-diverse healthcare physicians are a minuscule minority, but whenever POC and women are physicians they serve as a crucial bridge for an individual to be comfortable and well-understood during treatment. It fosters a more respectable physician-to-patient relationship, as doctors turning a blind eye to ailments and concerns can be detrimental to public health and have life-altering ramifications. Medical gaslighting is not all of it. For gender-diverse individuals (~1.4 mil in America), having a physician with gaps in knowledge and disconnection from their day-to-day challenges can be a huge barrier—yet less than 1% of doctors identify as transgender. There are as many intersex people (2%) as gingers or green-eyed people, yet their conditions and problems are not commonly discussed. Transgender people, while a minority, still matter and should be cared for properly—especially with their demographic growth. I think that as a queer AFAB of color, I cannot only be representative of the demographics I visually show or am open about, I can be an advocate for those marginalized. Of course, while advocacy is vital to me and integrated into future goals, I also have other aspirations that are not as related to my identity as my personality. I would love to be involved in humanitarian efforts such as Médecins Sans Frontières with my history of French throughout lower school and high school or the Red Cross, where people are at the forefront of assisting those in need.

Kamal Ranadive was a biomedical researcher who made discoveries in medicine. Dr. Ranadive created the first tissue culture at the former Indian Cancer Research Center. She earned many awards; one was the Watumull Foundation award for her work in leprosy. Dr. Ranadive was also the first to propose a link between heredity, viruses, and cancer (specifically breast cancer). Her research led to the HPV vaccines we know of today, which can prevent cancer development later on. Additionally, she helped make the field more inclusive in India for other women. She had an imposing personality, which she used to unapologetically demand the respect she deserved for her work. Dr. Ranadive, while teaching students, pushed a sound work ethic on her students and inspired them to hold on to their motivation and continue to ask questions. She was unique when teaching her students and working alongside colleagues, as she figured out other individuals' talents and fostered them. She was able to not only work by herself and self-advocate, making a name for herself—she lead and was respected by those around her. As the oldest child, I always found it challenging to find a balance between a stern hand and building amicable relationships with my younger sisters. Dr. Ranadive is a shining example of balance and compromise between these two worlds. Her hard work and dedication at what is now known as the Cancer Research Institute highlights her as a pioneer of her time, especially considering she was a woman in STEM. The institute she worked at is now a renowned center for oncology. Dr. Ranadive’s huge mark on cancer research and virology is astounding; her unrelenting ardor despite the misogyny around her is inspiring; her skill as an adviser is reputable. She's a great role model for young kids, especially those marginalized.

Teach kids early to discern where they learn their facts. Scientific method and learning about credible sources of information is crucial to building a foundation of what the world around you looks like and how things truly work. Critically assessing the data helps keep children from being vulnerable to falsehoods on the internet. Misinformation is a huge issue facing the world, as people of all ages are being convinced by facades and buying into sensationalized stories or out-of-context data. Suppose kids of the new generation were to learn horizontal research and delve into the corporations, organizations, and companies giving them their information. In that case, they could see what funding they are receiving from where and exactly what that group’s motivations are. While we should live in a world where news and publications are always fully transparent and truthful, that simply isn’t the case when there are engagement, money, and jobs on the line. This is why I believe discernment and critical thinking are vital to education, awareness, and battling ignorance within the new generation.

"Don't save your money." There is a bit of hyperbole there, do not fret, but essentially it was a wake-up call to something I never thought about before. I knew inflation existed. I knew money's value was relative. I knew a dime in my abuela's time was an entirely different value than what it is today. That being said, I never thought about what all my tết, Christmas, and birthday money was doing sitting in the PNC savings account my parents set up when I was 10. It was depreciating. My parents came to an agreement that they would not pitch in with my college expenses because they did not need the help when they were in college. They did not want to hamper my growth or stunt me with their financial help, maybe thinking that my character will be developed or my independence will shine on my own. Well, it was only five years ago they realized that college tuition, minimum wage, and savings did not line up as well for me as they did for my parents over two decades ago. I do not have a college fund or a Roth IRA. I am simply going to need to get a job while taking the pre-med track for biochemistry and take what my parents can afford to give me. It is going to be a real struggle, especially since the path I want to walk will not have me truly practicing until a decade later. I will have to expend some of my money on a diverse portfolio of stocks and try to beat the inflation, that way I can get some return later on in life. While this is not a quick grab or shortcut to get cash, it is helpful financial advice.

The biggest problem facing the world is ignorance. Education and exposure are the number one ways, I believe, to fix this. In the digital era, different sets of facts people operate on formulate their opinions and worldview. It can be impossible to reach a middle ground with them as the arguments used are not even based on the same foundation of information. Social media algorithms are not there for informative internet sessions or your well-being. Social media algorithms keep you sitting so you can absorb more ads and add more viewership and traffic to their site. It has been shown that the algorithm can cause doom-scrolling and digital echo chambers so you stay logged on and engaged, which was credited as a contribution to the political polarization in America. Worldwide, countries more progressive than America still have progress to be made, and the countries behind us must be informed to change. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," so it is crucial to have an international discussion on how to protect global citizens and their inalienable rights. No one should hurt for who they are—and everyone should be able to do what they want to do as long as it does not hurt themselves or others. Educating people in marginalized communities and those who have been oppressed on how to be successful, survive, and avoid discrimination and violence is one thing; to educate the oppressor is another. To inform the oppressor to let go of this hatred, prejudice, and bias is what we should strive for to help eliminate the suffering and isolation occurring and create solid communities and support systems for people.

Creativity has been vital to me. I had a decorated cardboard box I used as a playhouse and got art kits for Christmas because I would use up all of the supplies in a year. I applied myself and received the art award in eighth grade when I graduated middle school. In high school, I got to be more independent when selecting my electives, but there weren't enough hours in the day. I took a photography class but debated between taking computer science or another art. I thought the programming class would balance my artistic elective, so I took those courses instead of clay or studio. I still needed another tangible creative outlet, so I took lampwork classes outside school (where there weren't max credits). I built up my skills and timing so the glass wouldn't crack before putting it in the kiln. I worked weekly and sharpened my craft the first year. In 2019, when autumn started getting chillier, I was aware of the imminent winter break and how I'd miss my friends. I decided to note their favorite animal and color; the day before winter break, I presented my friends with their gifts. That same year, a few months later, we went on an extended spring break when the world seemed to descend. It was demanding to keep up socially, but my friends had my trinkets, and I was elated when I spotted one in the background on FaceTime or Zoom. No matter how logical or left-brained someone is, they must explore creative outlets. It can help you connect to people and even help you connect with yourself. During the pandemic, arts and crafts kept me occupied and sane in a dark time. I think everyone should apply creativity in their lives for catharsis and joy.

"Just brighten up." Many people have good intentions when you open up about your negative emotions and want you to feel better. Some family members have suggested going on walks, working out, or hanging out with friends. I have been advised, "Think positive!" and "Don't worry about that stuff." While I know the intentions are good, it oftentimes leaves me feeling unheard and isolated in my emotions. Yes, emotions are crucial to regulate and manage, but they also serve their place. Suppression and other phrases that insinuate you can simply shrug off issues contribute to "toxic positivity," which is not helpful when trying to navigate mental illness and a healthy mind. I always felt I must have defected in some way for feeling the emotions I was feeling and not being able to move on faster or continue with the day as easily as other people seemed to be. It was only when I talked with others who were going through what I was going through that I felt seen and heard. Once I felt validated in my emotions, I was able to approach them with a new perspective and try to dig to the root of what was causing my symptoms. Because of their help and support, I got to learn what I need to take care of myself and how to tell when I am not doing well. I can listen to what my body and mind need, and prepare and make amendments to help myself. This has been huge, especially while I am preparing to go to college. I am more well-aware of my limits, needs, wants, and how my mind works. I take more breaks, but my productivity has drastically improved. Additionally, my work with my mental health has helped my bonds with my family, and friends, and with my spirituality. My journey with my mental health is nowhere near over and is definitely an ongoing process, but because of what I have learned from my support system and research I feel better equipped to take on life as an adult and live on my own.

"Don't grow up too fast." That has to top every other inspirational quote out there for me. Middle school culture is so strange looking back on it, but it is something many kids go through. Middle schoolers want significant others and focus on what other people think. Whether it be the opposite sex, peers, or people on the internet they think are cool—appearances mean everything. I grew up in an all-girls school. When I was little, I was not apprehensive about answering a question in front of the class. I could talk about my interests and mess up while going after something I wanted to do. I dressed the way I liked. I spoke the way I liked. I grew up developing myself and my interests the way I wanted to without an abundance of outside interference or internal turmoil. Even when I began exploring who I was interested in, I never really thought about what my crush or classmates thought of me. I am me. If they do not like me, they are entitled to that—ultimately, that is their choice to miss out. I am visiting my cousins in Texas this summer, the first time in two years because of the pandemic, and they went from cute third-graders to middle school quickly. They were all honed in on the drama, gossip, and dating. I asked each one what they are interested in or liked, and it would take a bit of thinking before they could answer. Now, I say this in no way to snub anyone who dated younger or was interested in their social circles, but I think it is important to raise kids to know that they do not need to conform or do certain things to be happy. To take time to enjoy their life.

My goal is to be a trauma surgeon. Many say the path is competitive and would make me prone to burnout, but I'm not dismayed. I always say I am open to other career paths if it presents themselves to me, but the majority do not seem viable simply because of one Japanese concept I learned when I was young by my aunt. Ikigai. Ikigai translates to "a reason for being" and can be represented by a Venn diagram with four circles. The four circles represent vital facets in life such as what you love, what you are proficient at, what you can be paid for, and what the world needs. Despite the different overlapping parts being good, in the middle of it all is ikigai. While my father has provided for me, it has not been easy. There was a lot of dysfunction in my home life during my formative years. Additionally, my father's job can be lucrative at times and rocky at others. I have become counter-dependent and frugal because of this. Financial stability has been a huge drive for me. I need to be able to provide for myself and my family if catastrophe strikes. While I could be a field scientist and enjoy it, there can be an issue of funding for the research. While I could be a computer scientist, it does not spark the same joy the science of life does. Healthcare has always been my light, and I know I have the grit it takes to attain it. Even if I go down a different road, I know I will pursue medical school and become a doctor. The road is long with undergrad, medical school, residency, and fellowship; however, the next decade's only the beginning.

For study strategies, I would recommend using any technique that works well with your brain to achieve academic success. Take some time out to figure out what does and does not work for you—but I would emphasize that it should be engaging and activate your recall and retrieving brain functions. Going over your nice notes may be fun and easy, but it does not engage your memory how flashcards or review questions do. Another thing, studies show multiple small studying periods allow your brain to remember more than fewer, longer studying periods. So instead of cramming, try your best to plan ahead of tests or exams—2 hours for 7 days a week can be broken down to 1 hour/4 days/week when you start early! For specific methods, I would recommend re-writing (physically with a writing utensil) and taking out the flashcards for vocabulary, equations, name/dates—simple memorization for verbatim terms. I would use mnemonic devices (little fun mental images, sayings, or abbreviations) or songs for steps of a process and sets of facts/people—especially if it needs to be recalled sequentially (think of PMAT in biology). I reserve tables and charts for memorizing systems like verb conjugations or sets of packs of information (Example: topic: a group of people, subtopics: when they lived, what their daily activities were, et cetera—and then the details). Occasionally, it can be helpful to use additional source material to gain a more thorough understanding, plus they might work through it differently where it clicks better. Additionally, I think it is imperative to use your resources: figure out your learning style, use Quizlet if you find games help, and reach out to your mentor with questions earlier on!

Calculus, boiled down in a simplified manner, has everything to do with rates of change through math. Calculus is crucial to STEM because, in science, things move! In engineering, things move! In technology, you have to deal with changing information—for example, changes in temperature through a thermal sensor. You may also use technology for robots and other machinery, which needs to take motion into account. Something real neat, the universe is ever-expanding, and no one truly knows when/if it will stop. The theory of the universe expanding has been widely accepted; it has been proven that most galaxies are moving away from one another. Guess what branch of math deals with the universe's constantly moving and changing form? Calculus. Many advancements in the fields astronomy, biological research, architecture, and pharmacology use calculus as a tool to tackle integrative STEM questions. Calculus has time and time again served as a tool when trying to understand and help the world. Calculus is ingrained as a course to take when pursuing a STEM degree in higher education. Calculus is critical to logical thinking, and developing an understanding of the concepts within it help to create a foundation to build on. This is why calculus is such an imperative component of STEM programs.

Math is crucial because it is so interconnected to our understanding and development of the world and civilization as we know it. Architecture, physics, engineering, chemistry, and design are all connected to mathematics. Not only this, but mathematics can teach people a way of thinking logically and thoroughly while solving a problem. I love learning math despite my challenges because it helps me in my day-to-day life. Giving tips, figuring out measurements for the chicken coop, and using triangles everywhere I can as I know they are the strongest shape (besides a regular hexagon, which is just a group of six triangles). Ultimately, math is just a made-up concept. But these concepts can help us figure out reality and solve problems in the world. They have been tested and computed over and over again with consistent answers. Pi, theorems, and theories—all contribute to the discovery, even if it is not always physical.

One prominent social issue that I could influence if given the opportunity is the health literacy in POC communities, especially the Hispanic community. In 2017, a study in the Journal of Latinos and Education found that Hispanic adults had the lowest health literacy scores of any other group. When talking to my abuela after having a serious stroke about trying to make choices to combat her diabetes such as taking her medication, exercising, and avoiding certain food groups she was resistant. She sees food as part of her culture and life and does not want that to be taken away. As for other preventative measures, my relatives were all disputing what the best course of action was. One of my tias was advocating for doing gentle exercises to build her strength after the stroke and get off the bed. Another said that she should rest since she just had a stroke, even went so far as to say my abuela did not actually enjoy the workouts my tia arranged and brought desserts to their house often. Only two of my tias were actually on the side health professions recommended to help my abuela recover. Most argued that my abuela "looked fine" and that the nurse/pharmaceutical companies simply wanted their money for medication. My abuelo was seriously concerned but did not want to be caught in the arguments going on in the family. A month later, my abuela collapsed. My abuelo tried to lift her like he used to, but because of his age was not able to. He had to call for help. Despite this, there is still discourse on what is and is not necessary, how remaking traditional dishes with diabetes in mind makes them "taste disgusting" and was ruining her quality of life. I love my family, but this has seriously been hurting me and my mom. My mom also has diabetes, but she manages it the best she can. We are going on vacation to Texas for the very first time this whole pandemic this summer just so we can make peace and see abuela in case anything happens. It does not stop there, because of social media rabbit holes and conspiracy pipelines, a lot of my cousins believe in COVID vaccine fallacies while our elders, my grandes tias are dying from COVID complications. A lot of my tios and tias also hold a distrust with the health system and lack of a college, sometimes high school, graduation because of the culture of "working with your hands" to help the family and the farm. I know that my family is just what I see first-hand, that there are more Hispanics that are misinformed and scared about what the best thing to do is. Other POC communities, especially Black and Indigenous communities, are also impacted by health distrust, lack of access to adequate medical care, low socioeconomic status (which directly affects access to health insurance), and how POC can learn in the educational system because of racial inequality. Once in college, I will be able to attend college in person, go places to volunteer, and be a real part of the student body. If I am awarded this scholarship, I could focus less on worrying semester to semester and prioritize the communities in Pittsburgh with this ongoing pandemic.

I have been interested in STEM since I was a kid, whether it be meteorology, a chicken dissection, a macroinvertebrate survey, or building a model city—I was always so fascinated with science. My dad is an engineer, and I remember him and me going from fixing my toy car to a small foam drone, to constructing the giant chicken coop we made for our chickens during the pandemic. I have a knack for science and math, and I find technology and engineering intriguing while I took my physics and computer science courses. One course that stood out to me though was my biotechnology course this year. It was challenging and complex, and I found myself loving it. It introduced me to a side of science I never got a close look at and was in-depth while touching on agriculture, biology, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, botany, and a rich trove of history behind big discoveries. I learned about genetically modified male mosquitoes and how scientists are using them to lower a species of mosquito's growth rates as they transmit dengue fever and about how GMOs could help people in underserved areas and groups. This class was a huge motivator for me to stick with my career path as I was wondering what career in medicine would be best for me and signed up for my classes this fall semester. I have been planning on becoming a trauma surgeon, serving in the military, and going on to give to communities that have been redlined and stigmatized. I want to be a surgeon so my family can have the financial security I never fully had growing up. I also want to be able to help my family pay medical bills and give back to people who need it. I may make alterations in the future as to which career specifically I may go down, maybe I will explore the research side of medicine or suddenly find interest in ophthalmology—but I know I want to be in healthcare. I know I need to help people. I know I need to heal people, for there are a lot of people who need healing. Growing up, with a mom who had diabetes and a dad who operated in an erratic field (no matter how hard he has been trying to be necessary for operations through these financial crises), I was raised in a weird mix of being able to get a new laptop for school and needing to live in a single room with a space heater because of electricity bills and the pipes freezing. I am not from a low-income household technically and do not qualify for a lot of aid, which is why I need to turn to every grant and scholarship I can find. I am striving to create security I never had while helping as much as I can for equity and justice in this nation. There is so much happening in this world, and it's all overlapping and intertwined. Environmentalism, social justice, economic inequality, and political tension. I just hope that I can be in a place where I can fund city gardens, run more drives to women's shelters, and adopt a street to clean. I want to be able to work day in and day out and have something beautiful to show for it.

My dream for my future career is to be a trauma surgeon. Although, it is not so much not knowing what I want as wondering if it is what I need. My parents always supported my wanting to become a doctor despite what my relatives said about the challenges. But when I voiced that I wanted to be a surgeon, a trauma surgeon, they had their reservations. A family doctor or a dermatologist was more what they thought aligned with my personality or nature. They were unsure if I could handle the competition and weight for so long on my path to becoming a surgeon, burnout being prevalent in undergraduates, especially pre-meds. The road to my dream job is four years of undergrad, four more of medical school, four to five years of residency, and then a one- to two-year fellowship program—which is when I will focus on trauma surgeries. Their worried vocal reassurance on the subject had come to have quite the opposite effect. "We'll be here no matter what..." "You can always change your mind." Over the course of my senior year, as I began making preparations to be a pre-med, I wondered if surgery was really for me—maybe my parents saw something I did not. But no, after a lot of inner debates, I know that whatever choices I make are the choices I need to. I got accepted into college, am thinking ahead, and know what I want long-term. I want financial security for my family; I want to help people; I want to help marginalized communities. I want to do this through my proficiency in science—through my passion for medicine. If I make a slight deviation, it will be okay. Every moment is a learning opportunity, and I am open to receiving the lessons.

My goal for the future is to go into healthcare to serve my family, my country, and underserved populations. As a young child I was planning success, and I have been doing everything to help those around me, especially my parents and sisters. During the pandemic, after so much loss and being forced to face the chaos of the world, I was able to introspect on myself—what I am going to do in the face of it all, how I am going to prepare. While the water wars are yet to arise, there are a lot of looming dangers hanging over my generation's head. Dismounting systemic oppression; trying to innovate ways to reverse and mitigate environmental impacts such as poaching, pollution, and habitat destruction; looking for a solution to climate change; and trying to sort out just what is going on between nations with geopolitical tensions rising. Despite this, I have found it crucial to manage my intake of problems in my mental space. Not turning a blind eye. Not being ignorant. Just simply managing doom scrolling, climate doom, and the sensationalism of POC pain in media to a healthy amount where it does not constantly linger over me and deteriorate my mental health. Similarly, I have found it empowering to draw boundaries socially and not embody the role of caretaker so often, especially when I need rest. I feel that I have learned crucial tools to navigate my life, so that I can continue to grow and learn in this ever-changing world. I am committed to my academic success and the future. I am ready to take on new challenges as I begin my higher education journey this fall.

As a kid, the teacher designated me the helping hand in class, and, as the oldest child, that role stuck. I was a comforter, a conflict mediator, and a buffer—both at school and at home. I always found it positive when people would immediately turn to me for help. When the pandemic hit, my parents had to remove me from my school for financial reasons. I reassured my devastated parents, but I felt extremely isolated; my loneliness was overwhelming and inescapable. I tried working, which did not help anymore. I tried overconsuming media so that my brain would not return to my hurt, but I eventually collapsed. My teachers worried, friends reached out, and my family was confounded by what happened. I was always hardy and reliable when catastrophe struck. I was the one organizing parties for teachers retiring, helping bury pets, and consoling the girls over tia. But with the falling through of a closeted relationship, digital fatigue, social isolation, and the loss of numerous family members to COVID, I could not withstand it silently anymore. My friends and sisters lifted me when I fell. I was the one turning to them for emotional support for a change. But reaching my lowest has only made me stronger. I took steps to address the health literacy in the Hispanic community, which I witnessed firsthand through infections in my family. And I am still working through many of my problems, but with earnest and self-kindness. I continue to spread awareness on how health literacy is crucial in marginalized communities during COVID. But I also take care of myself to take care of others and promote wellness. It took a lot for me to realize vulnerability is not weakness, but I am healing myself and others as I continue to grow.

While I can sign online petitions until my fingers bleed, I felt I was still not doing enough to serve marginalized communities. Recently with the Supreme Court leak, I have never been more terrified for the future of myself and my friends. The looming climate doom date of 2050 is at least two decades away, and while I am obviously not white I can be ethnically ambiguous to some. And my appearance is gender-conforming to my assigned sex for the time being, so I have been cisgender- and straight-passing during this pandemic. But the Roe versus Wade leak detailing the strong likelihood of overturning such a precedent case is infuriating and frightening. My two sisters and I are not even the people I am most worried about—I am more concerned about my Black and Brown friends, especially Black and Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirits. I have stated my opinion, advocated, and used my voice to try and spread awareness. If Roe versus Wade gets overturned, abortions do not just stop. It simply cuts off access to safe abortions to disenfranchised people with uteruses and makes it extremely dangerous for them. I am trying to speak to my community at church, which can be kind of standoffish regarding these issues, to have these necessary conversations about how detrimental this can be. I believe having these discussions is crucial because of the amount of misinformation and lack of awareness surrounding this issue. I went to rallies, but I am worried this is not enough. Even though I am constantly debating how to do more, I am trying my hardest to do what I can right now for the people this will affect tomorrow.

I was on the lacrosse team from middle school through upper school. When COVID hit, it took away my sense of structure in academia. COVID impacted my health mentally, spiritually, and physically. I lost some of my older family members, and even though I was not the closest to them, it still hurt that I would never be able to talk to them again, cook with them, eat with them—that they would never be able to come to my graduation. While at home, I always told myself I would exercise again, but I couldn't find the motivation to do anything beyond my dog's neighborhood walks. It didn't help how isolated I felt once I had to change schools because of money and go remote because of the pandemic. And on top of not doing lacrosse anymore, I ate. I ate so I could chew, which was rhythmic and, I suppose, soothing to me. At my new rural school, I never really made friends. I had met some nice students, but the conversations always died. I did form bonds with my teachers as they were compassionate and helpful to me, which helped me stay focused on my studies through it all. In the spring, my biology teacher said that a class period was to be used to do a macroinvertebrate survey of the creek by the school. I wanted to go, but I knew I couldn't with the rates of COVID in the area spiking and my immunocompromised mother. Instead, I directed myself to coursework, but then it hit me. I live on a small plot of land. A creek is nearby. So I put on some boots and began turning over rocks, using my dad's fishing net to capture the invertebrates and place them in a bucket. I then used an online key I printed out to identify the macroinvertebrates to see how the creek life was, and many organisms were sensitive to pollution and thrived in the stream. Once I gently returned the macroinvertebrates, I saw a bottle caught on a low-hanging limb. I picked it up, but there was more plastic underneath. At first, I was confused and thinking, "How did this end up here?" But then I was upset. There was a thriving ecosystem there, yet someone disregarded trash by the stream that wound up here. This anger set fire to a new motivation for me to latch onto, and that was to scope out the land we bought for any rubbish and properly discard it. For months, I walked around after school with a bag or a bucket and got all the trash out, sludge-filled or shiny new. The moment of realization I had was able to get me to pick myself up for the environment when I couldn't do it for myself; it also gave me a daily activity that not only helped me to exercise but gave me a sense of purpose. I slowly was able to piece a routine around my online classes and my daily endeavor to eliminate waste. This daily routine helped me to eat and sleep at regular times. As I went on these walks, I saw eastern newts, frogs, bohemian waxwings, hummingbirds, and even a great blue heron. These moments gave me a sense of accomplishment. I was finally able to get into a better frame of mind to not only help nature—but help myself. I still am not in shape and get breathless easily, but I am integrating higher intensity exercises into my routine to help my respiratory and cardiovascular health.

One of my favorite hobbies to partake in is "plogging" and being a citizen scientist. I will elaborate: I have been trying to better my declining mental health as it completely crashed during the pandemic. Part of this rearrangement was to take daily walks, but I needed something to drive me or I would never stick with it consistently. What I have taken up these past two years is carrying a bucket and my phone with me. I clean litter with one hand and take photos with the other. There is an app, iNaturalist, and I advise you get it even if you do not go on walks often—if you enjoy nature, birdwatching, seeing deer, or have any photos of wild organisms, it would be a joy for you to do from time to time. iNaturalist is a database for citizen scientists to publish observations of local critters and plants. If you have a photo of a cool bug, some deer, or a plant, you can upload them onto iNaturalist. Other people, some of who have very niche fields, can identify the animal to make it research-grade and include it among thousands of other observations across the globe! Whether it be an insect you do not know the name of, a difficult-to-identify clam or a simple picture of a dandelion—others in the community will lend their thoughts and identifications. I particularly enjoy photos of fungi and lichen—today, I found a super cool specimen of Peniophora rufa, or "red tree brain fungus," which looked like brain-shaped specks of orange across a branch of a tree. And the other day, I saw my first red-winged blackbird hanging out by my driveway. It also serves as a cool catalog to scroll through as an observation journal (because dates and location are recorded). You can even look at your observations on its map features to see your range of observations! "Plogging," which I suppose is a loose term for what I do, is another way to get me out for a walk. I don't jog-jog, at least not throughout, but I do get cardio while getting the trash out of the environment! Last fall, I was able to completely clean out a lake of plastic and other litter that wound up there. In the spring, I was able to see a whole lot of eastern newts (a type of salamander) enjoy the clean water, play, and use it as a breeding ground. Ultimately my two-in-one hobbies of picking up litter and identifying critters have made me very happy in a very dreary time in history. It has also helped me establish a schedule around my escapades when time can blur together doing remote learning, and even include things such as daily meditation, stretches, reading, and scrapbooking. I find my walks a relaxing and rewarding part of my day where I can take a breath and enjoy the small things, like greenshield lichen.

1. I watched Squid Games and didn't cry, I can make the best Benedict Cumberbatch impersonation, and I have drawn a perfect circle before. Not to mention, I am an oldest child, which means I should be the first one to get it—as a guinea pig, right? 2. To do cool things like dissect more chicken wings and frogs or get samples of mossy water under a microscope to see tardigrades. Eventually hoping to dig into humans, not in a dissection-y way, but a life-saving way. 3. I once got caught in a riptide and I swam to shore and beat it, which is definitely what you're supposed to do as an amateur swimmer. I have also stubbed my toe, and that was life-threatening.

I have created clear boundaries with myself and my needs and even wants. If I am not obligated to do something, I no longer partake unless I want to. I spent a lot of my life bending to others' needs and trying to make everyone happy, which resulted in being miserable. I have been finding a balance in many facets of my life to maintain self-care through my boundaries. I remain informed on current events but do not read the news every day. I do my best to be eco-conscious without drowning in climate doom. I will advocate and fight for justice, but I do not waste my time arguing with provocateurs. I have to take care of my body, mind, and spirit. If I neglect them in the interest of putting out "my best," it is no longer my best. If I spend all night on a presentation, it may have errors made while I was exhausted. It is imperative to always look out for yourself and know that you are not responsible for what others do or think. You are only responsible for yourself.

My parents were separated for a long time and did not get along well, they constantly had fights back then. As the oldest, I would have to comfort my sisters, clean up the toys, and help with homework. It would weigh on me, but school was a place with friends, free from the erratic environment home was. I was good at school, I was confident, and I loved learning. My parents got back together, love each other deeply now. And I have gotten better at not being too much of a workaholic. I do have a love for the grind, and that is probably why I want to enter such a competitive field. That and my love for science that was fostered in my all-girls education before the pandemic forced me to switch schools. I am thankful for what I was given though, as moving from the liberal city to rural PA has definitely provided me more perspective from my amazing but bubble of a school. I have grown a lot these past couple years, and am feeling optimistic about what I will be able to do in this world.

I want to become a trauma surgeon, but I have many branch offs if I change my mind as I walk the long road to actually practicing. I am driven to keep going despite what I face, and as the oldest child (and a neat freak), I naturally take on tasks and responsibilities. I plan to pursue higher education for opportunities such as mentorship and professional development. I will use college to build a foundation, and plan my trajectory from there. Whether I stick with surgery, or decide to go into some other facet of science, I do truly want to impact others and leave my thumbprints on something big.

When I was a first-grader, I went on my first field trip to Frick Park. This park often has students learn about wildlife. We collected pinecones, dipped them in sludge, rolled them in seeds, and hung them with twine on tree branches. The group was led to streams and searched for macroinvertebrates, which indicated the stream's cleanliness depending on how sensitive to the pollution they were. My classmates and I would hush as we spotted a red-tailed hawk devour its prey or squeal when we found a crayfish. My time there showed me the importance of environmentalism and protecting nature.

If I could share a message throughout the world for everyone to hear, it would be: "We divide our own world, why not unite it?" Prejudice and discriminatory acts have hurt people before. I have seen its effects first-hand through my own experiences, my family's, and my friends'. If all humans could actively fight implicit bias and attempt to be more open-minded, we could build a better society for all people. I believe there is a balance between understanding that everyone is unique and that everyone has similarities. There is importance in knowing that every person on this planet is a combination of traits and that this intersectionality is a means of building relationships and communities. Unity does not necessarily mean monotonous—not everyone has to look the same or act the same to understand—unity means interconnectedness. I firmly believe that if people reached out more, spoke out more, and listened more that people would not feel as alone nor isolated. If we did not set aside our differences, and instead embraced them, I believe the world would be a better place.