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I believe that playing an instrument has changed the way I see the world. I have been playing for 6 years and it has taught me how to commit to something. Learning to play the trumpet was not easy and that is why I have now learned the art of perseverance.

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I have been competitively swimming for 9 years. I think that because I started so young, swimming has become my life. I have wanted to quit a couple times but without it I wouldn't know who I am. I have found a second family and I would feel guilty if I left them. Swimming taught me commitment, perseverance, and insurance. I am proud of how far I have come in my life.

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Traveling is something I have been doing since I was 6 months old. My parents like to take me to many places so that I can see the world and get different perspectives. I enjoy going all over the world. It is a really good experience for kids and teens because it helps us learn to live away from home. I will always love traveling.

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Listening to music is what keeps me going in life. I am always listening to music. It helps me focus and it distracts me from the outside world. I listen to rap, pop, jazz, and classical music. I love listening to music.

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The picture above is of me and my family. My mom is from Poland and my dad was born in Chicago. I like being mixed because I see the world differently. People also see me differently as well. I wear my race and ethnicity loud and proud. It is really cool how different my mom's side of the family is versus my dads. I love my parents.

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I got my dog when I was 8 years old. Owning a dog helped me learn how to take care of things. I loved the fact that we got him when he was a puppy because I was able to watch him grow. He has become my best friend and I don't want to imagine my life without him. It hurts me every morning when I have to leave him to go to school. I love him so much and I need him in my life to survive.

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I think growing up as gen z impacted the way I am. Being born in the 2000s made it possible for me to see the huge evolution of cell phones. I didn't start out with them like gen alpha nor did I not have them for a long time like the generations prior to mine. My generation was also old enough to remember fully what the pandemic was like and how different schools have been changing since we were little. We also had opportunities to see snow when we were younger and I am afraid younger generations won't have those opportunities because of climate change.

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I know that having friends is not the most important thing for people nor is it the easiest for others. That is why I am so grateful to have my friends. Because I am in multiple activities I have multiple groups of friends. I have my friends from band, friends from swim, and then there my best friends. My best friends and I really don't have that many things in common. We really only know each other because we were in a bigger group. But when we all got dropped from that group, we hung out as three for the first time almost 3 years ago. I don't know who I would be without them. They make up my world. I love them so much because one minute we could be climbing my roof and the next we could be having a deep philosophical conversation. People tell me being with your friends shouldn't be important, but if I didn't have them I probably would be depressed or already dead by suicide. I say that because before we hung out together I didn't like myself at all and they helped me find who I was. I know that people say friends come and go, but I have a really good feeling that me and my best friends will be together forever. They are the family that chose me to be theirs.

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Since I was little, my parents have told me to focus on my school work so that I can have an easy life when I'm done with college. That is why education has always been important to me. I have always been mature for my age. I started thinking about college in 6th grade and now that I'm in high school I can see why my dad wanted me to start early. I plan on going to a good college somewhere out of state. I also plan on earning a scholarship for said school. This mindset has always set me aside from others. Planning my future has kind of become a form of therapy for me. It helps keep me grounded and it gives me a reason to keep going.

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Religion has never really been something that has value in my life. My mom grew up Catholic but my dad grew up not really believing in any religion. When I was little I was baptized and I did communion, but since then I kind of decided I don't want to be apart of any religion. My parents and I kind of all have the mindset. I will never hate on anyone for supporting any religion, but I will hate if they try and force their practice on me. As a person, I think I have enough perspective in order to make the decision of not affiliating with religion.