My favorite possession is a letter that my best friend from elementary school wrote to me. He gave it to me on my birthday, and it was filled with inside jokes, memories, and phrases that always made me happy. Back then I just thought of it as a nice gesture for someone's birthday, but I didn’t realize how important it would be to me later on.

Recently this year, I heard on the news that he decided to suicide after college decisions came out. I remember that he switched to a very prestigious and rigorous private school and the pressure probably got to him. Suddenly the letter came to mean so much more to me. Now it is one of the only things that I still possess, reminding me of him. When I read it, I can imagine us laughing and talking as usual.

This letter is special because it makes me remember times where everything was easier and he was still around. It also makes me think about being kind and compassionate towards the individuals around me. You never really know what an individual is truly dealing with even if they are probably okay. I've learned to stay in touch with my friends more and appreciate the time we have with others.

Even though it is just a little bit of paper, it symbolizes a lot to me. It makes me think of the bond we had, and how much it is important to look after the people in our life.

#3. What is the single most important in-class lesson you learned in high school? OR What was your greatest academic challenge?  How did this experience shape you? 

One of the most valuable lessons I took away from my time in high school came during the study of Walden in APLAC class. Thoreau spent over two years in a small cabin near Walden Pond, trying to "live deliberately," which meant to take life down to the basics and concentrate on the important things. He stated that an individual easily becomes so caught up in the frantic pace of life that he forgets to live with a purpose.

I found a line that really struck my soul: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately." That one sentence actually stopped me in my tracks and made me think how rarely we do live deliberately; how often we just go through the motions of looking at grades, standing for extracurriculars, checking social media pages, never asking ourselves why any of it is. Thoreau's retreat in the woods was more about embracing life and doing so with his full spirit and by himself.

Since reading Walden, I've started to make decisions more consciously in my everyday life. I've learned the value of pausing to reflect on what I'm running to and from and why. Whether it is picking classes, pondering over the road to college, or just an opportunity to spend a lazy free afternoon, these moments are reserved for measured consideration so as to be harmonious with my identity and values.

This idea of living deliberately anchors my definition of success. It's no longer just about achievements or checking off boxes, it will always be about me living a life honest and meaningful to me. Thoreau taught me to slow down, to look inward, and to make sure that the steps I am taking forward are not just anymore, but in the right direction.

#4. What’s your greatest fear and/or hope with regard to life after high school?

My greatest fear about life after high school is living an empty life without meaning or real companionship. Looking ahead into the future, I fear getting caught up in routines racing from one thing to another like grades, jobs, maybe even success with hardly a thought about why I even do it. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I live with the thought of waking up one day and realizing I have done everything "right" on paper but feel totally hollow inside.

Another part of that fear is ending up all alone. Do you realize life can feel empty without genuine relationships, irrespective of how successful someone is-people to share moments with, support each other, and grow together? I do not want to live a life full of lies.

That fear pushes me to be more purposeful about what I do. I want to create a world where I actually live co-actively with things that truly matter to me, and not with societal expectations. Furthermore, I want to align myself with people that bring out the best in me like genuine friends, mentors, and a great community.

All of that amounts to saying that I want more than just to exist. I want to live fully, in a meaningful way with meaningful connections.

1. Shawshank redemption: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmzuHjWmXOc 

2. Inception: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHD9XEInc0 

3. Shutter island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8yrZSkKxTA 

4. Memento: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CV41hoyS8A 

5. Matrix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKQi3bBA1y8 

6. 3 idiots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvszmNXdM4w 

7. Se7en: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znmZoVkCjpI 

8. Truman show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlnmQbPGuls 

9. Catch me if you can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71rDQ7z4eFg 

10. Groundhog day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSVeDx9fk60

There is the introspective mood and soulful production of the song, with feelings of yearning and reflection that say: Live purposely, seek genuine bonds, and stay true to yourself against external pressures. With my mindset poised to pursue the road beyond high school, "I Wonder" convinces me not to waste time but instead to seek a purposeful life and real bonds.

Here's a link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxEjnYdfLXU 

What interested me most was how fast the boys lost any sense of order or morality as soon as the structures of society were gone. It had me thinking about laws, leadership, and the eternal human conflict between good and evil. The book strongly reminds you that fear and the thirst for power can very quickly cancel out normal reasoning and compassion.

The reading of Lord of the Flies triggered reflection on human behavior and the factors affecting action, as well as the reciprocal importance of self-awareness and ethical decision-making alongside one another, especially when the going gets tough.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnnZ6y1HPqI