When people used to ask me why I don’t speak Spanish, I couldn’t answer. Because of my last name and the color of my skin, they assumed I spoke Spanish. When questioned I felt guilty for being a Mexican-American and not knowing the language or celebrating the culture. As I matured more, I let go of the guilt and I embraced being “American.” My ancestors may have been from Mexico and Spain but I also have ancestors that...

An Autobiography of the Letter M: Pronounced as “em”, M is the thirteenth letter in the English alphabet, coming after the letter L but before the letter N. No matter big or small, rounded or pointed, no matter what language either, M maintains its shape. With words beginning with M ranging from two letters to twenty-one letters, M is used for a multitude of things. M is used for me, literally. As the first letter of my first and last...

My freshman honors literature class was required to read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The book at the time confused me and was not a book I particularly enjoyed. During sophomore and junior year, I forgot about the book. I forgot I read it, forgot about the papers I wrote about it, and forgot the book existed. However, the summer after my junior year, I had the opportunity to go to a leadership and citizenship seminar at Pepperdine University for...

When I was little, I thought of college as more years of school. Grades 13-14, so to speak.  But as I grew up and went through school, I realized that college was more than that. I learned that I love history, that I am intrigued by psychology, that religion sparks interest in me. I agree with Mr. Wayland, that I should be free to study what I chose, all that I chose, and nothing but what I chose. I want...

Describe home: A white “popcorn” painted apartment building with a large willow tree in the front that I loved, was my childhood home. The lawn had no fence, just a cement border. When the tree became sick, it unfortunately was removed. That marked the end of my childhood. Now that apartment, the one I have lived in my entire life, is sky blue. The lawn has a wrought iron fence with scroll designs. The willow tree is two palm trees. �...

take advantage of...

location,...

be friendly. your teachers...

engineers, stem...

I would have taken more time...