Newton's first law of motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force; in other words, the object needs an impulse in order to change its momentum. While Newton's principles certainly apply adeptly to physics, I think it also reflects how my views were acted upon when I was hit by an external force of my own: mathematics. From an early age, I saw mathematics as a fun diversion; numbers...

I have multiple canvases—InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop—and with them I am able to create a living, breathing identity that interacts with others in positive ways. Each time someone asks me to make a book cover, a logo, or a website, I use it as an opportunity of mutual discovery; I learn about my likes and dislikes and what fonts I prefer (recently, I've been hooked on Karla, a grotesque sans-serif that carries a sense of eccentric seriousness), but...

To my future roommate, I hope this reaches you in good condition and not found underneath a mound of boxes or pinned underneath heavy furniture; in which case, my deepest apologies (and no need to thank me for the exercise). While we're on the topic of apologies, I'd like to preemptively apologize for some things: my singing, which has gotten worse ever since the new Hamilton musical soundtrack came out; my puns, which in my opinion are a form of...

In my room above my desk, there is a shelf where I hold my most prized possession: my Mickey ears collection. Over the years, I've collected a half dozen of them from my various trips to Disneyland, with their destination being on this very shelf, awaiting to be used again. Though all different in appearance, each hat has its own story: the faded royal blue one came from my first trip when I was seven and I cried on the...

Service was never a focal point in my family—at least, not to the extent that they would focus intensely on it. They would take me to the numerous events I’d be working at and ask me why I do this all the time without getting paid or if I ever got tired of volunteering. Unbeknownst to them, however, service carries a different connotation to me. It’s defined neither by the number of hours I do nor the...

A person's Twitter description says a lot about a person; after all, they are given a limited amount of space to truly express their very being in a succinct manner. As for @VincentNicandro (me!), after stating that I am a student, I say that I am a writer as well. I'd like to think that it is not too far from the truth; after all, I have self-published one novel and one anthology, created an online literary magazine, and am...

As Warren Bennis said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” However, the unsaid truth to this is the necessity of teamwork in leadership. In the spring of my sophomore year, I was tasked with leading the direction of a county-wide MUN conference. It was a daunting proposition; my responsibilities entailed organizing and editing all print and online media over the course of six months for everything used before and the day of the conference. At first, I...