Shortly after my diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes, I concluded that I was going to find the cure. In college, I would learn about the latest scientific discoveries and newest biomedical devices. My years after college would be spent in high tech laboratories where discovery and breakthrough were part of daily life. I would become famous for my ingenuity. I was seven years old at the time. My ten year "Diabetes Anniversary" is in less than a month, but my broken...

I believe that travelling makes a wiser person. And by travelling, I do not mean "supporting" the Leaning Tower of Pisa for the stereotypical tourist picture. I mean travelling to a place that is completely distinct from your normal surroundings and embracing those differences. Because my parents grew up in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, we visit Manila every couple years or so. Each visit serves as a constant reminder that there is a whole other world outside of...

Values matter to me. Values serve as my guiding principles. My values keep me in line. When there are so many sources which try to influence us on a daily basis - our peers and peer pressure, our family, and the media, to name a few - it is critical to remember what is important. All of these sources steer us in different directions, but it's what we truly value that will dictate how we will act in certain situations....