FAMILY

Moving away from home to go to college has been one of the most difficult things I have done in my life. Nothing could have prepared me for the trials that I would encounter once coming here. Yet, because of the endless support from my family, I am able to find the strength to be optimistic, explore new passions, and challenge myself academically.

My mom and Dad are my biggest supporters. They constantly remind me of how pleased they are with my work and they know how to make me feel loved through speaking to my love languages of physical touch and words of affirmation. Even though often times, we do not see eye to eye about certain beliefs, I always look forward to our debates about a multitude of topics. I must be honest though, sometimes at the dinner table I just want to eat instead of finding the solution to climate change crisis! Their sense of humor is like no other and they always find a way to make me laugh, even when I'm upset. I am incredibly grateful for their patience, wisdom, and ability to speak life in to me. They make me remember that despite the pain I might be facing, I can find comfort in knowing their love for me is infinite and it will remain this way regardless of anything I do.

I don't know what I would do without my siblings either. They absolutely crack me up. My brother Christian, is 27 and lives in Newport Beach. This gives me an excuse to visit way more often than I'd like to admit. He keeps me humble and tells me exactly the way the situation is, gently. Anytime I need advice, I know I can go to him. My sister Amy, who is 23, lives in San Jose near my parents. While I'm away at school I miss her so much. We FaceTime as much as we can and we love to kid around. She is someone I look up to because of her confidence and drive to learn as much as she can in her career of financial planning.

My family is one of the things that I value the most in the world. We are not perfect but I wouldn't trade our relationships for anything. At the beginning of high school, I could not wait to leave home, yet now I come to miss and cherish the time I spent with whole family, always wishing for more.