Before, my life was perfectly care-free and normal. I never had any anxiety, depression, or felt dislocated in my personal identity. But just as I was beginning to reach my teenager years, my life was about to turn upside down.

Just a few months after turning thirteen, my father passed away. Since hearing the news, I felt myself into this deep trance and was nearing rock bottom. The worst part was that during that time of losing my father, my friends were talking about expensive restaurants, clothes, and vacations.

Therefore, feelings of depression and anxiety entered my life and I was  'stupid' or 'not good enough'. One day, I ran and hid myself in an isolated corner of school where I purged out my emotions. Therefore, by purging out my emotions, I realized something.

Sometimes when strong emotions wind you down academically and personally, we seem to not see where the grass can be greener since we are too busy wallowing into our sadness. It's definitely ok to cry out our feelings, but we cannot let grief take control of our life. Everytime I  want to cry how terrible my life is, I always imagine how my father would praise me and encouraged me that "I can achieve if I put my mind to it."

Since then, I've been called in on many academic opportunities, fought through depression, touching into the potentials of my passion and aiming to study at Stanford University. 

I will continue to miss my father everyday , but I know that he's always with me every step of the way.