At the age of 10, my family decided to take a two week long trip to Korea to visit the country my brother was born in prior to his adoption. Having the opportunity to leave the United States and visit another country at such a young age gave me a perspective on the world most 10 year olds haven't yet experienced. This trip gave me a cultural understanding and greatened my appreciation of the world and for the different types of people who live in it. One day was particularly noteworthy. It was the day that we visited the hospital my brother was born in and met his foster mother. Since my brother was adopted before I was born, the idea of adoption and having an adopted sibling was always so normal. Being confronted with the ways in which my brother's story differed from mine made me cherish his, and every individual's, unique background and how that makes them who they are today. But most importantly, it created a new level of understanding of my brother and his background and deepened our bond. 

Before I knew I wanted to become a graphic designer, I wanted to pursue engineering. I was accepted in to both UMD and UMBC and was planning on studying engineering. I applied for UMBC's Meyerhoff scholarship, a scholarship program that would grant me a full ride PhD in any STEM discipline of my choosing. I was made it to the interview round and went to UMBC for two days to participate in the Meyerhoff activities and interviews. My interview went really well and I made it to the final round of decisions. The day that this story is about is the day that I found out I was not accepted into the program. I was devastated as this was an incredible opportunity for me. But, at the same time, I knew how much I wanted to attend UMD and that if I received the scholarship I would have to attend UMBC. Looking back, I am so incredibly grateful I did not receive this scholarship because if I did, I would likely be attending a school that wasn't a good match for me, studying something that I am no longer passionate about. 

As I mentioned previously, I believed I would become an engineer when I grew up. I excelled in STEM in both high school and college, but lost passion for and felt creatively stifled by the technical side of engineering. I was faced with a really hard decision, whether or not to continue to pursue engineering. I knew that I could push myself and achieve my goal to be an engineer, but would not enjoy the next four years of my life. I felt that if I did not continue to pursue engineering and chose an easier major, I would not be reaching my full potential. However, I chose my passion, which I soon learned is graphic design. This decision taught me the importance of pursuing what you love and making choices for yourself, not based on what you believe you are expected to do, and I am happier than ever.