Books make me feel happy because when I’m feeling down. I can read into a whole different reality. A new story can make you think very long and hard about a serious subject or be a fun and light-hearted story. Either way, reading books gets me through some hard times and makes some moments just a little better.

When taking photos, I can manipulate the photo angles and colors to change the mood and feel of the photo. Taking pictures of the people I love is something I do very often, and I hope it to be a big part of my life one day. It makes me feel more connected to my grandparents because they were both photographers.

I love New York City because of the great places and food there. That city is full of memories with my grandparents and family friends, walking to the convenience store with my sister, and sitting on the roof of buildings, looking out to the city. It’s like looking at an old scrapbook. One day, I hope to be able to live there or go there for college.

When I’m studying, I feel good because I know that whatever thing I am studying for will be easier for me in the long run, like a test or project. When I am in my room with a drink and snack learning more about the things that I don’t always have the opportunity to fully learn in the classroom, it is very relaxing for me.

My room is very colorful and full of pictures of my family and friends. I like to have a space that is primarily for my comfort, and that I have complete control over to change whenever I want. My room is like a reflection to the inside of my mind. Sure, my room may be small, but I know where everything is, and there’s a lot less dust.

Whether I’m sitting in the stands or watching it on TV, I love watching football games with my sister because we both enjoy it, and it’s sometimes the only downtime I have with my sister. Since she was also in the marching band, it reminds me of the days I watched her march to The National Anthem.

Writing is like reading but you get to create your own story and you get to decide what happens with the characters. When writing I go deep into the creative process that I can’t always do when drawing or reading. It’s a calming process for me, and when I need answers to something, I start writing out a story about it. That’s why I decided to go into journalism.

Music does this thing to my brain that makes me feel very happy. To think that there is always a song that perfectly describes something that anyone could be going through is something so beautiful and it makes you think about the things that are said in their songs even if you aren’t going through it. When songs are written with a deep meaning about something in their lives, it is so beautiful, and makes me feel like I’m having a conversation with them.

Traveling can be stressful sometimes, but being able to go all the way across the world and being able to experience a whole different way of living, observing what people act like and do, and studying a different culture is amazing. I love the feeling I get when I get off the plane.

Looking back on moments I love is really what keeps me connected with the people in the photos and my old self because I put myself back into the old memories and it’s almost like I can feel myself connecting with that person more, even if it’s someone who isn’t in my life anymore. Looking back on memories from when me and my sister were kids makes me feel a kind of comfort that feels like getting a warm hug.