Alex Taylor's Blog

Which blog was your favorite and why? Which blog are you most proud of and why?

        I have enjoyed writing all of my blog posts. Simply putting a pen on paper (a.k.a fingertips on a keyboard) and writing what is on my mind or topics I am passionate about is a form of venting and reflection. Although I did enjoy expressing each phase of the semester I lived in, ranging from investing in the stock market to Texas Hold’Em, my first post ever provided the most value to me.

The title “Prospering Through Sports” entailed the history of my athletic career as I traveled from soccer club team to club team and eventually settled upon lacrosse. It was nostalgic to think of my former days in soccer when I was a four-year-old and eye-opening for how much I sacrificed in my life for sports. I learned more about myself, my character development, and the time and portions of my life that I devoted to a sport I no longer play. Which then raised the question of whether it was all a waste of time, money, and effort. My ultimate conclusion after a large amount of time spent dwelling on the question was no, it was not a waste of any resource. It created the person I am today and I loved playing soccer up until my final months of the sport. But, without these blog post assignments, I do not think I would have ever encountered this introspection. Next, for my proudest blog post, I believe that my blog post “Dietary Dilemma” is the winner. It showed a personal side of my character that I enjoy talking about because I can often educate and help others with lifestyle choices they were not aware of. I enjoyed conducting further research and making a both informative and persuasive piece of literature. I also enjoyed creating some iconic quotes such as “Your body’s future health and wellness rely on your current life decisions, and I would like to age like fine wine, not some tart $5 boxed wine.” All in all, the blog posts were beneficial for me throughout my year of AP Literature.

What are the most significant things you learned through your Voices project?

         I believe that the most important takeaway I learned from my Voices project was the value of perspective. As we all traverse through life, we must know that each person comes from a different background. Diversity is extraordinary. Or as Merriam-Webster defines it, differing from one another, composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities. Not a single person in the universe is formed genetically identical to you. Sure, you may share commonalities, but no one is the same and our acceptance of those differences allows diversity to flourish and show its beauty. The Voices project helped me fully understand the importance of other’s points of view. I was also able to gather more information on my mother’s immigrant experience and that was my favorite part of it all. Seeing the struggles, triumphs, and past my own mother came from that I was not fully aware of until this project was enlightening. In conclusion, I genuinely did enjoy the content, pacing, and rigor of AP Literature and I recommend every senior take it in their high school career no matter the stigma or rumors surrounding its workload.

Like my last blog post about my investments in the stock market, I have ventured into a new broad hobby or what some may label as a profession. This time, it is poker and I do not at all condone or suggest that anyone goes and starts gambling as I refrain from playing with actual money but it is fun and can be a life skill for some. I am sure many of you have heard about the card game, but here is a brief summary for those who have not: A player bets that the value of his or her hand (random two cards) is greater than that of the hands held by others. Each subsequent player must either match or raise the bet or “fold”. The pot (“money”) is eventually won by either the player with the best hand when it comes to a showdown or the only player left when everyone else has folded.

How My Poker Journey Began:

Roughly a month ago I was truly introduced to the game of poker after hearing for years sporadic mentions of it. The reason for my indulgence occurred because members of the lacrosse team began playing, playing with Josefine and her family, and finally the biggest culprit of them all; the mobile game World Series of Poker (WSOP). My record for each is surprisingly positive, bankrupting several teammates during our pasta party on Tuesday, bankrupting Josefine, and on the road to a billion chips in World Series of Poker again all with solely chips and no literal buy-in. Although all of this recent winning is inadvertently going to my head yet I have never gone against any poker master such as Frank Su. I have learned that he runs the “Poker” Club for a reason; do not mess with him. 

Why Do I See Poker As a Life Skill?

I do believe that becoming educated on the game or at least the basics is a life skill. Compare it to the sarcastic theory that one needs to be good at golf to work in business or finance. Sitting with co-workers, friends/family or even strangers can all spontaneously call for a poker match. It is a universal strategy game that has higher stakes if you please take it there. Be smart and limit any spending on gambling in the future because as we all know it can tend to be quite ignorant. Although, the game also exercises the strategic practice of one’s risk management, analysis skills, and self-composure. Analyzing, budgeting, and executing a process in a timely manner is an applicable tool across life. Evaluation and decision-making are vital, with almost every waking moment requiring a decision from person to person. Yes, I do understand I may be bringing things slightly out of proportion as some may just call it gambling, but, these are legitimate benefits.

What I Have Learned Thus Far:

First of all, I now realize why casinos make so much money as these games they have manipulated and promoted worldwide are extremely addictive and misleading. The science behind poker or any form of gambling is a whole separate scientific discussion but there are countless sources expressing the addictive nature of the hobby. Just listing the first reliable source found where The Scientific American states “research to date shows that pathological gamblers and drug addicts share many of the same genetic predispositions for impulsivity and reward seeking. Just as substance addicts require increasingly strong hits to get high, compulsive gamblers pursue ever riskier ventures.” This is clearly a troubling fact and the casinos can be compared to drug dealers taking advantage of their users simply for the money and with no concern for their well-being. 

Besides the addictive aspects of the game, poker can still be a fun game while psychological components are thrown left and right among players. Being able to pick up on subtle mannerisms, facial expressions, or habits that one may reveal during a game can increase your social awareness and ability to read a person. Seeing if someone is bluffing about anything through those subtleties can be translated into seeing fact from fiction in one’s speech. Alongside the other benefits of improving a multitude of skills, poker is not as shallow as it may appear on the surface.

All in all, I do not recommend gambling unless it is recreational and for educational purposes only. Thanks for listening to my TED talk.

“Congratulations! The big 18!”

 

…

 

So?

This exact scenario took place multiple times last weekend on my birthday. I wondered what’s sooo special about being 18? I feel the same, but now that I’m an adult, what is different? I can be charged as an adult in court, join the army, and buy lottery tickets; hmmm so fun! Not to sound materialistic but the best part of my birthday besides being able to spend time with my friends and family was the money I received. I gained about $650 and began to think about what I should do with this spare money to be financially smart. That is when it hit me, I can invest!? One issue that arose, I have no clue what I’m doing and I don’t want it to merely go to waste. But with my few takeaways from Consumer Economics and no other business class, I learned that taxes suck, how a credit card works, and to start investing young.

Beginning of This Week, Where I Began:

 

Firstly, I searched for a platform to begin my investing journey. I found the more popular options such as Robin Hood, Vanguard, and Fidelity but realized they took a decent amount of commissions although all were pretty reputable. That is when I stumbled across a promotion for the platform WeBull stating that upon acquiring their app and depositing $500 dollars or more into the brokerage account then I would receive 25 free fractional shares valued from $3-3000. The flaunting of free money and my need for any money I could get entering college obviously made me intrigued, so I looked further into it. Luckily the app was backed and trusted by a vast amount of investors and took ZERO commission. In comparison to the other platforms, I was sold. I downloaded the WeBull on the Monday following my birthday and went back and forth as to whether I should deposit the $650 or not and if that little amount of cash would even make me any profits in the market. I initiated the deposit before going to bed that night and received the instant buying power of $650 but the fractional shares would take about 6 business days to be given to me along with the actual arrival of the wire to my account. But what now?

Mid-Week Progress:

Come the third period of Tuesday, I have study hall with the finance gurus Sean Young and Fisher Muck as well as THE Adam Alshika in my Strength and Performance. So, I picked their brains and began asking what I should invest in and what I needed to know. They happily, and I emphasize happily, started to spew knowledge and numbers at me for the rest of the week. The most common stock that was mentioned and that came with the lowest risk and decent reward was the S&P 500. Arguably one of the most stable and consistent stocks; the ETF which buys into the top Fortune 500 companies in the United States has never failed to provide its stakeholders with an average of 10% APY since its IPO in the 1860’s. Yes, I can play it safe and I very much plan to invest in the S&P, but it just does not align with the investment plan I devised. I figured that as experts say, continuously reinvesting into stocks steadily will set you up in a very nice position 30-40 years down the line, but I can’t wait and the S&P was literally setting record highs (as it usually does) while I stared at it. My plan is this, once I have a substantial income come to the summertime and no school or lacrosse to create work conflicts, I will hopefully devote roughly a quarter of each paycheck to the S&P but for now, with the $650, I need to take on a slightly higher risk and reward play. This is because I see myself needing the money more near the end of college and want to see a quicker return. Fisher and the gurus definitely did not like this plan as much given the volatility, but they were still happy I was investing at this age. So my research began to find my “breadwinner” of a stock that would hopefully “go to the moon”. 

End of The Week, Thursday-Friday:

The research began and my watchlist was growing. I believe these sectors will grow, the lithium-ion battery providers as electric vehicles take over, technology, but in specific my focus is AI as it is sprouting everywhere. I also see this market booming for the next 3-4 years which aligns perfectly with my financial timeline before I sell and reinvest or continue to hold if it is doing really well in the foreseeable future. I found a few companies that offered flashy dividends and enticing expensive stocks before settling on one. I bought twenty shares of it at $25 dollars a share ($500) and it is bound to join the Fortune 500 and exceed its market cap in the coming years. I also bought a fractional share of Nvidia as they are doing very well with my remaining $150. After buying the stocks early Friday morning I have unfortunately only watched them lose a few dollars but that means nothing as I am playing the long-term game and all stocks do this. I also created a savings account now that I am 18 and am getting 4.65% APY on all cash within it, so that is cool too. Let’s hope all goes well and I did not just lose all of that birthday money lol.

The poem I chose was May by Edwina Attlee because it was written in such an unconventional manner. My first annotation was regarding the horizontal lines separating a number of the stanzas from one another. I was initially perplexed by only being able to connect such a separation to provide an emphasis on the prior or forthcoming material. However, the lack of pattern and vagueness led me to research the rhetorical choice. I was able to find a correlation to a commonly found poetic technique known as caesura (pronounced “seh-zoo-rah”). Although they are usually seen as vertical bars such as: ” | “, rather than the horizontal line found in this poem. With further dissection, I determined the usages to be feminine caesura due to the interjection occurring often after a short syllable and breaking apart sentences mid-concept. According to socratic.org, the purpose of caesura is to draw an emphasis on the pause and to provide a strong staccato effect. With this the effect can be seen with focusing on a particular word or phrase, to show contrast/depth, and to foreshadow what may come later in the poem. The first instance of this is found when reading:
“sorry sorry sorry

_____

John Clare calls May
a happy dirty driving boy”

The emphasis can be placed on both the words before and after the caesura. The apologies beforehand are foreshadowing the definition of May who receives the word “dirty” which has a negative connotation. This led me to my next discovery while analyzing the poem. A concept I discovered was that there may be a parallel storyline occurring between the horizontal lines. I noticed that it appears to be developing some sort of storyline or events and alternating with personal insight and commentary. The storyline is in relation to John Clare’s “Character” and May, who to my surprise happens to be a famous poet who wrote a poem also called”May “. This storyline is in relation to the commentary regarding the topic of sex workers that is explicitly stated in this stanza:

“Would it be public life? Watching the procession on May Day and waving at the banners for real real real life. My friends write about what their actions make them remember. Their procession is a pageant for the deaths of sex workers. A float for the racist murder of the women who run the massage parlor.”
The clear disposition the author expresses on the subject of sex workers reveals the real recurring theme of the poem. As it described an event taking place the author’s purpose and insight were provided following the separating line. However, I am not entirely sure if this was the goal of the author or if it was to solely act as a caesura. Luckily, while looking into this it also helped me decipher the constant metaphors with horses within the poem. May was referenced as a “white horse” several times and different colors of horses were mentioned. I found that a white horse resembles innocence, purity, and good luck.

I made a connection to the word “maidenliest” when describing a “glassy-eyed star”. The word’s definition of the word can be rooted in the term maiden modesty which is defined as a young innocent woman who is shy when it comes to the topic of her body, sex, etc… which once again relates to the theme of poorly treated sex workers and the parallel story of May being an innocent newly introduced worker in need of money.

Another notable aspect which is also a form of stanza separation, is the amount of space the author left between the ending stanzas for what I thought was no apparent reason. Again, following research, I determined that the line breaks or white space left between the stanzas are to allow for proper reading and visualization in the audience’s mind. It emphasizes each isolated phrase or sentence and allows the reader not sluggishly to skim through or robotically read the piece. The line breaking, caesura, metaphors, and parallel cutting of stories were all rhetorical devices that Attlee utilized in her poem May. Although the initial reads of the poem were without a doubt intimidating I gradually acclimated to such complex mannerisms and made inferences, completed research, and found meaning in her writing choices.

 

Firstly, to provide some context, I would like to have written this on “The Top 5 Best Locations To Visit in The World”. However, I still do not have my passport and this spring break my family asked that my siblings and I find the ideal place for us to vacation. So this list is honestly to aid in that effort as well as to learn more about locations that I have yet to visit. Some good news is that my parents said once I turn 18, because “I won’t be a kid”, so I will get my passport and we’ll be traveling out of the country. So I am quite open to suggestions as to where either in the U.S. or outside of it

1. Glacier National Park, Montana

This National Park is home to more than 700 Lakes mountain ranges and multiple waterfalls. These attributes make hiking its most popular attraction with its challenging routes and trails visitors enjoy. Other amenities include the Going-to-the-Son Road, which is utilized for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing as well as in the winter cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. This location provides year-round attractions as well as wildlife and beautiful sceneries. I have never visited here but I doubt it is highly ranked (first by US News) for a reason and I am very interested in it.

2. Maui, Hawaii

Next, is another place I am yet to travel to, unfortunately. It is definitely on the bucket list, although, the quite steep plane ticket prices, resort costs, and the distance alongside other inconveniences have led to my family never visiting. Enough negatives though, the quite obvious luxuries of Hawaii consist of the jaw-dropping beaches, coasts, and beautiful climate. Also, not to mention my interest in their culture, cuisine, and landscape. Some popular activities for tourists include snorkeling, Haleakala National Park, and the apparently “unmatched” seafood the island offers. (Ranked second by US News.

3. Yosemite National Park, California

Disrupting the rankings order and hopping to 7th place on the list, comes Yosemite National Park. I chose this one due to the likelihood of us traveling here because my family had mentioned Yosemite. It is located in California and some of the most famous landmarks there are the Half Dome and Glacier Point, or hiking in the cathedral Lakes/Mist Trial. Clear Point Grove has more than 500 giant sequoia trees and other refreshing green and rocky sceneries. This location is ideal for those who like to hike camp and take in the beauty of nature.

4, Tucson, Arizona

Going off the list, I chose this one due to the high likelihood that I was to go here because my grandmother lives in Tucson and we haven’t seen her recently. I would love to visit here because the dry heat compared to the humid summers we experience here in the Midwest, is such a relief. I also enjoy spending time with family and my grandmother provides great hospitality for my family and me. She constantly offers us fruit from their greenhouse or garden, to go to their horse ranch, swim in their pool, or visit anywhere we are interested in the area. Some things that are not too far that we plan to visit are the Grand Canyon, caves with crystal formulations (stalactites), Mountain ranges, and surprisingly many interesting museums. I would visit this one in either the winter or springtime to take full advantage of the ideal weather because during the summer it is quite literally an oven in Arizona at that time.

5. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado Springs, which is near the city of Denver, is another very nature-rich environment. With some more unique aspects such as dramatic red rock formations, Mountains, and Springs fresh enough to drink from. Some major attractions here are the Garden of the Gods, the Broadmoor Manitou, and Pikes Peak Cog railways, which both lead to Springs with optional stops at museums along the way. Colorado’s scenery piques my interest mainly due to Boulder although I did not realize they had such unique experiences to offer elsewhere and the Springs being one of the best places to live within the U.S. according to the rankings.

In conclusion, all of these places definitely sound interesting to me and I would love to visit them eventually with hopefully out of the country places following. Again I am open to suggestions that are anywhere for the future. But I am glad that I was able to learn more about the country I live in which I have barely visited other states of. But who knows maybe in the future I’ll be some travel guru which I would love to aim towards. Sadly, I am currently quite the opposite.

What blog did you enjoy writing the most and why?

The blog post I enjoyed writing the most dates back to the first blog post of the semester. Although I also really enjoy attempting to educate others on the “Dietary Dilemma” and my diet with the reasoning behind it, my first post provided more value to me. The title “Prospering Through Sports” entailed the history of my athletic career as I traveled from soccer club team to club team and eventually settled upon lacrosse. It was nostalgic to think of my former days in soccer when I was a four-year-old and eye-opening for how much I sacrificed in my life for sports. I learned more about myself, my character development, and the time and portions of my life that I devoted to a sport I no longer play. Which raised the question of whether it was all a waste of time, money, and effort. My ultimate conclusion after a large amount of time spent dwelling on the question was no, it was not a waste of any resource. It created the person I am today and I loved playing soccer up until my final months of the sport. 

How did you change or evolve as a writer over the course of the semester?

I believe that over the course of the semester, I became a more analytical and in-depth writer allowing me to write more holistically, unbiased, and refrain from redundancy. In literature, I view it as some pivotal aspects because authors and writers who have perfected such things are able to compose the most complex and meaningful pieces in my opinion. For example, my ability to reiterate implicit meanings that authors intended in their work such as any of the novels we have read this semester demanded such writing. 

What have you learned about writing by reading other students’ blogs?

From reading other’s blogs I was able to obtain a greater grasp on how much perspective and one’s life experiences can truly translate into one’s writing. Reading how much love, hate, or any emotion that some of my classmates have for certain topics allows me to cross-reference those to opinions of my own. It allows me to be more understanding of differences in opinion and acknowledge that their opinions just as my own are due to their past experiences. I learned to appreciate the rhetorical devices that were utilized to get their points across which I can then implement in my own writing or even for what not to do. It is also interesting to learn more about my classmates and their characters which I may have never received such insight on without these blog posts.

What “lessons” are you taking away from the first semester that you will carry with you next semester–about writing or otherwise?

Some lessons that I will take with me likely into the remainder of my literary career are focusing on the implicit meanings of literature and having close readings when I am trying to analyze a text in-depth. Some of the most valuable takeaways or intentions in writing I have realized are not explicitly stated nine times out of ten. So when I aim to develop such themes in my writing I am now able to replicate them in an attempt to add more layers and meaning into my pieces. This will be especially helpful when we receive more essays and analyses of readings for next semester providing a more solid understanding of writing. I also found that this class aided me along the college essay writing process by creating such implicit meanings in my essays to show more of who I am and convey these things through rhetorical usage.

Food, who doesn’t love it? The delectable, timeless, varying forms of cuisine never seem to fail my taste buds and the dopamine flood that follows each bite, sip, or mouthful. Whether the cuisine represents a culture, a TikTok trend, or a generational recipe, adapted from generation to generation, I can never get enough of it. My mother seemingly agrees with this statement; often labeling me as a black hole, garbage disposal, or an animal each time I eat an inhumane amount of food in front of her, which is basically on the daily. The only caveat is the dent–sorry, the sinkholes that food expenses leave in my wallet every week. But enough about the bad, let’s understand further why the art of culinary is so great, especially in my life.

1. The Significance of Eating Food

To elaborate on some subjects I just mentioned, food is so much more than mere carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, sugars, fibers, water, lipids, proteins, and starches. Beyond the literal formulation of food, the figurative and sentimental value is globally significant. The cultural significance subsequently resembles the history, hardships, and preferences of many cultures. But throughout all, ethnic dishes and acclimations remain prominent as time continues to pass. Directly related to this, is how something as simple as food, can bring both communities and people together. A minute example I can provide is the dinners I share with my family. My mother, originating from El Salvador, can luckily whip up some outstanding ethnic food (my opinion might be slightly biased, but take my word). Each dinner allows for catching up with family members, sharing laughs, and creating memories while enjoying the meal at hand. As for society, it is mainly in city life or suburban areas, where food markets and restaurants allow others to recognize and appreciate the cuisine of a plethora of alternate regions, cultures, and locations. Included with this consumption of food is the consumption of cash. According to the United States States Department of Agriculture, U.S. food and agricultural industries are responsible for more than $8.6 trillion (nearly 20%) of our country’s economic activity. As well as roughly 23 million jobs (15% of U.S. employment) are supported by these industries. Food and agricultural industries are vital and major benefactors to our economy.

2. I Enjoy Cooking, so much so it is My Current Job to Make and Eat Food

I get paid to make and eat food. Okay, maybe it is not that simple but still. I am a culinary instructor at a Montessori-inspired cooking academy called Little Kitchen Academy where I teach ages 3 through 18 how to cook. Although I plan to enter the field of cybersecurity, I genuinely enjoy guiding the students through the recipes in their custom chef coats, Birkenstocks, and personal kitchens. I was an assistant teacher at a preschool last summer so I do not mind children usually, and I cook for myself often or for my family once in a blue moon so the job just works well for me. Teaching the safety, values, and importance of learning how to cook to illiterate three-year-olds just really highlights the power that it holds for me. The only thing that brought me together in a community at that age, minus the life lessons and more applicable skills, was sports.

3. Its Nutritional Value

It is likely common knowledge at this point, but, the human body requires nourishment from foods and beverages. As you may have seen in my previous blog post, I am very keen on diet and proper nutrition. I will not delve too deeply into this subject but in case you want to learn more about why I avoid seed oils, sugars, and most processed foods feel free to check that blog post out. Anyways, without food, you simply could not survive. Without indulging in vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, protein-rich meats and fish, and most whole foods your health would be quite terrible. To be more specific, I aim to meet certain protein goals, water intake, and consume daily a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D, beta carotene, BCAA’s all in the pill form, and two tablespoons of sea moss gel with ashwagandha. Although the sea moss gel makes me want to throw up each time and many supplements are a hassle on top of my already good diet, it is what must be done to meet my goals.

4. How These Values Directly Benefit Me

But what are these goals of mine you may ask? Well mainly for my sport of lacrosse, progress in the gym, and general health/well-being is why I am so appreciative of food. It aids me throughout each of these goals while providing me with an enjoyable experience of tasting and discovering new foods and combinations. With each endless meal I consume I benefit my muscle development, which then aids in my strength and performance for lacrosse, all while nourishing my body and the goals I have. So the next time you have your next bite of food or sip of a beverage maybe consider being slightly more grateful for its history, significance, and value it has in the world.

From a young age, I have been captivated by the intricacies of technology. Technology’s evolution and its endless potential to shape the future provide me with the feeling that I can contribute to something larger than myself. By eighth grade, I fell in love with software and sought after experience in the field. Starting with basic computer

programming summer camps entering freshman year, taking Computer Programming 1 and 2, and later AP Computer Science A my coding journey was formed. However, after taking all of these courses which encompassed mainly just the programming aspect of technology I gradually learned that it was not what I truly desired for my career pathway. I could not just debug and mindlessly code all day, I needed more.

Thankfully, following the end of the school year my sophomore year, my computer science teacher sent out a Canvas announcement that included information on a Purdue cybersecurity camp called the Gencyber Bootcamp. I applied for it and was admitted to the two-week boot camp for that coming summer. The only thing I expected to take away from it was a free Raspberry Pi (a small motherboard that can function as a full PC), a drawstring bag, and a T-shirt. But both the Raspberry Pi and the discovery that cybersecurity was a subject that engulfed and piqued my interest were the most appreciated takeaways. 

As I delved deeper into cybersecurity, I realized that the rapid advancement of technology also brings about new and evolving security threats. Technology is our future, but we cannot allow security discrepancies to put billions of people’s lives, information, and well-being at risk. According to Mike Mclean an Embroker publicist, “Cybercrime will cost companies worldwide an estimated $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015. At a growth rate of 15 percent year over year — Cybersecurity Ventures also reports that cybercrime represents the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history.” The exponential growth of both the internet capabilities and vulnerabilities leads to opportunities for cyber improvement and corruption. The billions of victims, trillions of dollars lost, and countless disruptions cannot persist. This realization fueled my desire to become part of the solution to defend against cyber threats and safeguard the digital world as a cybersecurity major.

Furthermore, cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field. The dynamic nature of cyber threats necessitates constant learning and adaptation. This aspect of perpetual growth and the need to stay updated with the latest developments in the field exhilarates me. I see it as a field where I can continuously challenge myself, develop skills, and gain knowledge. In comparison to other fields that leave less room for the future, cybersecurity is the future. New certifications, threats, and technologies do not allow for one to know it all. These components and complications in the field are likely the reasons why it is one of the most needed positions at companies across the globe. I also can not say that the average starting salary of 100-150,000 dollars a year is appealing because it is.

Are you safe digitally?

The realistic answer is no, and nor am I. Even with my above-average knowledge of the topic, I am still lazy and have the same password across multiple platforms, I don’t always check for the lock at the top of each page I visit, nor do I even know the quarter of possible attacks I am prone to with my current online habits. But do not be like Alex, be better! These things matter. As does ensuring your information is secure to avoid identity theft, malware, or even worse bum bum bummmm. So possibly use a master password app such as LastPass and have two-factor authentication for your accounts, utilize a VPN while surfing the web, and make sure you never share sensitive information with a person, page, or figure that does not have credibility. Do not fall victim to the negative aspects of the cyber world, and be aware of your digital footprint both passive and active (the indirect trail you leave from account to account versus your active posts, comments, and activities, etc…).

In totality, my choice to major in cybersecurity reflects my intrinsic passion for technology, my desire to help protect technological advances, and my appreciation of the dynamic field of cybersecurity. I believe it is a field that all can benefit from whether it be a minor, a certificate, or just some personal research in it to safeguard yourselves, your peers, and the future. As our world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, cybersecurity has emerged as a vital field, and I am determined to make a meaningful contribution to its advancement and the security of our digital future. 

I value the importance of a diet, and I view it as one of the most pivotal aspects of my life. I believe that with a healthy diet, the majority of health issues are solvable, one’s goals are more achievable, and many wellness-related topics can benefit from a diet. As for my personal diet, I avoid countless things that most people, especially teenagers, do not. I choose not to eat seed oils, not to eat or drink any processed sugars and food dyes, and lastly, I avoid any junk food in general. The reason behind this consists of a myriad of consequences that come with not following a diet. The current United States population seemingly does not acknowledge said consequences given the fact that we have the highest obesity rate of all countries across the globe, coming in at 36.2 percent of our population considered obese. This is highly to blame for the modern-day cutbacks on processing, quality, and the ingredients put into the American diet. The aim of cutting back on expenses is the main reason behind this high rate of obesity as well as the further stray from natural whole foods, with newer generations becoming accustomed to highly artificially flavored and sugar-filled foods. This widespread dilemma is seemingly only exponentially increasing due to more concoctions being invented to try and stimulate our taste buds and dopamine receptors with entirely new flavors that would have never occurred in nature but only innovated in a lab.

Firstly, why do I avoid consuming seed oils? To understand why I do not eat them I believe it is important to understand what seed oils are and what the consequences are that come with them. Seed oils are oils that can be used for cooking and baking, which derive from the seeds of plants. Seed oils are ”made through a chemical process where they’re bleached, refined, and heated in order to be usable,” Julia Zumpano, a licensed dietitian says. The list of seed oils consists of Canola oil (aka rapeseed oil), Corn oil, Cottonseed, and Grapeseed oil. Soybean oil, Sunflower oil, Safflower oil, Rice bran oil, Peanut oil. Now, why are these oils bad? Seed oils are often highly processed and utilize a heating process called hydrogenation that extracts the beneficial aspects of the seed and remains with the unhealthy factors such as the phenol and omega 6 fats that cause inflammation and irritation within our bodies. This increased inflammation in our body can be directly linked to conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Not to mention that seed oils are carcinogens and are often included in most unhealthy foods such as candies, fast food, chips, and nearly any processed food you can think of. However, they are also surprisingly found in most foods, including “healthy” options such as protein bars, whole grain products, and even shakes or drinks. Seed oils and other ingredients in these modified foods have also been found to be harmful to our body’s gut microbiome. Some do not realize the importance of our gut microbiome, it is responsible for energy recovery from the metabolism of non-digestible components of foods, protection of a host from pathogenic invasion, modulation of the immune system, and so much more. These oils can easily be substituted for more natural and healthy oils that I myself include in my diet. These better oil options consist of avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil as just some of my favorites.

Next, one of the more prominent factors that may contribute to poor health is the high sugar consumption in current U.S. diets. I stopped eating any candy, drinking soda, and eating foods high in sugar nearly entirely. High fructose corn syrup and other processed sugars are some of the more notable contributors to health concerns and heavily researched ingredients. The reasoning may be more obvious compared to seed oils because sugar has been tied to weight gain, heart disease, acne, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, skin aging, cellular aging, drained energy, fatty liver, and other risks. Sugar can be found in the majority of foods and is often the most concentrated ingredient of all in the ingredient list. This fact turns most drinks, protein bars, or any food into sugar drinks, bars, or food since that is the leading ingredient. Also, artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, and more are truly not much better than the processed sugars they claim to be so much better than their predecessors. The reality is that artificial sweeteners and processed sugars each have their own consequences as well. Artificial sweeteners have been found to lead to just as many health risks as reliance on that sweet kick, which is toxic for our gut microbiome. However, they may be a good substitute for some that rely heavily on processed sugars. If you have the choice, I recommend finding foods and beverages that utilize natural cane sugar, monk fruit extract, or stevia leaf extract as a healthier alternative. 

Lastly, why do I choose to refrain from junk food in general? “You’re young!” “Make use of it while you can!” “I wish I had your metabolism again. I’d be eating everything!” are all some commonly said things to me and likely to you at some point. But that changes nothing for me; what most do not consider is the long-term effects of their diet and choices on their health. Your body’s future health and wellness rely on your current life decisions, and I would like to age like fine wine, not some tart $5 boxed wine. I also participate in sports such as soccer and lacrosse, and I avidly go to the gym, which all demand a lot from my body, meaning it needs to be in its best condition. Dream bodies are made in the kitchen, and with the ever so expanding, poorly researched artificial ingredient list, who even knows what most people are putting in their bodies and the consequences that come alongside it? So, all I ask next time you’re at the store or going out to eat is to read the ingredients. If the sugar/artificial sweetener, seed oil, or saturated fat amounts are too high, or you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients, just put it down. Look for healthy alternatives, whole foods rich in fiber, protein, and other known ingredients that will be only beneficial for our body.

“You have played soccer since you were able to walk” my mother has told me countless times, thanks to her, placing a ball at my feet at the time. Her reasoning for doing so originated from her love for the game since her father was a soccer coach for the El Salvador National team. I unsurprisingly do not recall this time of my life although she does have the pictures to prove it. Although, what I do remember is my first soccer team experience. It all began at the age of four in an indoor facility called “Players 360”, in Naperville. Here is where an intramural league with other children my age dressed in Superman capes and shirts whilst flailing around a miniature turf field with our parents bordering the sidelines. The innocent, fun, and wholesome intramural league was something I would have never expected to continuously evolve in level and seriousness as I progressed through life. 

I later became a part of the club NSA playing a year up in order to challenge myself and gain more experience. After playing here until roughly the age of nine, I moved on to the club team Chicago Fire Juniors. It was at this time when the price, distance, and effort required all began to amplify. Each soccer season often spanned for only half of a year yet costs one to two thousand dollars excluding tournament, travel, and uniform costs. We drove two times a week to a random field neighboring Plainfield South High School, roughly a 40-minute drive. Inconveniencing both my parent’s work day and personal life. I made the Academy team but after a change of role in the coaching staff, I saw the club dwindling in quality and decided to change clubs to Eclipse at the age of thirteen. A team that was exponentially growing and gaining popularity due to their success. This was both the best and worst decision of my athletic career. The coaches were strict, inconsiderate, and relentless. Each practice began and ended with a mile on top of scrimmages, drills, and speed conditioning mid-practice. The effort required to improve drastically increased as I was surrounded by much better players than myself. 

Did I become a better player? 

Yes.

 Did I become a better leader? 

Yes.

 But at what cost? 

I had lost my love for the game at this club, I became self-conscious about my soccer talents as I seemed to never surpass my teammates in skill level. I changed to Evolution soccer by the age of 15 where it was less competitive but also to be frank, boring. I thought the practices were too easy, redundant, and unenjoyable after I had become less interested in soccer. 

After just two years of soccer at the high school level and reaching my current age of seventeen, I searched elsewhere athletically. 

That is when I took on the challenge of starting the new sport of lacrosse during my Junior year of high school simply due to a friend’s recommendation. I was four months out of the high school season when that same friend who recommended I started lacrosse insisted I did box lacrosse if I wanted to make the varsity level. A form of lacrosse that was more similar to hockey in terms of game speed and roughness. So I did so, and it became my goal to make the varsity lacrosse team. I devoted those four months to practicing and learning the sport through film, the box season, and my older sister and brother who played lacrosse in college. But consequences arose, my grades began to slip, my social and personal life took a toll, and the majority of my time was spent on lacrosse and in the gym. Luckily, Come Spring, my efforts paid off and I made the varsity team, leaving soccer behind.

But was all the time, effort, and money that was put into soccer a waste? 

Was I letting down my mother after she made her desire for me to play soccer so clear?  

Were countless hours for nearly 90% of my life lost, and for nothing?

Thankfully, I believe I did not waste my time playing soccer although it may feel like that at the surface level. I think that as most sports do for others, it played a major role in my life by providing me with discipline, leadership, and a healthier, more active lifestyle. The sport was likely the main contributor to my character development, personality, and lifestyle. Having to aerobically condition and keep my body in its top shape aided me in my recent goal of making the lacrosse team and for personal confidence, gain, and health. I was able to prosper over the years due to the sport and relay my same competitiveness on the field to other aspects of my life such as my academics. I attribute most of my success thus far to soccer, a team sport which like other team sports has been shown to develop youth in a positive manner. A study backing this claim was published in the journal Pediatrics, where it states that “Participation in team sports results in a higher GPA for both high school boy and girl athletes. Physically active children are 15% more likely to attend college. Former student-athletes tend to earn significantly higher incomes than those who did not play sports. Student-athletes earn up to 40% higher test scores”. So as my personal experience and statistics show, playing team sports no matter the path taken or journey, more often than not will positively influence one’s life as a whole.