Foil-wrapped. substantial.
your warm rest in my hands
is like a love letter from sf.
Your carne asada whispers to me,
cilantro adding sass
rice holds me together
with a mysterious aura.
You teach me patience while i unwrap,
forgive the inevitable spill,
and turn an normal Thursday
into a Thursday with a burrito.
Perfect, tasty, mine.
There is a large list of moments in my life that I wish I could relive. Here are some.
Watching Breaking Bad for the first time.
Using my first Fortnite Win Glider in game.
Switching to builder pro.
Finding my first diamonds in Minecraft.
Getting into Michigan.
Beating New Super Mario Bros on my DSi.
Swimming a 49 second 100 free for the first time.
Watching the end of Vinland Saga season 2 for the frist time.
I am now 20 years old.
It's interesting to think about where I was when I turned 10. I was finishing up my first school year in Michigan (shout out to my 4th grade class) and I was just so excited to be an age that was double digits.
I'm in a nostalgic mood right now, so I'll list off some things that happened throughout the last 10 years of my life. I learned how to play the French horn, I was a "gifted" student in class (whatever that means), I was in marching band, I lost various family members, I learned how to drive, I fell in love (a couple times), I worked as a fence builder then barista then lab aide, I was the 2x captain and 2x MVP of my high school swim team, I saw Carti live and almost died, I had appendicitis and actually almost died, I got accepted to my dream school, I made good friends, lost good friends, and I've grown both physically and mentally.
I want to take some time to reflect on a significant challenge and achievement from this period, as these experiences have shaped who I am today.
Challenge: During middle school, I faced a pivotal moment that taught me valuable lessons about responsibility and consequences. After swim practice one day, I made a poor decision that led to disciplinary action. This incident deeply affected my parents, particularly my mom who had personal reasons for being concerned about such behaviors.
The aftermath was challenging - I faced consequences from both school and home, and found myself in an environment of limited trust and high expectations. This situation was complicated by how quickly word spread among my peers.
Though difficult at the time, this experience ultimately became a catalyst for positive change. I began taking my education more seriously and set higher academic goals for myself, including aiming for competitive programs in high school. Returning to the swim team required rebuilding trust, but the experience taught me valuable lessons about accountability and making better choices.
Achievement(s): This is not one specific event, but every time I qualified for a state meet as a swimmer was an incredibly prideful moment for me. I remember this one state meet, I must have been in the 8th grade, and it was at the University of Michigan's pool. It was so cool to see a record board that was filled with the names of Olympians I looked up to. I remember this was the first time I went a 26-second 50, and my dad was so proud of me!
I remember after I swam, I was in the locker room and I heard some older kids talking about how they just broke the state record for a 50 free as an under-18-year-old with some time around 19 seconds. I was obviously in awe, and when I left the locker room with these same kids still in earshot, I kept shushing my dad because he kept hyping me up with my 26-second time ðŸ˜.
All of the state meets I took so seriously. There were only 2 per year, one during the long distance (50-meter pool) season, and one in the short distance (25-yard pool) season. This meant the works: tapering weeks before, shaving my legs the night before, and wearing a ridiculously expensive suit just to swim a maximum of 200 meters/yards. I have not swum competitively since high school, and I probably won't in my 20s, and that's something I really will miss. I definitely will not miss 2-a-day practices though.
Moving forward: I don't know what my 20s hold for me, but I can say a few things I hope it has in store. I hope my parents retire, I hope I get to see more of the world, I hope I one day buy a house (okay maybe an apartment if I'm being realistic), I hope I stay in contact with my friends, I hope I am able to keep learning, I hope my health stays a priority, and I hope to make more mistakes and more achievements.
When I think about what inspires me, specific people in my life immediately come to mind.
I get motivated when I see others succeed around me. Growing up in a family of academic high-achievers and attending school with talented classmates showed me success in many different forms.
Watching my older brother stay true to himself while crushing it academically taught me that you can be both authentic and excellent. When you're genuine, you naturally align what you do with what you care about. Excellence comes from putting time into things you're passionate about. And hey, congrats on getting into those PhD programs at Caltech and USC, Matthew. Like I said, you inspire me daily.
Most importantly, inspiration hits me during those moments of sonder—when I suddenly realize how complex strangers' lives are around me. I see that my fellow students have journeys just as complicated as mine, overcoming their own unique challenges along the way.