“Did you hear Jenny Ma wants to join the Army?” “What? She’s a GIRL. And she’s Asian. Why doesn’t she want to be a doctor or something NORMAL for her?” 

Conversations like this swarmed the halls of my high school once people heard of my aspirations. Mocking words surrounded me wherever I went. As an Asian female, I face familial expectations and societal pressures to conform to a predictable path. I tried to turn to friends for courage but saw their disbelief too. Eventually, people’s opinions led me to doubt my own life choices. That is, until I met Ms. Rosi. The day I talked to Ms. Rosi started like any other one in recent memory-filled with dejection. I saw her and decided that I had to finally reach out. She listened, and soon I learned she had been in the Air Force and encountered the same backlash from her peers. She explained while I cannot control what others say, I can control my response. Ms. Rosi explained that hard work and determination rendered nothing impossible and that I should use their cynicism as fuel for the purpose of excelling in every aspect of life. 

I left that classroom feeling rejuvenated and worked harder than ever before. I began going to the gym after hours of tennis and crew practice while still maintaining my extracurricular activities and an unweighted GPA of 4.0. Junior year was a turning point from which I felt I could unleash my potential if I reinforce my vision against the noise. Wholeheartedly applying myself to academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities was met with tangible results. I suddenly realized how much I could accomplish if I dedicated myself to my goals and not what others have to say. In fact, the gossip and taunting energized me more. Now, one of my fundamental beliefs is that people are much more capable of things they don’t even realize. I have learned that there are certainly things I cannot change, such as my environment and other people’s opinions, but it shouldn’t be an excuse for avoiding what I am or seek to become. I acknowledged where I was and confronted what I could change about myself-not in order to bend to others’ reality but rather to focus more on building my own future. I have become more determined, confident, and stronger because of it. In fact, I have begun to aid others who have faced the same disbelief from their peers. I have grown and today, I know that I am in control of my future. Soon, I hope to be surrounded and bound by esprit de corps with those who share the same vision as me of making America a better and safer place for all.