I live less than an hour away from San Francisco, a lively city in California that is known for its cultural attractions, diverse communities, and world-class cuisine. However, the city that I actually live in is Fremont, California. Our community loves to stay in our comfort zones and children commonly follow their parents' footsteps regardless of their individual passions; Fremont is much more low-scale than San Francisco for obvious reasons. Parents love to shelter their children from the cruel dangers of the world, while the children work hard not for their own aspirations, but for what society tells them will lead to a prosperous and stable life. But I do not fit in with this common ground; I would rather invest in risks, speak with expression, and follow my own passions. But strangely enough, this exact conservative and sheltered environment around me is what sparked the courage in me to be who I am today. People often fear the unknown, but to me, unfamiliarity is simply an opportunity to confront the topic and further expand my knowledge. Most people in this community insist on staying in their comfort zones and doing only what their parents declare as satisfactory. But I also found another common quality among my peers in Fremont; they all developed a vapid personality and lacked personal motivation. After contemplating these two common traits, I finally made the connection that these students don't have their own dreams and aspirations, but simply follow a hollow path that has no connections to their true passions. Ever since that discovery, I set my own goals where I must confront obstacles and risks with courage, explore different career choices to determine my true passion, and always act on my ethics and beliefs so that I can truly live life to its fullest. My family, friends, and teachers all see that I have an aura of positivity, compassion, and empathy in me that is not present in most students of my age. I use my school's reading sessions to go to the Special Education classrooms and socialize with students diagnosed with developmental disorders. I know that deep down, each and every one of these students is astounding and beautiful, and I do the best I can to bring what they have to the surface. I will always contribute to my city in beneficial ways, from tutoring elementary school students and standing up for what is right, to helping the mentally unstable students in my school. I have an indestructible desire to improve everyone's lives, and I believe that staying informed and always wanting to learn is an essential to improvement. Valuable creations have always been captivating to me, and I am eager to investigate if I can connect my vibrant spirit of empathy and compassion and utilize science to make great differences in our world. The city of Fremont has shaped me into the motivated, mature, and compassionate leader that I am today simply from displaying what will happen to me if I do not act with independence and courage.