High school has been a time of countless important benchmarks.

As a young girl, I was readily creative and artistic in many aspects. I loved to draw, paint, and even write stories or graphic novels during my free time.

A wide variety of stories are told to children in Japan, the country I visited during my junior year of high school. These children’s stories can teach kids valuable lessons in both the United States and Japan.

Japan was filled with many new flavors and meals I had never experienced before. However, I expected to try a different cuisine on my school trip to this foreign country.

Chicago has always been a center of learning for me. When I was a little girl, my mother took me to the wide variety of museums at our fingertips.

I dread the cold, but I love winter. This season brings me both comfort and connection with those I care about, filled with warmth despite the frigid air outside.