Notes

This is my life map, a timeline of events that may not seem very big but are all special to me.

Firstly, I moved from Clemson, South Carolina to Columbia in 2011, the summer before I started kindergarten. My parents first came to the U. S. before I was born for my dad to study abroad. They were originally planning to return to South Korea after my dad finished studying, but he decided to come teach at a school near Columbia. My life would probably have been extremely different if we hadn't chosen to stay.

In fall of 2015, when I was in 4th grade, my pet turtle Almond died. It was the first time I understood the saddening feeling of never again being able to see somebody that I loved and cared for.

Around the same time, I joined my elementary school chorus. That was where I learned that I could enjoy music by not only listening to it, but also singing along to it myself. I wouldn't call myself an excellent singer, but doing it makes me feel happy and allows me to destress.

Besides my parents, my entire family lives in Korea. When I was younger, my relatives would visit occasionally and we traveled to places like New York and Washington, but sadly I don't remember these trips very well. However, their visit during the winter of 2015 is the first one that I can clearly recall. Even though they're far away, I feel reassured to know that they're always with me in spirit.

In 2017, I started middle school at E. L. Wright. 6th grade was a turning point and a time that I will always remember and cherish. In elementary school, my friends would change with my classes every year, but this year I feel lucky to have grown close to some very trustworthy and hilarious people. This picture was taken on a field trip and shows me with two friends, Evelyn and Ashritha.

When I was in 5th grade, one of my teachers recommended me to a writing program, and I attended for 3 summers. In my 3rd year, a poem of mine was chosen for a local project, and because of it I was on the news for the first time in my life in January of 2019. This entire experience helped me develop a passion for creative writing. My mom always says that a good writer must first be a good person, and I'm trying little by little to become a better self.

My final event is becoming a Discovery student here at Spring Valley in 2020. Since I was little, I would get tired easily, so my mom and dad were originally worried when I wanted to join the magnet program. My parents always value health and happiness over academics, but I was able to convince them that I wanted to experience it this year, so here I am.

I don't know what other life changing events I'll be going through in the future, but I believe that there's many more great things in store for me. I'd like to thank you for listening to my life story.