#5

Power vacuum- a situation when a government has no identifiable central authority.

Some consider reaching this state is dangerous or destined to fail. In my freshman year of high school, I experienced this lack of leadership in my 4-H club, which prompted me to take responsibility, even though I did not have to. Without assuming leadership of the club, I would not be the person I am today. 

When this happened, I was initially upset and frustrated at the leaders who quit because they were two years older than me and simply abandoned all responsibility. No one had appointed me next to take the president position which made me nervous, but it seemed natural. From then until now, I have been the President of my Equestrians Unlimited 4-H Club which entails leading monthly meetings, taking time to organize and participate in several community service activities and most importantly to educate the younger members about their knowledge on horses and how to be valuable members in their community.

Recently I was told that I “bleed green” because I am completely dedicated to promoting 4-H. This is because being a member of 4-H has helped me grow in many ways and has changed my life for the better. When I first joined the club, I was very timid and did not have many friends. I knew the only requirement of the club was to research a topic related to horses and do a public presentation about it. At first I was very scared, because who is not afraid of public speaking? As the years went on, I conquered my fears of speaking in front of this club, and in other settings, such as in the classroom. 4-H taught me that there is nothing wrong about speaking in front of a crowd, and even messing up in front of a crowd. 

Furthermore, 4-H has enriched my life because of the club’s emphasis on community service. Participation in various drives and events has taught me to be selfless and to be responsible for my club, my community and myself. Every year our club takes on a shift at the Ulster County Fair Snack Bar booth. I began organizing this event for our club the year I took leadership of the club; this past year I was our club’s Chairperson. I gained respect from our club advisers and the staff at the Cornell Cooperative Extension. From this position of leadership, I learned how to get a job done without being bossy or mean, traits that are important in any type of job. Overall, 4-H has been a huge growing experience for me and has allowed me to find confidence within myself, to gain maturity beyond my years and to learn how to be a leader. 

The biggest fear

For me, failure seems to be the scariest thing after death. My standard of success is very high which usually leaves me frustrated and in tears, but, it also pushes me to move past the bad. One time I remember experiencing failure was in seventh grade when my band teacher, Mr. Seymour, told me not to bother auditioning for All-County band because I was so unprepared and terrible at my solo.

At that time, I was extremely sad because I was trying very hard to learn this difficult piece. I was the "first chair" seventh grade clarinet player at the time and not being able to even try out was a failure to me. Now that I'm older, I can say that this was the only year I missed All County in all the years I was eligible. But is it really a failure? I wasn't denied by the chairmen of All County, just someone I personally knew and trusted. So, the answer is yes...it is a failure on my part.

However I think that missing this opportunity made me push harder to get in the next year. I wanted to prove my teacher wrong because I was good enough and I didn't want to let my parents down. I practiced a lot more, developed better habits and even started taking some clarinet lessons. This really helped and I ended up getting into All County. I actually received a fairly high chair for doing so well.

Out of the initial failure, I taught myself to work hard. It paid off and without this small feat, I probably would not have tried as hard the next year.

 http://www.wikihow.com/Play-the-Clarinet

History is my favorite story

Throughout my time in school, history has always been the most fascinating subject to me. I love it because you do not need any tools, such as calculators, compasses, rulers and protractors for math. There are no "unknown substances" that could kill you, unlike the chemistry laboratory. Lastly history is unlike English and other foreign languages because there are few conventional rules, grammar points or correct ways to write about your experience. It is only you, someone's experience and the parts of their story they wish to share. You cannot offend the person who wrote the story; they are probably deceased with only their achievements recognized.

There have been many great scholars and geniuses that date as far back as the ancient Chinese to more modern figures such as Einstein, Dr. King Jr. or Steve Jobs, that have dramatically altered the course of human life. These great figures are almost heroes but looking back, there are many "villains" too. But, are they really villains? Do there have to be bad guys to be good guys? Some examples of these types of relationships are James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln, Tetzel and Martin Luther, or the British imperialist policies and Gandhi's non-violent movement. For me, a true hero is a free thinker or someone who risked their life for the well being of others. I cannot decide who the villains are because there are many things that make you good and bad, benevolent or maleficent. Without the bad, there could be no good, which is why history is great. It recognizes "the good, the bad and the ugly."

However, there are also parts of history that make you question your own values and what you stand for. When there is a debate about human rights in class, should you feel bad not agreeing with the general majority? Not at all. A lot of history is horrible, for example, the atrocities of slavery, the numerous acts of genocide and even the denial of certain freedoms. Being a young student makes you feel powerless when you believe you can try to change some of these massive global problems, but in reality, the more you know, the more you are helping. History repeats it's self. Maybe the next time (hopefully there will not be) a large scale global issue, you will be a member of the US Government and you will actually be able to make a change. Education is the key to opportunity.


On the other hand, there are always critics. Some critic could write a nasty comment about the NY Times Best Seller but it does not make that a bad book. History is the same way. Even though people may think one thing about an event, an idea or a piece of literature, that does not mean their way or your way is right or wrong. Everyone sees a different perspective, which is what makes a history student's experience truly unique.

History is just another story, except it allows you to create your own heroes, villains, images and opinions. The subject is quite dry for many, but, if you open your mind to a different interpretation, it can change the entire way you look at life- past, present and future.

The Best Place on Earth

The one place in the universe that makes me feel the most comfortable and happy is in the saddle, on my horse's back. Although the time I spend riding my horse, Mac, is far from perfect, the challenges and tests he propose still give me a thrill like no other. With three different speeds and moments of flying through the air, being in the saddle gives me a sense of freedom and accomplishment because it makes the impossible, possible. For me to be able to physically control Mac, my 1100 pound animal, I've developed serious leg muscles. The size of my muscles actually make me very self-conscious, but I've learned to embrace them as a symbol of my strength and dedication to the sport. Despite the wildness of this adventure and the physical demands of the sport, riding horses has also taught me to find my center; within my own body and my surroundings. Every rider must establish a strong connection with any horse they get on, making it a mental and physical activity. Working with Mac is similar to working with any people because each time I ride him, he has his own opinions and preferences. Being able to adapt to rapidly changing situations, I need to be mentally strong as well. I have to function as the logical brain for the both of us. 

The most jaw-dropping and amazing thing about horses is that your brain controls their brain, regardless of whether you signaled any message. I have learned that they respond from your energy. One day I had stayed up to 3:30 AM doing homework and was extremely tired. Even though I felt okay, Mac could tell that I was exhausted and weaker than usual. They are natural readers of body language which is why some horses can become a method of therapeutic riding. My ability to trust Mac is a key component of the success of my riding, similar to the way a disabled person can trust their therapeutic riding horse.Although it is hard for me to trust Mac, having the patience to do so has changed my ability to interact with people.    

Since riding truly requires the exercise of the brain and body, the people at the barn I have began picking up yoga classes. These classes help because the riding requires harmony, balance and as I mentioned earlier, a connection. I actually find yoga to be as difficult as some riding because it requires a lot of flexibility that I've lost from the extreme muscle gain. The balance between strength and grace is what makes something so demanding on the body so peaceful. Once you've reached this state of equilibrium, it is like magic and is almost surreal.

In addition, my participation in a countless number of shows along the East Coast has made me a part of a family. I share a lot of the same ideas and feelings as the other girls that have the same passion as I do. Every horse is different but we all have the same drive. But, one drawback of the sport is the exorbitant price tag. Everything is extremely expensive and for me, this is a bittersweet reality because the price eats up the wallet, but has provided me with the opportunity to get a job and learn responsibility. Many Saturdays, I have to wake up before 6:30 AM to get to work. I've sacrificed having a normal teenage life, however, the benefits make myself and my family proud. 

Marshall & Sterling National Finals 2014

Children's Hunter (3')

My favorite place is on my horse which comes with strength, drive, harmony and family. 

Early Childhood Memory

Looking back at my childhood, there's many memories I have that I couldn't think about, but when looking more deeply, I've realized my childhood was shaped by my sister, Kira, and living in NYC. One day my mom, my sister and I went shoe shopping at Payless, we were helped by a saleswoman tirelessly continued to go to the back of the store to exchange sizes, styles and colors of our shoes. Every time she left, my sister and I would switch places on the stone-cold, wooden bench before she would return. The saleswoman's small amount of ignorance made her job just a bit more difficult because she couldn't distinguish between the two of us. At that time, I had no idea what any of it could mean, but then it was just one of the silly things I did with my sister.

From the beginning, to the present.

Growing up, there was always confusion between my sister and I because people always assumed we were twins because we were both Chinese girls, around the same age. Although we went to an endless amount of workshops to "assimilate" and find other people who have been through a similar adoption process, no one will understand as well as my sister. We've grown up doing the same things; dance, gymnastics and karate, just to name a few.  All of the memories I have involve me and Kira. She's a pain but she's MY pain.