In this moment, my mind and body are paralyzed. I stand up to applaud, but when I look around I notice everyone is applauding for me. In this moment I am flabbergasted. I get up, walk towards the podium, and give my speech. I cannot hear the orchestra nor can I hear the audience clap. And then, the lights go off. I am awakened.
My eyes flutter curiously around my vibrantly colored room. Dazed and disappointed, I realize it was a dream. I sat there on my bed wishing I could get that dream back, wishing it could be a reality. I continue to maintain my focus on falling back asleep, all I want is that dream back. The show must go on.

Before I can return to my dream, I lay and ponder about the person I am today. I think of how much I have matured throughout the past four years of high school. Today, people would tell you that I am as ambitious as Dorothy Gale while on her quest to meet the great and powerful Oz. I seek opportunity rather than wait for something to happen out of the blue. After living in a not so nice part of Los Angeles, I was given the chance to move to a better part of Los Angeles and make my life better. At first I had been reluctant to move, however, I finally went out and grabbed on to that chance. I started out as being a taciturn little girl, to becoming a philanthropic and persistent young adult. I have illustrated these traits through participating in volunteer work and being elected as Secretary of the all-girl service club at my school, Normaneers.
I then start to wonder about what would have led me to the point I was at in my dream. I then think of when I started to demonstrate a love for movies. The infatuation with film began at a young age. It all happened because of The Wizard of Oz. After watching that film I tried to emulate Dorothy Gale, I wore Pales knockoffs of the ruby slippers and sang “Over the Rainbow” every morning before school. Eventually, I grew out of my Pales ruby slippers, and I wanted something more. I wanted to work on movies like The Wizard of Oz, after discovering that I can get paid to contribute to the making of a film. That is when it all began. Now I begin to meditate and try to submerge back in to that dream.
The dream is back on. During the dream I receive heartfelt encomiums from many successful writers, directors, producers, and actors. They comment on the calm behavior I illustrate. I am more than delighted to be spoken about so highly, to be venerated for doing something I simply love. Films are my escape. I am completely absorbed by whatever I may be watching, understanding that someone out there put all of their heart and soul into making that movie sad enough to make the toughest person cry, funny enough to make the audience roll on the floor laughing, or suspenseful enough to keep someone on the edge of their seats.
Later on in this dream, I begin to experience a feeling of accomplishment and appreciation. Accomplishment because I have reached the highest goal I had put before me. Appreciation because I had finally been valued by important people I had never known personally. Shocked by it all, I focus my gaze on the audience and I cannot see much, but one person stands out. I see a girl, a girl with hope and desire in her eyes, a girl with aspiration and curiosity on her face. In that moment, I stopped coulddn’t help but think… that girl is me.