Creative-thinker. Optimist. Problem-solver. I like to call these my ‘life-long occupations.’ No matter which career path I choose, these are the three responsibilities I plan to bring with me wherever I go. Connecting with others is what keeps me going. As long as I can remember, reaching out and understanding strangers, family and friends has heavily enriched my life. My first official interview subject inspired me to look past the facades that cover up people’s true selves every day. The subject, an ex-sociology professor at the University of Oregon, sounded rather ordinary through the first several minutes of our interview—he answered each questions simply and concisely. Our back-and-forth was consistent. One sentence here, one sentence there. The more strategic my questions became, however, a part of him tore open and his deeper essence was revealed to me. Our conversation slowly became a dialogue between him and himself, thoroughly reflecting on his past. My patience has allowed my subjects to open up, but my strategic-thinking and my creative disposition is what brought my stories into one, cohesive narrative arc. The compelling interview changed how I saw the world and the people who live among it. I started to see something large and meaningful in every human I passed. The mental capacity it takes to digest each person as a story is exhausting and challenging. If everyone took the energy, though, I think we would all understand one another more than we do today. This idea began to click as I started interviewing more subjects. Finally I realized that this was the way I wanted to give back to society—I wanted to tell stories. My optimism has helped me fight through family challenges. The struggles I have faced forced me to be an even more positive thinker. Evidently, my stories have taken on an optimistic flair, allowing viewers and readers to instill the same hope that I have instilled my whole life.