The summer afternoon after graduation, I sat on my bed listening to Nirvana on vinyl, fresh and green at 18 years old. I looked around the room that had come to define the final years of my childhood. Photos I had torn out of magazines and books were pasted together into a huge collage that obscured the white walls of my room. An organized barrage of words, articles, photographs and drawings had come to occupy these once marked divisions. It was beautiful, because it was like me. A methodical madness of everything I loved rolled into one. It was only then that I knew I would never settle for just one area of ​​interest to pursue as a career. I had to have it all. I knew I wanted to create a world like the magazines and books that had inspired me over the years. Compatible and versatile across all subjects, including life, pop culture, history, photography, art, politics, and even science, working for or creating my own publication seemed like a perfect way to marry all my interests. Today, I find myself writing. this essay as editor and co-founder of my own online publication, a well-rounded and accomplished student and aspiring UCLA Bruin. As an English major, I seek to study the greats of literature and become a better writer myself. In order to be taken seriously in the competitive world of writing and publishing, I must strive to be the best writer I can be. UCLA's comprehensive, world-renowned English program will provide me with a substantial understanding of the English language, as well as a solid foundation on which to build my career. Before starting college, I knew I needed to gain as much experience as possible. in journalism and English in order to begin my studies...... middle of paper ......ol. Although some may consider this decision unwise, I do not regret my choice. The launch of the magazine was a success and the readership remains constant today. Looking to the future, I see LadyLikeMag's audience continuing to grow within the global community while promoting the empowerment of young women around the world. When I started my journey, I had no idea who I wanted to be. Sometimes I think back to that hot summer day after graduation, when I sat indecisive, thinking about my future. I like to think that it was a definitive moment, the first step in my ascent of the mountain that I know as my dream and which will soon be my reality. Even today, as different and adult as I am, I am still that same 18 year old girl inside, sitting alone on her bed inspired by a multitude of topics, wild with intention and feverish with determination to actualize her own future, own way..