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I approached my lighted vanity mirror atop of my white dresser and flipped the light switch on. I peered into the mirror and became instantly traumatized. Blisters filled with pus protruded from every centimeter of my face. My skin looked foreign compared to my hair, eyes, and lips. I panicked, – “What happened to my skin?” and “What caused my blisters?” – left me contemplating possible explanations for hours. My blisters, my worries, and my questions remained unsettled for days. Moving parts of my face became excruciating, resulting in my inability to speak and eat. My blisters looked potentially contagious, so I rarely left my room. My life was in jeopardy, and I needed to pinpoint the allergen. My pediatrician diagnosed me with severe allergic contact dermatitis, which results when any product causes damage to an individual’ skin. She prescribed a skin ointment for my reaction, but after a week of daily application, it was futile. Therefore, I tackled every common cure. I purchased medicinal creams recommended by my relatives in pharmaceuticals and nursing. I also researched for natural remedies that contained Vitamin C because its antioxidant properties protect skin. Unfortunately, these cures proved to be ineffective. Recalling my actions became my only option left. If my blisters were still present, then the allergen was as well. I remembered using my chapstick daily because the weather had been so bitterly cold, resulting in chapped lips. I doubted that it caused my reaction, but my desperation became overwhelming. So, I tossed my chapstick and put time to the test. Miraculously, my skin healed and returned to its smooth, bronzed complexion. At the time of my allergic reaction, I was twelve years old and I didn’t think too in depth about the message behind that incident. During the summer before my senior year in high school, I began writing college application essays. I scrounged through every detail of my entire life and I constantly looked for good incidents of hardship. I viewed my entire life at a macroscopic level, and I thought too long and hard about a generic “challenge” incident that admission officers wanted to hear. Then it hit me: my chapstick fiasco. All along, I should have been attentive to seemingly minor details just as I was during my allergic reaction. I ironically used the lesson I learned years ago to remember the very incident that the lesson was from. It took me six years to truly understand the impact behind my allergic reaction. That newfound understanding led me to write my challenge college essay on my allergic reaction. After receiving excessive feedback from my college essays, I was the most satisfied with my chapstick essay. According to my friends, teachers, and family, my chapstick essay was the best. Surprisingly, that essay changed how I manage my responsibilities. The first semester of my senior year was a time crunching mess. I always had to do homework and study for tests and quizzes for my 3 AP classes, study for my SAT and ACT tests, and complete my college applications. All of these responsibilities combined was chaotic, but being attentive to seemingly minor details to achieve perfection helped me manage my life. Achieving perfection became my goal because then the task is complete and I can invest the time I have left to my other responsibilities. I applied my strategies to everything in my academic life: SAT and ACT studying, AP midterms and finals, college essay writing, and homework. At the end of the semester, I earned a 4.0 unweighted GPA, I received the SAT and ACT score that I desired, and I finally felt that I would stand a chance in the UC applicant pool. My academic standing improved dramatically and I accomplished feats that I would have never thought were possible. For the first time in my life, I achieved my definition of perfection and I became confident in my abilities. I have not been at the University of California, Santa Cruz for long, however, I have utilized the idea of focusing all of my attention to details within my academics. Every day, I preview new concepts to get a head start, I do practice problems to fully understand new material, and I try to be very precise with my assignments. Fortunately, I have seen results based on my academic strategies at UCSC. During the summer, I knew nothing about chemistry. I became worried about entering college and not remembering chemistry, so I relearned chemistry through reading my textbook, completing online worksheets, and studying the material up to my first midterm. Last week, I took my first college midterm, which was for Chemistry 1A. Up until my midterm, I studied the handouts before it was taught in class, practiced the concepts through textbook problems and worksheets, and read my textbook. Before I took my midterm, I thought that it would determine my entire life because I am pursuing a career in medicine. Regardless of the amount I studied, I couldn’t stop shaking from anxiety before my exam. But, my fear did not stop me from demonstrating the effort I put into mastering chemistry. I ended my day with a smile and a 100% on my exam. I am one step closer to achieving my medical dreams, and I hope to have additional opportunities at UCSC to become more knowledgeable about my strengths, weaknesses, and to be able to use my chapstick lesson to become the best person that I can be.