I am quite the skeptic when it comes to things that cannot be scientifically proven. I'm not the most religious person out there, I don't believe in astrology (although, the character traits for Pisces are pretty spot-on for me), I don't think that fortune tellers and psychics are legitimately gifted nor do I believe in the supernatural. So, you would think that a person like me wouldn't believe in the concept of fate. However, there is one thing that I believe with my entire heart. I believe that everything that happens to us — no matter if it's positive or negative, life-changing or life-threatening, mirthful or miserable — happens for a reason.

It may just be the eternal optimist in me, but I think that there is always a bright side to a situation. When I was in first grade, I begged my teacher to let me sit next to a girl who had no idea who I was. I had seen her around before and thought that she would be a cool person to get to know. And now, 12 years later, that girl has been and is still my best friend. A few summers ago, I had to give up an engineering summer program that I had gotten into because I had a journalism workshop the same week, but was offered to attend during a different week. I met some amazing people that I wouldn't have met if I skipped my journalism workshop, and I still consider it to be one of the best weeks of my life. A few months ago, my friend group's plans to watch the eclipse together crumbled because we didn't have anyone to drive us. So I asked a friend of mine who I wasn't extremely close to if I could join him, and I ended up forming very close friendships with everyone in his group that have ultimately defined my senior year.

These are only a few instances of how small moments turned into experiences that have changed my life for the better. There might not be some sort of "plan" that each of us is destined to follow, but I truly believe that there is a reason why we run into obstacles or achieve our goals. It's hard to remember this when we are faced with these sorts of instances, but when we look back on events, we realize that it really was meant to happen this way.

I'm excited to see what's in store.