Pieces of Who I Am

          Writing about myself has always been one of the hardest things for me to do, because sometimes I feel like I don't fully know who I am yet. There are moments when I think I understand myself, but when I try to put it into words, it becomes confusing. Still, I believe this kind of writing is important because it helps me explore my thoughts and feelings. I may not have everything figured it out yet, but I am learning more about myself every day. Through this essay, I hope to share with who I really am - the things I enjoy, what inspires me, and the person I hope to become someday.

         

   I am Maria Lourdes Franz Cabot. My name was given in honor of Saint Maria Lourdes, who was also born on the same day I was. My family and friends often call me Frances, but I personally prefer to be called Maria. I was born on February 11, 2010, and raised in Buguig, Bantay Ilocos Sur. I see myself as a friendly person who enjoys meeting new people and connecting them with my other friends. I love making friends because it makes me feel happy and connected—I enjoy sharing laughter, stories, and experiences with others. For me, friends are like an extra family who make life more meaningful and fun. Although I can be a bit shy at first, I enjoy getting to know people and having meaningful conversations.

Aside from being friendly, I have always been curious and eager to learn new things. I love studying and learning new things, because it helps me grow and discover more about the world. But sometimes I am lazy to study.

I have many favorites that reflect who I am. First, I really love pink. Most of my belongings are pink because I really love the color. Whenever I see something pink, I feel excited and sometimes I even buy it instantly. For me, pink represents softness, love, and joy—things that also describe my personality.

Another thing that I love is stuffed toys because of how soft they are, and by hugging them, they give me comfort, warm, security, and makes me feel calm during those hard moments.

              I also enjoy travelling because it allows me to explore new places, learn new things about the people, like their culture and tradition, and appreciate the beauty of the world. My favorite place in Philippines is Baguio, and I also dream of visiting Switzerland someday. I love those places because of its refreshing and peaceful atmosphere.

Not just the weather, but it's surrounded by mountains and trees, which I love, and I admire its breathtaking views and natural beauty. Along with traveling, I truly love nature. I also love oceans, especially those oceans that are surrounded by mountains like Palawan. Whenever I am doing something, I always watch Geo Ong's vlog, in which he roams around Palawan. He loves nature as much as I do; he shows the beauty of nature.

Going back to oceans - I also love listening to the sound of the waves and watching the colors of the sea, especially when they shine under the sun. Even though I have acrophobia and I don't know how to swim, and I am afraid of the deep ocean, I still find ocean and mountains beautiful and comforting.

When it comes to flowers, my favorite is the tulip. Tulips are simple yet elegant, and their colors brighten my mood. They remind me of beauty, hope, and fresh beginnings.

When it comes to food, my favorite dish is eggplant, and for fruits, I truly enjoy eating mangoes and strawberries. These foods are not only delicious but also bring me comfort whenever I eat them.

All of these favorites—pink, stuffed toys, traveling, nature, flowers, eggplant, mangoes, and strawberries—represent the little things that make me happy and inspired every day. In my free time, I like watching movies or K-dramas that teach lessons and reflect real-life experiences, because they inspire me to grow.

Reading has also been one of the best parts of my life—it helps me relax, improves my vocabulary, and sparks my imagination. I read books when I woke up and before I sleep. I am really addicted to reading - I spend my allowance buying different books genre - after reading it I will put it on my shelves - and it will be my collection.

While I love reading - I also love writing - but even though I enjoy writing, I know I am still not that good at it. Sometimes my imagination feels messy whenever I try to put my thoughts into words. But I also believe I am continuously improving, little by little. My greatest source of inspiration and motivation is my family—I want to give them the life they deserve and everything they need. I also want to make myself proud, by becoming someone I can truly admire.

Along with reading, I also enjoy listening to music. It helps me focus, express my emotions, and relieve stress, especially when I feel overwhelmed with schoolwork. One of my favorite artists is BTS—I am a proud fan of them because they are so majestic, handsome, and have golden voices, especially Jungkook, who is my bias. In my imagination, Jungkook is like my boyfriend and Suga is like my husband. My favorite BTS song is “Universe”, while my all-time favorite song overall is “A Thousand Years” because it makes me feel calm and inspired. Aside from BTS, I also love listening to artists like NIKI, Sabrina Carpenter, Laufey, and many others. Their songs inspire me, comfort me, and sometimes even feel like the soundtrack of my life.

My friends, music, and books help me cope during those challenging moments, and I remind myself that it is okay to not be okay all the time. Having this struggle doesn’t define me—it only makes me stronger and more determined to keep moving forward.

I try to live by values that guide me in becoming a better person. I believe in kindness, because even the smallest act of care can brighten someone’s day. I value respect, because it helps build good relationships with others. Most of all, I believe in perseverance—that even if life gets hard, I should never give up on my dreams.

I know I have strengths and weaknesses, but I see both as part of who I am. My strength is being determined—once I set my mind on something, I will do my best to achieve it. I am also friendly and approachable, which makes it easier for me to connect with people. On the other hand, one of my weaknesses is being shy at first and sometimes overthinking too much. But I am working on improving myself, slowly becoming more confident and learning to trust my own abilities.

My dream is to become an accountant, and not just an accountant but a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). I want to achieve this goal so that one day I can provide my parents with everything they want without worrying about money. I know the path to this dream will be difficult, but I am determined to study hard and stay focused. Most of all, I want to make my family proud of me. I believe that with patience, effort, determination, and faith in myself, I will be able to reach my dream someday.

In the end, I may still be discovering who I really am, but every day I take one step closer to the person I want to become. This is who I am today—a friendly, determined, and hopeful person—and I am excited to keep growing, learning, and chasing my dreams.