You see it in movies and books all the time. One person finds their interest and embark on a journey into discovering what they can do with their talents.

Yet, this is a story that takes a much darker turn. The reality is far messier than you would ever expect.

To begin, I am a foreigner. I was born in Taiwan and moved into the states around the age 5. Even though I identify as an American, it is still difficult for me to accept that as a foreigner. To identify as an American is to be proud of your country and the people that live in this country.

Yet, for a country that is valued for its diversity, it almost feels like a curse to be a foreigner.

The first few years of my school life felt like hell. I was a shy kid growing up and I didn’t like talking. It took me forever to properly learn how to communicate in english, which made me even more shy. Kids in my school constantly mocked me for not talking and made fun of my accent when I do attempt to start a conversation. I know it isn’t fair to judge kids for making fun of me as they didn’t know better, but the mental impact of being marked as “different” was done.

During the middle of my elementary school year, I decided to start drawing for the first time.

I have always enjoyed watching cartoons as a child and I loved the way animators drew their characters. I decided to try to replicate that style of drawing. I found something I enjoyed spending my free time on. It was a way for me to ignore the depressing reality of having no one to relate to or talk to and having to deal with living everyday surrounding myself with my own thoughts.

Fast forward into junior high, I finally decided to start socializing and accept the fact that I need to talk to others in order to make friends. Luckily, I made new friends quicker than I expected. I decided to improve on socializing even more by joining my school’s debate team. Around the same time, I began to branch out into becoming officers for clubs and events in my school. I started to make myself to have as much power as possible in those events. I believed in the “model minority” myth of how Asians are more superior than everyone else and I let my pride take over me. The more officer positions I signed up for, the more prideful I became. Finally, I felt powerful. But I soon realize, the damage has been done. I could not tell between my real friends and people who are talking behind my back.

I reached for something I so desperately wanted, but I fell hard. And I could not climb back up.

I lost almost everything that I enjoyed in my life. There was no one that I trusted enough to be my close friends. I pushed away the people that I held so closely by my side before. Nothing and no one could make me feel better.

Except for one thing:, art.

I still loved drawing and it was the one thing that kept me productive without the pressure of having to complete things in a certain way or time. I can empty my thoughts and draw what I feel in my work. Whether it is through activism art or just simply drawing anime, it helped me heal as a person.

Drawing in general gave me a new perspective in life and a new purpose in life as well. It taught me to take my time to improve and I don’t always have to be the best. It taught me to see the world in a better way. To see the world, through a new perspective.

Today, I changed almost completely as a person. Sure I still strive to get good grades, but not to brag, but for my own benefits. I learned to see everyone on the same level. We are all talented in our own way and we all have our faults. No one is perfect, but the most important thing to remember is to always be the best you no matter what. Stay kind. Stay focused. And do not let anyone else tell you that you’re not good enough. Everyone is good at something that they enjoy, and for me, it is art.

So the next time you are trying to be the top of your class or trying to succeed in something, take a break. Look around you and realize all the things you have already accomplished.