Took a gap year after high school.
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I don't know a lot of things, but I am willing to go the distance to find the answer and solve the problem. My confidence level really boosted when I decided to take a year off after high school in June 2022 to explore what I really wanted to do. During this time, I wanted to work at a tech startup as an intern, but it was really tough to get through any door as I was just a high school kid with no work experience. But I applied to lots and lots of job openings. Ninety percent of them didn't even bother to send a rejection email. But I didn't lose hope and kept applying, and it paid off. I got a paid internship at a tech startup in February 2023. The role was initially for 3 months but got extended to 6 months as my employer saw my potential. At this point in time, I was fully sure that I wanted to pursue higher education and joined college in August 2023. For my summer of 2024, I interned at the same employer. Now, I am in the second year of my 4-year degree and enjoying every bit of it. I feel and truly believe that I can do anything and I am ready to put in the work.