Before March 2020, before the whole world seemed to be falling apart, I found myself unmotivated. It was time to begin college searching, figuring out my future, but I had no clue what I wanted to do. The only thing I had going for me was my golf. And slowly, I started to email colleges hoping to get a scholarship, but I didn’t take the time to think about, What happens if this doesn’t work out? I don’t even have any areas I’m interested in studying! This thought overwhelmed me. I was deciding my future, but had no idea where to start, no outlet to reach to. But now, since “quarantine” began, I’ve found myself taking more time, and starting to discover something I was interested in. And who would have ever guessed, it would be through a TV show.

Yes, I know, it sounds silly, but I never had my own show to watch on television. Yes, I would indulge myself in a cooking show or two, or a golf tournament, but I didn’t have a series I was happy to watch. Something that I could spend hours on Netflix enjoying, but, in early March, my parents forced me to choose. “Pick a show in the next 24 hours and we will all watch the first episode” my dad explained to me. “What!” I said, “How am I supposed to decide that? I can barely decide what I want for dinner!” I finally stumbled on Criminal Minds and decided I wanted to give it a go. And the fascination with all things Forensics began. Although the first episode was mainly introducing the characters such as Dr. Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia, and Aaron Hotchner and the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI, the fact that they could figure out the killer based on behavior was the thing that grabbed my attention. Although Criminal Minds isn’t exactly Forensics based, I did like learning about what went through someone's mind to be able to kill someone like that. How most killers use surrogates, for the one they truly desire. How their brain thinks differently than the average person. And I liked the mystery. I always tried to solve who did it before they were revealed in the episode. It finally felt like I was finding my outlet.

My parents saw my fascination with the crime shows and knew that if I continued to watch it, I may find that it is something I am interested in, and not just a phase. So we searched and searched, until finally coming across a show my parents hadn’t seen in years, but it was exactly the show I needed if Forensics was something I wanted to do. So we found CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and a show that was totally in my wheelhouse. A show set in Las Vegas, these characters such as Gil Grissom or Nick Stokes do more with the evidence, finding things that can be useful. With this show, they explain the crime scene, and look at the little things, and not the big picture. For example, there is a blood pattern on the wall, but there is a serious void. Was someone standing there when the attack happened? This show added even more interest, and I loved the idea of studying the evidence. Especially when they tested for blood, even if the material was bleached or hidden, with one spray of a solution, it would turn the fabric or q-tip purple. It’s so intriguing to me that they can find out everything from one piece of hair, fabric, or bullets. And knowing that I could help people also helped push me along. Although I learned my interest from a TV show, and am still working on if it’s the right path, Forensics is something that I could see myself doing. I believe that my future is like the evidence, I don’t have all the pieces yet, but when I discover the whole story, everything will fall into place.