The Mixtape

2008 – Survivor By Destiny's Child

My Mixtape Autobiography 2011 – Gracias A Ti By Wisin Y Yandel

(2008-present)
2017 – 22 By Taylor Swift
By Valerie Valdez
2019 – idontwannabeyouanymore By Billie Eilish

2020 – Ironic By Alanis Morissette

 Survivor By Destiny's Child
2008
When I was four years old, about to turn five, I was
given a second chance by God. It was a sunny morning, and I
was strapped to my booster seat inside of my old black
suburban which was parked. My two older brothers were in
the car as well, eating McDonalds.
Suddenly, the car started moving back gradually. Next
thing you know the whole car was speeding down the never-
ending hill. My brothers were not old enough to know how to
control the car, so their immediate instinct was to yell out
loud for help. Since no one was around we did not know what
to do. Then, the eldest turned around and saw me crying. I will
never forget how the song “Survivor” started playing on the
radio when my eldest brother unbuckled me and jumped out
of the car. He demanded my other brother to do the same.
After my eldest brother jumped onto the asphalt with
me in his arms, my other brother jumped with his Big Mac in
his arms as well. A few seconds later, the car got demolished
with another car and a huge tree.
My mom appeared seconds after the incident yelling out in
Spanish, making sure that we were safe. My brother then held
me close and said we are “survivors.” This memory reminded
me of the line, “I’m a survivor, I’m not gon’ give up.”
Gracias A Ti By Wisin Y Yandel
2011
The year 2011, was by far one of the roughest times in
my life. That was the year where I basically lost my mom for a
whole year. She left, without a reason and without a goodbye.
I was heartbroken and confused as to why she would do such
a thing to me at such a young age.
I was just an eight-year-old girl living in a house with
four guys and no other woman or girl to take care of me. After
about two months of crying and questioning I convinced my
youngest brother to tell me what had happened to our mom.
I was expecting to hear some good news but
unfortunately, I was told the complete opposite, apparently,
she had gotten diagnosed with thyroid cancer. And the doctor
had told her that she was probably not going to make it.
Every day, me and my family would make sure to pray
together for our beautiful mother. After this I would usually
head to my mother’s room to stare at our last picture
together. And that’s when I would repeat some of the lyrics
from this song in Spanish, to remind myself of how blessed
and thankful I am to have her in my life, as my mother and
role model. “Tu eres especial…gracias a ti hoy soy feliz…
cuando llegaste aprendi a vivir.” Thank you, God, for allowing
me to spend more time with my mother, I am beyond
grateful.
 22 By Taylor Swift
2017
After my eight-grade graduation, in 2017, it hit me that
I would have to attend high school once summer break ends. I
was anxious yet excited to be switching schools. I was eager to
attend an all-girls school for the first time ever because I knew
that I would make a lot of friends that would be my only
sisters in life.
The first time I got to visit my future high school was in
2016. I remember entering the gym at the Academy of Our
Lady of Peace and seeing a bunch of beautiful colors and
posters. The spirit was like no other. Every single girl seemed
so happy and hyper which I loved. They kept playing the same
song, 22 by Taylor Swift. This memory was everything going
through my head the day I stepped foot on campus for my
first day of freshmen year in 2017. Whenever I would get
nervous I would sing the line, “Everything will be alright if you
keep me next to you…everything will be alright if we just keep
on dancing like we are twenty two.” It brought back the
memories of sisterhood. Which I immediately got within the
first week. Whenever I think of my initial journey in high
school, I think about this song because it was the song that
would be played at every pep rally and at every event at OLP.
It made me stay calm during 2017 and it’s such a catchy song.
idontwannabeyouanymore By Billie Eilish
2019
Last year was both, good and bad. I began the year
with anxiety disorder issues which honestly changed my
personality a lot. I used to be the optimistic and smiley girl but
that immediately changed when I would often get anxiety.
Another reason why I changed a lot was because I got my
heart broken by a boy, I deeply cared about throughout 2019.
The relationship was great at first, but eventually it
started getting really toxic and painful. The relationship hurt
me mentally when I was already weak. We broke things up a
few months later. I then started hitting depression around
May. I would cry every day and I would never eat. I would
easily get angry at my friends and family, and that’s when my
mom sent me to a therapist. Unfortunately, she could not help
me, and I dealt every night alone in the dark with Billie Eilish
songs figuring out how to bounce back.
After analyzing Billie’s songs for some time, I realized
that everything she sang was just how I felt. I kept everything
to myself to avoid making people feel pity for me, but it was
quite obvious that I was not okay, and I needed someone
there for me. After listening to this specific song, I realized
that I needed to get my life together because
“idontwannabeyouanymore,” I told myself. “If teardrops could
be bottled there’d be swimming pools filled by models.” I told
myself, “don’t be that way, fall apart twice a day.”
 Ironic By Alanis Morissette
2020

When it was New Year’s Eve, I recalled all of the awful

and good memories I had in 2019. I asked God for a better
year. I remember everyone was saying, “2020 will be the best
decade and year!” All of that was pure irony.

Within a few hours into the new decade, people

brought up WWIII. Eventually, we learned about the new virus
occurring in China. I recall that not many people cared enough
about the situation, they would just say “that sucks for China.”
Days later, we are told that people in our country had it too.
Then, people in our state had the coronavirus. Eventually,
people in our city had it. And we were told to go home and get
ready for distance learning. Just like that our lives went from
the best year to the scariest, how ironic I thought. I agree with
Alanis Morissette whom said, “life has a funny way of sneaking
up on you when you think everything’s okay.”

I really thought that I would be celebrating my

brother’s birthday in Mexico with the rest of my family. I really
thought I would be at the beach with my friends during spring
break. I really thought I would be in class with my new
classmates and teachers but instead I am stuck at home to
stay safe from something very dangerous and contagious. The
best year ended up being possibly one of the worst but it will
all be okay because life in general is quite ironic.