Up on the top shelf in my closet sits a bright orange shoebox that has a white swoosh through the

center of it. Inside, contains a plethora of empty Tic-Tac boxes with pieces of crumpled paper inside.
Each box is unique, engraved with the date on the back and describes myself. There are different shapes,
sizes, and flavors that fill the box to the brim but of course, my favorite flavor Cherry Cola occupies the
majority of the box. I take one out and take a quick look. I open the note and give it a read; “Sometimes, I
like to think that I have a personality similar to a cherry Tic-Tac. Sweet on the outside, but strong at its
core”. The flavor that unravels from a single Tic-Tac although evolving, stays true to its core.
Throughout high school, I was rooted to my core values while always maintaining to spread sweetness
with me, while making sure to evolve through the experiences and connections that I made.

I remember the scent of a brand new box. Crisp cinnamon and tart cherry would fill me with
delight when my mom would come home with a box from the supermarket every Sunday. However one
Sunday, I stared at the tightly sealed box a little differently. For the first time in my life I looked at Tic-
Tac as a product rather than a candy. It amazed me that a small sugary candy could build itself up from
simple components and become a worldwide sensation. What was it that caught people’s eye? Was it the
marketing, the branding? What made these little pills of sugar so unique? Soon, I emerged with interest
in the industry behind the candy. I was researching various businesses and watching stock prices. I
wanted to know more about the marketing techniques and skills that companies like Tic-Tac used to
promote a simple product. My way of questioning and my reasoning matured when I started to look into
the field of business. Tic-Tacs helped me find my focus in business, and guided me towards my future
profession.

As I am brought back into the present, I hold onto the red Tic-Tac box tight as I shuffle through
the rest. I wrap my hand around a neatly organized stack of Tic-Tac 200 mint boxes. From the outside of
it’s clear plastic shell, I can see that the pieces of paper are folded neatly. I picked a container, and read
the note inside: “It took me two hours to organize these by color”. I laugh at that statement because it
accurately describes my work ethic and organization skills. I always give my best work ethic and believe
in working hard to objectively aim towards an aspiration. Next, I found a holiday box of Tic-Tacs and I
quickly opened the box to find a white piece of notebook paper crumpled up inside. “I just found out I’m
going to be moving, I wonder what this holds for me.” That phrase sums up my exact emotions at that
moment. When I found out I was going to be leaving my hometown in the middle of high school I was
crushed. I had always pictured myself graduating from high school with my friends I had grown up with
and leaving town to an entirely new place seemed unreal. However, moving gave me so many
opportunities that I wouldn’t have ever imagined but I’m grateful for that Tic-Tac box for capturing my
emotion in the moment. The beauty of the small sentences I was able to create on slabs of paper account
for so much of my life and tell a story of the person that I am. As I sit here, with an empty Tic-Tac box on
my desk, I pick up the pen and write the next chapter of my life; college.