Within five years, I’ve managed to turn my life drastically into a healthier path than what it was before. Through loss and grief, my health was at a low point in 2018; I continuously ate unhealthily, did little to no exercise, lacked sleep, and had poor self-care. It was not until my first semester of freshman year in high school were I learned a lot about the food industry and how much our food is processed. I became aware that too much of certain foods can potentially lead to serious health consequences, and I was shocked. I realized to myself that I was hurting myself more than anything else. I told myself “ I want a long life, a life where I’m not too dependent on medications or constantly having to watch out for diseases that can potentially kill me”. I reached out to more sources and discovered what is the best approach to self-care and where to begin exactly. I still remember having this conversation with my family about eating properly and healthier. We, all together, began to do meal preps, balancing out portions, and eating more organically. I began to feel the changes within my body; I was craving less sugary foods, my skin was much healthier, I began to lose weight, and my energy levels increased. I exercised more frequently and eventually found my passion for running. My confidence began to increase more as the weeks went by. I was much happier and proud of myself for the initiative I took to work and care for myself. Although, there is always room for improvement so I added a routine sheet that is regularly updated and I try to follow through with it. I feel like the biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is to prioritize yourself and love yourself enough to not let go of your inner person. With changes, there are also improvements along the way, and there comes a sense of pride that no one can take away from you. Even though I achieved a lot in my health journey, I still continue to climb that mountain and reach high points, but I won’t stop yet, and I don’t think I will. Another big lesson I learned is self-motivation, that you are the one that begins the change, and you are the one that has the choice to improve yourself. It takes a lot of self-discipline too, that’s no lie. For me, the greatest challenge in obtaining this healthier pathway was letting go of my old habits, and from time to time, I wanted to give up but I held on and pushed through. Once you have achieved that step, pushing through, you see and feel in you that you are capable of anything. It is possible to make a change within and for yourself. Small steps, slow and steady, wins the race.

A GIRL LIKE ME by Aaliyah Quinones A girl like me does not know how to sing but does it in private and still sucks at it A girl like me dresses differently to hide the body that is also different from your typical average girl A girl like me does not keep quiet, very outspoken I am but my secrets I keep hidden away A girl like me is not as brave as you would think but a coward I am not A girl like me is not the prettiest, least to say not beautiful either; I'm not the smartest but not stupid; not the funniest but not dull I stand in the between A girl like me is misunderstood by gender, by my sexual preference, misunderstood because only guys can understand me or I can relate to them A girl like me can't easily make friends, so in loneliness she finds comfort under its wing A girl like me is crazy, insane for lack of better words, and delusional to ever like a boy like you A boy like you who is perfect in my eyes, funny in personality, kind-hearten, and extremely intelligent A girl like me is not perfect, I'm a beautiful mess chaos on the inside, and I ask myself who could ever love that? You are crazy too if you ever came to like me, insane if you end up loving me, but hey we can both be crazy and insane together Because a girl like me holds secrets, holds adventures that are beyond this world, that makes a girl like me not boring; I'm fun, but in a weird way But who am I kidding, just look at me... A girl like me is dumb to ever have dreams of you and I, because a girl like me will never be with a boy like you But special to the universe I am because a girl like me will never be two In the end, a girl like me is alone.

I'm a person that dislikes working in quiet places or not having noise around me, worst if I'm studying by myself. Personally, I despise being told how to study in the normal way, what about creativity? What about embracing our skills in learning? Well, for that, I definitely found an answer. For major tests, I like to create poems, write down concepts and make them rhyme with what I need to know. I create kahoots, and use Quizlet for quizzes/exams, and if that is not enough, I call friends and study over the phone, or create group chats. I prefer to have noise over silence, so what I do is play music and you'll see me dancing with a book in my hands while I read it. I do self-talk and record myself to hear what I've learned so far and I write down what I need to remember, and if that doesn't work, I jump straight into youtube videos. I love taking notes but more if I include pictures to help me remember a specific chapter or vocabulary word. I enjoy creating PowerPoint about the chapters being discussed in class and I usually do them from the beginning of the unit. I sometimes prefer to listen to music and read the book, but mainly I need videos with example problems for me to practice ( especially in Calculus). So, there is no correct way to study but there are multiple creative ways to study and learn at the same time for academic success. Each person has their own study strategies for their academic success, there is not a "one size fits all" when it comes to studying.

Not long ago, I presented symptoms of anxiety and depression, though I denied assistance. Situations in my personal life escalated, and I chose to bottle my issues, remaining silent. Eventually, the pressure exerted my limitations, and I completely shut down for some time. Diagnosed and battling depression and anxiety meant me facing obstacles in society and constantly fighting with myself. I dealt with stereotypes, conflict, and awful days, yet, every day, I kept pushing forwards, waking up, and completing my tasks the best I could. For a long time, I viewed myself with shame, disappointment, and hate, finally creating a distorted image in my head of the person I became. My mental health changed my perspective of life; I learned to be insightful, consider the little moments as extraordinary, and be thankful for the people surrounding me. Though society implanted a robust and negative label on mental illness, I managed to break through and grow my confidence, proving I possess immense strength. Opening up and embracing my struggles allowed me to connect with individuals who experienced a similar situation or dealt with internal struggles. I provided myself with self-care and the time to heal by prioritizing myself, allowing me to grow and change for the better. I learned to set my boundaries and understand my level of comfort and my human values. I realized that I am not alone, and some people love me. Depression and anxiety brought a new world to me. I've come to appreciate them because they shaped me into the person I want to be: strong, determined, kind, creative, helpful, and among other qualities. From time to time, I fall, but I realize that I have two choices: to remain on the ground or rise and continue to try despite the failures.

Quote by Christopher Paolini: “Without fear, there cannot be courage.” My grandfather never showed fear, no matter the circumstances, including when he took his last breath; I have always wished to be like him. Nonetheless, I have taken steps to be more bold and brave and kept my head high despite the unknown outcomes. I've lived in fear for the longest time I could remember, even socializing scared me. I hid behind my hoodies, oversize clothing, and my room. I was determined to never face the outside world, but I thought, what life am I ever going to live? I hold on to my dreams of a perfect life and that is exploring the world, achieving goals, pursuing education, getting a job, and driving. I remember the first time doing something out of my comfort zone and that was an audition for the Honors Orchestra. My entire body was shaking, my hands were so cold I could barely move them, and I was extremely pale. At that moment of the audition, I already thought "I'm not going to get that spot", and it is true I never got it. I was disappointed in myself because, in the end, I let my fear and thoughts get to me. After that first experience, I decided to change my mindset and understand that having fear is also part of being brave. It's hard to be brave in multiple scenarios, especially when you don't know what to expect, but once the mindset is changed, everything changes. I was brave enough to do my own admissions for school, talk to people and ask for help, and accept interviews for job applications. It was nerve-wracking but I did it, I focused on the positive rather than the negative and practice self-talk to calm myself.

Life brings unexpected situations, impacting an individual. The uncertainty of events and the answer to the "why it happened?" returns from internal growth and change. I remained stationed in a mindset attempting to retrieve justification for situations that altered my pathway. I am now older, and I learned to appreciate my experiences. Not long ago, I presented symptoms of anxiety and depression, though I denied assistance. Situations in my personal life escalated, and I chose to bottle my issues, remaining silent. Eventually, the pressure exerted my limitations, and I completely shut down for some time. Diagnosed and battling depression and anxiety meant for me facing obstacles in society and constantly fighting with myself. I dealt with stereotypes, conflict, and awful days, yet, every day, I kept pushing forwards, waking up, and completing my tasks the best I could. For a long time, I viewed myself in shame, disappointment, and hate, finally creating a distorted image in my head of the person I became. Through counseling and having a support system and time, I learned to appreciate myself as a whole and accept myself for who and what I am. My mental health changed my perspective of life; I learned to be insightful and consider little moments extraordinary. Though society implanted a robust and negative label on mental illness, I managed to break through and grow my confidence, proving I possess immense strength. To open up and embrace my struggles, I connected with other individuals who experienced a similar situation and dealt with internal struggles. I provided myself with self-care and the time to heal by prioritizing myself, allowing me to grow and change for the better. I learned to set my boundaries, understand my level of comfort and my human values. Depression and anxiety brought a new world to me, and I've come to appreciate it because they shaped me into the person I want to be; strong, determined, kind, creative, helpful, and among other qualities. I envision myself traveling the world, stationed at a place in Germany because of the Air Force. I thrive for a career in industrial engineering and eventually acquire my doctorate as a veterinary technician. My wishes for my future consists of planned adventures, living new experiences, building a memory lane worth returning to from time to time. To achieve these goals, I must continue to learn, apply the most outstanding efforts in my education, and believe in myself; persistence and determination are the most important keys. I require a school that will support and invest in the necessary classes for the career I desire. they'llAs mentioned before, it is essential for me to attend a school where they'll provide an education that best suits me, but a school must accept different, a place with an open mind. I prioritize my education equally as I prioritize myself. Therefore, I seek a campus that exerts an optimistic and motivational ambiance and creates a sense of comfort. In the search for answers, I wondered the "why?" for some time; I expressed anger and hatred to myself, tremendous guilt for specific outcomes, and shame for my mental illnesses, but did not expect the magnificent development of the person I am now. The fact is, my imperfections led me to see my perfections to their fullest, I had to fall to become stronger, and though some days I'm at my worst, I never give up. Work and progress have not stopped, but I'm extraordinary just the way I am. I perceive a bright future for myself, but first, I shall continue to learn and grow. To obtain a college education means to receive an opportunity to achieve significant aspirations. I look forward to meeting new people with similar personalities like mine, experiencing a unique environment where I feel comfortable. I perceive education as an essential tool in life. This teaching tool opens opportunities to an individual, and I'm willing to commit to any chance given to succeed in life. A typical day outside of school consists of preparation for the next day, completing pending homework, studying, and completing my daily house chores. My curiosity constantly craves new surroundings, new lessons to learn, skills, adventure, and much more; it is hard to maintain it thoroughly. I read books to learn or to feel motivated/inspired, to visualize myself somewhere else. School is challenging because I need to maintain focus, which I do, yet I'm always looking for something else after completing my assignments. I constantly ask my teacher if there is something else I could do to keep myself busy and maintain my mind working throughout the day.