Imagine that you are someone whose emotions seem to teeter up and down depending on the specific day. Someone who lives in the inconsistency of having an overwhelming sense of energy for certain periods of times and other times feels bogged out and excruciatingly exhausted. Now combine that with having keep up an 8 AM - 4:30 PM lifestyle during the weekday as well as trying to be a socialite during the evening. That basically is my situation in a nutshell. Over the years, having mental health challenges have been, in a word, exceedingly frustrating. I have truly had to push myself to stay invigorated and productive despite the issues ingrained in me. While I have numerous conditions and challenges, my main issue is Bipolar II, which I believe first emerged in 2016 or so and more dramatically in 2022 with a concussion that I experienced. At first, my issues seemed to be symptomatic of situations occurring around me--slights flipping my mood from happy-go-lucky to mad and feeling agonizingly lonely during the summers when I wasn't around friends. After the concussion, it became more haphazard--I would transform into "Robin Williams Alex" as I like to call myself and have week-long periods of hyperacuity followed by a decline into the doldrums of sadness. The worst thing was the brain fog, where I felt my personality was sapped in an uncontrollable haze. Luckily, Lamictal has stopped me from pulling an Agatha Christie circa 1926 and has allowed me to be content with the mediocrity and relatively stable, but that does not mean that I have suddenly stopped worrying. Dealing with Bipolar II has deepened my neurotic tendencies and made me to some extent more cynical and isolationist, traits that are almost anathema to the personality I try to portray myself as to the world at large. I have many days that I spend at home or walking independently if I feel like I do not have the acuity I want to have in public. I would not call myself a hikikomori, in fact I love attention and being in public and soak it up when I am feeling at the top of my abilities. I am very risk averse and I do not want people feeling that I am boring or slow. Throughout my entire life, I have dealt with stigma and I do not want to be judged anymore than I feel like I already am. The hardest part is work--having to come in when I am dealing with cycles of exhaustion and issues with verbalizing my thoughts is tough. I work in a very front-facing role which means that every day, I have to be a solid communicator and a congenial person, whether I am feeling like that on a day to day basis. It is absolutely exhausting, but I alas have to push myself through it. But what having my unique issues does give me is a solid appreciation of the people truly in my corner -- my friends specifically. I have been lucky enough to have certain friends in my life whether same-aged, older, family members, coworkers, and even some former teachers that I can vent to and push myself to better heights. Sometimes I believe that I sound too negative, but it is nice to know that I can be authentically myself and not to have all of the laugh lines like I would ideally want to. My friends have supported me and challenged me to work harder and not fester in my misery. Without them, I do not know what pathway I would have led. I also appreciate my successes. The fact that I am working and considered competent and a resource at my workplace despite all the challenges in my life, despite the fact that I was in partial hospitalization, despite the fact that I recovered from a messy concussion and still bear the scars of numerous unexplainable headaches. All of these have not been easy for me to pursue yet I do because I care about my role and my industry, so I do not want to throw in the towel easily. My audacity and tenacity has carried me far and as Teddy Roosevelt said "it takes more than that to kill a bull moose." In embarking on my long, winding journey to independence on 2017, I did believe that I would have less of the haphazard road that I ended up embarking on. But having the specific mental health issues that I have enabled me to appreciate the victories and opportunities that I have had in life more, especially the people that have never waivered. As I continue on, I hope to push through the issues that bode my way and stand firm in the wake of adversity, never conceding defeat as I know mental health issues can be overcome with self-love (also some therapy and med management).

I would not say that I am a great organizer or administrator. Being someone who is in command of a movement is unnerving to me. However, what I do enjoy is assisting almost as a worker bee--placed in different roles by the people in charge that allows me to use my core strengths of communicating with others. Case in point: I volunteer for one of the two major political parties once in a while, one that I feel aligns very well with the direction I feel is best for our country. I enjoy canvassing because I get to do routes based on what someone else had predetermined, but have the flexibility to communicate with them in my own way. I also enjoy working with local community organizations, such as my local public library and the city at large for the many events they put on. Within my roles, I am not necessarily making things come to fruition, but still showcasing my ability to connect with others. As I continue on, I want to continuing to step on into roles that I know that I can rock in, as it truly fills me with pride to be able to volunteer the way that I do.

Being the consummate information nerd, I put a high value on books that continually intrigue with new morsels of knowledge that you had never heard of before. Especially helpful is when the selfsame book is easy to understand and entertaining. The Uncle John's Bathroom Reader series, published by the Bathroom Readers Institute (BRI) does just that--providing an appetizing blend of essays about events in history, pop cultural explainers, nomenclature, idiotic people, while wrapping it all in some hilarious toilet humor for the people who stayed kids at heart. In a way, the series has accompanied me since I was a kid. I first discovered it at Atlantic Books, the bookstore I went to frequently in my summer weeks at the shore around 2009. While cliché-sounding, it was very true in my situation that I could not put it down. As the years went on, I continued to amass my collection and take it with me wherever I went. This series was directly responsible for my competitive ability in trivia games, as well as providing me a distraction throughout sadder times. I highly recommend that everyone check out the work of the Bathroom Readers Institute, especially Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. The geniuses there never cease to amaze me with how they continually innovate this book and keep up with current cultural events. It is evident a lot of research goes into it, as well as quality checks to ensure it meets their standards. They also publish many focused series for people interested in politics, sports, and even certain states. So there really is something for everyone with this publishing group.

My life could be better. I moved to a new city that I had absolutely no connection to a year and a half ago, leaving behind friends and family I cared dearly about. I dealt with isolation and loneliness during the pandemic. My mom is being ravaged by the terminal condition known as dementia. While I could very well make these drawbacks reasons to withdraw and sulk, they actually inspired me to take a perspective of positivity and warmness towards others. Being optimistic to me is keeping myself busy and occupied with activities I truly enjoy. It means always being up to meet new people and become friends with them. I try my best to be funny and memorable, finding opportunities to liven up a party or to make others feel good about themselves. What I've noticed is that when I'm entertaining others, I feel better at the same time. It has taught me that even in the worst moments, there's something to look forward. I have control of my own destiny. So it is imperative to me to stay positive and enjoy every moment that I can.

To me, creativity is about applying the fantasies I have in my head to the everyday life that I am living. There is always some sort of idea that I can share. My imagination is always spinning with new stories and tales to elaborate on, both within my own life and telling the stories of others. Sometimes it takes the shape of wanting to get something out of my head onto the paper. On other occasions, my desire is to inspire and find a way to take action. Whatever the ultimate game plan is, there is always a way that I can use my creativity to express it. My favorite way to use my creativity is by writing. Since I often have speak in a way that belies my intelligence, I use my ability to write as a way to convey the skills and assets that I have. Once I start typing, everything comes out in such an organized and energetic fashion. Sometimes, I do not even have the slightest clue on what I will write. But I really enjoy that as it provides me insight that does not always come out in my thoughts. Because of this, I will continue to get creative and express myself as fully as possible as time goes on.

Once upon a time, our elected officials were able to work together collaboratively on the issues facing America. Such bipartisan efforts have now ceased, exchanged with an endless assortment of arguments and partisan hackery that seeks to demolish our political system. Civility is now on life support in our country, as our parties have decided to become Lovecraftian caricatures of the most fringe political opinions. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel requires a tremendous amount of optimism, but I do believe that it is a possibility. Fixing the problem of partisan animosity requires us to be able to put our country first, rather than our personal agendas. This can be done through educating ourselves. Biased media has put poisonous thoughts in our heart. We have been convinced that the other side has it out for us. In reality, everyone just has a different perspective on how the world works. We need to have civics courses through all stage of the educational process that seek to educate people on how our political system work. You must be receptive to what people say and open to having your opinion changed. Most of all, we need to stop rewarding partisan chicanery. A politician should not be nominated because they are most willing to advance a viewpoint, but rather because they want to make decisions that benefit everyone. As voters, we can work to primary out politicians who are too negatively-minded and unwilling to commit to the business of government. Holding them accountable is the only way they will change. I am confident that if we have politicians who look into the issues rather than the optics, we will truly be a land where everyone matters. Otherwise, I am concerned about how we can survive.

"You only live once" - Drake When I was going into my adulthood, I used to be afraid of uncertainty. I had grown up in a sheltered--probably too sheltered--household where everything was a potential risk. Anytime I wanted to do a non-school sponsored activity with my classmates or travel alone, my mom and occasionally my aunt as backup would tell me why the specific situation could end up causing me significant injury and/or death. Because of this, it was easy for my frustration and natural anxiety to mix into this weird nervousness where I wanted to go out of my comfort zone but was afraid of the consequences. Growing older, I realized that this attitude had to change, especially if I wanted to shed my preternatural awkwardness. It was tough first. My biggest issue was talking to utter strangers in bars and clubs without any connection to people I knew. The stranger danger rhetoric had been internalized and I was nervous about what people would do to me and interpret my personality. But after talking to friendlier people, I realized that I did not need to care at all. Similarly, I started traveling and exploring to my hearts content. Nothing ever happened to me that would cause me enough concern to stop. Because of my journey, I have fully embraced the principle that Drake represents. You should not take time to fear what might happen, but go and explore. Make the most of your life because you never have another chance to try it again. As I grow older, I want to keep expanding my interests and enjoying the moments that emerge from them. Otherwise, what life would I have lived?

I love nature because it is pure and innocent. When I go outside, I temporarily shed my neuroticism like the skin of a snake. I start to notice more about the world around me, such as how the leaves bristle in the wind and the sounds of the birds outside. The whole experience truly is therapeutic, making me feel more at home than anything else in my life. The way I show my appreciation to nature is by folding myself into its loving arms. I can spend hours lying down on a towel, relaxing in the middle of the sun. On a hot, humid day, I try to enjoy the beautiful lakefront shores of Bradford Beach in downtown Milwaukee. I enjoy losing myself on a long, winding trail, especially if it means that I am able to summit on the top of a small mountain. Nature is beautiful, it calms me down in times of fearfulness and makes me reflect on the positives within my life. By fully exploring the nature around me. I truly think I show my appreciation for what it provides.

The lights of the Ed Sullivan Theater stage shine at me. I am quite obviously nervous, but I do not let the sweat strike me down. My writing staff had studied the news quite intently over the past few days. Now, I have to be the semi-charismatic vessel who delivers these quite subversively crafted jokes. I hit my stride and lead in to another successful show. If you have not guessed, my goal is to build my reputation in the world of entertainment. By field, my pathway is library science. Not a natural pathway for an entertainer, is it? But I feel that they are closely related. Both fields are about finding what an audience likes and reacting to it with a trademark flair. While I genuinely want to help promote the study of information literacy, I aim for it to be but a stepping stone to my ultimate desire. Once I have a job that affords me more financial independence, I plan on buying equipment so I can livestream. I will attend comedy workshops to deepen my timing and the quality of my jokes. I will use my connections to build my image. As I get more and more recognized, I will build on my increasing popularity to go further and further in my desires. Long-term, I hope this will allow me to gain the skills needed to survive in the entertainment industry and accomplish my goals.

Going to Kutztown University for the first time was a fish out of water experience for me. I had never been the strongest student, often limping through my classes due to modifications that were put in out of pity to the fact that I was on the Autism Spectrum. Rather than being assessed on my ability, I was passed along so I was not left behind. Higher education was a sink or swim moment for me. If I did not rise up to the challenge, I would be heavily disadvantaged. Against all odds, I had to persevere. One of the first things even before being a student at Kutztown was heading to the Disability Services Office for accommodations. However, these were chosen to level the playing field rather than giving me a free pass. I made sure to put in an application to the Student Success office, which enabled me to have the dynamic Assistant Director Chad Brown on my side. That man taught me organizational skills that I will use for the rest of my life, such as ensuring that I always pay attention to deadlines rather than hopelessly procrastinating. Most important on my list however was studying for the first time in my life. With the amount of pure information I had to memorize, winging tests was just not an option anymore. I would spend hours and hours studying information to ensure it fit snugly in my head. There was almost immediately a difference in my tests scores that showcased my hard work. College was going to be a difficult task, but I finished with a 3.8 because I worked to persevere over my disadvantages. After attaining my Bachelor's Degree, I know nothing is impossible and I am raring for the challenge.

I am going to be bold and apply to this scholarship despite not personally being the person who went through substance abuse. My mother was a chronic user of Xanax, in larger quantities than prescribed, for over a 25 year period. She never got treatment for it, and her addiction only ended due to my aunt finally cutting her off when she had already spiraled into dementia due to the devastating chronic effects of the drug. For me, recovery would have meant her being around to support me as I went to college. Recovery would have meant more trips to the shore where we walked the boardwalk and enjoyed the relaxing day together. She could have flied out to Wisconsin after I moved there and saw how far I came. She would have been my advocate again, defending me to the end of the Earth but also coaching me whenever I could learn a helpful lesson. She could have found someone she truly deserved, cleaned the perpetually messy house, and gotten a job that befit her intelligence. Instead, mom never did go into recovery and save herself. At the age of 62, the former speech therapist can barely intelligibly communicate now, losing more and more of her consciousness until she dies years before she should of. Substance abuse is dangerous, never-ending, and rips the soul out of your loved ones right in front of your very eyes. Do not put yourself in its treacherous tracks--you will always lose.

My apartment complex was not the best at respecting my wishes. Out of a habit of laziness, I would keep my door unlocked rather than keeping all of my keys together. One night when I had been out for a while, my complex had a member of their maintenance staff come in and do a quick repair. Then they locked my door! Luckily instead of being forced to sleep in the laundry room, my friend, Donna, was willing to come during an inconvenient time in the overnight hours to take me to her apartment complex to stay the night. She even took the time to drive me up to my work the next day so I had time to sleep in and start the day stronger. Despite my selfishness in not keeping track of my own keys, she was kind enough to make sure I was comfortable and welcomed in her own abode. To me, that is what generosity is about. It is taking something out your own life—whether it is money, time, or a personal possession to benefit the life of another person. Being generous is so rewarding because it is a selfless pursuit—you are truly doing it because you want to give back at a larger level to your local community or at a smaller level to someone you care about. It can help cement trust or a commitment to something larger you believe in. Throughout my hopefully long life, I aim to carry this spirit of generosity towards everything that I do. I want to focus my passion on others and help make a difference. It is not enough just to stand aside and contribute to problems, I want to focus on finding solutions in the long-term that will help others thrive.

Cashing the $1000 check that Youssef Hasweh is offering to give one lucky student would be more than just an extra payday for me. I have never been one of significant means. So far, I have had to scrape dollars and cents to ensure that I can afford the increasingly strenuous costs of my graduate program. The reason I keep doing this increasingly perilous financial dance semester after semester is due to my ambition within the field of librarianship. It is not enough for me to have just gainful employment within the field. Rather, I need to be transformative in how I approach my practice. The type of transformative where you are always conducting research studies to explore how to change the system. The type of transformative where you ensure everyone in your library gets the opportunity to access the resources that represent their lived experiences. Only through getting financial assistance will I be able to do the rigorous work in my time within academia to be able to change lives long-term. That is truly important to me and something that I do not take lightly. Hillary Clinton said that “It Takes a Village” to raise a child, with everyone contributing to ensure they are an ecosystem that will enable them to be success. Within my career field of librarianship, I am that child. When I am older, I am to give back to the village through and through but need the support to stand strong until then.

It is the early evening and I am traveling on a bus to Colorado—which happens to be somewhat cramped and lively. It is a little crowded and there is loud music playing in the seat next to me, but I would not have it any other way. How, you might be asking, does this relate to what inspires me day to day? In a nutshell, that consistent adventuring is what fuels my life. I am all about spontaneity and exploration. Never has it been my goal to stay still in one place. Rather, checking out as much as I can see while I am young and vibrant makes me gleam with satisfaction. My travel bug started as a sheltered young boy in Eastern Pennsylvania. We would take a few trips here and there when I was younger. As my family grew splintered and my mom became less able to afford the bills, I became trapped in the monotony that comes with poverty. My depression spiraled out of control because I felt alone and unwanted. The only thing that saved me was saving up my money and traveling around on vacations. Through the joys of getting out of my small suburban town, I felt like I had control and agency. Now that I have the money from a full-time position, my life is so much more satisfying. I did the ultimate move to Wisconsin—having both ever-changing experiences where I live as well as the ability to travel the road unfettered. I truly look forward, as my financial state improves, to taking ever expanding trips throughout the country. The open road awaits me and it fills my heart ever so fully!

Outspokenness—being authentic to yourself and speaking your mind. From the day I could talk, I always prided myself on my full-throated honesty and bluntness. With a courteous smile, I try to always let my opinions to be known. This is not just to hear the sound of my own voice or because I want to be contrarian in any way. Rather, I want to intelligently contribute to whatever discussions and raise points that might not have been noticed otherwise. One of the ways it has benefitted me is by giving me an inside track into discussions occurring. My supervisors want to know my perspective because they know I will not whitewash decisions I do not agree with for the sake of group harmony. All the views I represent are what I feel will be the best for the business and my own personal work situation. This allows my supervisors to have a fully representative view of how changes affect the workplace. My outspokenness is also appreciated by my friends. Through being outspoken, I have been able to protect my friends in situations of danger through defending them or warning them of some danger. They also know that I will give my honest feedback if they have a question for me. As a result, many of my friends are likely to come to me first when they are wondering about a specific issue. Being outspoken has paid dividends to me. It shows how engaged I am. I always make an impact in both my work environment and my friends. I also never feel ashamed of taking a stand, no matter how controversial it is. I plan to continue being outspoken and speak my truth throughout the rest of my life.

When you need support, it is important to have others who are in your corner at all times. People who never view you as an afterthought or an annoyance. To my friends, I always aim to be that dependable and compassionate person who celebrates through victories and provides encouragement through arduous battles. Being someone who often was by himself when he was young, it means a lot that I have the opportunity now to be a presence in the life of others and I do not want to squander it by being insensitive or caustic. The best way I have found to be a strong supporter is to listen in. Do not interrupt what they are saying. When it is your turn to speak, respond in an open-minded manner to encourage them while also being upfront with what your opinion is. That has enabled me to provide clarity and perspective to what my friends want to tell me. Sometimes even silence or saying you do not know how to react is the right way to go about things. With my friends, they genuinely appreciate my presence more than anything. Just taking the time to go out and talk to them can be what makes the difference. One other thing I like to do to support my friends is to take them out places—such as to events and game nights. Especially on celebratory occasions, this can be a great way to spend time with my friends while showing them support. As stated, being for my friends means a lot. I try my best to provide support in any circumstance, and aim to continue this in the future around them.

Throughout my short yet somewhat eventful life, I have pondered the ways I could spend the years I have on Earth. Obviously, my existence would be for naught if I did not take time out to truly embrace my interests wholeheartedly. As a result, my philosophy over the past couple of years is that nothing bodes truly impossible with some ingenuity and the money that comes from having a decent-paying job. First, I want to give back by helping others reach the pinnacle of success. I also want my life to be eventful and exciting, with a special focus on exploration and travel. By the end of my time here on Earth, I want to be able to justify everything I did as purposeful and worthy of my time. Empowering others to feel confident and self-directed will be my biggest professional goal. My preference on how to do this would be in a higher-education setting, as I believe it acts as the great equalizer. Through my work, I will be able to make a long-term difference in the lives of students and make a legacy for myself in the impact that they have. Second, I believe it is important to travel and explore the world. I never want to be satisfied with just being a mainstay of one area. Rather, engaging with a plethora of cultural experience and getaways will allow me to feel fully satisfied. I have already worked on this goal through my adventure over to Los Angeles at the beginning of the month and to Denver at the end. As the years go on, I plan to expand my net so I can see as much as possible.

Confidence has always been a trait that I had to develop in myself. It 100% was not naturally prevalent in myself, but rather needed to be pushed into me through immersing myself in quite socially mortifying situations. After getting through these stressful moments, my confidence has stayed consistent and allowed me to move figurative mountains. First, here is how I view confidence. Confidence is taking initiative and trusting yourself. It means that you stick to your decisions if you are sure they are sound and in the best interest of all. You are the person who goes out there and takes needed risks to improve yourself, rather than being particularly paralyzed with witless worrying. To build on those skills, I made sure to encourage myself every day to take things step by step. Since social confidence was the worst, my ultimate priority was finding ways to communicate with others outside of a comfortable setting. So I started talking to people I would run into on walks or at Bingo. I tried to let my full personality out—the excitable and jocular side of me rather than the risk-averse and petrified part. Once I had made a few friends, I realized my concerns were unwarranted. If people did not like me, I would just not talk to them again. Putting myself out there however allowed me to realize that my opinion mattered the most and it is important to value myself. Now I approach life from a proactive perspective, focusing on what I believe is right for me rather than letting myself get bogged down by appearances. My confidence is through the roof now and I will continue to live for the moment as my life continues into the future.

Confidence has always been a trait that I had to develop in myself. It 100% was not naturally prevalent in myself, but rather needed to be pushed into me through immersing myself in quite socially mortifying situations. After getting through these stressful moments, my confidence has stayed consistent and allowed me to move figurative mountains. First, here is how I view confidence. Confidence is taking initiative and trusting yourself. It means that you stick to your decisions if you are sure they are sound and in the best interest of all. You are the person who goes out there and takes needed risks to improve yourself, rather than being particularly paralyzed with witless worrying. To build on those skills, I made sure to encourage myself every day to take things step by step. Since social confidence was the worst, my ultimate priority was finding ways to communicate with others outside of a comfortable setting. So I started talking to people I would run into on walks or at Bingo. I tried to let my full personality out—the excitable and jocular side of me rather than the risk-averse and petrified part. Once I had made a few friends, I realized my concerns were unwarranted. If people did not like me, I would just not talk to them again. Putting myself out there however allowed me to realize that my opinion mattered the most and it is important to value myself. Now I approach life from a proactive perspective, focusing on what I believe is right for me rather than letting myself get bogged down by appearances. My confidence is through the roof now and I will continue to live for the moment as my life continues into the future.

It is Friday night. After a quite arduous and stressful week, I am at my wits end. I know that I need to take immediate action to relax and renew for the challenges that lie ahead on Monday. Luckily, I have developed many ways to cope effectively with my more depressive moments so my positive attitude can come back in full. My favorite activity to do in the midst of stress is walk outside—especially in the wilderness. Taking these adventurous journeys help keep myself healthy on one level. It truly provides me a boost in energy just by escaping the confines of my apartment. What is also valued is the ability to get the solitude that constantly eludes me otherwise. While I do enjoy socializing with others, being by myself on these trails gives me the opportunity to reflect and work on myself. It is not uncommon for me to get some clarity through an epiphany that I would not have thought of beforehand, empowering me in the process with invigoration. Another thing I do to get over my stress is by adding an appropriate amount of spontaneity to my life. This is done through always having the flexibility to do something unexpected. Locally, I will try everything and anything once. Is there a carnival in town? I will go to it. Trivia at a bar I have never been at before? Glad to beat all the regulars. I have made numerous friends by being willing to trust them, despite not knowing them before. Enjoying long impromptu walks and taking the time to being flexible has really decreased my stress but also made me a stronger person. I look forward to continuing these methods as a way to ensure I am in tip-top shape for the work week.

Hobbies are invigorating--they provide me with the capacity to stay strong the rest of the week. After a quite eventful doing my responsibilities both within my position and in my own personal life, the opportunity to destress and unlatch is well-deserved. All of my hobbies reflect the interests I have cultivated over the years, allowing me to fully enjoy myself during my free time. First, I enjoy going out to the bar to hang out with friends as well as make new ones. For me, it allows for an opportunity to be social and get out of my comfort zone. I can use my pristine sense of humor to connect to others and showcase my value. In addition, I am able to participate in crowd-turning events that are joyfully entertaining such as trivia and karaoke. Walking allows me to exert myself without a sweat. On days that I do not have plans to hang out with friends, I truly enjoy going on a trail or street without knowing where I will end up. In fact, today, I was able to see a beautiful and large thrift store firsthand because I took a walk on a street I was unfamiliar with. Lastly, I enjoy volunteering to help others. I have volunteered for the Special Olympics for over six years at this point, and seeing the athletes compete is always heartwarming. I am also looking forward to helping at the local public library with events that come. My hobbies are a reflection of me. I truly believe that I am a fun-loving and warm-hearted person who enjoys peacefulness whenever possible. Because of this, I have been lucky enough to find hobbies I love and hope to keep up as time goes on.

The night starts out uncertain at Tuesday night trivia. Questions come spiraling out in a rapid-fire fashion, we are using Kahoot after all. At stake is a $15 gift card to the best restaurant in Downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin--the Mainstream Grille. Round 2 is tough on me. In fact, I drop from the exalted first place position all the way to third place. However, I make my comeback in the final round and manage to vanquish the other ten teams for the prize of the night. Did I mention I did this all by myself? As you might have ascertained, trivia is the talent that I pride myself on. Facts and figures abound in my head, my zest for knowledge is one of the reasons why I went into my field of librarianship. But on a more practical level, it offers me the opportunity to best others. Being something who is not athletic especially well-spoken, or interested in betting obscene sums of money--it is tough sometimes to fully satisfy my competitive streak. My immense array of useless knowledge allows me to turn the tables on others in my own way. The best thing is that I practice every day I learn something new. Every time I spend hours in the library or peruse a clearinghouse of supposedly useless information, such as Reddit or Wikipedia, I am learning knowledge I will end up reusing later. I feel so rewarded because I am able to profit occasionally in food--the best type of reward--and build a social life off of one of my biggest strengths. I want to keep this up as time goes on, continuing to learn more and exploit it to my advantage.

While there are numerous books that I have had the pleasure of reading over the years, what ultimately makes me fully enjoy a book are the enduring ideas that I can take from it. I want to read something that truly makes me think about the world around me, and decide on new methods of improvement. The book I will be talking about today, "The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us" by Paul Tough, changed how I feel about the higher education system and encouraged me to go into the belly of the beast to make lasting change. Reading Tough's book enabled me to understand the challenges that students from disadvantaged backgrounds have to face to be able to navigate the admissions process. Numerous decisions made from college are from a quite business-focused perspective. Students who want to be able to make it to more prestigious colleges have to spend hundreds of dollars on tests and high-priced consultants if they are lucky enough to afford them. As a result, large companies such as the College Board and test prep manufacturers take enormous sums of money from students. Tough made me realize that the system was messed up. While I am greatly encouraged by many of the organizations profiled, especially the College Advising Corps, I do feel that there is not enough of a focus in giving every willing student an opportunity to pursue a four year degree. Through reading Tough's book, I want to dedicate myself to determine how the college system can make the amount needed to support its infrastructure without breaking the backs of the students who can most benefit from it.

As I have grown, many adults in my life have tried to impart financial advice into me. Being the headstrong person I was, this was not always received in a constructive way. But one piece of advice from my dad always struck out as important and necessary in growing up. At the age of 12, he told me that to be financially successful, I should live a life that is debt free. It took time for me to honor that heartfelt wish, but now I have taken to focusing on living a life that is sustainable and affordable. During my younger years, I had the privilege to be able to not worry about money. Both my father and mother were working quite lucrative jobs, meaning that I was of want for nothing. This caused myself to have a spoiled attitude and expect everything to come to me instantaneously. Despite this not being realistic, I was too young and shaded from economic turmoil to realize how to live my best life. Even after my parents divorced, I could still rely on my dad in the worst moments. What really changed my lifestyle was moving after my undergraduate years. I lost the luxury of being able to easily relying on my savings. At some points of this year, I even completely ran out of money. While being disheartening, it was quite the wake-up-call for me to spend more responsibly. I now pay all of my bills on time. I budget to ensure that I always have enough money for my needs. Most of all, I am careful and prepare ahead in all situations. My dad's advice made me a stronger and more solvent person, allowing me to be better at financial planning.

In these types of essays, you always hear about the historical figures that everyone already knows about, this is not one of those pieces. Rather, we are going to learn about someone who was lesser-known but well-connected to power. Someone who was in the position to do traumatically brutal things to a group of people as almost all of his country men did. The people in question were the Jews and the oppressors were the Nazi Germany government. But this man, Albert Göring, decided to stand against what was happening through persuasion and subterfuge. Albert Göring was the brother of Hermann Göring, a high-level Nazi Party official that served as the President of the Reichstag from 1932 to 1945. Unlike his high-profile brother, Albert was initially content being a filmmaker and socialite in Berlin party circles. What changed his perspective and motivated him to action was the violence the Nazi Party supported. Albert realized that he had a great opportunity to act against this due to his unique closeness to the people in power. Albert's first exploit was scrubbing the streets of Berlin with some Jewish women who were forced to by the SS. The SS dismissed everyone out of the embarrassment that Albert's participation would cause if discovered. He later started forging paperwork pretending to be his brother so Jewish friends were able to escape. As the export director at the Škoda Works in Czechoslovakia, he would transport prisoners part of the way to concentration camps before letting them escape in the woods. He saved at least 34 people, although the number is likely to be more. Albert Göring shows what happens when people recognize injustice in their society and work to stop it. Despite the personal risk to himself, he saved lives and never backed down.

Once upon a time, our elected officials were able to work together collaboratively on the issues facing America. Such bipartisan efforts have now ceased, exchanged with an endless assortment of arguments and partisan hackery that seeks to demolish our political system. Civility is now on life support in our country, as our parties have decided to become Lovecraftian caricatures of the most fringe political opinions. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel requires a tremendous amount of optimism, but I do believe that it is a possibility. Fixing the problem of partisan animosity requires us to be able to put our country first, rather than our personal agendas. This can be done through educating ourselves. Biased media has put poisonous thoughts in our heart. We have been convinced that the other side has it out for us. In reality, everyone just has a different perspective on how the world works. We need to have civics courses through all stage of the educational process that seek to educate people on how our political system work. You must be receptive to what people say and open to having your opinion changed. Most of all, we need to stop rewarding partisan chicanery. A politician should not be nominated because they are most willing to advance a viewpoint, but rather because they want to make decisions that benefit everyone. As voters, we can work to primary out politicians who are too negatively-minded and unwilling to commit to the business of government. Holding them accountable is the only way they will change. I am confident that if we have politicians who look into the issues rather than the optics, we will truly be a land where everyone matters. Otherwise, I am concerned about how we can survive.

Mental health has always inordinately affected certain people more than others. Unfortunately, only in recent years has there been any type of compassion and understanding for people who manage these challenges. Perhaps the strongest positive change in treating these people have been the expanded access of available counselors. These professionals are focused on being that compassionate person that their clients can talk to. Suggesting personalized solutions and ways of analyzing emotions, counselors are the lifeline towards ensuring their clients are able to live a life filled with positivity and emotional relief. Our focus in helping people to relieve their mental health challenges should be ensuring counseling is more affordable, so everyone is able to reap the benefits. Counseling services can not easily be made cheaper. As highly-qualified professionals, counselors expect to be heavily compensated for their work. In our consumer-focused world, this is currently done through charging patients directly for their work. Affordability is through having health insurance, but that is not subsidized in and of itself without working 30 hours or greater in your position. These solutions, while palpable for the middle and upper class, are not always realistic for people who are economically disadvantaged and otherwise unable to work a benefits-eligible position. To solve this conundrum, my solution is for our local government to subsidize counseling practices so they can afford to provide free services to income-deficient community members with mental health challenges. In providing this service, there will be an equitable division of resources. As a result, everyone will be able to get the counseling that they need and will not feel recalcitrant due to lack of financial ability.

https://www.facebook.com/alex.diamond.56 https://www.instagram.com/adiamond98/ Being gay is who I am, so I feel empowered to shamelessly identify and promote that about myself. I enjoy the unique traditions and bond that we all have with each other in the LGBTQ+ Community. Drag shows are also a bonus.

Within our society, there is a belief that you are less than others if you show any type of vulnerability. People however are multifaceted and complex. Everyone deserves to be able to speak their truth without losing their reputation Through my life experience, I have personally dealt with the dual mental health issues of anxiety and depression. In addition, most of my friends and family members have some sort of mental health condition affecting them. As I have grown into adulthood, my life experiences and education over the years has shown me the importance of raising awareness on mental health issues. Initially, I did not have a strong understanding of mental health issues. My young childhood was fairly shielded and I was not told about the myriad of conditions that people have. To the limited extent I thought about mental health issues, I thought those people were either delusional or hyperactive like Daffy Duck in the old Looney Tunes shorts. The first time I ever reflected on my mental health was when I was involved in an emotional management group in 3rd Grade. At the time however, I thought these were boring and just a way to get me out of class. It would take until my teenager years to truly understand that type of struggle. Becoming a teenager gave me the empathy and understanding that I did not have beforehand. I started to experience more erratic emotions, generally based around how socially active I was. Everything that went wrong became an embarrassment. I was nervous to cross my mother, who was going through her own period of instability and agitation. Worst of all, I stopped respecting myself and felt that I was a burden to others. My depression and anxiety took years to resolve, primarily because of the assistance of counselors and my friends. In fact, I am only now am I at a point where I am starting to realize that this is untrue. Because of this, I now understand how much of a challenge mental health issues can be and how important it is for everyone to be treated equally. I also took the time to learn about mental health in general. "Intro to Psychology" inspired me by showing how complex our brains are. No one is exactly alike and that is what makes us all individuals. From there, I took the opportunity to learn about different identities and disorders. One of my most favorite arenas to accomplish this was at the Human Library. This is an activity that my college library held where people would volunteer to talk about their life experiences. I always went up to the plate to share my story, but also listened to others to be able to hear other people's perspectives. In addition, I also made sure to watch informational videos and attend presentations related to mental health struggles. Ultimately, this allowed me to understand the vast variety of mental health conditions in our society. As I have grown older, I have furthered my commitment to normalize mental health and make it relevant. I currently work in an office in a college setting where I get to schedule appointments and help students feel comfortable. I take the opportunity to complete seminars such as Mental Health First Aid to enable myself to understand how to get people the help they need. I also help out in initiatives by spreading my truth and indicating my experiences. It is important that everyone can feel comfortable being who they are. Through my efforts, I hope that I make an impact and help others be stronger people.

Presque Isle is a picturesque state park in the charming city of Marquette, Michigan. This bold picture was taken on a cold day my dad and I spent hiking in the park. Since none of the beaches were open, I decided that I had to get soaked in another manner. My pants were wet for a solid two hours afterwards, but the adrenaline made it worth it.

The moment I learned the importance of leaving a strong legacy was when I realized that my mother lost control of hers. She spent all of her time after she divorced my father trying to live as extravagantly as possible. By the end of this, she had almost nothing to her name and had to depend on generous relatives to stay afloat. In our descent into poverty, I realized I did not want to spend money to alleviate my insecurities. The ultimate legacy that I want to lead is one of innovation and altruism in higher education, finding ways to support others so they can pursue their dreams. The first component of a legacy is the impact I have towards the people I personally know. My goal in my interactions with others is to be remembered for my kindheartedness and trustworthiness. This type of positive reputation is something I will have to actively build on over the years. One way I plan to accomplish this goal is by consistently being supportive as people I know are struggling. Another aspect of my legacy is the philanthropic contribution I make—how I impact the people that I do not directly know. I want to ensure I use my wealth to provide a positive effect on the world. This goal will require me to accrue significant money and have an activist mentality when it comes to spending it. My work in higher education is where I can best define my personal legacy. I want to ensure the students I work with are well-informed about their programs and ready to pursue their academic goals. My persistence could mean the difference between a successful completion of their degree and dropping out. In addition to my main role, I will frequently perform action research with other higher education professionals on innovative retention strategies for students. This will allow me to make a long-term impact in the outcomes of my students. I want my philanthropic work to be in creating and initially funding a program called Graduate Bound. This undergraduate educational opportunity program will be focused on preparing students of low-income and first generation backgrounds for the rigors of Master’s and Doctoral-level programs. Students will complete intense research projects within their academic disciplines and receive personalized mentorship. In addition, students will build community and learn about the graduate school experience through weekly GB Club meetings during the academic year and a free Summer Senior Seminar. Each student who completes the Graduate Bound program will receive the inflation-corrected equivalent of up to $30,000 for their first graduate degree. My long-term legacy will be as someone who wanted every student to have an opportunity to be academically and financially prepared for their educational dreams. My legacy is the way I make a long-term impact on the world. I want to have a worthwhile legacy. Either directly or through my financial resources, I want to be the reason these students were able to make it. Ultimately, I will be indirectly responsible for the career satisfaction and innovations these students are responsible. That will be an empowering and enriching way to ensure I am well-remembered even after I have departed this Earth.