Disney has always had a special place in my heart since I was a child, and even as a young adult today, I always go back to watch my favorite animated films and Disney Channel shows if I need a feeling of nostalgia. It is nearly impossible to choose a favorite Disney character, but I would have to select Mulan if given the option to only choose one. Though many aspects of her personality drew me in as a child, I particularly loved how she unintentionally went against the status quo and tried to break out of the conformity that village life forced her into. Because I always felt it was a challenge to fit in during my time in elementary and middle school, I looked to Mulan and how she always moved forward regardless of the adversity she faced. I—an extremely anxious and shy kid—looked up to Mulan as someone who was confident, independent, and fearless. Everything she sacrificed was not for herself, but her family. I was amazed to see this resilient character do whatever she could to protect her family, demonstrating her selflessness, humility, and perseverance. Though there may be an inherent fear from boys and men to idolize female characters, I’ve never used gender to determine which characters I can or can’t look up to. Not only was Mulan a strong female character, but also a female character who challenged traditional gender roles and acted on her own goals and intentions. Anyone—regardless of their gender identity—can use Mulan’s character arc as an essential lesson on standing up for yourself and not conforming to your surroundings to fit in. I still hold these lessons very close to my heart and am grateful for what the character has taught me. Not only did Mulan help me get through many years of school, but she is always someone I can look back to in a time of need.

Maintaining your mental, physical, and nutritional health is an essential component of the college experience. Having a healthy mind and body not only improves your overall performance on class assignments and exams but also allows you to make impactful connections with your peers, participate in extracurricular activities, and even overcome complex challenges you never thought you could. Thus, I’ve made it a priority to maintain my health during college—in both conventional and unconventional ways. Overcoming my anxiety during college has been an immense challenge, and has forced me to analyze how I deal with stress and work on my mental health struggles. Further, I’ve looked at my mental health as something that is just as important to nurture as my physical and nutritional health. One of the ways that I’ve dealt with my anxiety and mental health has been through meditation practices and breathing exercises. If I have a particularly important presentation or assignment due, I’ll devote some extra time to my routine where I can sit and reflect for a few minutes. This past week, I had to participate in my first-ever debate, which I was very nervous about. Yet, the breathing practices I did leading up to the debate made the experience much more enjoyable. Though mental health is a massive component of your overall wellness, I’ve also understood that physical and nutritional health play a prominent role. Eating unhealthy is often considered a defining aspect of college, but I have tried my hardest to take a different route and eat in a way that is both satisfying and nutritious. My university’s dining hall gives students plenty of opportunities to eat healthily, whether through the vegan buffet or the salad bar. Though I don’t eat a perfectly healthy meal every time I go down to the dining hall or go out to eat, I try to eat in a balanced way. When focusing on school work while attempting to keep my mental health in check, I often overlook my physical health. I must admit that I’ve found it challenging to care for my physical health on top of my mental and nutritional health, but I have taken specific steps to change how I care for my physical well-being. One of the steps I have taken has been walking to wherever I need to be on campus instead of driving, which allows me to get some physical movement throughout the day. Further, I’ve tried to incorporate yoga into my wellness routine to make my entire body feel less tense and allow me to reach a certain level of wellness. Though these are some small steps, I’ve done my best to focus on each component of my health in order to benefit my overall wellness. I’m proud of how I’ve reached a certain level of well-being despite all of the stress that comes with college, but I understand that I will always have room to improve and take different approaches if I realize that any aspect of my health is declining.

College is an essential time of growth and discovery, forcing many of us to discover the path we want to take after graduation. Many may find this path through the courses they take, the clubs they are a part of, or even the research and internships they do with their professors. Yet, the most exciting part of college for me thus far has been that my own knowledge and perspectives have been challenged. College isn't simply a time to get perfect grades and understand every concept you are taught, but is also a time when you have the ability to question the world around you and make mistakes. Essentially, these mistakes are necessary for you to grow. My time in college has given me plenty of opportunities to challenge myself in classes as well as extracurricular activities. Many of my classes—which are writing intensive—take plenty of organization and time management skills to ensure that finalized work is being submitted on time. Further, submitting assignments on time is most fulfilling when your own mental and physical well-being are at a good place. To ensure that I am on time with my assignments—whether it is a tourism research paper or a position paper on a highly contested Korean debate—I first look at my own health. Though there are many ways you can maintain a healthy mind and body while in school, the first step I take is to give myself a small amount of time every day to reflect and breathe. This can be early in the morning when I wake up, during my lunch break, or right before I go to bed. Regardless of when I give myself this needed time, I reflect and applaud myself for all of the hard work I've completed. I can even add onto this reflective time and meditate with some relaxing music or a meditation podcast. I've found that lately, I've had to allocate specific chunks of time to refrain from thinking about schoolwork. If we are constantly worried and stressed due to school work and other college pressures, it will likely lead us to crash, proving that time management and breaks are crucial. Another way I am the healthiest I can be during the school year is by focusing on my diet and living spaces. Though dining and housing options are often very limited on college campuses, I take advantage of my living space and allow it to be a productive zone for myself. I allocate my desk for work and my bed for rest, which creates a crucial distinction between the two. Allowing myself to do homework on my bed, for instance, would create an environment where I'd fail to give myself adequate breaks. Further, I ensure I'm eating balanced meals every day, and giving myself a treat if I want to go out to eat after a stressful week. Though these are just simple tasks I've taken, they have become highly beneficial as the school year has progressed.

Acting locally is the first step to making a broader global impact, though one may not realize it. I believe that one of the ways our local and global community can make a change for the better is to always act consciously and do their part to be sustainable in the products they use. Even using a reusable water bottle can stop you from using hundreds of plastic water bottles a year, and is such an easy change you can make to your day. Furthermore, everyone should always try their best to support their local parks and environmental organizations, as they’re always looking for any help they can get. I’ve always been passionate about acting locally to make an environmental impact and had the opportunity over the summer to take one step in the right direction. With the Westchester Parks Foundation, I was able to attend an event at the Blue Mountain Reservation and do multiple tasks—including picking up trash as well as tree tube maintenance. Tree tubes are used to protect new tree growth, so maintenance ensures that the tubes are clean and sturdy. Going through at least twenty tree tubes, I ensured that there was no major debris hindering tree growth. Though this is just one small step, helping support new tree growth is crucial in protecting our climate. Further, when participating in the garbage cleanup at the reservation, I was shocked to find parts of bottles and snack bags that looked to be over ten years old. Though picking up every piece of garbage is impossible, doing small actions like participating in a garbage cleanup makes you feel like you’ve at least done something to help the greater cause. All in all, though acting locally is the first step in helping every global cause, many don’t realize the large impact they are making. Helping on the local level is very fulfilling, and not only benefits yourself, but your local community members as well. Thus, if you ever have the chance to give a helping hand, you should never turn down the opportunity!

Though many associate the end of their high school or college careers with the end of their time learning, it has become clear to me that the act of learning is an inherently human tool, and is often an asset we fail to take advantage of. My value of lifelong learning comes from a place of initial struggle in high school, where my thoughts on education were not the most positive. At its core, learning in a classroom is associated with being a well-knowledged individual. Still, it is also focused on achieving a certain grade—creating a dynamic that makes students believe that learning is second to getting the best grade. I believe this philosophy is flawed and sets so many students on the wrong path. I found that when I removed the stress associated with being a "perfect" student, learning in itself was both more accessible and fulfilling. Now in college, my mindset on learning has changed entirely, as my classes and clubs all challenge me to analyze the world through multiple lenses. Learning is something that should excite us but also make us question what we already know. When I looked at learning through this particular perspective, it made me realize how important it was that we continually re-evaluate what we already believe is truthful. If we look at some of humanity's most mesmerizing achievements: electricity, the telephone, and even modern-day plumbing, we must realize that these all come out of a desire to learn. Learning can come from many places of passion, but at its core, learning allows for an increased quality of life—mentally and physically. As I've gotten older, I've made it a goal to be an informed citizen every single day. Regardless of how I'm feeling, I always prioritize watching the local news, reading articles on my phone, or even listening to a podcast. That's the beauty of living in 2022; we can reach out to many different resources to keep us informed. Furthermore, another way I plan to keep myself informed is to keep up with many of my hobbies. My passions in history, the environment, and advocacy allow me to do further research and add to my current interests. The act of learning can be a very personalized experience, which is why it is essential to cater to how you prefer to learn—whether it is through a visual or auditory lens. All in all, I am passionate about learning because, in its simplest form, it is fun. A life without learning lacks the necessary focus to push you in the right direction—whether it brings you towards a job opportunity or even personal growth. Truthfully, I can thank the act of learning for much of my progression over the past year, as I've learned equally about the world around me and myself. From now on, I plan to take this philosophy with me through every step I take.

My lungs cry, as I wait for my heartbeat to go back to normal The silence is echoing, with every tap adding onto the endless chaos within my ears Noise-canceling headphones can only go so far—they don’t mask the inevitable static How can I be so far from home in my own bed? I ask myself too many questions, waiting for answers that do not exist Blueberries for eyes, blossoming like a rose that reaches for its last breath The tips of my fingers tingle, as if a cumulonimbus cloud was creating electricity in my veins Each sensation travels to the palms of my hands, giving me a power I didn’t think I could ever achieve The aura around my feet begins to illuminate, as a warm sensation slowly takes over I don’t question what is happening, but instead accept the peace I finally feel Peace isn’t a word I’m too familiar with Rather, the world I’m used to exists without peace entirely I feel a tap on my forehead, but try to ignore the sensation Silence. My eyelids open, and the peace I feel slowly disappears Was I dreaming? I look to my feet, and the bright aura that was there previously is now gone Back to square one, I must search for peace again