Anxiety is something that I have dealt with ever since I was young. It has been the pinnacle of my success, yet also my biggest shortcoming. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that planned out at the young age of fourteen. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways, from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading, and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since I became immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children in local schools in my community. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

A time when I worked to address and improve an important social issue in my community was when I volunteered during children’s Bible study for the Wednesday night Ignite Youth Program at my church. I initially thought this would be like the rest of the times I have helped in my community but after just a short time of working closely with so many children from our community I came to realize there are many complex issues that have varying degrees of impact on young people. In the beginning, the children’s program was utter chaos. I noticed how differently the children behaved compared to the ones that I was used to working with. My duties were to monitor children at the playground to ensure safety, serve meals to children and other volunteers, clean up the kitchen during and after meals, complete various clerical tasks, and help in classrooms, working both with groups of children and one-on-one while teaching them about the word of God. In between tasks, however, I would take the time to talk to the children there and get to know them. This is how I came to learn a great deal about their lives outside of youth groups. Early on in my duties, I was caught off guard by the rude behaviors I saw in class and the disrespectful comments coming from such young children. I didn’t realize at first that these children don't all come from happy homes. After getting to know my young students better, it finally clicked that so many of these children are coming from unstable homes. I pieced together their stories of separated parents, drug-filled and encouraged situations, extreme poverty, and unclean, disorganized, and insecure living conditions. Learning about all these problems really resonated with me and motivated me to be more understanding towards the children who give me the most problems in the classroom because, I realized, you never really know what a person may be going through or how this might cause them to act out and seek attention. Behind all of the noise and chaos that came with disrespectful and misbehaving students were children who came from difficult homes and didn’t think anyone would care about their actions. It became my mission to talk to each student, to truly connect with them, and teach them how the love of God could help them cope with their circumstances. In sharing my own life story, I opened a door that provided the opportunity for them to share their own experiences with me. The difference in the way my students started to respond to me when I took them time to understand them was such a blessing. I didn’t know that such a small act would lead to students becoming more engaged in class lessons and giving their best efforts when assigned to different tasks. It is something I will always remember, and their bright young faces are an image I will carry with me forever. Before working with the children at my church on Wednesday nights, I really didn’t understand how behaviors can be a reflection of something much deeper. Now, I am more conscious of others and will forevermore seek to understand before placing judgment upon someone. By taking the time to get to know someone and showing interest in their lives, you just might find that in coming to understand them, you might also come to better understand yourself and the type of person you want to be. At least that is what happened to me on Wednesday nights at North Athens Baptist Church.

For me, the most significant aspect of my cultural upbringing is my church community. I was recently accepted to attend Oklahoma State University next fall and will be attending this college in person. Because of this, I will be leaving everything I know and love behind, including my church. My belief in Christianity and the sense of belonging that come from my church have played a vital role in my moral and spiritual upbringing. My pastor’s family soon became my family as they have had a huge impact on my character and have shown me what it is to be a community. Additionally, because I will no longer be near my church family, this has put a great deal of strain and sadness on me mentally and emotionally. Furthermore, knowing that I will soon be immersed in a college atmosphere that is entirely new and opinions and ideas are more progressive will be challenging. I know I have been affected by this situation because of the depression it has brought to me, and the lack of sleep I have been receiving knowing that I will soon have to say goodbye to the people that I love and share my faith with. I do believe that the closer the fall term comes, the more it will impact my wellness. There truly is no replacing the wonderful people of my church and the same exact teachings that come from this church. Be that as it may, there are many churches in the area I will be in, which I will be able to visit if I feel comfortable and it aligns with my beliefs. This is a good solution, but some additional support from a mental health professional may be considered to further help me with this transition. Moreover, many family members from my maternal relatives are strongly affected when parted from their community churches. For instance, my grandmother moved away from her church to live in a smaller home. Due to this, she grew sad and felt detached from her sense of belonging and spiritual identity. To remedy this, my immediate family invited her to come to our church and get involved with the many activities and events there are. Since then, my grandmother has felt more included and fulfilled with being a part of something bigger than herself. So, even though I’m unable to just pick my entire church up and take it with me, I can build my own by involving myself with new people who share the same beliefs and moral principles. Because it’s not about the building, it’s about the people who come together for the same mission; love God, love others, and make disciples. What better way to do this than traveling and meeting new people? In short, leaving my place of sanctity and worship is and will be a great struggle for my overall wellbeing, but with the right support and guidance, I will be able to continue my pursuit of following Christ no matter where I am.

For me, the most significant aspect of my cultural upbringing is my church community. I was recently accepted to attend Oklahoma State University next fall and will be attending this college in person. Because of this, I will be leaving everything I know and love behind, including my church. My belief in Christianity and the sense of belonging that come from my church have played a vital role in my moral and spiritual upbringing. My pastor’s family soon became my family as they have had a huge impact on my character and have shown me what it is to be a community. Additionally, because I will no longer be near my church family, this has put a great deal of strain and sadness on me mentally and emotionally. Furthermore, knowing that I will soon be immersed in a college atmosphere that is entirely new and opinions and ideas are more progressive will be challenging. I know I have been affected by this situation because of the depression it has brought to me, and the lack of sleep I have been receiving knowing that I will soon have to say goodbye to the people that I love and share my faith with. I do believe that the closer the fall term comes, the more it will impact my wellness. There truly is no replacing the wonderful people of my church and the same exact teachings that come from this church. Be that as it may, there are many churches in the area I will be in, which I will be able to visit if I feel comfortable and it aligns with my beliefs. This is a good solution, but some additional support from a mental health professional may be considered to further help me with this transition. Moreover, many family members from my maternal relatives are strongly affected when parted from their community churches. For instance, my grandmother moved away from her church to live in a smaller home. Due to this, she grew sad and felt detached from her sense of belonging and spiritual identity. To remedy this, my immediate family invited her to come to our church and get involved with the many activities and events there are. Since then, my grandmother has felt more included and fulfilled with being a part of something bigger than herself. So, even though I’m unable to just pick my entire church up and take it with me, I can build my own by involving myself with new people who share the same beliefs and moral principles. Because it’s not about the building, it’s about the people who come together for the same mission; love God, love others, and make disciples. What better way to do this than traveling and meeting new people? In short, leaving my place of sanctity and worship is and will be a great struggle for my overall wellbeing, but with the right support and guidance, I will be able to continue my pursuit of following Christ no matter where I am.

I was recently accepted to attend Oklahoma State University next fall and will be attending this college in person. Because of this, I will be leaving everything I know and love behind, including my church. My belief in Christianity and the sense of belonging that come from my church have played a vital role in my moral and spiritual upbringing. My pastor’s family soon became my family as they have had a huge impact on my character and have shown me what it is to be a community. Additionally, because I will no longer be near my church family, this has put a great deal of strain and sadness on me mentally and emotionally. Furthermore, knowing that I will soon be immersed in a college atmosphere that is entirely new and opinions and ideas are more progressive will be challenging. I know I have been affected by this situation because of the depression it has brought to me, and the lack of sleep I have been receiving knowing that I will soon have to say goodbye to the people that I love and share my faith with. I do believe that the closer the fall term comes, the more it will impact my wellness. There truly is no replacing the wonderful people of my church and the same exact teachings that come from this church. Be that as it may, there are many churches in the area I will be in, which I will be able to visit if I feel comfortable and it aligns with my beliefs. This is a good solution, but some additional support from a mental health professional may be considered to further help me with this transition. Moreover, many family members from my maternal relatives are strongly affected when parted from their community churches. For instance, my grandmother moved away from her church to live in a smaller home. Due to this, she grew sad and felt detached from her sense of belonging and spiritual identity. To remedy this, my immediate family invited her to come to our church and get involved with the many activities and events there are. Since then, my grandmother has felt more included and fulfilled with being a part of something bigger than herself. So, even though I’m unable to just pick my entire church up and take it with me, I can build my own by involving myself with new people who share the same beliefs and moral principles. Because it’s not about the building, it’s about the people who come together for the same mission; love God, love others, and make disciples. What better way to do this than traveling and meeting new people? In short, leaving my place of sanctity and worship is and will be a great struggle for my overall wellbeing, but with the right support and guidance, I will be able to continue my pursuit of following Christ no matter where I am.

Anxiety is something that I have dealt with ever since I was young. It has been the pinnacle of my success, yet also my biggest shortcoming. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that planned out at the young age of fourteen. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways, from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading, and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since I became immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children in local schools in my community. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

Anxiety is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. It has been the pinnacle of my success, yet also my biggest shortcoming. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that planned out at the young age of fourteen. Silly, I know. However, that is what my anxiety was telling me I needed to have figured out. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children in my local schools an community. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

Anxiety is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. It has been the pinnacle of my success, yet also my biggest shortcoming. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that planned out at the young age of fourteen. Silly, I know. However, that is what my anxiety was telling me I needed to have figured out. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children in my local schools an community. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

Anxiety is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. It has been the pinnacle of my success, yet also my biggest shortcoming. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. The point at which I discovered my deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children in my local schools an community. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. I believe that I can improve mental health in the future by becoming a psychologist with a firm set of values that will help young individuals who seek guidance and support through their mental health challenges. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

Though I have never participated in any golf related tournaments or activities, I had always been curious, so for my final high school year, I took my shot at a completely new sport. I was definitely at a disadvantage compared to the other high school golfers, since the majority of them have been doing this their whole lives. In my very first tournament, I had no idea what I was doing. Being in a position where I felt I was surrounded by tons of people who knew what they were doing, and I hadn't a clue was certainly my biggest challenge. That was until my competitors showed me where to go and what to do. It was not always easy to keep up while going at such a quick pace, but I am a determined student and eager to learn. If it were not for my peers who showed me kindness and patience, I would not have been as passionate about golf as I am now. During the time spent training every day after cross country practice, I developed new techniques that made a difference when competing with the other players. However, something I had not expected during this adventure was to learn a completely new kind of sportsmanship that I could not get from a running sport. The people I met on the course were so welcoming and supportive as I learned the skills needed to participate in this sport. I think of this often when I think of what I want people to remember about myself as a person. Remembering the kindness that these strangers showed me has helped me to be a more accepting person, willing to always help someone else. Not only have I attained a new sport that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, but it has brought me closer to my family and strengthened relationships. Golf also taught me to listen and accept constructive criticism from my peers and coach, which is a personal growth skill I truly value. One final thing I learned is to never be afraid to try new things; you never know what you might discover. I enjoy golf because it is unlike any other sport; it's something to do when everything else in life seems complicated and messy. It's a sport that can help clear my mind and focus on making that putt. There is still so much more I must learn, but with the right ambition and driver, I know I can overcome any new obstacle I face.

Though I have never participated in any golf related tournaments or activities, I had always been curious, so for my final high school year, I took my shot at a completely new sport. I was definitely at a disadvantage compared to the other high school golfers, since the majority of them have been doing this their whole lives. In my very first tournament, I had no idea what I was doing. Being in a position where I felt I was surrounded by tons of people who knew what they were doing, and I hadn't a clue was certainly my biggest challenge. That was until my competitors showed me where to go and what to do. It was not always easy to keep up while going at such a quick pace, but I am a determined student and eager to learn. If it were not for my peers showing me kindness and patience, I would not have been as passionate about golf as I am now. During the time spent training every day after cross country practice, I developed new techniques that made a difference when competing with the other players. However, something I had not expected during this adventure was to learn a completely new kind of sportsmanship that I could not get from a running sport. The people I met on the course were so welcoming and supportive as I learned the skills needed to participate in this sport. I think of this often when I think of what I want people to remember about myself as a person. Remembering the kindness that these strangers showed me has helped me to be a more accepting person, willing to always help someone else. Not only have I attained a new sport that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, but it has brought me closer to my family and strengthened relationships. Golf also taught me to listen and accept constructive criticism from my peers and coach, which is a personal growth skill I truly value. One final thing I learned is to never be afraid to try new things; you never know what you might discover. I enjoy golf because it is unlike any other sport; it's something to do when everything else in life seems complicated and messy, it's a sport that can help clear my mind and focus on making that putt. There is still so much more I have to learn, but with the right ambition and driver, I know I can overcome any new obstacle I face.

Anxiety is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. It has been the pinnacle of my success, yet also my biggest shortcoming. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that figured out at the young age of fourteen. Silly, I know. However, that is what my anxiety was telling me I needed to have figured out. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children in my local schools an community. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

Anxiety is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. It has been the pinnacle of my success, yet also my biggest shortcoming. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that figured out at the young age of fourteen. Silly, I know. However, that is what my anxiety was telling me I needed to have figured out. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children in my local schools an community. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

My mental health challenge is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. I have severe anxiety and it has impacted several aspects of my life. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that figured out at the young age of fourteen. Silly, I know. However, that is what my anxiety was telling me I needed to have figured out. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

My mental health challenge is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. I have severe anxiety and it has impacted several aspects of my life. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that figured out at the young age of fourteen. Silly, I know. However, that is what my anxiety was telling me I needed to have figured out. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.

My mental health challenge is something that I have dealt with every since I was young. I have severe anxiety and it has impacted several aspects of my life. For a long time, I was back and forth on what I wanted to study as a major in college. I thought I had to have all that figured out at the young age of fourteen. Silly, I know. However, that is what my anxiety was telling me I needed to have figured out. At the time, I didn't believe that I would change my mind so many times before finding something that truly calls to my soul. The point at which I discovered this deep interest was near the start of my high school/community college dual enrollment journey. My amazing mentor and guidance counselor at the time recommended I take an introduction to psychology class. I wasn't certain I would excel in a class based on a topic so unfamiliar to me. However, once the class started, I thoroughly examined the syllabus and material, and the topics really piqued my interest. The more I read through the textbook about different aspects of psychology, the more I began to realize this was not just a new subject, but something much more. My very first psychology research paper was on the 3 main parenting styles and how it can affect children's cognitive development. I found myself, quite literally, as I dove deeply into my research. After finishing the class with flying colors, I decided I wanted to take more classes related to psychology. Classes I perused after this included developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, though my options at our community college were limited. In developmental psychology, I learned how age can affect the brain in many ways from infancy to late adulthood. It also exposed me to some of the negative realities of life as my professor told us stories of when she was a child and as an adult social worker. This opened my mind up to how I can play an important role in making this broken world a better place. In abnormal psychology, that's where things took a turn, and I discovered all the mental disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition. Not only did I learn what these disorders were and how to recognize someone with the related symptoms, but I began to recognize some of these symptoms in the people I love as well as myself. My last research paper I completed for that class was on the very disorder that I face every single day, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is a mental disorder that affects your emotional, physical, and psychological health. It is a strange feeling when you are reading and the words begin to resonate with your very being. My life has not been the same since becoming immersed in the vast world of psychology. I have grown, not only as a student, but more importantly as a person. And while my dream is majoring in psychology, I feel my calling is to work with children. I aspire to be the help for them that was often lacking in my own life. Now that I have discovered how I can make a profound difference in the lives of others, I will not stop but will continue to climb to greater heights because I've discovered who I am through the study of psychology.