Imagine, if you can, everyone looking at you thinking you have an ideal life. I mean your parents are still married, they have decent jobs, you get to travel, you are blessed with all the things you need and many things you want. You know that you have never really had struggles or trauma that others face in life. You have never really had adverse childhood events that inflict so many difficulties for others. From the outside looking life can seems well, perfect. However, inside your brain there is a raging war every single day. What is causing this raging war? Anxiety and ADHD plague your mind everyday making everything in life feel overwhelming and demanding. Anxiety allows you to spend every single day overthinking and worrying. You get to worry that everything you say will be wrong, that something bad is going to happen to those you love, that you can’t handle things on your own, or that you aren’t good enough. This anxiety also has impacted every social encounter with friends as well as teachers. You can’t approach people because you are worrying about what they will think or that you will say the wrong things. So not only are you feeling constantly overwhelmed with anxiety, but you also now isolate yourself and feel alone. Then throw in Attention Deficit issues where you can’t focus on what you need to learn. The ADHD and anxiety feed off of each other like they are competing for your attention. While you are already struggling mentally you are diagnosed with Gillian Barre Syndrome, a rare disease process. At 16 you are suddenly much weaker, can hardly walk to class much less carry your backpack or books. Writing or typing to do notes or homework become much more taxing. You now must depend on people helping you, people you aren’t even comfortable talking to. Anxiety becomes debilitating to the point you can’t make it to school, when you have already missed so much because of hospitalization and therapies. Your IEP coordinator and teachers make it possible for you to work from home while you get things under control, they help you find a way. While each day is a fight you press on. College was never on your mind because of everything school related was a struggle. Perhaps the mental and physical limitations are what pushed you to find a career where you knew you could use to make a difference in peoples lives as they face their own hardships. You may not be able to relate to the exact difficulties that other people face but your own trials and tribulations can encourage you to help others when they need someone in their corner. So you take the leap, find a lot of trials in college life but keep pressing forward, finding yourself doing pretty good at college despite continued struggles with general and social anxiety, ADHD, and the post effects of Gillian Barre Syndrome. I am “you” and I want to help people, I want to be a social worker. Consideration of this scholarship can help me meet that goal.

Imagine, if you can, everyone looking at you thinking you have an ideal life. I mean your parents are still married, they have decent jobs, you get to travel, you are blessed with all the things you need and many things you want. You know that you have never really had struggles or trauma that others face in life. You have never really had adverse childhood events that inflict so many difficulties for others. From the outside looking life can seems well, perfect. However, inside your brain there is a raging war every single day. What is causing this raging war? Anxiety and ADHD plague your mind everyday making everything in life feel overwhelming and demanding. Anxiety allows you to spend every single day overthinking and worrying. You get to worry that everything you say will be wrong, that something bad is going to happen to those you love, that you can’t handle things on your own, or that you aren’t good enough. This anxiety also has impacted every social encounter with friends as well as teachers. You can’t approach people because you are worrying about what they will think or that you will say the wrong things. So not only are you feeling constantly overwhelmed with anxiety, but you also now isolate yourself and feel alone. Then throw in Attention Deficit issues where you can’t focus on what you need to learn. The ADHD and anxiety feed off of each other like they are competing for your attention. While you are already struggling mentally you are diagnosed with Gillian Barre Syndrome, a rare disease process. At 16 you are suddenly much weaker, can hardly walk to class much less carry your backpack or books. Writing or typing to do notes or homework become much more taxing. You now must depend on people helping you, people you aren’t even comfortable talking to. Anxiety becomes debilitating to the point you can’t make it to school, when you have already missed so much because of hospitalization and therapies. Your IEP coordinator and teachers make it possible for you to work from home while you get things under control, they help you find a way. While each day is a fight you press on. College was never on your mind because of everything school related was a struggle. Perhaps the mental and physical limitations are what pushed you to find a career where you knew you could use to make a difference in people’s lives as they face their own hardships. You may not be able to relate to the exact difficulties that other people face but your own trials and tribulations can encourage you to help others when they need someone in their corner. So, you take the leap and yes your find a lot of trials in college life. You learn to take it one day at a time and treat each day as a new day and recognize the successes in each day. I am “you” and I want to help people, I want to be a social worker specifically I would love to be a school social worker so that I can help other students with whatever struggles their lives or disability might bring. Consideration of this scholarship can help me meet that goal.

Imagine, if you can, everyone looking at you thinking you have an ideal life. I mean your parents are still married, they have decent jobs, you get to travel, you are blessed with all the things you need and many things you want. You know that you have never really had struggles or trauma that others face in life. You have never really had adverse childhood events that inflict so many difficulties for others. From the outside looking life can seems well, perfect. However, inside your brain there is a raging war every single day. What is causing this raging war? Anxiety and ADHD plague your mind everyday making everything in life feel overwhelming and demanding. Anxiety allows you to spend every single day overthinking and worrying. You get to worry that everything you say will be wrong, that something bad is going to happen to those you love, that you can’t handle things on your own, or that you aren’t good enough. This anxiety also has impacted every social encounter with friends as well as teachers. You can’t approach people because you are worrying about what they will think or that you will say the wrong things. So not only are you feeling constantly overwhelmed with anxiety, but you also now isolate yourself and feel alone. Then throw in Attention Deficit issues where you can’t focus on what you need to learn. The ADHD and anxiety feed off of each other like they are competing for your attention. While you are already struggling mentally you are diagnosed with Gillian Barre Syndrome, a rare disease process. At 16 you are suddenly much weaker, can hardly walk to class much less carry your backpack or books. Writing or typing to do notes or homework become much more taxing. You now must depend on people helping you, people you aren’t even comfortable talking to. Anxiety becomes debilitating to the point you can’t make it to school, when you have already missed so much because of hospitalization and therapies. Your IEP coordinator and teachers make it possible for you to work from home while you get things under control, they help you find a way. While each day is a fight you press on. College was never on your mind because of everything school related was a struggle. Perhaps the mental and physical limitations are what pushed you to find a career where you knew you could use to make a difference in people's lives as they face their own hardships. You may not be able to relate to the exact difficulties that other people face but your own trials and tribulations can encourage you to help others when they need someone in their corner. So, you take the leap, find a lot of trials in college life but keep pressing forward, finding yourself doing pretty good at college despite continued struggles with general and social anxiety, ADHD, and the post effects of Gillian Barre Syndrome. I am “you” and I want to help people, I want to be a social worker. Consideration of this scholarship can help me meet that goal.

Imagine, if you can, everyone looking at you thinking you have an ideal life. I mean your parents are still married, they have decent jobs, you get to travel, you are blessed with all the things you need and many things you want. You know that you have never really had struggles or trauma that others face in life. You have never really had adverse childhood events that inflict so many difficulties for others. From the outside looking life can seems well, perfect. However, inside your brain there is a raging war every single day. What is causing this raging war? Anxiety and ADHD plague your mind everyday making everything in life feel overwhelming and demanding. Anxiety allows you to spend every single day overthinking and worrying. You get to worry that everything you say will be wrong, that something bad is going to happen to those you love, that you can’t handle things on your own, or that you aren’t good enough. This anxiety also has impacted every social encounter with friends as well as teachers. You can’t approach people because you are worrying about what they will think or that you will say the wrong things. So not only are you feeling constantly overwhelmed with anxiety, but you also now isolate yourself and feel alone. Then throw in Attention Deficit issues where you can’t focus on what you need to learn. The ADHD and anxiety feed off of each other like they are competing for your attention. While you are already struggling mentally you are diagnosed with Gillian Barre Syndrome, a rare disease process. At 16 you are suddenly much weaker, can hardly walk to class much less carry your backpack or books. Writing or typing to do notes or homework become much more taxing. You now must depend on people helping you, people you aren’t even comfortable talking to. Anxiety becomes debilitating to the point you can’t make it to school, when you have already missed so much because of hospitalization and therapies. Your IEP coordinator and teachers make it possible for you to work from home while you get things under control, they help you find a way. While each day is a fight you press on. College was never on your mind because of everything school related was a struggle. Perhaps the mental and physical limitations are what pushed you to find a career where you knew you could use to make a difference in people’s lives as they face their own hardships. You may not be able to relate to the exact difficulties that other people face but your own trials and tribulations can encourage you to help others when they need someone in their corner. So, you take the leap and yes your find a lot of trials in college life. You learn to seek help that is available like spending a lot of time in the tutoring center, do things that set you up for success such as possibly giving up campus life to live at home, spend a lot of time with your family that provides feelings of safety on the stressful days. You learn to take it one day at a time and treat each day as a new day and recognize the successes in each day. I am “you” and I want to help people, I want to be a social worker. Consideration of this scholarship can help me meet that goal.

Imagine, if you can, everyone looking at you thinking you have an ideal life. I mean your parents are still married, they have decent jobs, you get to travel, you are blessed with all the things you need and many things you want. You know that you have never really had struggles or trauma that others face in life. You have never really had adverse childhood events that inflict so many difficulties for others. From the outside looking life can seems well, perfect. However, inside your brain there is a raging war every single day. What is causing this raging war? Anxiety and ADHD plague your mind everyday making everything in life feel overwhelming and demanding. Anxiety allows you to spend every single day overthinking and worrying. You get to worry that everything you say will be wrong, that something bad is going to happen to those you love, that you can’t handle things on your own, or that you aren’t good enough. This anxiety also has impacted every social encounter with friends as well as teachers. You can’t approach people because you are worrying about what they will think or that you will say the wrong things. So not only are you feeling constantly overwhelmed with anxiety, but you also now isolate yourself and feel alone. Then throw in Attention Deficit issues where you can’t focus on what you need to learn. The ADHD and anxiety feed off of each other like they are competing for your attention. While you are already struggling mentally you are diagnosed with Gillian Barre Syndrome, a rare disease process. At 16 you are suddenly much weaker, can hardly walk to class much less carry your backpack or books. Writing or typing to do notes or homework become much more taxing. You now must depend on people helping you, people you aren’t even comfortable talking to. Anxiety becomes debilitating to the point you can’t make it to school, when you have already missed so much because of hospitalization and therapies. Your IEP coordinator and teachers make it possible for you to work from home while you get things under control, they help you find a way. While each day is a fight you press on. College was never on your mind because of everything school related was a struggle. All of these struggles teach you a lot about yourself. You learn that being accountable to yourself is what is going to help you face each day, stay committed to tasks that need finished and goals. When people see you are accepting responsibility for yourself it can help build trusting relationships that can also help you push towards success. Perhaps the mental and physical limitations are what pushed you to find a career where you knew you could use to make a difference in people’s lives as they face their own hardships. You may not be able to relate to the exact difficulties that other people face but your own trials and tribulations can encourage you to help others when they need someone in their corner. So, you take the leap, find a lot of trials in college life but keep pressing forward, finding yourself doing pretty good at college despite continued struggles with general and social anxiety, ADHD, and the post effects of Gillian Barre Syndrome. I am “you” and I want to help people, I want to be a social worker. Consideration of this scholarship can help me meet that goal.

Imagine, if you can, everyone looking at you thinking you have an ideal life. I mean your parents are still married, they have decent jobs, you get to travel, you are blessed with all the things you need and many things you want. You know that you have never really had struggles or trauma that others face in life. You have never really had adverse childhood events that inflict so many difficulties for others. From the outside looking life can seems well, perfect. However, inside your brain there is a raging war every single day. What is causing this raging war? Anxiety and ADHD plague your mind everyday making everything in life feel overwhelming and demanding. Anxiety allows you to spend every single day overthinking and worrying. You get to worry that everything you say will be wrong, that something bad is going to happen to those you love, that you can’t handle things on your own, or that you aren’t good enough. This anxiety also has impacted every social encounter with friends as well as teachers. You can’t approach people because you are worrying about what they will think or that you will say the wrong things. So not only are you feeling constantly overwhelmed with anxiety, but you also now isolate yourself and feel alone. Then throw in Attention Deficit issues where you can’t focus on what you need to learn. The ADHD and anxiety feed off of each other like they are competing for your attention. During your life adults don’t ask you how they can help you. This is the question you long to be asked. They don’t ask how they can help you worry less, feel safer, focus more or what your needs are. They don’t ask how they can help you be successful. Frequently people just do things they think will help them, things they may need. This isn’t always bad but sometimes what other people want isn’t what you needed at all. Sometimes you may not know what you need but just being asked gives you ownership to be allowed to offer suggestion. While each day is a fight you press on. College was never on your mind because of everything school related was a struggle. Perhaps your limitations are what pushed you to find a career where you knew you could use to make a difference in people’s lives as they face their own hardships. You may not be able to relate to the exact difficulties that other people face but your own trials and tribulations can encourage you to help others when they need someone in their corner. So you take the leap, find a lot of trials in college life but keep pressing forward, finding yourself doing pretty good at college despite continued struggles with general and social anxiety, ADHD, and the post effects of Gillian Barre Syndrome. I am “you” and I want to help people, I want to be a social worker. I want to meet people where they are and get to ask the question, I wish people asked me more, “what do YOU need help with”.