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I come from a family with a long history of mental illness. My mother, when I was a child, was even institutionalized for a few weeks at one point. I, too, struggle with mental illness: anxiety and depression. One of my earliest memories is riding home from school with my mom and asking her, "Hey, Mom, what is the word for excited but in a bad way?" to which she told me calmly, "That's anxiety." I struggled deeply in middle and high school, and was even suicidal at one point. My parents' marriage was awful, and it exacerbated my fragile mindset. There was one day, New Year's Day of 2018 where my parents were arguing again. I had been sent to my room, but I still heard everything. I felt so small, worthless, and useless. How could I not stop this fighting? Was I not enough? That day was the closest I ever came to ending my life. I had no friends, no support system. I saw a belt on my door, and I had recently watched a documentary about how Robin Williams had ended his own life. I thought about it long and hard. I thankfully did not act on it. Years after that, in late 2020, my mom finally filed for divorce. My parents separated, and by that, I mean my dad simply moved downstairs. Living in a household that was seemingly even more tense was harsh, and I confided in my mom one night about how awful I felt. I broke down and told her about that night in 2018. She made me go to the doctor where I was put on a series of medications all to try and stop the awful thoughts that never stopped ringing through my head. They worked somewhat. It made me feel more numb than anything, but anything was worse than the extreme highs and lows I was constantly feeling. Time passed and my dad eventually moved out. My parents' divorce was finalized. I could breathe again. I graduated high school in May 2023 and I now attend the University of West Georgia. I have since stopped taking my litany of medications and focus more on coping with my emotions than relying on a chemical to make them never occur in the first place. It is hard, and I still struggle greatly with it. When in a spiral, it is hard to do simple things like shower or brush my teeth or study, but I push through. Despite my obstacles to get here, I am on track, now, to graduate in the Fall of 2026, the first person on my dad's side of the family to graduate and second on my mom's side after my half brother a few years ago. I do not let my battles define me, but they have made me who I am today.