The room was glowing, being unusually yellowy. It was the same room that wasn’t glowing an hour ago. I eventually learned that it was because I forgot to take my antidepressant that day. As it gets late in the day, I can feel myself dissociate from the world. The “glow” that I feel makes me feel like I was stuck in a body and watching it trying to go through the day. Whenever I feel like this I would find myself endlessly scrolling through TikTok and lying in bed nonstop. There are many ways I can get myself out of this loop. For example, I happened to forget to take my medication this morning and instead of lying in my bed, I am writing this essay. Distractions like writing can make me feel motivated during a time like this. Every day I have priorities and taking medication for my mental health is one of them. Every morning I must remember to take my antidepressant. I recently moved into my dorm in college and I’ve been told that making your mental health healthy is a big thing. In high school, I cared about school. However, whenever I am experiencing my lowest point, I would pretend to be sick just so I don’t have to attend class. By not attending class I miss lectures and it definitely has impacted me significantly in my academic performances. Now in college I cannot choose to miss class or I fail the class. That would definitely hurt me academically and mentally, so staying on track in college is a priority. In order for that to happen, I must use my coping skills to help me to survive. During the depressive state, I often become very emotional and it affects my personal life. My brain constantly fights whether I want to be alone or I need to be with other people. I get upset when people don’t understand me. Because of this, I constantly keep everything to myself. I overthink every possible thing and I see things in perspective that may seem crazy. My sister is very helpful when it comes to making me feel better. There are many people in my life who try to help but sometimes they make it worse. They don’t understand that sometimes when I get a depressive period I don't have a reason why I’m sad. With my depression and high anxiety I also get panic attacks which stem from my PTSD. Having panic attacks is a difficulty that I have to cope with. I make sure I rest after that which is very helpful for both my physical –getting dizzy and shaking from the hyperventilating– and mental state. I always consider my mental health when making choices. I know that mental health is a significant part of a person’s life. It’s like a piece of me isn't working. I like to fill my time with things I enjoy like spending time with a significant other, hanging out with my family, and creating artwork. I also enjoy watching movies or listening to music while doing something I love. This can boost my mental health and try to avoid a negative environment. Even though my mental health affected my academic performance and personal life, I learned that I shouldn’t take on a lot of responsibilities. It helped me decide how much I can handle when I was picking out my classes for college. I made sure I was still able to have time to take a break and just breathe. Just breathe and take one step at a time.

Music is a big part of my life. When I was younger, I would always try to learn the lyrics of the songs and nonstop singing them. Because I didn't have a phone or any way to listen to music when I had the opportunity to listen to them -- like from radios or public restaurants -- and try to remember the lyrics. In 5th grade, I was able to convince my parents to let me do band. They were not big on artsy things and band to my parents "aren't important". I played the flute in 5th grade and still play today as a senior in high school. My band participation was a little rough. In sixth grade, I did both band and choir. Being in both music classes, I wanted to continue to do it to senior year. I was also a fast learner in math so in seventh grade the teacher said I could take the harder math class. The main problem with it is that the math class is at the same time as band and choir. My parents obviously said I should take the math class because band and choir are just for fun. I fought back. I enjoy doing those things it was going to be taken away from me. Eventually, my parents and I came to a compromise. I take the hard math class, but I have to drop choir. I was able to coordinate with my band director so I could still participate in the band by attending lessons and performing in concert with my grade. Music isn't just fun for me. Whenever I hear a deep and sad song, I would relate to the song. By listening to the lyrics, I realized that the world is not all rainbow and unicorn. I listen to music a lot. When I'm driving, doing homework, working, showering, playing games, or just plain multitasking mode, I can be found listening to music. Listening to music is also one of my coping mechanisms especially when my depression hits really hard. Listening to music blocks me from thinking. It may sound like it is a bad thing but to me, it is really good. When I think too much, I start thinking negatively. I would find myself digging a hole in which I can't crawl back from. To me, silence seems so much louder and sometimes it scares me. My view of the world is that music is important.

Be a doctor. Be a lawyer. That is something my parents would say. They want me to have a good career with a great income because they never had the opportunities. For a long time, I always wanted to be a lawyer. I didn't want to be a doctor. It scares me. Being a lawyer seems like a reasonable choice because I enjoy listening and watching crime shows. I came to learn that I don't like learning about law and politics confuses me. I soon found something I was interested in. Psychiatry. My parents came from China to look for work. I was soon born and lived in a small town in Cannon Falls for my whole life. In my household, my siblings and I are expected to do well in school. My parents always say if we do well in school, in the future we could get good jobs and have a lot of money. Every time my siblings and I wanted something, my parents would repeat just that. It is nerve-wracking to be a senior and attend college without any knowledge of what to expect. My parents never went to college and I am the oldest. However, I am getting help from College Possible so I can get everything I need to apply for colleges. It's amazing to have people in my community to help me. In order to be a psychiatrist, I need to go to college. As a high schooler, I know college is a lot of money. Because I want to get my doctorate degree, that is 12 years of schooling. I would panic and freak out about how I was going to pay for that much of years of schooling. "Apply for scholarships," people tell me. This scholarship can really help me pay for college. It will definitely help even if it is a small portion of the cost. I really appreciate that there are people are offering money for others to gain higher education. I don't have to constantly worry how I'm gonna pay for college or discourage me from going to my dream school. Student debt is never the best and if I'm going to get my doctorate degree, I need to go to school for many years. Many years equal more money. This scholarship can really help me with my goal in getting a doctorate degree. Right now, I'm going to try my best in school and continue to apply for scholarship. Thank you for allowing me to have an opportunity to possibly achieve this scholarship. On my way to pursue my dream career.

During the year, 2021, my life completely changed. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I noticed how my behavior and thoughts have changed, becoming more negative. Mental health was not spoken about often in my environment. I would push all my feelings deep down into my brain thinking that they would just go away. The greatest problem was that I didn't completely understand my diagnosis. Nobody taught me about any coping skills, which could help me whenever I hit rock bottom. My mom finally decided that it was getting too serious and took me to the ER. I learned more about mental health and how it can affect a person immensely. My mental health illness helped shape my goals, relationships, and understanding of the world. My life started getting better after I started to see my therapist. I noticed things I haven't before. I learned many coping skills and it helped me through hard times. I learned that my friends weren't what I thought they were. It turned my world upside down. My life at school was unbearable and I often make excuses to not attend school. The best thing that came out of it was that I found a real friend. It made me realize that there are things I should look forward to like going to college instead of dwelling in the past. My relationships with other people also changed. I found a great friend who helped me through difficult times and I was able to start opening up. I used to keep my emotions bottled up because I always felt that feelings were pointless to share. I feel like whenever I do talk about my feelings, I am being “too dramatic”. It always makes me feel like an attention-seeker. I started to talk to my family more often about the tough times that I have been experiencing. Before I was going through hard times, I rarely talked to my mom about emotions. Now, she and I are like besties. While I share feelings with my mom, she would also tells me how she feels. It makes me feel valued that she trusts me as I do her. Someone, like my mom, can improve basic life struggles such as getting out of bed or taking my medication. When I was 13 years old, I thought I finally understood the world and how it functions. Now, there are things that aren’t what it seems. There are people who actually care about me while there are people who only care about themselves. When I needed my friends' help, their true colors appeared. This was when I realized they are not what they seem to be as a person. I came to learn this when my best friend --for a really long time-- started making fun of me. I didn’t think much of it when I was younger. I always knew she was joking. Last year, I finally spoke up. Nobody believed me, she is super nice to everyone and only mean to me. I started to notice things people wouldn’t notice at first glance. My knowledge of why certain people act a certain way rocketed. The biggest thing I learned was that I could finally tell the difference between reality and disguise. My awful experiences help me form greater goals, and relationships with other people and see the world’s blind side. My depression and anxiety help me move forward in life. Now, other people are also coming out about their mental health and it made me feel not embarrassed of who I have become.

When I was younger, I was always expected to be top of my class. An A minus is like failing my parents, so I mainly focus on my education at a young age. While my classmates hang out with their friends, I would be found reading a book in a corner. Usually, I would read one book per day, however, if it was a short book, I could finish two. My parents are the main reason why I push myself into succeeding and taking as many opportunities as possible. I have pushed myself to receive higher education, focus on my future career, and create changes to make accomplishments for the world. The first time I received an opportunity in getting a higher education was when I was in sixth grade. My math teacher noticed my math skills and asked me to consider doing seventh-grade class. I ended up starting seventh-grade math in the middle of my sixth-grade year and finished the rest of it in the summer before eighth grade started where I leap into Algebra 1. In seventh grade, I decided to do Speech, an extracurricular activity. I started off terribly, however, as the year went on I improved immensely. By ninth grade, I qualified for state and even in tenth grade, I even finished first in the section tournament that year. That was my greatest accomplishment for me. In 10th grade, I decided to take AP Biology and AP US History compared to the regular classes. My parents started to loosen up their rein on my education and they decided to make me choose at least one AP class. Since my mind was built into taking all the opportunities I can, I decided to take both classes. It was a stressful year, but I was able to pull through it. This year will be my Junior year; I have decided to take AP Psychology, AP Calculus, and AP Composition. I have also decided to take an extra class after school, Basic Nursing so I can have a backup career as another option in the medical field. When I was younger, I always wondered what I should be when I grew up from being a teacher to being a lawyer. I finally decided to go into the field of psychology after I had some mental health illness. I have been going to therapy and finally, I understand my surroundings. A lot of people are going through mental health problems in some way and I want to somehow help people who aren’t trying to see that mental health is important. Being a psychologist is a possible way to help with that problem. The changes I want to accomplish are to understand the world and why a person acts a certain way. I want to bring mental health into the topic, not something the students have to be forced to learn. There should be a place in the community where anyone could get help without being shamed. Some people are bullied for what they are so they would continue as normal to hide their feelings. By having more knowledge of psychology, I could form a positive change that can positively affect the world. At a young age, I have taken so many opportunities and now, I can hopefully help other people the way the opportunities would affect me. Because of my parent’s push, I was able to push myself to do more than expected. I can’t wait to use my skill to help our community and thank the community for what they have done for me.

“Volunteer now, success in the future.” This quote was repeated to me multiple times. My parents shared this to me when I became a teenager. They wanted me to succeed in life and so they wanted me to have every opportunities I can get. By volunteering, I can give back to the community and earn experiences along the way. This can help me in the future so I can give back to my community. So far, I have volunteered watching the incoming first-graders, participating in the student council, and continuing in the Minnesota Honor Society(MHS). In the summer of 10th grade, I volunteered to watched the incoming first grade students when they attended summer school. This was my first community service ever. This was big for me and I had to be responsible person. I was a leader to these kids. They would ask for help and inform me about their day. They respected me and even recognized me in public. This left me a great feeling. In 9th grade and 10th grade, I joined the High School student council. I represented the student body and made decisions for the school. There were many volunteer opportunities in student council from decorating the school for homecoming to donating food for the food drive. I volunteered to sell tickets and worked at concessions. There was a program called, We Scare Hunger, where people can donate food. A couple of people and I walked around the neighborhood and looked for food that people wanted to donate. It was a huge success. Everything I did was to helps others. Towards the end of 10th grade, I was invited to join the MHS. It was a great honor. I started my first community service I have done in that club was selling tickets for the Spring play. The second was putting flags in the cemetery for Memorial Day. This way, on Memorial Day, the veteran can be honored and remembered. In the summer of 10th grade, I volunteered at the pancake breakfast. I cleaned the table and make sure everything was set up. It was really helpful for the other volunteers at the event. These were the community services I have done so far for MHS. By doing many community services, experience can be gained for me and help can be gained for the community. The communities had provided learning opportunities to help me succeed in life, helping back is the least I can do. By staying in MHS and NSHSS, I can do many volunteer activities. “Volunteer now, success in the future.”

My parents are from China. They had to work hard to get here and earn enough money to support themselves and my siblings and me. My parents push me to do my best, and they expect me to do well in school. Just last year, I was diagnosed with mental health illness. Because of all the stress and my environment, my thoughts and feelings became confused. My experience with mental health influenced my beliefs, relationships, and career aspiration. In August of 2021, I have gotten my first boyfriend. I was super happy. But I was also crying every day. I didn’t know why. I was happy and having the best day of my life. However, tears continue to flow down my face. A month later, I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety. I believed that I was crazy the entire time before I was diagnosed. When I ended up in the hospital for a week, I learned from the wrong to the right. I developed coping mechanisms and learned about my illness. I was finally able to see hope in the future. My relationship with my family increased and I was more comfortable in talking to them. I increased my relationship with my mom and was able to talk to her about things that I don’t usually talk about to my mom. I was able to make new friends and figured out who my fake friends were. I started branching out and made new friends. I even felt comfortable talking to other people in my class. My self-esteem increased. I even started talking to people I don’t even know. My relationship with everyone has improved so much. When I was younger, my parents told me that I have to figure out a career that earns a lot of money like being a doctor. I decided to try going into law. They wanted me to go to Harvard University to become a lawyer. Later, I figured out that I was more interested in psychology. Therapy had made me understand more about my brain and how people think. I was so interested in psychology that I decided to take AP Psychology this year. So far it has been great. I can actually understand the subject which made me extremely happy. With my experience with mental health, I was able to figure out right from wrong, improve many relationships, and figured out a career that I am interested in. My mental health gave me an experience that helped me see the world more clearer which helped me form reality thoughts. Witnessing the world around me can improve a person’s life. Taking AP Psychology and Basic Nursing can help me understand humankind.

This year, I decided to take a class after school on Basic Nursing. I became interested in going into the medical field more into psychology. In a way, I feel like having an experience in nursing will help me in the future, especially in my dream career. My goal is to be a psychologist, so working with people who are in need of medical care can help me with my psychology skills. Because I am interested in the medical field, I feel like starting bottom would be a reasonable step. I can climb my way up from experience and finally people able to practice psychology. My parents always wanted me to be a doctor. When I was younger, I would always be squeamish about blood and everything like that so I decided to stick to being a lawyer. However, just last year, I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and ADHD, and I started becoming intrigued by psychology. I decided to pursue something in that. I always looked up to my cousin. She has gone to college with a full-ride scholarship to John Hopkins University. She is pursuing her career in doctoring, more specifically being a surgeon. I want to be like her, but more reading the mind. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a shortage of nurses. I could have a job, while also obtaining experience as a nursing assistant. The nurses would be really grateful. I can create relationships with many varieties of people. It is great for both the community and me. As a graduating high school student, I want to pursue some kind of nursing program because of my interest in the medical field. Becoming a nursing assistant first can give me some practice in interacting with people. My parent’s dream came true. I am planning to mind a doctor one day.

I, Angel Zheng, have always been expected to take as many opportunities, that can help me in the future. My parents molded me into a smart, always-afraid-to-say-no girl. It is typical for Chinese-Asian parents to be hard on their children. Unfortunately, this is true. It shouldn’t be a bad thing, right? Many people want to be smart, and often ask me how I do it. I can’t tell them that, oh, I study for fun. It is not me. I would rather play than spend all my time helping my parents work and read -- study if there is a school. I had to memorize the timetable and division by second grade. I had to find more opportunities to take and learn. Receiving a higher education would allow me to succeed in life and manage a great career. I was motivated by my parent’s life. The motivation for a successful career and being the first generation. My parents came from China. It was not a luxurious life, rather they suffered from poor diets. My parent’s family was poor. They had to start working early to support their family and themselves. My mom could’ve gone to college and become a nurse. However, because her parents couldn’t afford classes, she was visually impaired, which prevented her from passing tests. My parents had to work hard to earn enough money to come to America. Once, they came to America, they continued to work. My dad had to work overtime when my sibling and I were born. They supported me and were able to move to a nice community and a nice school. My parents had done so much for me, it feels right to give back. I am the oldest child in my family. I would be the first generation. I think my parents expected me to succeed since I am the oldest. I often feel like it was unfair that my siblings get to do activities that my parents don’t usually allow. For example, I wanted to join Dance but my parents say that it won’t help me in the future. Rather, I was supposed to join Speech and Math League instead. When my sister entered middle school, my mom encourages her to try speech for a year. After she didn’t like it, my parents were fine that my sister joined Dance. At that time, obviously, I was mad at my parents and my sister. I know it is not their fault, but I felt the unfairness of it. After a while, I start to understand why my parents are treating me the way they did. They wanted me to succeed in life. In tenth grade, I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety. My parents began to loosen their reins. I was able to make my own decision. However, the way they raised me, kinda forms who I am. Now, I ended up finding myself comparing myself to other people. Sometimes consciously, and sometimes unconsciously. When I compare myself to other people, I often try to do more to be “better”. I often join many clubs even though I am not interested in them and take as many opportunities as possible. As I take higher education in psychology, I will be able to have a career in it. It will help me find a job easier after graduating from college. It can help me with my overall lifestyle. I will make my parents and family proud.

The Special Day of Red and Yellow It is the night before the red and yellow special day Same blood related are reunited Sharp aromas drift through the house Unique dishes range from crab to treasure rice Red shiny envelope, a scream of delight Money and good luck all in one package Stay up late and celebrate all night Getting ready for the upcoming day The magical and exciting day is here Red Chinese lanterns decorate the street Walking, moving, and dancing with the majestic dragon Melodious tunes swiftly move down the street Meeting up with friends and relatives Running, laughing, screaming children Delicious sweet and savory scents Performances with dancing and singing Bystanders cheer in delight This continues into the night Lanterns flicker in the dark Some float up into the sky Resembling bright futures This is the heart of the celebrations Boom! Sizzle! Exploding bright firework Colors from red to white Flowery glowing sprinkled light People eating dumplings while watching the shiny night Scaring the evil spirit away While good luck continues to come

My parents are from China. They had to work hard to get here and earn enough money to support themselves and my siblings and me. My parents push me to do my best, and they expect me to do well in school. Last year, I was diagnosed with mental health illness. Because of all the stress and my environment, my thoughts and feelings became confused. My experience with mental health influenced my beliefs, relationships, and career aspiration. In August of 2021, I got my first boyfriend. I was super happy. But I was also crying every day. I didn’t know why. I was happy and had the best day of my life. But, tears continue to flow down my face. A month later, I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety. I believed that I was crazy the entire time before I was diagnosed. When I ended up in the hospital for a week, I learned from the wrong to the right. I developed coping mechanisms and learned about my illness. I was finally able to see hope in the future. My relationship with my family increased and I was more comfortable talking to them. I increased my relationship with my mom and was able to talk to her about things that I don’t usually talk about with my mom. I was able to make new friends and figured out who my fake friends were. I started branching out and made new friends. I even felt comfortable talking to other people in my class. My self-esteem increased. I even started talking to people I don’t even know. My relationship with, everyone has improved so much. When I was younger, my parents told me that I have to figure out a career that earns a lot of money like being a doctor. I decided to try going into law. They wanted me to go to Harvard University to become a lawyer. Later, I figured out that I was more interested in psychology. Therapy had made me understand more about my brain and how people think. I was so interested in psychology that I decided to take AP Psychology this year. So far it has been great. I can actually understand the subject which made me happy. With my experience with mental health, I was able to figure out the right from the wrong, improve many relationships, and figured out a career that I am interested in. My mental health gave me an experience that helped me see the world clearer which helped me form real thoughts. Witnessing the world around me can improve a person’s life. Taking AP Psychology and Basic Nursing can help me understand humankind.

This is crazy. I am crazy. I was going insane. I thought I was going crazy. I recently got a boyfriend and it was the happiest time of my life. But, I cried every day. I was happy but the tears continues to flow down my face. Later, I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and ADHD. With my experience with mental health illnesses, I can help other people in the future who are also struggling. It was a difficult time for me and my illnesses did not help. I struggled through the challenges and hoped that my experiences can help people in the future. I gained the emotion of empathy for others and that is the best thing to have. In September of 10th grade, I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety. My condition got worse so I ended up in the hospital for a week. I was isolated from the outside world and was presented in a stress-free environment. I learned many coping strategies and details about my illness. This helped me understand what I have. I started taking antidepressants and with the help of my therapist, my life improve. I am way happier than last year. I made new friends and branched out more. My self-esteem increased. My progress in improving life was successful. Since I have experienced different challenges, people who are also experiencing similar problems can relate to me. Since they are related, understanding how they feel and think can allow me to help them compared to someone who has not experienced these challenges. I am planning to use all the positive methods that had helped me and help others with them. Psychology is where my dream career lies. Empathy is feeling something that someone else’s feels. By understanding a person’s feelings, helping them will be more effective. Being empathetic can increase patience which can lead to a slow linear increase in life. My experience with empathy and mental illnesses can help other people understand that they are not alone. It would make me feel better because I am helping other people. Since other people are helping me, I like giving back to them. This can provide a better future for both myself and other people around the world.

“Volunteer now, success in the future.” This quote was repeated to me multiple times. My parents shared this to me when I became a teenager. They wanted me to succeed in life and so they wanted me to have every opportunity I can get. By volunteering, I can give back to the community and earn experiences along the way. This can help me in the future so I can give back to my community. So far, I have volunteered to watch the incoming first-graders, participating in the student council, and continuing in the Minnesota Honor Society(MHS). In the summer of 10th grade, I volunteered to watch the incoming first grade students when they attended summer school. This has been my first community service ever. This was big for me and I had to be a responsible person. I was a leader for these kids. They would ask for help and inform me about their day. They respected me and even recognized me in public. This left me a great feeling. In 9th grade and 10th grade, I joined the High School student council. I represented the student body and made decisions for the school. There were many volunteer opportunities in student council for decorating the school for homecoming to donating food for the food drive. I volunteered to sell tickets and worked in concessions. There was a program called, We Scare Hunger, where people can donate food. A couple of people and I walked around the neighborhood and looked for food that people wanted to donate. It was a huge success. Everything I did was to help others. Towards the end of 10th grade, I was invited to join the MHS. It was a great honor. I started my first community service I have done in that club was selling tickets for the Spring play. The second was putting flags in the cemetery for Memorial Day. This way, on Memorial Day, the veteran can be honored and remembered. In the summer of 10th grade, I volunteered at the pancake breakfast. I cleaned the table and make sure everything was set up. It was really helpful for the other volunteers at the event. These were the community services I have done so far for MHS. By doing many community services, experience can be gained for me and help can be gained from the community. The communities had provided learning opportunities to help me succeed in life, helping back is the least I can do. By staying in MHS and NSHSS, I can do many volunteer activities. “Volunteer now, success in the future.”

What is wrong with me? That was the question that circled my head when I was in 10th grade. I cried daily and always felt alone. One day, I ended up in the hospital. The doctor diagnosed me with depression and anxiety and later ADHD. I was not surprised, but knowing what I haven’t helped. I became intrigued by psychology. Applying for this scholarship will help me get into college where I can pursue my career in psychology. While I was experiencing the dark times and trying to reach my goal, and from what I learned to pay it forward to help others with their life. It all started in August of last year. It was confusing why I was crying every day. I was happy too, I got my first boyfriend. I shouldn’t be crying, I would tell myself. I should be jumping up and down and having the best day of my life. I came to learn that it was the start of my depression. I learned that event was not the reason, but rather all the trauma I had experienced in the past. I started to understand empathy way more and actually helped other people overcome their challenges. I learned what to say and do. Since I experienced something like that I would refer to what I would want people to say and do. Even though I was on the brink of disaster, I was able to heal. So far what I have done to achieve my goal is my involvement in Speech. It allows me to speak up more, make friends, and learn to improve communication. This year, I started taking Basic Nursing after school. This way I would have some background in the medical field which may help me with psychology. I wanted to learn more about psychology this year, so I decided to take AP psychology. From our school, they only have an ITV class, which I didn’t mind. I can’t wait to drive into that class. By focusing on psychology and continuing to learn more, I will be able to help other people in my community in the future. I can help other people through my career and also can help people around me. There are people in the world who need a guide. Giving advice when someone needs, it could guide their life to a successful path. When I get older, I am planning to be a psychologist or something in that field. It can bring more awareness to mental health. This scholarship would make it easier to pay for college so I can help people in the future. There's nothing wrong with me.

In elementary school, I really enjoy taking the snap tests --simple math. To me, the test was extremely easy compared to the other subject being taught in that class. It was the only subject I could do well in. Math is an easy school subject for me, which is why I love math. When a subject is easy, it is more fun to do them. Doing more math like joining Math League can increase my math knowledge. As an Asian-American, math in my mind is way easier than English. English was not my first language and my parents don’t know English. I have to learn it all on my own and required help from the school. My parents always want me to get really good grades, so when we started doing snap tests at school, I was forced to memorize the multiplication table. Since that I was doing well in multiplication, my teacher let me continue to division. As a Chinese person, math is way simpler than English. In middle school, 6th grade was basically a review of elementary school math, so when I did really well on the pretest, my teacher asked me if I wanted to do 7th-grade math. In eighth grade, I was taking Algebra II. I joined the math league. The middle school math teacher saw the potential I have in math and asked me to join the team. The first year I joined, I didn’t expect it to be so hard. However, in the second year, I was able to place 7th place. In High School, I joined the High School Math Team and place 7th place. It was an exciting experience to showcase my math skills. Since math for me is the most understandable subject, which I love. I received higher education for math, so I could challenge myself. It is my junior year and I am taking AP Calculus. Next year, by challenging myself in math, even more, I am planning to do some kind of college math.

China is the place my parents were born. My parents' family was poor and most of the time they did not have full meals any day. My parents worked super hard to get into America. They continued to work as hard as they got to the US. Soon, a girl was born. My dad had to continue to work long hours to support both me and my mom. The older I got, I also had to work to help. As an Asian-American Girl, there were many challenges I had to overcome. I had to overcome physical abuse, was bullied mentally and experienced mental illnesses. Many people helped and supported me which allowed me to overcome the difficulties. Some of the difficulties I had to experience were physical abuse. When I was younger, my dad used to hit me. I would always dread coming home and always had to lie to people at school about my injuries. There were multiple interactions with the social services, but that only elevated the situation. When I got older the hitting stopped. He started to respect me and I slowly forgave him bit by bit. Just last year, my dad apologized especially when I started to develop mental illnesses. During the times when I was younger, I was not a bright kid. I never understood why the older kids treated my siblings and me wrongly. There was one incident that happened on the bus where older kids -middle schoolers- were making fun of my siblings and me. They made jokes about Chinese culture, but since my siblings and I didn't know about Chinese culture so we kept quiet. After a few weeks of bullying, I asked my mom if what they said were true. Apparently, it was not. There were many times people would assume many things about us. People asked if I eat pets which really horrified me. I own a cat and she is my everything. These many difficulties can greatly impact a person’s mind. In middle school, I ignored the comments. Middle school was a time for people to fit in. Once I hit high school, my brain changed. I was more understanding of psychology and I started to think a lot. Just last year, I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety and later ADHD. I had to stay at a hospital for five days and there I learned many coping mechanisms. I found out who my real friends were and that took a huge toll on me. A person I trusted for many years wasn’t what she seemed to be. I learned many things in the hospital, which interested me in psychology. I decided to pursue psychology instead of a pressured career in law. Though I had many challenges, I had many people who helped me through hard times. My ex-friends were the main reason why I was drowning but when I was able to find a new friend who really understands me and actually cared about me. My family was the biggest support during my depressed state. They listened to me and helped me find solutions to problems. Teachers were also warned about my condition, and they have also helped me. They also understood what things I needed in order to do well in school. Focusing on myself was the encouragement I needed to move forward. It can inspire many people as it did to me. I have overcome so many obstacles that a normal person wouldn’t have to go through. Because I am an Asian-American person, I have to adapt to the environment. It was great news that there were so many people who inspired me to overcome all my challenges and continue into a bright future. Hopefully, I achieve my goal to be a psychologist.

China, the place my parents were born. My parents' family was poor and most of the time they did not have a full meal some days. My parents worked super hard to get into America. They continued to work as hard when they got to the US. Soon, a girl was born. My dad had to continue to work long hours to support both me and my mom. The older I got, I also had to work to help. As an Asian-American girl, there were many challenges I had to overcome. I had to overcome physical abuse, was bullied mentally, and experienced mental illnesses. Many people helped and supported me which allowed me to overcome the difficulties. Some of the difficulties I had to experience was physical abuse. When I was younger, my dad used to hit me. I would always dread coming home, and always had to lie to people at school about my injuries. There were multiple interactions with the social services but that only elevated the situation. When I got older the hitting stopped. He started to respect me and I slowly forgave him bit by bit. Just last year, my dad apologized to me. During the times when I was younger, I was not a bright kid. I never understood why the older kids treated my siblings and I differently. They made jokes about Chinese culture, but since my siblings and I didn't know about Chinese culture so we kept quiet. After a few weeks of bullying, I asked my mom if what they said were true. Apparently, it was not. There were many times people would assume many things about us. People asking if I eat pets which really horrified me. I own a cat and she is my everything. These many difficulties can greatly impact a person’s mind. In middle school, I ignored the comments. Middle school was a time for people to fit in. Once I hit high school, my brain changed. I was more understanding of psychology and I started to think a lot. Just last year, I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety and later ADHD. I had to stay at a hospital for five days and there I learned many coping mechanisms. I found out who my real friends were and that took a huge toll on me. A person I trusted for many years wasn’t what she seemed to be. I learned many things in the hospital which interested me into psychology. I decided to pursue psychology instead of a pressured career into law. Though I had many challenges, I had many people who helped me through hard times. My ex-friends were the main reason why I was drowning but when I was able to find a new friend who really understands me and actually cared about me. My family was the biggest support during my depression-state. They listened to me and helped me find solutions to problems. Teachers were also warned about my condition, and they have also helped me. They also understood what things I needed in order to do well in school. Focusing on myself was the encouragement I needed to move forward. It can inspire many people like it did to me. I have overcome so many obstacles that a normal person wouldn’t have to go through. Because I am an Asian-American person, I have to adapt to the environment. It was great news that there were so many people who inspired me to overcome all my challenges and continue into the bright future. Hopefully, I achieve my goal to be a psychologist.

When I was younger, I was always expected to be top of my class. I was also expected to receive As as a grade. A minus is like failing my parents, so I mainly focus on my education at a young age. While my classmates hang out with their friends, I would be found reading a book in a corner. Usually, I would read one book per day, however, if it was a short book, I could finish two. My parents are the main reason why I push myself into succeeding and taking as many opportunities as possible. I have pushed myself to receive higher education, focus on my future career, and create changes to make accomplishments to the world. The first time I received an opportunity in getting a higher education was when I was in sixth grade. My math teacher noticed my math skills and asked me to consider doing a seventh grade class. I ended up starting seventh grade math in the middle of my sixth grade year and finished the rest of it in the summer before eighth grade started where I leap into Algebra 1. In seventh grade, I decided to do Speech, a curricular activity. I started off terrible, however, as the year went on I improved immensely. By ninth grade, I qualified for state and in tenth grade I even finished first in the section tournament. That was the greatest accomplishment for me. For four years, I have worked so hard; I finally achieved it. This means that my communication has improved which will help me in the future. In 10th grade, I decided to take AP Biology and AP US History compared to the regular classes. My parents started to loosen up their rein on my education and they decided to make me choose at least one AP class. Since my mind was built into taking all the opportunities I can, I decided to take both classes. It was a stressful year, but I was able to pull through it. This year, it will be my Junior year; I have decided to take AP Psychology, AP Calculus, and AP Composition. I have also decided to take an extra class after school, Basic Nursing so I can have a backup career as another option in the medical field. Currently, I am preparing for my ACT and I am going to study hard to get a great score. These are the educational opportunities I have tried to accomplish. When I was younger, I always wondered what I should be when I grew up from being a teacher to being a lawyer. I finally decided to go into the field of psychology after I had some mental health illness. I have been going to therapy and finally, I understand my surroundings. A lot of people are going through mental health problems in some way and I want to somehow help people who aren’t trying to see that mental health is important. Being a psychologist is a possible way to help with that problem. The changes I want to accomplish is to understand the world and why a person acts a certain way. I want to bring mental health into the topic, not something the students have to be forced to learn. There should be a place in the community where anyone could get help without being shamed. Some people are bullied for what they are so they would continue as normal to hide their feelings. This wouldn’t help anyone who is experiencing any of the mental problems. By having more knowledge of psychology, I could form a positive change that can positively affect the world. At a young age, I have taken so many opportunities and now, I can hopefully help the other people the way the opportunities would affect me. Because of my parent’s push, I was able to push myself to do more than expected. I can’t wait to use my skill to help our community and thank the community for what they have done for me.

During the year, 2021, my life completely changed. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I noticed how my behavior and thoughts have changed, becoming more negative. Mental health was not spoken often in my environment. I would push all my feelings deep down into my brain thinking that it would just go away. The greatest problem was that I didn't completely understand my diagnosis. Nobody taught me about some coping skills, which could help me whenever I hit rock bottom. My mom finally decided that it was getting too serious and took me to the ER. I learned more about mental health and how it can affect a person immensely. My mental health illness helped shape my goals, relationships, and understanding of the world. Succeeding in life, improving relationships with other people, and viewing the world with different perspectives changed my life positively. My life started getting better after I started to see my therapist. I noticed things I haven't before. I learned many coping skills and it helped me through hard times. I learned that my friends weren't what I thought they were. It turned my world upside down. My life at school was unbearable and I often make excuses to not attend school. It was not all traumatic. The best thing that came out of it was that I found a real friend. It made me realize that there are things I should look forward to like going to college instead of dwelling in the past. My relationships with other people also changed. I found a great friend who helped me through difficult times and I was able to start opening up. I used to keep my emotions bottled up because I always felt that feelings were pointless to share. I feel like whenever I do talk about my feelings, I am being “too dramatic”. It always makes me feel like an attention-seeker. I started to talk to my family more often about the tough times that I have been experiencing. Before I was going through hard times, I rarely talked to my mom about emotions. Now, she and I are like besties. We talk to each other more often than a usual teenager would. While I share feelings with my mom, she would also tell me how she feels. It makes me feel valued that she trusts me as I do with her. Someone, like my mom, can improve basic life struggles such as getting out of bed or taking my medication. When I was 13 years old, I thought I finally understood the world and how it functions. Now, there are things that aren’t what it seems. There are people who actually care about me while there are people who only care about themselves. When I needed my friends' help, their true colors appeared. This was when I realized they are not what they seem to be as a person. I came to learn this when my best friend --for a really long time-- started making fun of me. I didn’t think much of it when I was younger. I always knew she was joking. Last year, I finally spoke up. Nobody believed me, she is super nice to everyone and only mean to me. It hurts, especially when I find out another person pretended to agree with me. I started to notice things people wouldn’t notice at first glance. My knowledge of why certain people act a certain way rocketed. The biggest thing I learned was that I could finally tell the difference between reality and disguise. My awful experiences help me form greater goals, relationships with other people, and see the world’s blind side. My depression and anxiety help me move forward in life. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with ADHD. It provided some positive advantages like knowing how to create a safe environment to best do well in school. Now, other people are also coming out about their mental health and it made me feel not embarrassed of who I have become.