I know all too well just how important mental health is. I was diagnosed with two disorders: Auditory Processing Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Communicating with others was a nightmare. I would only say a few words and it was to the point where my teachers thought I did not know English. Little did those teachers know that I just struggled with communication. In terms of my auditory processing order, I struggled with school. On top of that, I have been rejected on dating apps and social media due to my body weight and ethnic background, which worsen my self-esteem and body image. However, I graduated high school, obtained my undergraduate degree, and am currently a Public Health graduate student. I even had officer / leadership roles in three separate clubs and delivered a speech in front of 200 people during a club event. I achieved all of this through two factors — hard work and believing in myself. On a related note, here are 5 ways on how to clear your mind and still thrive in life no matter your mental condition: 1. Nostalgia and reconnecting with your past: Take the time to look over past photos, videos, or even things you wrote in the past and recall what I call the ‘triple-E’ — the environment, experience, and emotions you felt at that captured moment. If you are feeling stuck mentally or physically, this can help you get back into having a growth mindset rather than settling for where you are now in life. It reminds you just how much you have changed, grown, or perhaps regressed. It can really help you to re center yourself, your values, and your “why” if you lost your purpose and way. 2. Having a support system of like-minded people: It is one thing to talk to others in a general sense, but it is another thing to have people around you who genuinely believe in you, have similar values/beliefs, and even parallel goals in mind. It keeps you on the right track towards your future ambitions and clears your mind of any intrusive thoughts that may hinder you from getting to where you want to be in life. 3. Positive Mantras: Though mantras are used to invoke God’s name in Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Hinduism (which I personally practice), people use them as positive energy to calm themselves down. I use them to get through the day and as well as in prayer. Mantras can help me gain the strength to overcome challenges. 4. Breathing exercises: There are various breathing techniques that can significantly reduce not only your stress, but also improve your health in general, such as improving lung function. Trying each one and seeing which works best for you is worth experimenting with. Here is an article by Healthline that shares 10 breathing exercises: www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercise#equal-breathing 5. Dance it away: I have been dancing on and off since 6th grade, sometimes earlier. Though I don't dance professionally, I dance as a workout. I do hip hop, Bhangra, Kuchipudi, Bollywood dance, and Bharatnatyam via YouTube dance/videos. Since dancing is a form of exercise, I also encourage others to engage in other physical activities as well. I do 50 wall pushups, 4-5 days a week. It helps me with confidence and loving my body even more, while losing weight and improving my overall mood.

When you read a new book, it feels like the authors draw you into the story with their imagery and writing style. Some books can be inspirational to people. One such book I enjoyed reading was titled A Sick Life: TLC and Me: Stories from On and Off the Stage, written by Tionne Watkins, popularly known as T-Boz. Watkins is an actress, singer, and author. She was best known for being the lead singer of the 90's RnB girl group, TLC. I listened to an audio version of this book on YouTube last summer. The story was inspiring to me, as T-Boz was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease: Sickle Cell Anemia, which affects Red Blood Cells. Because of this disease, the doctors predicted she wouldn't make it past 30 or have kids. Fortunately, she is alive today at 51 and has a biological daughter and an adopted son. I find this inspiring because, despite the odds, she overcame her physiological weaknesses. I have a similar problem. My learning support teacher told me I wouldn't be able to go to college. But, with my hard work, I graduated from undergrad with my bachelor's degree. T-Boz was part of TLC, one of the most successful girl groups in history. Unfortunately, the group suffered managerial and financial problems but stuck through thick and thin. I commend those girls for sticking through it, as it was a sign of strength. This life hiccup inspired me to go my own way and not listen to anyone's criticisms.

Music: it has the power to move people, make them cry, motivate, or inspire them, and music inspires me to overcome challenges. I have endured them. When I feel down about not losing weight or not getting good grades in school, I listen to music, and a song I selected for this essay prompt is titled, Stand In The Rain. Stand in the rain was written by the Christian rock band Superchick. I first heard this song from a YouTube video two years ago. A YouTuber used pop songs from the early 2000s to match Teen Titan characters to their respective personalities. That YouTuber paired Stand in The Rain to Raven, who was a character on the show. Raven struggled with being half-demon, half-human. Yet, she overcame that struggle and was able to balance both. So, that song suits her. On a related note, she and that specific song motivate me to overcome my demons. This song inspired me to become the best version of myself. I feel I can't achieve anything (e.g.-earning a 3.5 GPA, achieving a toned body, what have you.) Whenever I would think about those things, I would just run to my room and start listening to this song on YouTube. Stand In the Rain will be a song that has inspired me to push forward. The main message is to be strong and that You have to face life and "Stand in the Rain."

Attached to this application is the video. Please click the link provided. Thank you in advance.

For some, learning comes easy or natural, no matter what they are presented with. However for others, it takes work and persistence, with countless moments of failure and setbacks. For me, what I struggled with the most was math. It was a struggle that turned emotional, oftentimes ending with tears on my homework as I worked out the arithmetic, still not understanding how to solve a problem. And to add to the challenge this presented, I constantly was striving to impress and uphold the high expectations of my South Asian-American parents who migrated from India. My teachers complained to my parents about how I wasn’t improving at all, even after the individualized education plan (IEP) that catered to my learning style. As the IEP papers continued to pile upon my desk, I began to view it as Mt. Everest — a mountain I had tried to climb, but kept failing to reach the peak time after time again. However, thankfully my mother helped me step by step with overcoming this mountain. She made practice problems for me and graded my work. Whatever problems I struggled with, she was patient, and would explain the concept to me again. Eventually I got to a point where I could solve the problems in an efficient amount of time without guidance. With that being said, I hope this essay serves as a reminder that everyone learns at different speeds and in various ways. Just because someone doesn’t excel at something instantly, doesn’t mean they are incapable of eventually doing so. If awarded the Advancing Social Justice for Asians Scholarship, I will be able to fund my education and be afforded more time to commit to various missions that advocate for Asian students both at my university and externally. Since last year, the U.S. faced a rise in racism towards the East Asian community due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a south Asian, I still find it imperative to be in support of the overall Asian community. So, I have made a conscious effort to sign petitions, raise awareness about Asian-American hate crimes, and continuously stay up-to-date about what is going on in the news regarding my community / ways to help. Outside of my advocacy for the overall Asian community, one of my aspirations is to create a nonprofit that helps South Asian-Americans with special needs. The concentrations would be Unspecified Neurocognitive Disorders, Learning Disabilities and Autism. I know what it is like to feel alone when you have a learning disability, especially when there is such a stigma and lack of understanding towards those who have one. This nonprofit would be able to impact those with origins from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. I want to be a voice for those who cannot stand up for themselves academically and for them to know that a learning disability doesn’t necessarily mean an inability to learn.