Science has always been my favorite subject. From elementary school on my ideal job always centered around science, from becoming a veterinarian, to doctor, to pathologist, to my current goal of biological research, science has always been the cornerstone, and helping others went hand in hand with it. Research may not seem like a very important or useful area within health, but innovations and discoveries in the lab can help save millions of lives. My current field of study is biology, I've just finished a course in microbiology that was very helpful for me. That class taught me about many different diseases, pathogens, modes of entry, all of which are useful when it comes to human health. I will be starting a microbiology research project with my professor this coming semester, and I'm excited to see what we can find and learn. The main areas I am currently interested in studying include vector borne illnesses, zoonotic diseases, and bacteriophages. Vector borne illnesses are diseases and illnesses that are caused by bug bites that inject the pathogen into the host. These illnesses are often very severe and more dangerous than illnesses that can be transmitted thorough other routes as having higher illness levels keeps the host incapacitated so they don't kill the bug, and it also increases levels of the pathogen in the blood, making it more likely to transmit. Zoonotic diseases are diseases that occurs as fairly steady levels in a host population, but due to interactions with humans that illness spills over and starts to infect humans. Examples of zoonotic diseases include HIV, COVID, Ebola, Avian Influenza, and Anthrax. These diseases on their own are dangerous, but if we can look at how the spillover even occurred, we may be able to reduce the risk of future spillover events. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. Viruses may sound bad, but in this instance, it may be helpful for humans. Bacteriophages use bacteria to replicate, and once they have replicated, they leave the cell, often killing it, but sometimes they don't kill it, but simply inject something into it. There are some instances where using a modified bacteriophage we can help ourselves. Bacteriophages can be used to find and kill antibiotic resistant bacteria by binding to an external marker of resistance, such as an efflux pump, and then secrete substances that will kill the bacteria. Bacteriophages can also be used to introduce new DNA into a cell in attempt to get cells to work correctly after they've been damaged. While these areas of study may not be healthcare on the personal level with the individuals who are struggling, it's my hope that discoveries I make in the lab will help future patients to receive better care and help to reduce illnesses. It's not the typical approach to health, but work in the lab can, will, and does save lives.

It's two a.m. you haven't slept. A heaviness in your chest refuses to let you drift away into the sleep you know would help. Some breathing exercises. Slowly in and out. Still, the tension remains. Some soft stretching, some yoga, but sleep continues to evade. Turning on some music, low and slow with words that should hypothetically make you feel worse, but for some reason, it just feels right. Covering your eyes with a stray piece of blanket, attempting to block out the little bit of light from the neighbor's porch that refuses to dim. Chest heavy coupled with a growing sense of dread. It's three a.m. and you still haven't slept. Different people experience different effects of mental health. Some get nervous, others get sad, some can't sleep, while others can't not sleep. Our mental health is important. There is no easy way to acknowledge that you suffer with mental health, but doing so is important. Everyone is different, and everyone has different struggles. By working with and taking care of ourselves these struggles can dissipate. The scene laid out, in the beginning, seems niche, but it is fairly common, at least for me. Finding different ways to cope with hard times, and ways to limit these occurrences is extremely important. I can usually predict when I am going to experience a downfall in my overall mental health, it usually starts with a heaviness in my chest and a growing sense of dread. Once this begins I can start to feel helpless, but I have learned how to help myself in these instances. Breathing is one thing that helps me to calm down. Deep breathing helps to calm down any fight or flight reactions and allows your body to realize that it doesn't need to be as worried as it is. Playing music helps to distract my mind from the sensations and thoughts I am experiencing. However, sometimes thinking through and finding what triggered these feelings is exactly what I need to turn everything around. If nothing else works sleeping or trying to sleep is my next step. When I am not in the middle of a bad mental health day I take care of myself in more relaxed ways. I am an avid reader and reading is one form of escapism that allows me to take a break from my thoughts and relax. I do the same thing while knitting. If I want a more active way to take care of myself I will go to the gym and lift. Exercise improves your mood, the science is fairly simple, endorphins equal happier, but I like to think of it as a reward for doing something good for you. Something extremely underrated to take care of your mental health is getting enough sleep. Sleeping enough allows me to get through my days with less fatigue which makes me feel better, it sounds simple, but I know there are times when I am consistently getting five to six hours of sleep and I feel it. Mental health is a constantly fluctuating part of life for everyone. Learning how to best take care of yourself during the good and bad times can help to make you stronger and healthier.

I have always had a love-hate relationship with math, however recently I have realized how much there is to love. Math has provided me with many opportunities to expand, not only my knowledge but also my problem-solving skills. Math teaches us to look for different ways to solve a problem. There is usually only one right answer, but for every problem, there are numerous ways to answer. Math has done me wrong in the past. I've made countless mistakes in math over the years from simply forgetting to distribute a negative, to forgetting that the inverse of sine is cosecant and not secant on the precalc final. All of these mistakes have helped me to learn. With math, you not only learn the mathematical concepts, but you also learn how mistakes occur, how to spot them, and what to do to fix future issues. Math has also brought me into contact with some of the best teachers. Math teachers are special because they not only need to know the material enough to explain it to many different learners, but they also have to create problems and walk through them with an audience. These teachers come up with creative ways to keep students' attention on a topic that can bring people to tears. While math is not the easiest subject, and many prefer literally anything else, math allows you to grow in many ways that I haven't experienced in other subjects.

Scenes forever swirling, pages always turning, new characters, places, and tales. The same stories are on repeat, only interrupted by the newest novel joining the others in my memory. The author’s notes provide insight into creative choices that only serve to strengthen the bond between you and the character that lives in your imagination. Reading is a constant escape, a container leading to an infinite amount of endings. Every story is different, but the ability to live vicariously through each new hero and learn the tragic backstory of each new so-called villain always remains the same. Reading has brought many emotions over the years: sadness, excitement, despair, and longing— but the power to jump into any time, place, or person has left me only with joy. The potential and possibilities are endless. Being able to find a story to match any mood, situation, or relationship will forever amaze me, and being able to use shared knowledge to connect with others can open even more worlds. Books and stories have been present throughout my life. They allow me to escape from the stresses of my reality for a few hours while learning a bit about myself through the characters portrayed. The entertainment created by a few words always amazes me, every once in a while I get that book that I can fly through without actively realizing that I am reading, and that is the best feeling in the world. Speeding through a crazy world, tagging along with new people, and seeing everything there while staring at words on a page. Reaching the end of a book is often a sad moment, but the memories of the story and the ability to start a new adventure bring about amazement.

My body burrowed deeply into my bed, topped with a ton of blankets, the fuzzy kind, of course, with pillows propping up my head. A vanilla bean candle burns on the window sill, adding a flicker of light to the lamp illuminating my page. Paper and ink wash the stress of the day away. Chapters of fascinating characters going about their extraordinary lives providing me with a simple way to relax and take care of myself. Self care via books allows for endless possibilities: I can read to learn, to change, to grow, to enjoy, or to experience something new. Reading allows me to shut out the stress of everyday life while focusing on the issues of others. The easy escape helps reduce stress and forces my mainly logical mind to take a break and work the imagination that rarely sees the light of day. The excitement of racing through a book to be able to start on the next brings me joy which lets me be happier whilst going about my day.