Friendship to me is a bond between two people who connect on similar interests. Sometimes it can mean more. My best friend who lives 3,000 miles away from me has always been there. We have the kind of bond that is unbreakable. We've never fought, but we've had lots of friendly debates. She and I connected based on past experiences. She went through something traumatic as a child and so did I. It was almost the same traumatic event. Making friends as a child and into my early teen years was very difficult to me. My parents were in the military, so we moved around a lot. Then when I was ten, I became a foster child. Friends for me have never been easy to come by, but the friends that I've made over the past several years have been the best. Friendship to me, is something that means the world to me and something I'd fight to have.

Mental health has always affected my life. Whether I had mental health issues or a family member. When I was three years old, my closest aunt was diagnosed with Bipolar-Schizophrenia. Growing up, I could see how it affected her daily living and all the things she struggled with. When I was ten, I was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, chronic depression, adjustment disorder, and severe anxiety. To this day, I still struggle with my depression and anxiety. My anxiety affects me every day. It has affected my romantic relationship because they don't typically understand that I'm not in complete control of it. I have a hard time expressing myself when I need help because I don't want to be judged. I see the world differently in a way I never thought I would. I see and help those who struggle with mental health. I'm there for my friends and family who may need a little extra emotional support. Seeing the world through eyes that deal with mental health on a daily basis helps me see people that struggle with it as well. Sometimes we form friendships and help each other when we need it the most. Mental health can be hard to push through, but in my eyes, I see it as a blessing in disguise. It has helped me form friendships and relationships that I never thought I would make.

Studying strategies is something I learned my junior year of high school. It took time and effort for me to get my studying done in a way that would be proficient and impactful. The way I study proficiently is, using Five Star Notebook. I use felt tip pens in order to color code everything. Colors are based off different topics talked about and what notes I take out of a book. I also use an index and a page number so I can find everything easily. I like using the notebooks that have sections for different subjects. If not, I have several notebooks for each subject. Binders are also nice to use for extra notes or papers that I can store in it. I sometimes use folders, but I resort to binders more than anything. Flashcards are another form of studying I use. They help with my confidence in knowing the materials needed. I also like to manage my time in order to get what I need done. When I go to college, I'll be working part time on weekends so I can have four to five days a week dedicated to schooling. Studying strategies is important to me and a way that has helped me achieve my assignments and tests in a way I wouldn't have been able to my first couple of years of high school. I'm grateful I learned this skill and plan on using these skills in the years to come.