For this assignment, I will use a passage from Marcus Aurelius’ *Meditations*, an ancient Stoic philosophy text: “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” Thesis: Marcus Aurelius’ underlying claim is that our deepest freedom lies in the ability to reinterpret our experiences, and that strength comes not from controlling events, but from consciously reshaping the meaning we give to them. Aurelius begins by drawing a sharp distinction between “anything external” and the inner experience of distress. He does not deny that difficult, unfair, or painful events happen; instead, he insists that what actually hurts us is not the event on its own, but the story our mind tells about it. In other words, the raw fact and our emotional suffering are not the same thing. By separating the outer event from the inner “estimate,” he is challenging the automatic way we fuse circumstance and feeling, as if they were one indivisible unit. The key word in this paragraph is “estimate.” To call our reaction an estimate implies that it is a judgment, not a fact. Estimates can be revised, corrected, or improved. Aurelius is quietly undermining the belief that our first emotional response is final or unquestionable. When we say, “This is unbearable,” “This ruins everything,” or “This proves I’m a failure,” we are not reporting reality; we are issuing a mental verdict. His point is that these verdicts are often more harmful than the situation itself. The most radical part of the passage appears in the final clause: “and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” Here, Aurelius moves from description to empowerment. If distress arises from our interpretation, and interpretation is something we do, then we retain the ability to withdraw or revise it. He is not promising that this is easy or instant, but he is insisting that the power is ours. The phrase “at any moment” emphasizes that this freedom is always available in principle, even when external options are limited. Crucially, this is not an invitation to deny reality or sugarcoat pain. Stoic philosophy does not ask us to pretend that loss, betrayal, or hardship are pleasant. Instead, it asks us to notice where our freedom actually lies. We may not be able to change that an exam went badly, that an injury ended a season, or that someone treated us unfairly. But we can revoke the judgment that this single event defines our worth, our future, or our identity. The underlying meaning is that the real wound often comes from that judgment, not from the external blow. This view also carries an ethical dimension. If our distress is tied to our estimates, then we are responsible for how we cultivate our minds. Aurelius is not blaming people for suffering; he is calling them to a kind of mental discipline. Training our estimates—through reflection, perspective-taking, and reason—becomes a moral practice. It is how we avoid becoming bitter, vengeful, or hopeless in response to the inevitable difficulties of life. Our inner work determines whether adversity makes us cruel and resentful, or patient and wiser. Finally, the passage suggests that strength is not the absence of emotion, but the ability to re-ground ourselves when emotion threatens to carry us away. To “revoke” a destructive estimate is to step back from the first wave of reaction and ask, “Is there another way to see this?” That act of questioning is, for Aurelius, a profound expression of freedom. The world can take away comfort, plans, and control, but it cannot take away our capacity to reconsider what things mean. In that inner power—to reframe, to release, to choose a different interpretation—he locates the true source of human strength.

Mental health is important to me as a student because it is the foundation that makes everything else—academics, athletics, relationships, and long-term goals—actually sustainable. As someone who pushes myself in the classroom and in sports, I have seen firsthand how quickly things can unravel when mental wellness is ignored. It is easy to celebrate achievements, personal records, and leadership roles from the outside, but what people do not always see is the stress, self-doubt, and burnout that can build up underneath if you never slow down. As a student-athlete, I balance college coursework with a demanding training schedule and a busy personal life. That combination can be overwhelming at times if I do not actively care for my mental and emotional well-being. I have noticed that when my mental health is neglected, it shows up in everything: I struggle to focus, I second-guess myself more, and things that are normally manageable start to feel impossible. On the other hand, when I make time for rest, reflection, and healthy coping strategies, I’m more focused, motivated, and resilient. I can handle pressure, recover from setbacks, and keep perspective when things do not go as planned. Mental health is also important to me because of what I’ve experienced as a female athlete who often exists in high-pressure, high-visibility spaces. There can be a constant expectation to be strong, tough, and unbothered. While strength is a big part of who I am, I’ve learned that pretending everything is fine when it isn’t only makes things worse. I care deeply about changing the idea that asking for help or talking about struggles is a sign of weakness. Instead, I believe it is one of the bravest things a person can do. Especially in competitive environments, being honest about mental health creates room for others to do the same. One of the biggest ways I advocate is by being open with teammates, friends, and classmates about the reality behind my busy schedule and achievements. When someone asks how I manage everything, I don’t just say “I’m fine” or “I just grind.” I talk about the importance of balance—prioritizing sleep, taking breaks when I need them, going on hikes or getting in the water to reset, and checking in with myself when I feel overwhelmed. Being honest about those habits shows others that taking care of your mind is as normal as training your body. When I notice teammates or friends struggling, I try to reach out, listen without judgment, and remind them that they don’t have to carry everything alone. Sometimes that means walking with someone to a counseling resource, encouraging them to talk to a trusted adult or coach, or simply offering a safe space where they feel heard. I know how powerful it can be to have one person who takes your mental health seriously, so I try to be that person whenever I can. Whether it’s in athletics, clubs, or classroom settings, I try to normalize conversations about stress, burnout, and mental wellness. That might look like suggesting team check-ins, or speaking up when expectations become unrealistic. I believe that when leaders prioritize mental health, it gives everyone else permission to do the same. Mental health is important to me because it shapes who I am far beyond grades, times, or distances. It affects how I think, how I connect with others, and how I move toward my future. By taking my own mental health seriously, I hope to help build environments where students feel safe to be human and where success includes feeling emotionally well, not just looking strong on the outside.

I deserve this scholarship because I have already proven that I don’t wait for a path to be made for me—I create one, and then use it to pull others forward with me. As a female multi-sport athlete who became the first girl to start on the varsity football team at my high school, I have spent years stepping into spaces where people did not expect to see someone like me. I didn’t just join; I competed, started games, and earned my place through discipline, toughness, and preparation. In track and field, I turned late beginnings into rapid growth—becoming a league champion, school record holder in shot put, NCS Meet of Champions winner, and a state finalist. That progression reflects not just talent, but my willingness to outwork expectations and to steadily close the gap between where I am and where I want to be. What gives me an advantage in this competition is the combination of ambition, impact, and resilience that runs through everything I do. I balance rigorous training—often five hours a day—with strong academics and community involvement. I have served as Junior and Senior Class Vice President, co-founded a women in athletics club, worked as a camp counselor and mentor, helped injured athletes with rehab support, officiated community events, and founded a nonprofit to provide blankets to people experiencing homelessness. I also use my online platform to inspire other girls in sports, showing them that strength, toughness, and femininity can coexist. My long-term goal is to work in federal law enforcement and become an FBI agent, continuing to break barriers while protecting and serving others. This scholarship would not just support my education; it would be an investment in someone who has already shown the drive to challenge norms, uplift others, and turn adversity into momentum. I am not simply asking for help paying for college—I am asking for the chance to keep building a new path and to make that path wider for those coming after me.