Charli XCX is one of my favorite pop artists of all time, the intoxicating blend of hyper-pop and raw emotion into her songs makes her stand out among her industry peers. Her music feels both incredibly personal and universal at the same time; its clear that each and every one of her songs has a deep personal connection to her, but they also speak to so many people. I love Charli due to her unapologetic individuality, she always stays true to herself in her artistry. Her music feels incredibly chaotic, yet natural at the same time. Charlis' influence on pop music is undeniable. She constantly pushes boundaries within her craft, yet she still is able to maintain a mainstream appeal. One example of said mainstream appeal is her album Brat, which became a huge hit during the summer of 2024. My favorite song from this album is 365 - it perfectly encapsulates Charlis artistry and is an amazing example of everything I love about her work. The pulsing beats featured throughout the songs production create an amazing atmosphere. It feels almost trance like, with the background beat contributing even further to an atmosphere of hypnotism. Its beat isn't the only good part of the song, I love the lyrics just as much. The repetition throughout the song - "365, party girl" - contributes even further to the trance like atmosphere. It feels as if shes repeating a mantra throughout the song; a mantra that pulls the listener even further in. Using her signature mix of confidence and emotional vulnerability she explores ideas of obsession, longing and emotional turbulence - ideas that many can relate to. 365 exemplifies her ability to create a deeply personal and universally relatable track as I said earlier. It's clear throughout her delivery how personal the themes in this song are to her, yet anyone who has dealt with emotional highs and lows can relate to this song. Her ability to perfectly combine a sleek electronic feel and emotion is what makes her music so special, and 365 perfectly represents that. I could listen to this song endlessly and find something new about its production or lyricism that I love.

Simone Biles takes the crown for my all-time favorite Team USA athlete due to her exceptional talents, determination, and honesty. She is an incredibly inspirational figure to countless people, including me. Under the gymnastics talent of Biles the world experienced monumental new achievements due to her record-breaking wins and numerous gold medal triumphs. Her exceptional physical gifts and remarkable resilience impress athletes and viewers alike. Her achievements encompass more than just her athletic ability, expanding to all parts of her character. Her choice to discuss her mental struggles at the 2020 Olympics displayed an impressive level of vulnerability, one that I hope to replicate one day. By publicly prioritizing her own mental health over athletic pursuits Biles openly advocated that there is no shame in prioritizing yourself. This message is especially important in today's fast paced, and incredibly corporate society. Her vulnerability has made large strides in raising awareness about athletes mental health, a historically neglected cause. Through her willingness to present her struggles so authentically as she continued to strive for greatness, she demonstrated the necessity of both resilience and self care. Her advocacy for mental health not only raised awareness for mental health among athletes, but among the general population. Her work in not only athletics but mental health awareness is admirable. Many find Simone Biles admirable due to her fantastic athletic abilities, noble character and the vulnerable honesty that we often don't see in public figures. Both her competitors and teammates alike have expressed their immense respect for her, as have the American people. In both competition and everyday life her resilience is at the forefront of everything she does - proving her physical and personal strength. Biles' commitment to self care and resilience motivated me to handle my life challenges as she did - with a strong determination to constantly improve myself. Each time she competes she teaches the world about the value of self love, determination and resilience; all skills that are needed now more than ever.

First row - Einkorn, Kamut, Semolina, Triticale. Second row - Bats, Cricket, Rose, Lotus. Third row - python, Fox, Horse, Cobra. Fourth row - Newton, Noether, Euler, Archimede. First row explanation: Varieties of non gluten free grains. Second row explanation: Words that relate both to sports and flaura/fauna (cricket is a sport and bug, bats are an animal and sport supply, rose is a flower and the name of a football championship (the rose bowl), and lotus (flower and an f1 team). Third row explanation: Animal names that relate to tech (python is a snake and programming language, fox is Firefox, horse and horse power, brand of tech products and an animal). Fourth row explanation: Scientists who have scientific laws named after them. Newton's laws of motion, Archimedes principle, Eulers laws of motion, and noether's theorem. All of these connect to eachother in the ways desrived above, although some connections are more obvious than others. The first row is more obvious as they all seem like very official names (Einkorn, Kamut, Semolina, Triticale). Some of the fourth row terms may also be confused with the first row ones, since some of the names sound somewhat similar. The second and third row seem more likely to be confused, as crickets and bats are animals, just as row three.

To me, and many others, Wicked is more than a musical. It's a societal commentary that everyone who has ever been undervalued or felt out of place can relate to, and a majority of people have felt that way at one point or another. Wicked the musical does an amazing job at portraying its theme subjects of bravery, the impedance of staying true to yourself and friendship. We first see this with the overture, and it's even present within the musical's very last song - For Good. Both the Broadway musical and movie adaptation hold a special place in my heart. The lessons about self-acceptance and defying unjust social norms parallel my life experiences. My love of Wicked has taught me to love myself, and to stand up for myself and what I believe in. The themes it beautifully preaches throughout have guided me throughout my life, helping me to become a better person. Ever since first seeing the “wicked” witch of the west on screen, she has served as an odd source of inspiration for me. She stands apart all throughout the musical, especially at the beginning, seeming to be an outsider who doesn't belong. She's an incredibly intelligent woman with noble pursuits, two traits I strive to emulate. Despite her admirable traits, she is still picked on by others due to how she looks and her differences from others. This really resonates with me, as I've been treated similarly due to my autism. Despite my accolades, I'm often still infantilized and discriminated against due to my condition. Elpheba refuses to let others' perceptions of her confine her and her success. Her journey from self- doubt to true acceptance mirrors my own experience with accepting my autism, and this musical was a large part of why I was able to accept myself. Through self acceptance I was able to let go of my fear of being misunderstood, just like Elphaba. The song Defying Gravity pretty displays this, symbolizing our ability to overcome obstacles. This song truly speaks to me, as it encourages me to overcome my own doubts and challenges - no matter how difficult they become.

LeBron is widely regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time, and I personally think he is the best. I openly consider myself as a fan of LeBron - in part due to the nostalgia of watching games with him as a kid, but also due to his many technical accolades. His laundry list of accomplishments is incredibly impressive and inspiring, and I admire his athleticism, intimate knowledge of the sport, supreme leadership skills and his ability to remain an elite athlete into his thirties. The latter alone represents his dedication and commitment to the game - something I find admirable. The main reasons I consider myself a LeBron fan is his incredible versatility on the court. He is known for his all around game and ability to effectively play virtually any floor position. On top of his incredible versatility, he scores incredibly high, having the highest points per game averages. His intimate knowledge of the game is beyond impressive, it borders on uncanny - as if he's aware of secret laws of the universe in regards to basketball that the rest of us don't know. He's able to make split second decisions throughout the game, and quickly analyze the best options to be made. He's also an incredible team player, he involves his teammates in these decisions as well. Even as he ages, he's still an incredible player due to his detailed knowledge of the game. His leadership is another reason many point to him as their favorite. Throughout his time across numerous teams, some stronger than others, he has always been a strong leader and team player. His ability to elevate and take advantage of his teammates' strengths is unparalleled. His selfless nature and desire to help his teammates has made him one of the most respected figures in the NBA. The debate over the greatest of all time (GOAT) can become rather heated; with it typically coming down to a debate between Micheal Jordan and LeBron James. Some may credit Micheal Jordan as the GOAT - due to his numerous championships, influence and dominance in the game. His resume is hard to surpass, but LeBron manages to do so. LeBrons credentials are undeniable. Six NBA championships, six final MVP awards, five NBA MVP awards,14 NBA All-Star selections, and 10 All-NBA First Team selections. Throughout LeBrons incredibly long career he's managed to stay at the top of the game, despite him advancing in age. Jordan's stats are obviously impressive, but not more so than LeBrons. This is why I believe LeBron to be the greatest of all time. Jordan is an incredibly influential player, but LeBron clears him in all aspects.

My mental health has always been a defining factor of my academic career; whether it be the stresses of education as an undiagnosed autistic woman, or the crushing weights of depression and disordered eating. My eating disorder has always been there, siphoning my energy and negatively impacting my performance. During middle school when my eating disorder was at its peak I used my grades as a shield for my behavior. Anytime a loved one brought up concerns they had, I would brush them off, saying “an anorexic wouldn't be able to have grades like mine”. I made the conscious decision to start recovery sophomore year. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I had no idea how challenging it would be. The end of sophomore year was challenging, but it was nothing compared to my junior year. With my previous reason for focusing so heavily on academics gone, I struggled. I thought recovery would make school easier, but I was wrong. The constant pressures of recovery, the watching eyes of loved ones, and life's daily stressors felt like they were breaking me. It seemed impossible to succeed, with everything going on interconnecting into a terrifying spider's web. It wasn't just the eating disorder, OCD, or major depressive disorder; it was how they all interconnected with one another, and how they intertwined with my autism. My ADHD and autism diagnosis is fairly recent, I've only started to understand how it truly affects me and ties into my other struggles. I've previously had many emotional, social and sensory struggles I've been unable to articulate. In junior year my mental health hit an all time low. It ended with a hospitalization the week before AP exams, and a .3 drop in my GPA. My entire hospital stay I was so overwhelmed - juggling recovery, neglectful staff and jarring changes in routine. After my release I came to the devastating realization that what I should be able to handle, and what I actually can handle are two vastly different things. Then and there, I made a commitment to improving myself so I was never hospitalized again, it was truly the worst week of my life. My current therapist, who I started seeing after my hospitalization, has been a game changer. He is the one who helped me pursue an official autism diagnosis, and made me realize how much autism was impacting me. The sensory overwhelm, anxiety, alexithymia - it all finally made sense. This new understanding has made a huge difference in how I approach mental health. My problems didn't magically disappear, but I have been able to better understand myself. Now instead of working against my brain, I'm able to work with it. In addition to my amazing therapist, I now take my daily medications which make a huge difference. It took some time experimenting to find the best medications, but it was time well spent. The added energy and stability from these medications, and my amazing therapist, have made school so much more enjoyable. I'm finally no longer running on empty. My journey hasn't been easy, but I've learned that prioritizing my mental health isn't optional, it's a necessity. I've learned that it's okay to not always be okay, and that reaching out for support is vital - whether it be therapy, (prescribed) medications or support from my friends. Recovery isn’t linear, and there are still tough days, but I’ve come a long way. I'm slowly learning to navigate my life with more compassion for myself and others, and that’s something I never realized I needed before.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been obsessed with science in one way or another - always asking the ‘why’ things work how they do, spending time in nature learning about flora and fauna, and being nose deep in a book for most lunches. I credit my interest in STEM to my parents and how they raised me, despite my father never earning a college degree and my mothers interests lying strictly in the social sciences. My father was born and raised in the Appalachian mountains, and his deep respect for nature and what it could teach us was bestowed upon me. I love everything to do with nature, both recreational and scientific, and for years I thought I would be an environmental scientist (with a focus in preventative measure to limit harm to the environment, and in turn the human body) I’ve gone through many subjects of interest throughout my life - biology, neuroscience, psychology, biomedical sciences, etc - all sharing one thing in common, a focus on the human body and what it can endure. I’m deeply passionate about STEM education, disability, and mental health advocacy. What interests me even more is how those issues intertwine with the medical system - trials lacking female participants, little research into mental health among queer individuals, the inaccessibility of the healthcare system for disabled individuals, stigmas around disability, and biotechnology's role in treatment advances for the mentally ill. Most of all, I’m passionate about how biomedical engineering can be applied to these issues. I plan to focus on prosthetics engineering, neural engineering and developing diagnostic tools throughout my degree. Biomedical engineering is perfectly tailored to all my interests - desire for positive impact, interest in all things biomedical, and love of hands-on learning. During a class project where me and a friend built a robotic arm, I became steadfast in the decision to pursue this specialty, and I realized how much good that engineering can do for the world. Every specialty has its own advantages and benefits for the world, but I believe I would be the most beneficial for the world in biomedical engineering. I hope to use my education to advocate for better accessibility and healthcare access, and to invent new technologies or technological advancements to improve the world. I hope that I’m able to do research and create technologies to not just help able bodied/minded people, but I want to use my biomedical engineering degree to especially help marginalized groups - accessibility isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. It's often said that autistic people have a strong sense of justice due to our rigid thinking patterns, which is something that many have critiqued me for throughout my life. Despite what others may think, or how they may perceive disability, I’m proud of my ‘strong sense of justice’ and my unique way of viewing the world. I’m excited to start my undergraduate degree, and hopefully a graduate degree later down the road, and to use what I learn throughout my education to help others.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been obsessed with science in one way or another - always asking the ‘why’ things work how they do, spending time in nature learning about flora and fauna, and being nose deep in a book for most lunches. I accredit my interest in STEM to my parents and how they raised me, despite my father never earning a college degree and my mothers interests lying strictly in the social sciences. My father was born and raised in the Appalachian mountains, and his deep respect for nature and what it could teach us was bestowed upon me. I love everything to do with nature, both recreational and scientific, and for years I thought I would be an environmental scientist (with a focus in preventative measure to limit harm to the environment, and in turn the human body) I’ve gone through many subjects of interest throughout my life - biology, neuroscience, psychology, biomedical sciences, etc - all sharing one thing in common, a focus on the human body and what it can endure. I’m deeply passionate about STEM education, disability, and mental health advocacy. What interests me even more is how those issues intertwine with the medical system - trials lacking female participants, little research into mental health among queer individuals, the inaccessibility of the healthcare system for disabled individuals, stigmas around disability, and biotechnology's role in treatment advances for the mentally ill. Most of all, I’m passionate about how biomedical engineering can be applied to these issues. I plan to focus on prosthetics engineering, neural engineering and developing diagnostic tools throughout my degree. Biomedical engineering is perfectly tailored to all my interests - desire for positive impact, interest in all things biomedical, and love of hands-on learning. During a class project where me and a friend built a robotic arm, I became steadfast in the decision to pursue this specialty, and I realized how much good that engineering can do for the world. Every specialty has its own advantages and benefits for the world, but I believe I would be the most beneficial for the world in biomedical engineering. I hope to use my education to advocate for better accessibility and healthcare access, and to invent new technologies or technological advancements to improve the world. I hope that I’m able to do research and create technologies to not just help able bodied/minded people, but I want to use my biomedical engineering degree to especially help marginalized groups - accessibility isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. It's often said that autistic people have a strong sense of justice due to our rigid thinking patterns, which is something that many have critiqued me for throughout my life. Despite what others may think, or how they may perceive disability, I’m proud of my ‘strong sense of justice’ and my unique way of viewing the world. I’m excited to start my undergraduate degree, and hopefully a graduate degree later down the road, and to use what I learn throughout my education to help others.

I’ve come across this question in a variety of scholarships, and program applications. I try to be creative with each response, focusing on different people who have impacted my life. Despite my attempts at creativity, in every brainstorming session, I always come back to the same girl. My closest friend, Aracely Perez. Before meeting Aracely I was a sad elementary schooler, awkward kid in middle schooler, and an annoying high schooler. What bonded all these years of schooling together were my struggles with disordered eating. I was a perfectionist as a child, coming from an unstable house, with a (un)healthy amount of self hatred. That's almost a “perfect recipe” for developing disordered eating. For years, I had felt incredibly alone and hated myself. But that eventually began to slowly change, starting the second semester freshman year. At the time I was in beginners theater, and sophomore year course registration had rolled around. I decided to continue with theater, but take technical theater track instead, as I didnt feel comfortable being “the one” onstage - I was more suited to working backstage. Soon enough freshman year ended, and sophomore year began. There were 7 other people in my tech theater class, all of whom were incredibly kind and sweet, but I was still awkward and angsty, and didn't know “how” to become friends with them. This is where I met Aracely - she was short, incredibly smart and a grade ahead of me. For the first few weeks of class we weren't close. I was the kid in class that didn't talk a lot, and made uncomfortable jokes about my issues because I didn't know how to cope. This all changed backstage while my class was running tech for a show being put on by my theater department. Out of nowhere she asked me a question that would change the course of my life. “Ayslee, are you in eating disorder recovery?” I lied to her, and it was probably the best decision I have ever made in my life. “Yeah, I am” That was the lie. Truth be told, I was not in recovery whatsoever. I was actively engaging in those behaviors, and wasn't receiving any professional help at the time (although I am now). Ever since that night, we have been attached at the hip. I did things with Aracely that I never thought I would experience, and she led me to being able to have the “true high school experience”. I learned about her past experiences with an eating disorder, and her journey to recovery. Hearing about her experiences was what motivated me to recover, and I learned that food was more than a number, and that “calories-in-calories-out” wasn't the end-all and be-all of life. We explored new restaurants together, and I learned to truly become more comfortable around food. She convinced me to join quizbowl, where I made a whole group of new friends that I care about so deeply, and that I know care about me too. Despite her challenges with disordered eating, she is an incredibly accomplished, smart and talented woman. I think that was what inspired me the most about her - despite her struggles she was able to inspire me to recover, taught me to believe in myself, my recovery, and helped me meet so many friends. Without her my high school experience would be drastically different, and I don't know if I would be here today. Out of everyone I know personally, she has been the most influential, and she has taught me how to genuinely enjoy life.

ayslee222

One movie that I could watch over and over again, without getting even remotely tired of it, is Perfect Blue. Satoshi Kon, may he rest in peace, is a legend in the field of anime films and series. Satoshi Kon was an animator, director, screenwriter, and mangaka. Every work that he directed was an absolute masterpiece, in terms of plot, characters, animation, etc. Every work with his name even remotely attached to it is guaranteed to be one of the greatest animes you've watched, or mangas you've ever read. Perfect Blue is a film, running 81 minutes long, directed by Satoshi Kon. It deals with Mima Kirigoe, a former idol, as she pursues her acting career, becomes a victim of stalking, and begins to lose her grip on reality. The themes in Perfect Blue are heavy, there’s no denying that, but they are handled wonderfully. As you watch the film you watch Mima fall into madness, it almost feels as if you're losing your grip on reality with her. The visuals show a young woman losing her mind, and it is like you're transported into that mind. The animation is done wonderfully, at some points of the movie I almost felt as if I was Mima’s stalker, watching as every portion of her life unravels. Not only is the animation absolutely incredible, but so is the plot and characters. Mima, the protagonist, has a well-thought-out personality and the audience is able to clearly understand why she takes the actions that she does. This makes it so much more impactful when we begin to watch Mima fall into ruin. Even the background and minor characters have well-thought-out backstories, which adds to the world-building of the movie. For these reasons- the amazing animation, characters, and plot- I could watch this movie over and over again. It is a movie that will captivate me- and all my friends who I force to watch the movie- endlessly. I am truly thankful to Satoshi Kon for directing and helping to create this movie.

It is a little embarrassing for me to admit this, but I love Starbucks. It is such a guilty pleasure of mine, each time my parents drive by a Starbucks I instantly start digging around in my purse for a gift card or a few dollars. Something about the rush of, much-needed, caffeine that I’m getting from the drinks, combined with the sweet flavors draws me in. In all my years of trying other coffee and beverage restaurants, none other has made me as happy as Starbucks has. If I had to identify a favorite fall drink it would definitely be the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino Blended Beverage, which I’ll be calling the Apple Crisp Frappuccino throughout this essay for simplicity's sake. There are two main reasons why I love this drink and refer to it as my favorite. The first is the enthralling taste, and the second is the warm memories I have associated with this drink. The taste is to die for. The apple flavor is sweet, but not overpowering. The notes of brown sugar are enticing, as if they are calling you to take another sip, and another one after that. Overall it is a sweet drink, but it is not too sweet. It meets the perfect balance between being sweet and ‘too sweet’. It does not have the almost saccharine-like taste that many similar drinks do. The flavors in the drink perfectly encapture the meaning, and the taste, of fall. Each sip manages to feel like a warm hug, even though the beverage is iced and blended. The first time I had this drink was last year, 2022, in the middle of November. I looked at my phone and saw an alert, one from my closest friend. 'meet me in tbe auditorium' I didn't think much of the message, or her typos and unintentional spelling mistake. I checked the time and saw I had 16 minutes till class started, and made my way to the auditorium. We often met in the auditorium before class, for us to chat, exchange snacks and baked goods, or to ask our director (and theatre teacher) a question about the show that we were stage managing for. I assumed this was a question she had, or a meeting between stage managers. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the auditorium, and saw my friends gathered on the steps of the stage (as my friends in theatre typically do), but the director was no where to be found, and neither was my friend. I stood, rather awkwardly for a few moments, before she rushed in holding 2 Starbucks drinks in her hands. I instantly lit up, and took the drink from he rhand, issuing as many "thank you"'s and "I love you"'s as I could manage. I took a nice, long sip of that drink and was instantly in love. I don't know if its the fond memories, or the amazing taste of the drink that I love more. But none the less, I think the Apple Crisp Frappuccino is the best fall drink a Starbucks. I hope everyone who tries it will have memories as fond as mine associated with the drink.

I, too, have seen the three photos of the man that Dazai described in his last published novel, No Longer Human. I’ve seen the contorted and monstrous faces of mankind, and I’ve seen those faces in myself. No Longer Human can also be translated as Disqualified From Humanity, and I think this is the title that most accurately addresses the feeling the book evokes. As you read No Longer Human, a pit swells and gnaws at the inside of your stomach, similar to the one Oba Yozo (the ‘protagonist’ of No Longer Human) experiences. No Longer Human perfectly captures how mental illness, addiction, trauma, and complex interpersonal relationships can lead a person to ruin, and in Yozo’s case, death. I think everyone should read No Longer Human- not just because it is a literary masterpiece that deals with sensitive subjects in powerful ways- but because watching the steps that Yozo takes that lead to his downfall, can help the reader avoid their own. Each time I re-read No Longer Human, I feel myself identifying with a different trait of Yozo (whether it be his fear of those around him stemming from past trauma, his addiction issues, his struggles to maintain relationships, etc). Each time that I re-read No Longer Human and identify these flaws within myself, I am almost comforted by the idea of relating to a character I cherish. But then reality settles in and I see how Yozo’s life comes to a crashing end. This ‘snap to reality’ always has the unintended (but much appreciated) effect of having me better myself. This book gives me a stark reminder of what my future could be if I’m not on the track to improvement. It almost feels as if No Longer Human is a cautious tale, one that advises you of all of Yozo’s faults and misdeeds. No Longer Human and the themes discussed are truly universal, and to some degree, can and will apply to everyone. For this reason, I believe everyone should read No Longer Human. I think someone would be lying if they said they couldn't find any part of Yozo that they identified with, as parts of his experience are so universal. I truly think that reading No Longer Human and seeing the tragic yet unsurprising fate of Yozo is beneficial to those struggling, or who have been struggling.