When I went to see the Barbie movie in 2023, one song in the soundtrack that stood out to me was "What Was I Made For" by Billie Eilish. This song quickly became one of my favorites of hers, both for its beauty and the magnitude of which it resonates with me. For the past few years, I have had a very hard time deciding what to do with my life. Countless times, I have asked myself the very question "what was I made for?" The journey towards an answer has been full of ups and downs, times when I "think I forgot how to be happy" and times when I felt happier because I felt closer to finding my calling. This song has helped me through so much just by putting this part of life's journey into words. "What Was I Made For" is a beautiful song that resonates deeply with me because of my struggle to figure what I was made for. I have cried, sang my heart out, and laid back and just listened - all to this one song that has so effortlessly articulated what I have for so long struggled to find words for. Ah, "Happier Than Ever". I have loved this song since the moment I heard it. I have always loved "old" music, and the first part of this song has a vintage style to it that is reminiscent in a way of 1940s music by the likes of Billie Holliday and other artists. The transition in the latter half is amazing, and the passion with which she sings the ending is so powerful. In my opinion, "Happier Than Ever" is one of her best songs and is practically perfect. Billie's song "bad guy" holds a special place in my heart because it is one of the first songs I learned to play on bass guitar. I have always loved the bass in that song and learning how to play it gave me such a feeling of accomplishment. Learning to play songs you love makes you feel so cool. Billie Eilish has a very diverse music catalog. There are songs to be cried to, danced to, sung along with, and so many other things. That is the beauty of music, and that is the beauty of Billie Eilish.

I stood in front of my bookshelf that was jam-packed with books, trying to choose one. I finally settled on the book that told the story of Adam and Eve and how God created the Earth. I was five years old, a month away from starting kindergarten and two months away from turning six. I climbed up into the big, green recliner in my living room, opened the book, and began to read. I was shocked. I didn't know how to read. At least, I didn't until this moment. Before now, I had never been able to recognize and comprehend a written word in my life. But now, here I was, looking at the words on the page and knowing what they were. Had I just learned how to read all by myself? It seemed as though I had, but I know I couldn't have done it without my parents' help. I was read to all the time as a child by both parents, and my mom has been an elementary school teacher for nearly forty years. Both of my parents love to read, so my own love of reading was instilled in me at a very young age. Ever since I began reading fourteen years ago, I haven't stopped. Signs, billboards, newspapers, magazines, and my favorite - books. "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton is one of my favorite books. I've read it four times and plan on reading it countless more. This book has taught me that family isn't always blood relatives. Family is people who are there for you no matter what, through thick and thin. It taught me to fight for what I believed in and to not let anyone convince me I wasn't good enough. These lessons have shaped my goals by teaching me to never settle for less than what I deserve. I have learned to surround myself with people who have genuine care for me and my well-being, have my back and want to see me at my best. "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott is another book that has played a big role in my life. This book taught me to never take life for granted and to embrace all of life's challenges. It taught me to live boldly, love strongly, and never lose sight of where I came from. My goals were shaped by this book by learning that whether or not my goals are attainable, the journey to them and the people I am with are often more important than the goal itself. "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens taught me to never give up on my passions or dreams just because some people deem them "weird". From this book, I learned to find the people, places and things that bring me joy and embrace them fully, spending as much time surrounded by them as possible. This book shaped my goals by showing me that nothing is ever too out of reach. Your goals are only as unattainable as you believe them to be. If you can dream it, you can do it. While you will face challenges of different shapes and sizes, they will make you stronger and more determined, which makes victory all the more sweet. Every book has a message, a lesson, or a moral. As hard as you try to understand with your head, it is often easier to understand with your heart.

The idea of going to college used to scare me to death. Each time I passed the local community college that I knew I would one day attend or any four year schools I knew I might transfer to, my stomach would drop. I was convinced the work would be too hard, the campus too big, the people not friendly. I knew it would all be so different from what I was used to, what I had been used to for so long, and that was scary. I went to the same school from kindergarten all the way until I graduated high school. Every year, I was with the same classmates at the same school. The only things that changed were the buildings (only when advanced from elementary, to middle, then high school), and the teachers (by high school, the teachers were relatively the same each year). A larger campus, faculty, and student body did not send excitement coursing through my veins. I just knew this was a case where bigger did not mean better. After beginning my first semester of college, it did not take me long to realize that my initial ideas about college were going to be proven wrong. Everything was bigger, but it was not overwhelming. I quickly and easily learned my way around campus, and by finals week I felt like a pro. So many people are on staggered schedules or completely online that I did not see a ton of people like I thought I would. Now that I am on the verge of entering my sophomore year of college, that nervousness I felt before has begun to change to excitement. The thing that excites me most about college is getting involved around campus. I greatly enjoy participating in college events and participating in the fun activities the college offers. Last year, I had the opportunity to be part of a student organization that helped with several college events and events within the community. I had so much fun and have so many great memories of these events and am so grateful I got to be a part of the experience. Maintaining a healthy mind, body, and soul amidst the challenges I face in school can be (and is) difficult at times. The heavier my work load seems to get, the more overwhelmed I feel. It can quickly feel like my own personal well being is slipping as I try to keep a firm grip on my courses. However, I try very hard to not let this happen. I often set aside time every day to exercise, even if that means just going for a stroll outdoors. Showering is where I get a lot of my self care time, along with making sure I get plenty of sleep every night so I can do well and function each day. School is not always easy, and that can make your self care harder as well. One rule of mine is to take screen breaks every hour, or sooner if needed. This not only helps my body, but my mind as well. College can be scary, but it can also be very exciting. There are many times when I have wanted to give up on myself in order to let my academics excel, and I have. That, however, is something I have been working hard to overcome. Self over school should be a motto for all.

Hi there! My name is Blair Nicley, and I am currently a soon-to-be sophomore at Walters State Community College in Tennessee. I finished my first year with a 3.9 GPA. I made the Dean's List my first semester and the President's List the second. My major is General Studies right now, but I have recently been considering changing it to History. I have not made any final career decisions, but have been thinking seriously about becoming a librarian. If I decide on this career, I will likely receive an Associate's and Bachelor's degree in History and then a Master's in some form of library studies. My mom, who is an elementary school teacher, and my dad are both avid readers, so my love of reading is not surprising. Some of my favorite books include "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton and "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. Some of my other hobbies include writing, growing watermelons, baking, listening to music and playing bass, acoustic, and electric guitar. Through my career as a librarian, I hope to make a positive impact on at least one person. As a librarian, I would have the ability to help others discover their own love of reading as well as quench their thirst for knowledge. So many people do not like to read, often because they have not been reading the right books for them. My goal is to help others be excited to read and find the books that were seemingly written for them as I have over the years. I also want to help others in their journeys to learn new things. You do not just stop learning once you get out of school, and there are topics that school does not teach you or go in-depth about. I want to help people of all ages find their passion and learn all they can about whatever peaks their interest. Librarians are educators, although they do not always work in a school. They spend their days educating others on so many different things, from history to literature to the arts. Between my passions for reading and learning new things about topics I care about, I feel that being a librarian would be the perfect job in education for me. Can you imagine getting paid to be surrounded by books and history every day in a quiet environment? That sounds pretty nice if you ask me!

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an author. I loved reading and writing, so I thought being an author was the perfect career for me. However, as I got older and started more seriously researching careers, I realized that being an author was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Ever since I came to that realization, my future has been full of uncertainty. I do not have a dream job or career, and that is so stressful when it seems as though everyone around you has their whole future planned out. Over the years, I have considered many different career paths. I have thought about being a journalist because it seemed like a more stable version of an author. I thought about being a radio DJ because I love listening to the radio. I recently found an assignment I had done for school when I was around six or seven years old where we had to write down what we wanted to be when we grew up and draw a picture of it. I wrote that I wanted to be a rockstar. At the top of the page was a work of Crayola art: me onstage with a guitar in my hands. That is by far the coolest career aspiration I have ever had, but realistically speaking is probably not going to be pursued anytime soon. But hey, I am learning to play guitar, so maybe there is hope! There are so many different roads I could take, but I have felt for years as if my compass is broken. The closer you get to graduating high school, the more pressure you get put under to plan out your entire life. I, at seventeen, did not know what I wanted to do, and hearing others talk about their future plans made me feel like I should. If I could go back and tell myself one thing, it would be that nobody actually knew what they were doing. Well over half the people I graduated with have changed their plans at least once since our junior year, and I guarantee they will continue to do so. I have done a lot of thinking and even more praying these last couple of years. There is one career that I have been leaning more toward lately, and that is a librarian. I have always been an avid reader and feel that being a librarian may be a fulfilling career choice for me. There are so many different options of where to work with being a librarian. I could work at a college, school, or public library. I could work as a medical librarian or a librarian for the federal government. I would have a wide range of job options and get paid to be surrounded by books every day. If I worked at a school, I could have all the breaks, which would be a major plus. Having the ability to make an impact on the lives and learnings of other people, especially children, would be very rewarding. I would feel as though I had made an impact on not only their present, but their future as well.

Maintaining personal wellness can be a rather daunting task, especially as a full-time college student. There have been moments toward the end of a semester when I am so bogged down with homework and studying that it felt like I didn't have any time for myself. This summer, I am trying my hardest to get back on track with my wellness journey and start several healthy habits that will hopefully last throughout the school year and for many years afterward. I manage my personal wellness in several different ways. Now that the weather is warm and the sun is shining, I am tending to spend more time outside in nature. Nature is such a beautiful, healing place. Fresh and sunshine have the ability to work wonders on your mental and physical health. I have noticed that spending even a short amount of time outside makes me happier and more motivated. During the school year, I spend more time looking at a screen than I would like to. While having a lot of classes and assignments online can be convenient, staring at a computer screen in a seated position for long periods of time is not super healthy. I have found that after doing this for some time, I lose the motivation to do anything else and feel drained and sluggish. Since I am out of school for a while, I am working to not be on devices as often. I want to experience things and not make myself feel run down by lowering my screen time. I used to hate working out, but lately, I have been discovering activities that I actually enjoy doing. I love music and dancing just for fun, so discovering aerobic-style workouts to music I like has been a total game-changer for me. I also greatly enjoy going on walks, either by myself or with family and friends. I also enjoy playing certain sports, such as badminton and kickball. When I get active, I want to have FUN! Maintaining my personal wellness helps me succeed as a college student in many ways. When I feel better, I do better. Taking time for and care of myself increases my levels of happiness, motivation, and concentration. These traits are obviously needed to do well in school, as well as in life in general. Maintaining my personal wellness helps me succeed in school, in health, and most importantly, in LIFE!

Several years ago, my church packed Operation Christmas Child boxes to be sent across the globe to underprivileged children in another country. We spent months collecting items, and eventually an entire Sunday School period packing them and preparing them for shipment. Years later during my senior year of high school, my school's chapter of FCCLA (of which I was Treasurer) wanted community service ideas for the club. It was mid-October, and I suggested Operation Christmas Child. My advisor loved the idea, so FCCLA began a donation drive for items to be placed in the boxes. In mid-November, we had a Packing Party complete with breakfast and holiday music. I have always enjoyed participating in Operation Christmas Child, from shopping for items to creating the finished product. Knowing that I am making even a small difference in at least one child's life is an amazing feeling. This child, who likely would not have received anything during the season of giving, was given a box full of hope. In 2017, my Sunday School class made and distributed Sunshine Baskets to sick, elderly, and shut-in members of the church, community, and relatives. Many of the recipients were in nursing homes, had recently lost spouses, or were unable to leave their homes by themselves. These baskets were rays of sunshine in their seemingly cloudy lives. The day we delivered the baskets was rainy, cloudy, and cold, so the Sunshine Baskets were the only forms of sunshine on the horizon. You could tell their spirits had been lifted by our visit and the gift we bore, which made it all worthwhile. Selflessness is such an important quality to possess. Helping others in their time of need, even by doing something simple like being a listening ear, shoulder to cry on, or hand to hold. By being selfless, you are putting others first. This does not mean, however, that you are making yourself last. While someone else might be gaining something from your kindness, you get to feel good about what you're doing. When you do something out of the goodness of your heart without expecting praise or receiving something in return, everything changes for the better. Not only is everyone involved happier and more satisfied, you might be more likely to get help when you need it in the future. I never commit acts of selflessness for my own personal gain, or because I want praise or recognition. That just isn't who I am at all. I love helping others and making them happy. That makes me happy. The Bible says in Matthew 6:3-4, "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." I believe that good works should be done with the intention of helping others, making the world a better place, and serving the Lord. My hope is that by helping a person in need, they will be inspired to pay it forward and do something good for someone else. Hopefully, a domino effect of kindness will ensue all over the world. This world needs more kindness, hope, and selflessness. What I do may not mean very much or have a major impact in society, but if I can help make a difference for at least one person, I will feel as though I have succeeded. "Lean on me When you're not strong I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on For it won't be long Til I'm gonna need Somebody to lean on"

My last two years of high school, I worked in the concessions stand at all home basketball games. One night, a girl who looked to be around twelve or thirteen came up to get something to eat. She seemed like she was really sweet but shy. As I handed her the food she ordered, I told her I liked her shoes. Her entire face lit up immediately, and she thanked me excitedly. Every time I saw her after that, even a year later, she would grin at me and say hi. You could tell that this one compliment made such an impact on her, and she always remembered it. I have always loved being a helping hand to others and doing random acts of kindness for others like the one I just described. It just makes me feel good to make others feel good, or at least better than they might have before. I have always been a very empathic person who is willing to help others when they need it. I have had people tell me countless times that I have shown kindness and compassion towards someone who they probably wouldn't have. "You're a better person than me," they'd say. I would know that the person I helped or showed kindness to might never show it back to me, but I was okay with that. I knew that the person did not seem very deserving of it to others, but I believe that even the most unlikeable or rude people are the ones who need a positive light the most. In the future, I would love to make a positive impact on the world. To me, if I made a positive impact on even one person, that would be an accomplishment. One small act of kindness can go a long way, often farther than many will ever know. I hope that my kindness toward others will inspire them to do something nice for someone else, and a domino effect of kindness will ensue. A person can be inspired to do something amazing because someone was nice to them. In order to make a positive impact on the world and build a better future for generations to come, I want to practice being a helping hand and a shoulder to lean on. There is a dark world out there in desperate need of light. If I can even be something as simple as a spark, I hope that one day, that spark will turn into a wildfire. Imagine if everyone became a spark of hope, compassion, and joy. How quickly kindness would spread, burning up the negativity and bringing warmth to a world freezing in hate.

Hello! My name is Blair Nicley, and I am a soon-to-be sophomore at Walters State Community College in Tennessee. I am enjoying college so much more than I initially thought I would. The transition from high school to college can be nerve-wracking, but I feel that I have adjusted very well. I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and currently have a 3,9 GPA. I am also a part of the Senators Pages, which is a student organization made up of thirty or so students who serve as ambassadors of the college. We work in different offices throughout campus, assist fellow students with their needs and work various events both on and off campus throughout the year. I have had so much fun being a part of this group and have met so many new people! Academics aside, I have several hobbies that I enjoy. For the past three years, I have been learning how to play bass, acoustic, and electric guitars. It hasn't always been easy, and I still have a lot to learn, but I really enjoy it. Music is one of my greatest loves. I listen to pretty much every genre and a plethora of different artists. Some artists I really enjoy are Harry Styles, Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles. I have actually seen The Beach Boys in concert three times, and I went to a Paul McCartney concert as my high school graduation gift from my parents. All of these concerts were absolutely AMAZING! I am also an avid reader, a trait I received from both my parents at a young age. I do have a more seasonal hobby that I enjoy, which is growing watermelons. This year marks the third year I have planted and grown my own watermelons. Watching them start so small and grow into sprawling plants producing large, beautiful melons is something that brings me great joy. I am a Christian, specifically a Southern Baptist. I was raised in the faith and saved at the age of eleven. I have attended the same church my entire life and have spent the last few years getting involved in various things. I have been a Vacation Bible School volunteer since 2021 and have served as Photographer, Secretary, and Nightly March in Coordinator. My mom and I are also in charge of decorating the church to coincide with various seasons and holidays throughout the year. While I have not yet decided on a career and am still narrowing down my options, one career I have been leaning towards lately is a librarian. As I mentioned earlier, I love to read. I spent so much time reading and writing growing up, and my childhood dream was to be an author. I could make a positive impact on the world through my career in many ways. As a librarian, I could instill in children a love of reading and learning about the world around them. I could teach them how to research things and learn as much as they could about different topics so they could grow up to become well-informed adults who can do their own research and make their own decisions. They will hopefully become well-informed voters, consumers, and citizens. Helping people of all ages to discover their love of reading will help them learn to use their imaginations and not spend so much time on technological devices. My greatest wish as a potential future librarian is that I can positively impact at least one person and that they will look back on me fondly for years to come.

The summer before I started kindergarten, I taught myself how to read. I had known the alphabet since I was old enough to talk, and my parents read multiple books to me every single day. I was five years old in the summer of 2009 when I one day picked up a children's book about Adam and Eve and God's creation of the Earth and began reading it aloud to my mom as if I had known how to read forever. After this moment, I never looked back. I started kindergarten that August and turned six that September. I was quick to become a straight-A student, a quality that would last until I graduated high school thirteen years later. I would always obtain proficient or advanced scores on state-standardized tests. By the time I was in third grade, I was capable of reading on a ninth-grade level. I did have the opportunity to be tested and placed in a gifted program in elementary school, but the people in charge of the testing never followed through. That did not stop me. I just kept doing my best academically and shot for the stars. I graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and was ranked third in the Top Ten of my senior class, which allowed me to be recognized as a valedictorian in my school district. I was a member of the Junior Beta Club in sixth through eighth grades, and Beta Club in my junior and senior years of high school due to it only being offered to upperclassmen at the time. Now that I am in college, I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In my first year of college, I made the Dean's List my first semester and President's List the second. So, I do have a lot of experience being considered a "gifted" student. Although I have always been a bright student, I have struggled to decide on a career for a long time. As a child, I wanted to be an author, because I loved reading and writing. I still enjoy those things, but as I got older and started researching careers and learning what I wanted from life, I decided that being an author was not something I wanted to pursue as my main source of income. I would still love to write in the future. Who knows? Maybe I will write a bestseller one day! Since I started researching, I have considered a plethora of different things. Journalist, radio DJ, speech pathologist, even a zookeeper! I recently found something I had done for school when I was around seven where I wrote that I wanted to become a rockstar. There, on top of the page in all its Crayola glory, was a hand-drawn picture of me on stage with a guitar in my hand. Is that the coolest career aspiration I have ever had? Yes. Am I actually going to pursue that? Probably not. It was nice to think about, even for a brief moment. One career that I have been leaning towards lately is a librarian. My love for books, writing, and libraries themselves is what has been inspiring me to pursue this route. If I were to be a librarian, I would be able to foster the social-emotional well-being and intellectual needs of gifted children in many ways. I would help them find the resources they need for various things, whether that is a school project or their latest fascination. I would thoroughly enjoy helping children learn new things in a way that is fun and engaging while also instilling in them a love of libraries, books, and learning. I would show them that learning can be fun and that libraries and books are not boring at all. It is okay to be smart, to want to gain knowledge and understanding of the world around us. My hope is that I would inspire all children to become gifted children in their own way. There is potential in all of us, we just need to find it. Sometimes, in order to do that, we need someone to help us. I could be that help for so many people. With the help of this scholarship, I could further my education to receive both a Bachelor's and Master's degree. This scholarship would not only greatly help me, it would eventually be a great help to all of the lives I will hopefully impact positively. This scholarship would not be paying for my education alone, but the education of future generations of gifted children as well. I would be forever thankful for the receiving of this scholarship, and I can promise it will be a gift that keeps on giving for years to come. Thank you.

As a child, I had SO. MANY. BOOKS. There used to be a large bookcase in our music room that held books and craft supplies, a plastic storage bin full of books in our living room, and a smaller bookshelf at one end of our hallway. Reading has always been one of my hobbies and passions. Both of my parents love to read, and my mom is an elementary school reading and language arts teacher. They would read to me every day, and I learned the alphabet not long after I started talking. I taught myself how to read when I was five and a half the summer before I started kindergarten, when I one day picked up a book and started reading it aloud to my mom like I had known the words forever. Ever since that moment, I haven't looked back. With every page turn and word read, the number of books I have read cover to cover has grown tremendously since that day in 2009, and I do not plan on stopping anytime soon. If I could have everyone in the world read just one book, I would have to choose "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. This classic is one of all time favorite books. Not only have I read the book multiple times, I have seen nearly every film adaptation there is. I feel as though I can relate to each of the March sisters in one way or another, almost as if the author somehow looked into my soul and wrote each character with a piece of it. Beth's timid and quiet nature, Jo's passion for writing, Meg's level-headedness, and Amy's humor all serve as tiny reflections of myself. This book has all the elements you could hope for in a story: romance, heartbreak, war, death, life, and maturity, just to name a few. There is something for everyone in this novel, which is one of the things that has helped it stand the test of time. I do, however, feel that some people have never heard of the book which makes me sad. It is such a good book and is such a classic, and some people won't even give it a chance. I promise it has the ability to change your life if you read it even once. This story is a truly amazing, truly inspiring American Classic.

The year was 2014. Tumblr and Vine were two of the hottest social media apps on the market, flannel shirts and skinny jeans could be found in everyone's closet, and Taylor Swift was (and still is) one of the biggest stars on the planet. On October 27, 2014, Taylor released her fifth studio album titled "1989", which is the year of her birth. This highly anticipated album was a mega-hit, spending eleven weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 200 and winning two Grammy Awards. When "1989" was released, I was in fifth grade. I had great taste in music even then as an eleven-year-old, because there is one song on the album that has been my favorite since the album's release nine years ago: "Shake it Off". I have made so many memories to this song. I can remember my cousins and me riding in a car together, dancing like mad in our seats and singing our hearts out with this song blasting on the radio. I have also danced to this song plenty of times over the years in the confines of my bedroom, a bigger and more comfortable space than a car seat and seatbelt for sure. One of my very best friends was a cheerleader on the fifth and sixth-grade cheer team at our school, and they would do a dance/cheer routine to this song during halftime of basketball games. This song was everywhere, all the time. Even if you hated Taylor Swift, you probably secretly knew all the words and danced when no one was watching. "Shake it Off" is easily one of the most popular songs of the whole album, if not the most popular. I think one of the main reasons it is so popular is because of its upbeatness that makes you want to get up and MOVE! The beat alone will instantly put a smile on anyone's face. The message this song conveys is also a great reason why the song surged in popularity. It tells you that what people see is not always the truth or reality. There is often more to people than what meets the eye. "I never miss a beat/I'm lightning on my feet/ that's what they don't see" and "I'm dancin' on my own/I make the moves up as I go/that's what they don't know" are perfect reminders that you do not always know what is going on behind the scenes in someone's life. The song has a message that "you've got to Shake it Off" when people are rude or judgemental towards you and your life because there are things that they do not know or see. Nobody knows you like you know yourself, so sometimes you just have to "Shake it Off" and move on! "Shake it Off" is my favorite song on Taylor Swift's "1989" album because of the joy and nostalgia that it brings, along with the message that it conveys to its listeners. If you have not heard the song before, you NEED to check it out. Then, hopefully, you will fall in love with it just as I have and make some memories of your own. So turn it on, turn it up, and shake it off!

When I think of where I see myself in the future, I see someone who is driven, passionate, and ambitious in all they do and with some very valuable characteristics including kindness, humility and humor.

Hi there! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Blair Nicley, and I am a nineteen-year-old college student. I have just completed my freshman year of college, but by the time this scholarship closes, I will be a sophomore. I currently attend Walters State Community College in Tennessee. Not to brag or anything (well, maybe a little) but Walters State was recently named #1 Community College of the Year by the Tennessee Board of Regents for the second year in a row! Isn't that great? I have had my fair share of accomplishments since starting college as well. I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and currently have a 3.9 GPA. I made Dean's List during my first semester and President's List during the spring term. I have also had the honor of being a Senator's Page. Pages are a group of thirty or so students who serve as student ambassadors of the college and do things such as work various campus and school-sponsored events throughout the year, volunteer in the community and provide assistance and guidance to students throughout the year. I am not quite certain as to what I wish to do with my life. I know that I want to obtain a Bachelor's degree, and quite possibly a Master's as well. I am currently a General Studies major, but that is subject to change before I receive my Associate's degree. I have been considering several different majors and careers over the last few years as I have been trying to narrow down my options. As of right now, I am considering pursuing an Associate's and Bachelor's degree in History, then pursuing a Master's degree in some form of Library Science so I can become a librarian. I do plan on transferring to a four year college or university after leaving Walters State, and I may transfer again for my Master's. Okay, enough about academics. Let me tell you about my other interests. I absolutely love music. I honestly do not know where I would be without it. I come from a very musical family, with nearly everyone knowing how to play at least one instrument. I can play bass, acoustic, and electric guitars but am still in the process of learning new things. I listen to a variety of artists and genres. From Harry Styles to Patsy Cline or from classic rock to indie pop, I practically cover it all. My other hobbies include cooking, baking, growing watermelons, and reading. Two of my favorite books are "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton and "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. I can really resonate with the characters in these books and enjoy their storylines. Receiving this scholarship would greatly help my family and me financially. College can get very expensive very quickly due to things like tuition, books, gas, food, and any other things that might come up. If I were to win this scholarship, the stress and burden of wondering how all my college expenses would be paid for would be alleviated. As I said earlier, I am considering getting both a Bachelor's and a Master's after I graduate with my Associate's degree. Obtaining three degrees at two to three different schools will not be cheap. Therefore, I will be eternally thankful for any financial help that I receive. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read and review my application. I enjoyed telling you about myself and why I would be honored to be the recipient of this scholarship. Thank you.

I have never had a real plan for my life. I have never had a specific career that made me think, "Yes! This is what I want to do forever!" When I was a kid, my love of reading and writing made me want to be an author. Once I got older and started researching careers more, I realized being an author was no longer something I could see myself doing, at least not for my entire life. With this revelation have come many years of uncertainty about the future, and this uncertainty has brought forth a lot of anxiety. When you are a teenager, the last two years of high school seem like the two most crucial years of your life, and in a way, they are. Junior year is the year you take some really big tests, like the ACT, that can have a major impact on how colleges perceive you. Speaking of college, this is also the year that you start being pushed to choose a college, major, and career. These are decisions that will change the course of the rest of your life. The heat gets dialed up your senior year, and these decisions are all anyone wants to talk about. I was so stressed out those last two years of high school. Why should I, at the ripe age of seventeen, make all of these decisions about what I want to do until I am at least sixty-five? The pressure to make such major, life-changing decisions at such a young, inexperienced age can easily have quite a negative impact on a young person. I felt like I was a failure for not having my entire future mapped out down to the tiniest details. It seemed like everyone around me knew what they wanted to do. They knew if and where they would go to college, what jobs they wanted, where they wanted to live, everything. And then there was me, with no ideas about anything. How could all my peers have their lives planned out so young, and why did I not? After starting at my local community college, I had an epiphany. No matter how much it seems like those around you have their lives together and all figured out, they DO NOT! So many people are just going through the motions with no clear goal of what they are doing. I also realized that it is completely okay to not have everything figured out by the time your cap is tossed in the air. There are plenty of adults who are still unsure of what the future holds. There is no way you can plan out your future when you still have so much of it in front of you. You never know what could happen or when. Just because you want things to happen a certain way or in a certain order does not mean that they will. This made me realize that everyone is different, and people will go through different stages of life at different ages. I have learned to never compare my life or the stage that I am in to the lives of others, and that I should be happy for them and support them in their endeavors. My faith as a Christian has helped me learn to trust God's timing and believe that everything will be fine as long as my future is in His hands. I know that while I may not have a specific career goal in mind at the moment, I will figure out what is right for me when the time is right for me to figure it out. I might not have reached this realization in high school like so many others did, but I will when it is my time. Until then, I just need to sit back, enjoy the ride, root for others and trust in the Lord. These are the things I have learned in the year since I graduated from high school. I hope you have learned something from this as well. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."

In the stillness of the night, after everyone has gone to sleep, I often like to lie awake and let my mind wander. I create scenarios in my mind, adding to the never-ending storyline as I drift away into an unconscious dream state rather than a conscious one. Other times, I just simply think. One thought that has made several appearances over the years is this: "What would life be like if I had not been born and raised in the community that I was? How would my life, as well as the lives of others, be different? What if everyone were born in different areas, with different families, educations, and lives?" I like to think that I, along with everyone else, was placed where they were for a reason. This is why it is so important to remember where you came from. The experiences you have in your community - and by "community" I mean your family, friends, neighbors, classmates, teachers and anybody else with an impact on your life - can truly shape your opinions, goals, mindset and lifestyle. Because of that, I believe that it is important that you give back to your community. For example, I help decorate my church for every holiday and season. I have been attending the same church my entire life, so decorating is my way of giving back. There is no doubt that the church, and my faith as a whole, have shaped who I am. I have also spent time volunteering at a local food bank packing holiday meal boxes for families in need who otherwise might not have the ability to have a holiday meal. There is always something to be done in every community, to make it and the lives of those in it better. Travel is a great way to support communities that you are not a part of. This is why I plan to travel often in the future. When you visit different areas, you are helping their economy a great deal, even if you do something as simple as buying a meal from a local restaurant or a souvenir from a convenience store. Experiencing the world is a gift, for you and each community you call your own, no matter how short or long the period. I would love to visit places like New York City and London, but I would also love to visit smaller towns as well. There is just something about that small-town charm that gets me every time! In the bigger cities, I would love to visit some of the family-owned businesses and restaurants in the area and support them. Helping out within your community is very important. No matter what you do, no task is too big or small. In your community and communities all over, the assistance and kindness of others are greatly appreciated and worth more than you may ever know. So lend a hand, spread a lot of kindness, and no matter where you go, never forget the people, places and things that got you there.

The Eagles are by far one of the most notorious and successful bands in rock music, hitting the scene in the 1970s. They have a plethora of amazing hits, but one, in particular, sticks out as having an important message. In their 1974 song "Already Gone", there are several lines with messages that stick out. In the second verse, the late Glenn Frey croons: "Just remember this, my girl, when you look up in the sky/you can see the stars and still not see the light." These lines show that the things you have been looking everywhere for could be right in front of you the entire time without you even realizing it. Then, in the third verse, there are the lines that I think are the most meaningful: "So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains/and we never even know we have the key." It is so easy to confine ourselves without even realizing what we are doing or that we can change the entire trajectory of whatever the situation may be. This song is a great example of what makes a good song - both lyrically and musically.

All through school, I was always seen as the "trustworthy" kid. Teachers would always send me to run errands or ask for my help with various tasks throughout the day. Taking classmates to the nurse and handing out materials in elementary school, getting lunch from the cafeteria every day for a teacher in middle school, making copies and doing everything I could to help with events in high school. You name it, I was willing and ready to do it. Being in college has not changed this for me. I have helped with several events during my first semester, including handing out candy at a Halloween trick-or-treat trail in the community, packing Thanksgiving meal boxes for a local food pantry and working a college Semester Survival function. Being trustworthy does not only take place in a school setting for me. Every Christmas, I wrap every present that is not mine at my house and also wrap presents for my grandfather. I also wash the family vehicles when they need it. I do these things because I want to help, and also because I enjoy doing them. My mom tells me to have at it when it comes to these things because these tasks are much more enjoyable to me than they are to her. I am often asked to help babysit my younger cousins and usually end up with at least one small child before the end of any church function. Speaking of church, I have spent the last couple of years helping with our yearly Vacation Bible School, doing things like taking pictures and putting a slideshow together and being the secretary. I decorate the church alongside my mother and helped her for years with the church sign. Being trustworthy is very important to me. It is something that has been instilled in me from a very young age. I value this characteristic highly because I enjoy helping others and knowing that they can trust me. I feel that having this quality will help in my life journey by allowing me to gain notoriety among those around me as someone who they can go to for help and support. This quality could help me obtain jobs and make connections in many different areas of my life. Trustworthiness is a gift. It makes others feel good and it makes me feel good. Believe me - being trustworthy will make you feel good, too.

I have always hated doing things in front of a crowd. Whether it was singing with the church youth group, giving speeches during school assemblies, or even presenting a project to my classmates, I never enjoyed being in the front of the room feeling like the center of attention. I was convinced all eyes were on me - judging, staring, and making fun of me. In recent years, I have become less afraid of doing these things. Giving class presentations, for example, stopped bothering me as much, because I had known my classmates for thirteen years, and their opinions had stopped being a concern of mine after a while. The anxiety of doing these things is still there, in some situations more than others. The difference is how I deal with it. I believe my involvement in high school played a part in helping me be able to open up more and get more comfortable with speaking in front of people. I also believe that who I am as a person has changed even in the last four years. Granted, there are still lots of times when I do not feel comfortable doing or saying anything in front of people, and a lot of times I still do not. What matters is I am brave enough and bold enough to work through it. I do what I am comfortable with, and only test the limits on things I am willing to.

In my opinion, the biggest problem that is facing the world right now is the war between Russia and Ukraine. After Russia invaded Ukraine several weeks ago, countless innocent people have lost their lives, as well as their homes and families. The United States, along with several other countries who are members of NATO, have placed sanctions on various Russian goods, like oil. This has caused gas prices to increase dramatically. I do believe that Russia should receive backlash for everything that they are doing, but the rise in gas prices have a lot of people wondering if stopping oil shipments was really the way to go. I do not think that the United States should get involved unless we are directly targeted or attacked by Russia. I do believe that aiding Ukraine and providing support and items that they need is a very good thing for us to be doing. I also understand how placing sanctions on Russian goods and hurting their economy could cause them to do poorly all the way around, but in certain aspects it is hurting our economy as well. There are a lot of questions that have hard or seemingly no answers. I believe that negotiating is a very important part of ending wars. While it is not really the United States' place to negotiate anything, we can offer support to Russia and Ukraine as they begin to come to an agreement. We can also put a certain amount of pressure on these countries to end the war that has quickly become so much bigger than anyone could have ever imagined.

"If you are happy doing what you're doing, then nobody can tell you you're not successful." This quote is by singer and musician Harry Styles. I believe everyone in the world should hear this quote, because everyone should be happy "'doing what they're doing". Success is not always about how much money you make, or how many cars you have, or what kind of house you own. All of those things are nice, but they do not always bring people happiness. If you are doing something you love and are passionate about, then happiness will be sure to follow suit. So many people in the world today have a job or career that makes them miserable. People are also afraid of doing things that they love, because they are afraid it will not make them enough money, or will take up too much time. Your success does not always need to be by society's standards. You might just be a lot happier if your success is by your standards instead.

Self care is an extremely vital part of everyday living. Having good, healthy habits that benefit your overall well being can greatly help you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Here are some things I personally do to practice self care. I do have a nightly skin care routine that I try to follow every night, which helps me have better skin. I drink up to 70 ounces of water every day so I can be healthier both internally and externally. I also try to be somewhat active, as well as watch what I eat and put into my body. I am currently trying to become the best version of myself that I can be in all areas of my life. There are also things I do to help better myself mentally and emotionally. I surround myself with people whose company I enjoy and who want to see me succeed in all areas of my life. Those in my inner circle and immediate family are all people who bring out the best in me. These things help me become the best version of myself every day and want to do good.

One of the most overwhelming things about becoming more independent is becoming more financially independent. Finances seem like this really hard, daunting process. You do not want to ruin your credit, or run out of money, or unknowingly commit tax fraud, or anything else you might panic about when beginning to be the person in charge of your own money. The most helpful piece of financial advice that I ever received was from someone who is very close to me. They told me to always pay my bills on time, save my money, and always keep track of everything. That way, you will always know where you stand financially, will have at least some money to fall back on, and will have good credit and everything you need paid for in full. This advice has helped me greatly, and I am sure it will be of great value to others who might need it. Your finances should not scare you or keep you up at night. As long as you use your head and do things sensibly, you should be able to take care of things. Do not be afraid to ask for help if you are ever confused about something. Financial advisors, accountants, bank tellers, and so many others who work with money on a daily basis should always be ready and willing to help you whenever you ask for it. I hope this advice can help someone who might need it, no matter the age or the situation.

What does it mean to be independent? Sure, you can look up the word "independent" in the dictionary to get an answer, but what does it really mean? Ask anyone, and the answers will vary from person to person, guaranteed. For me, independence is a variety of smaller things that add up to create a bigger whole. Something as simple as deciding when you wake up in the morning is a sign of independence. It shows that you are in charge of getting your own day started on your own terms and your own time. Being independent also includes big things, like buying a car or a house. Independence, or at least the beginnings of it, is being able to make decisions and think for yourself, and be in charge of your own life. Independence is slowly starting to have more of an impact on me as I become increasingly close to graduating high school and starting a new chapter in my life. Little by little, the independence I have will continue to grow along with me.

Everyone has dreamed of being famous at some point, and for different reasons. Some want to be actors, some want to be NBA star players. Whatever the reason, people think more about being a celebrity than all the things that come with it. One thing that comes with being a celebrity is having a platform and life that is more seen and a voice that is more heard. You can use this to make a change and stand for things you believe strongly in, if you're willing. If I were a highly influential figure, the main thing I would stand for would be kindness. I would encourage others to help the people around them, and build each other up rather than tear them down. Kindness counts, and it does make a difference. One random act of kindness that you see as a small action could be just what it takes to save someone's life. The more people are nice to each other, the closer we get to solving global, national, and local issues and changing our world for the better. That is why I would choose kindness.

"Stay Gold, Ponyboy. Stay Gold." Chances are, If you recognize this quote, you will immediately know what book it is from - The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. There is also a chance that you remember this book - and quote - for a reason. I read The Outsiders when I was in the seventh grade, at age thirteen. It has been my all time favorite book ever since, and for good reason. For me and so many others, each character has their own fair share of relatable qualities. I can relate to each character in a different way, and that helps make it all the more special and memorable. Everything from Ponyboy's love of reading and ability to do well in school to Two Bit's never ending jokes and sense of humor are things I can relate to. Things like this are things that make me and the millions of other kids that have read it feel a little more seen. Also, the book's message is a very inspiring one. It has many lessons in it, and the more you read it, the more of them you find. That or your views and perspectives on them are broadened or changed. The book shows, for example, that "things are rough all over", and your social status, age, or anything else has little do to with how easy or hard your life is. Social classes and money don't determine how many problems in life you'll have. The most inspiring book I have ever read is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Each of the four times I have read it have impacted me, in ways both different and the same. The book continues to remind me of things that I at times tend to forget. I will never forget, however, to Stay Gold.