An Introduction to the Life and Times of Brianna Torres By Brianna Torres Hello! My name is Brianna, and I am a college sophomore getting ready to transfer to UCF. There I will pursue a degree in Marine Biology. My family consists of myself, my mom and three younger siblings and my grandma. My mom is a single parent who works a full-time job and manages to provide everything we need without any kind of child support. I do have a full-time job, but that only covers some of my basic expenses so I am diligently looking for other resources to try and cover my college tuition. One thing I am certain of is that I will not stop until I fulfill my dream of a college education. My goal is to work with animals, and I have chosen Marine Biology. I have a passion for animals of all kinds. I intend to care primarily for marine animals, but I plan on helping animals of all breeds. For 4 years I volunteered at the Pet Alliance of Orlando where I learned to handle dog and cat breeds of all sizes, sometimes in the worst conditions. We got a lot of Pitbull dogs that have been abandoned by their owners. Working so closely with these gentle creatures, I learned to better understand the misconception that many people have of many animals. This is the case with marine animals. There is so much to learn about these magnificent creatures and so much work to do to help them. In addition to attending school full-time, I also have a full-time job. I have been working since I was in high school so that I can help pay for my education and other expenses. I truly enjoy working and have been fortunate to receive several promotions in my short career. Going to school and working full-time can be very demanding and some days I can feel it. But I have made a promise to myself that I will complete my degree regardless of the challenges I may face. I also make time to help my younger siblings, two of which are in high school now. My goal is to help them so their journey can be a bit easier. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to submit this application to your scholarship program and will humbly await your decision with the rest of the applicants.

As a young adult who works full time and goes to school full times, healthy eating habits are hard to follow. Our world is geared towards the easy and prepackaged which is mostly not healthy at all. And of course, these choices usually taste good too! They are easily accessible and usually less expensive than the healthier counterparts. Convenience eating, which is what I like to call it, also is an easy way to gain weight quickly and easily. Which in turn adds to the unhealthy lifestyle. In the past year I have made it a priority to start making healthy choices when it comes to eating. I have eliminated a lot of the processed foods that I always went for and instead I am eating more vegetables and lighter food. Foods without the extra oil or grease. Foods without the added sugars which make you feel energetic for a moment and then make you crash. I have slowly started to develop a taste for these healthier foods and learned to let my palate appreciate food without all the added stuff we tend to put on it. Bread has always been one of my biggest weaknesses and I was eating it for almost every meal. Although filling and delicious, it adds a lot of extra calories and carbs that I truly didn't need. Now I am learning to eat things I used to put inside the bread but without the bread. It's amazing how creative you can get when you want things to taste good and still be healthy. I am also getting good at finding ways to purchase these items without breaking the bank. Shopping around for grocery stores that have better prices and carry fresh healthy food. The truth is that the difference in the way I feel really makes it worthwhile. I am not as sluggish anymore and have loads more energy. My mind isn't foggy all the time now and I find I retain information easier. This has been very beneficial for me in my schoolwork. I find that I don't have to rely on caffeine all day long to concentrate any longer. I also find myself drinking more water which has also helped. Another great benefit has been weight loss. The pounds have been slowly coming off and since I am not treating this as a momentary thing or diet but a lifestyle change, it has been a nice surprise to see the clothes fit better now. I am going to continue doing my best to stay on this healthy pathway with my eating habits so I can continue reaping the great benefits.

I have always been an animal lover, and dogs are at the top of my list. Ever since I was a very small child, I would come up to any dog big or small without fear and pet them. Fortunately, I never had a bad experience. I was given my baby, my chiweenie Seraby when I was almost 11 years old. She was 8 weeks old. A tiny little thing squirming around. She was a happy little dog since day one. She is a mix between a chihuahua and a wiener dog. She is indeed my baby. It’s hard to tell if she loves me more or if I love her more. We are always together except when I am at school or work. Seraby came to me in a period of my life where I was trying to get over a very serious trauma I had suffered in my life. The kind of trauma children rarely get over. Even though I was going to therapy and being supported by my family, the memory of that trauma and the aftereffects were still there. In some ways, the effects will always be there because it happened to me. But I have not let that situation overcome me or takeover my life. I worked hard to get past it and grow and become strong and love who I am. This is where Seraby has always been that constant. Always by my side. Always loving me and always so happy to see me. My loving, faithful companion for all these years. She has a way of knowing when to be rambunctious and when to be just quietly by my side depending on how I am feeling. She lays quietly next to me when I am doing schoolwork somehow knowing that I need to concentrate. She always knows when we are going out even when I don't tell her. When I go on vacation, I always find places that will accommodate dogs so I can bring her along. She is never a problem when I do. It's like she is so grateful to come along that she knows to behave. I take good care of her and make sure she gets her regular checkups and dog meds when needed. She's so tiny that I worry something could happen to her, but she has always been super healthy and easy to care for. Recently my family doctor certified her in writing as my official therapy dog. But she is so much more than a therapy dog for me. Seraby is getting along in years and even though she still looks like a puppy I know there will be a day when I will have to let her go but, in the meantime, I am enjoying every minute with her and all the joy she brings to my life.

I dream of learning about life and finding a job that I will love doing. I also dream about helping people.

I have chosen Biology as my field because I want to go into a field where I can study and care for animals. I have always loved animals of all kinds and feel they are underserved by their human counterparts. Many of the people that go into this field do it thinking of the money, but the sad truth is this is not a very lucrative field. It can be, and that would be a nice side effect. The field of animal biology requires a lot of sacrifice and hours of not only learning, studying, and familiarizing yourself with all the species, it also requires a special temperament. A special type of person that not only loves animals but wants to understand them and everything about them. How they thrive. How they live and how they die. What can not only help them live longer, better lives, but also what would help their environment. So many things now a days come down to our environment and how badly we are treating it. This is something that I want to apply to animals of all varieties. As a child growing up, I was always fascinated by all animals no matter how scary or how big. I remember one day taking a walk with my grandmother and as I was about to bend over and pick up a cute little creature I saw on the sidewalk, my grandmother stopped me short of an in away because it was a scorpion. Who cared it was a poisonous thing that could kill me? I didn't. It was a little creature and I wanted to inspect it closer. But going back to our environment. I feel that if we as humans learn about our environment and how to really make it better, not only will we be benefiting ourselves and our community, but all of the animals that depend on it too. Creating awareness about making our environment a better place is not an easy thing to accomplish. There is a lot of work ahead for those of us who care. It starts at the local community level. We help our neighbors and friends to take better care of our environment which in turn will benefit our immediate community. If we do this correctly, the effects will not only benefit our immediate community, but it will grow and have an even bigger effect. My dream is that in the future we will not have free fish and wildlife from plastic bags or plastic anything. Dreams can come true if we keep at it and work hard, together.

Attending college full time and working almost full-time hours leaves very little time for much else. Studying and taking care of homework requires a lot of time also. It's very easy to fall into the rat race mentality with a schedule like this. Remembering that I am still young, and that life will always have its share of stress, I make sure to set aside "me" time as much as possible. Sometimes that can be just sleeping in a bit and getting that much needed rest. Other times it could mean spending quality time with family and friends doing things I enjoy. Many times, this means just sitting outside in my backyard on a lawn chair and just breathing the fresh air and looking at the night stars. I also like to go get pedicures when there is time, and my finances allow it which may not be often but is very enjoyable. For me, doing a variety of things I like helps me stay balanced as I continue my educational journey.

I have learned in my young life, that being patient is so much better than the opposite. To quote a very well known cliché, "" Good things come to those who wait". Waiting and being patient helps us learn along the way. It helps us take in more of life and what it brings. It also helps us see things from other people's point of view since we are less prone to jump to conclusions. That alone can be very helpful on the journey of life. Having lived all my life in Florida, waiting has been become a way of life, especially at long lines at our famous attractions. I learned very quickly that if I was patient enough to wait until the end of that long line, I would be rewarded with the cool ride and experience I so wanted. When I was young we frequented the theme parks a lot. So I got a very good exposure to waiting which helped me develop more patience. Now I am truly grateful I can use this is in all facets of my life.

Life as a shy, introverted Hispanic person has not been easy for me. Add to that the fact that I have identified as non-Binary since I was about 10 years old, and voila, you have the best recipe for what could be total unhappiness. I have been faced with the looks of disapproval from my family, including ones from my closest circle. This has been hard. You always think your family is going to be your strongest allies and comfort and when you are faced with the opposite of that, the pain and confusion can be unbearable. Not only is it painful, but it adds to all the other feelings of turmoil I have been facing about my identity and who I really am and who I want to be. At first you try to keep your feelings to yourself. Not just with family but with people you deal with every day. But that gets old very quickly and truly hard to keep up with. As a young person you really struggle to be yourself and the real you without being too awkward, but it becomes even harder when you are dealing with sexual identity issues. So, you either choose to continue the charade for everyone else's benefit and be incredibly unhappy, or you don't But I am determined to not be unhappy. To not be what people want me to be, despite what I know of me. So, I have learned to surround myself with people who understand me and do not judge me about every little thing I like, or I say or do. Thankfully I have been able to find not just one friend, but quite a few who share my views and have also experienced negativity throughout their lives for the same reason. These friends have become not just my support and strength, but also my sounding board so I can remain balanced and true. I have to say this is a slow process and not always without pain or hurt. But I am making headway. Getting a higher education is a very big part of my plan regardless of how hard it has turned out to be financially. I am determined to overcome the stumbling blocks before me, but I know I can't do it alone. That is why I am so grateful for organizations and programs such as yours that help individuals like me who are determined to find their way and make their mark in life while still dancing to their own tune.