Dance saved my life. I've struggled with mental illnesses for as long as I can remember. At so many points throughout my life, I have suffered because of myself and I am my own worst enemy. I can be so much meaner to myself than anyone else can, and nothing will quiet that little voice. Except for dancing. When I start dancing, the evil voices in my head suddenly disappear. Nothing can bother me anymore because I'm safe. I feel like nothing is so serious that I can't dance and make it better- at least temporarily. Dancing soothes my anxious brain, helps keep me present in my body, and gives me a sense of being grounded. Dance has brought me so much joy and so much peace and I am so grateful that I found it when I was so young and I can continue it for the rest of my life. I've been very blessed with an able body and minimal injuries, so I have been fortunate to be able to dance for a very long time and I hope to continue to do so by keeping myself active and flexible. Dancing is a wonderful physical and mental outlet for me. When I'm upset, I dance in the kitchen. Dancing in the dark while the rest of my house is asleep has done more for me than years of therapy has. Keeping my body moving, boosting my serotonin, and listening to a song I really love heals my soul in ways I cannot begin to describe. Dancing makes me feel like I'm really good at something beautiful that I can share with others and that's very important to me. I love sharing things with others and learning new things, and dance exists in every culture and tongue. I think it's so beautiful how people from every corner of the world can share the language of dance together and how different dance looks in every culture. I took a dance class in high school several years ago and we spent a large portion of the year learning about dances from different cultures and I was very interested. I performed a Chamorro dance from Guam as my end-of-unit presentation and I had a lot of fun learning about the history of the dance and the Guam culture in addition to learning the choreography of the stick dance. I love the combination of learning, culture, and dance. It's a happy trio for me. Since I was a little girl, I would sing and dance around the house like a Disney princess. Even though I've grown up, I still do the same thing. I love how dance makes me feel and how I can share it with others. I can confidently say that I am still alive today because I keep dancing.

When I was seven, my hair began to fall out in clumps. I would wake up to a strand of hair on my pillow in the morning before school. I was diagnosed with Alopecia areata at age two. I routinely saw a dermatologist from ages seven to fifteen, trying numerous creams and topical treatments to get my hair to grow back. Unfortunately, nothing caused consistent growth and anything that grew eventually fell out again. I began to wear hats to school to hide the growing patches on my head. I've been very blessed with my opportunities and my loving family, but I struggled socially in school because of my alopecia. I vividly remember walking home from school with a neighbor one day in third grade. "I don't want to be your friend because your hair is falling out" she said before speeding up to walk in front of me. I was devastated. I could not comprehend how someone could say that to another person and how she thought my condition, completely out of my control, was a reason to end a friendship. I currently work as a swim instructor for younger kids and I love it. I love being able to influence these kids, being a safe space for them to learn and to grow. I've corrected their behavior many times, and stopped many conflicts from happening in my class by getting on top of behavior immediately before it could escalate. I refuse to let these kids be treated the way I was when I was their age. I am very protective of these kids and I love getting to know them each personally. Of course, some days are better than others, but I am confident that my kids know that they always have Ms. Caroline in their corner. I am extremely proud to encourage and influence these tiny humans and I hope that I am teaching by example how to be a kind, encouraging, and uplifting individual. Though I greatly struggled with my self image and with bullying in elementary and middle school, I gained valuable insight into my future- I knew I wanted to be a dermatologist since I was a little girl. I used to pick the dandruff off my dad's head when I was younger because the scalp and hairline fascinated me. As I've aged, I continue to want to be a dermatologist the more I learn about hair, skin, and the human body. Above all else, I want to be a beacon of change in someone's life. I want to make an impact and reach someone who needs me. As a dermatologist, I have the power to change someone's life by being a consistent and supportive medical professional that my patients can be confident in. I was very lucky to have a wonderful experience with my pediatric dermatologist, and I hope to embody the experience I had with him to my future patients.

My experience with mental health has drastically changed the way I view myself and other people. I was diagnosed with depression in 2017 when I was in middle school. I felt hopeless and I did not see my purpose. My parents made sure I had the mental health resources I needed and I was able to get myself out of a dark space because of my amazing family and friends. My mental health has made me conscious of other people's experiences and I recognize that my experience is unique as is everyone else's. Struggling with mental health issues has made me an extremely empathetic person. There is nothing I wouldn't do for the people I love and I strive to be a support system for the people in my life, even if we don't have an intimate relationship. I felt very alone when I was depressed and I knew that I was strong enough to get through it. I fear for others, however, because I know that not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to the resources I did to help me recover. I make an effort to be a person that people can be raw and authentic with. I want people to tell me when they're struggling or when their circumstances are difficult because I yearn to help. A large part of understanding the impact of mental health of individuals is being aware that it looks different for everyone. Depression is a scale and is fluid, meaning that it can be horrible one day and minute several days later. Understanding that mental health affects everyone differently and being a person that my people can rely on are two things that I feel I do very well and I hope to continue to learn more through my experiences and the experiences of others.