In this wicked world of ours, small pieces of hope can still be found. Now more than ever our lives are in dire need of something to lift our spirits, something to care for and nurture our broken hearts. Even in our darkest moments, art is one of many things that has stood the test of time, and it's not hard to see why. Every stroke has a voice, every color story, every piece a message and I too wish to send a message: that though the world can be bleak there is still color, hope, love, and charity. I personally enjoy just about every form of art but typically I prefer painting, digital art, drawing, and sculpting. I am still learning but so far have been commissioned for several projects including murals, portraits, and charms. I hope these pieces speak to those who need a bit of hope in their lives. Though I would consider my skills to be far from the old masters, I believe that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder and if you dig deep, a sense of wonder can be found in the most unlikely places.

My family and I tend to stress quite a bit when it comes to money but it's hard not to see why when you live in a society where money can make or break you. When I was enrolled in my first year of college, I understood full-heartedly the serious impact that my tuition had on my parents' finances. Though they always told me things like “Don’t worry about the money” or “Just focus on your studies.” I could always see that deep down they were concerned about scraping up as much as they could to try to put me through school. After all, I wasn’t the only child that would be receiving an education. My brother will also be going off to school soon and I could tell that even he sensed that there was a silent panic radiating throughout the house. It was hard seeing them stress so much. I would overhear them say things like “we can pull money from there…” or “…take a little from here.” It broke my heart. Soon the hope began to drain from their eyes. Though they are fortunate enough to have good jobs, they hadn’t had enough time to regenerate the money they had spent on my last semester. My mother began to lose sleep and my father began to have health problems. Even my brother started to suffer from his mental health. Eventually, the time had come for us to check the student bill. This was a day that the whole family had been dreading all summer. That evening we all crowded around the computer expecting the worst. Was this payment going to put us in debt? Would we be skipping out on the groceries for a while? I thought to myself maybe I’d have to work two jobs just to help my parents with this massive burden but no. We would have to do any of that. To our surprise, the bill was lower than any of us expected. Turns out that my brother and I had won scholarships that drastically reduced our tuition for this semester. We couldn’t have been happier. My mother breathed a sigh of relief as tears streamed down her face. “Thank you, Jesus” she whispered softly and I couldn’t agree more. He has always been there for us. He has put us through challenges that we never thought we would ever be able to survive and yet he always makes a way for us. God has a strange way of working in our lives. Though we might not always see a way out, he always has a plan and I learned that trusting him is crucial to surviving this harsh world. As night began to fall, we all embraced and a hush came over the house that was still and peaceful. I could feel the stress they had been carrying melting away and a few hours later I heard gentle snores coming from their bedroom as they slept more soundly than they had in months.

The unfortunate reality of POC’s relationship with mental health is something that has baffled and perplexed me for years. I too have struggled with my mental health for what feels like an eternity and it was only recently that I started receiving treatment for it. Since the sixth grade, I have been in a seemingly hopeless, never-ending battle with crippling anxiety. It is never a good idea to wait, especially as long as I did. Your mental health is vital and getting help for it is one of the best things you can do for yourself. For the longest time, I tried my very best to swallow my fear, pushing it down hoping that I would simply grow out of it. It did nothing but worsen and eventually, as you can probably imagine, my body began breaking down. There were times when I refused to go to classes, hang out with friends, or even get out of bed. As a result, I lost many people around me as my tendency to push them away mimicked the repugnant arrogance of a haughty pompatus. Additionally, I missed out on various opportunities the likes of which would surely have had a glorious impact on my life. The overwhelming darkness, however, swallowed me whole at one point and while I never got so far as to attempt suicide, it was a thought that tended to linger when my anxiety was in full swing. Regardless, it was a scary thought and luckily, things are changing for the better. Despite missing out on many social and academic events, I was able to navigate the challenging ups and downs of life, and I'm happy to say that after starting medication, my anxiety is doing much better. I am making new friends and taking more risks. I would be amiss to neglect the impact that mental health advocates have had on people like me. Their drive has never been so strong and their message is radiating throughout society. I hope that someday everyone will acknowledge the significance of mental health. I believe that much of what we go through is inundated by those who make it a point to supply us with the bare minimum, making it harder for us to access and afford care. It saddens me to see that people care so little about others that they will use whatever means necessary to decrease the population. Though the nature of this aristocracy we live in can be cruel, we are stronger than we know, and keeping our minds sharp is the first step to happiness for all.

The discovery of phages has to be the most fascinating scientific discovery in the history of mankind. I learned about these organisms during my second year of college when I was required to read a book called “The Planet of Viruses.” The book caught my attention immediately and I marveled at the plethora of information embedded in each of its chapters. However, nothing caught my eye more than the chapter on phages, viruses that can infect bacteria. Shortly after they were discovered phage therapy became a massive hit and soon these little guys found themselves in all types of medications and cosmetics. The discovery of antibiotics eventually pushed phage therapy out of its spotlight and after a while, the hype surrounding them died down. What intrigues me the most about these creatures is the same reason why they became so popular in the first place. We found a way to manipulate phage genes so that they will attack specific types of bacteria. This means that, in theory, their abilities can be harnessed and used to cure various types of diseases including cancer! Unfortunately, phage therapy, similar to most vaccines and antibiotics, still has the potential of becoming ineffective due to bacterial resistance. Not only that but as phages begin to mutate so do other viruses, which will make keeping up with new strains very difficult. Despite this fact, however, this is still an area of science worth exploring. Phages could help us fight diseases that humans have battled for ages! They could be the start of something groundbreaking!

My experience with academics has always been incredibly laborious and uncomfortable. For me and many other college students, stress has always been a factor associated with the challenging yet rewarding life of higher education. Regardless of this fact, I do credit much of my academic achievement to the stress that I endure. I do not mean to brag, but I do pride myself on my academic standing and I will do anything it takes to maintain my ranking. However, I unfortunately, suffer from an anxiety disorder that prevents me from performing at my peak, and thrusting myself into a school that was miles away from my home only heightened my anxiety. This crippling inhibition did nothing but slow me down. If given the opportunity I would rather take small steps toward a big goal as opposed to a monumental leap thus I believe that moving closer to home will improve my performance and encourage me to explore a bit more. I know that taking things a bit slower will allow me to fulfill my goals in due time without experiencing frequent and intense burnout. If all goes to plan, I will be able to crush my goals and perhaps accomplish even more than I thought I could. I plan on conquering this next semester before moving on to another college. I will finish out as strong as I possibly can. My primary directive is to get more involved, make more friends and take good care of myself. With education, self care and a strong support group comes the potential for a wonderful life, financial stability, and a fulfilling career.

I have been raised to believe that receiving an education is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Though school is often a strenuous and daunting challenge to tackle, reality insists that nothing can be obtained without hard work. I push myself each day to reach my goals so that someday I will conquer them. I consider education an investment in my future and though education may take up a great deal of time and money, I know that it develops the stable foundation I need to increase my chance of success. Of course, reaching my full potential is going to take a great deal of hard work but everything will be worth it when I receive my Master's degree. Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cierra Reed. I am a college freshman at Radford University, where I study Biology and Graphic Design. I am fresh out of high school and I am eager to undergo this significant transition into my adult life. To ensure that I am on the right track, I try to stay in touch with my college counselor who I know can help guide me through this experience. Though I have only been through one semester, I have, according to my Dean's listing, proven myself worthy of holding the title of a college student. In my spare time, when I am not studying or applying for scholarships, I enjoy painting, sculpting, gardening, and a variety of other quiet activities. My art classes have helped improve my skills and expand my knowledge in areas that I struggle with. Despite my love for art, I decided to pursue a career in Biology. I have been working toward my goal of becoming a Marine Biologist since I was 14 years old determined not to give up until I reach my goals. I have taught myself to stay disciplined by setting goals for myself daily, even if it's something small like cleaning my room or doing my chores. I make it a point to keep my parents' house clean and I make sure my siblings are on top of their chores as well. During these dark times, my family's safety and happiness are two of the most important things to me at the moment. I have taken it upon myself to start passing my knowledge on to my younger family members. I help them study, stay organized, fill out scholarships, and apply for colleges. I tend to keep my head in the books all day, but someday all of my hard work will pay off. Studying has become a habit at this point and I believe I have done well thus far but there is always room for improvement. Any new challenges, experiences, or opportunities that I encounter will be graciously accepted with open arms. In the future, I expect to be financially stable with a well-paying job and a house of my own. I wish to travel the world and meet new people. I have big dreams, so a good education is critical. Nothing will stop me from reaching my goals.