Insecurities: Is it because of the way of my thighs touch that you lecture me so much? Is it because of the way that my stomach shows that you throw unnecessary blows? Is it because my grades aren't high that don't think to uplift me? Why do I feel so much pain when I listen to how you'd demean me? I'm not society's body standard Hell I'm not even yours So, why are you so upset That our communication is cut by a thread, a string, a chord? So I may not be Nicki, Cardi, or even Latto. But I did the best with what I got Guess you can say that this is my motto.

The best back to college tip I can give you is getting your groceries delivered. Sometimes we are unable to physically leave the campus and it will save you a lot of time. Also, utilize your food pantry on campus. Instagram: Creee_23

My favorite Disney character will have to be Maleficent. However, she has been glorified as a villain. Her self-titled movie proves that not all evil is within a person. She was treated heartbreakingly, so she reciprocated that treatment with anyone who disrupted the peace she tried to protect. She may not be a purebred human, but that does not mean she did not feel like a human would. She was more than a pretty face (thank you Angelina Jolie for bringing this masterpiece to life) and she always stood her ground. She was heartbroken and betrayed by someone who she considered a friend, someone who she eventually fell in love with, only for him to take the one thing that meant the most to her outside of the wildlife in the forest: her wings. He stole her wings in order to become king, his greed meaning more than his friendship with Maleficent. It was unfair. At 13, it was understandable why she turned evil when the one human who showed her kindness, was also the one human who caused her so much pain and heartache. Maleficent was more human than she realized. Even without her wings, she made an impact. She was also able to realize that she made a mistake that she regrets and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. I admire her for this because sometimes it is hard to acknowledge when you messed up due to pride. She realized that she acted upon her negative feelings and put the life of someone else at risk. A lot of the decisions we make can affect other people and we often do not realize it until it is too late to change it. If that does not define parts of life, I don't know what else will.

For me, it is important to have a healthy lifestyle because once you feel good on the inside you will feel good on the outside. The saying "where the mind goes, the body follows" is a critical key to remember when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Our habits, from eating to exercising, even our daily habits can cause changes in our health. This can change when we start with the mind. There are moments when we experience burnout, lack of motivation, and overall depressive symptoms. This is brought out due to events that have happened out of our control or even things that we could control but made a small mistake, which happens to everyone. Once our mind is set on a negative (i.e. "I will never become successful", "I am a failure", etc.), it is hard to get rid of those thoughts and it can cause us to change course in activities. From exercising 5 times a week to staying home more, for example. It is important to attack the negative from the source.

I am a first-generation college student. Being the first daughter was not the easiest, there were always expectations for me to be great. Though that is never the issue, it can be very challenging in a world that I have hardly explored compared to the daily 24-hour shift of being in my home, not including school. I felt like I was behind. I am 21 and I still do not have a license yet. It is frankly embarrassing even though I am moving forward, education-wise. The future that I know I will have illustrates me as a licensed mental health counselor in less than 2 years after I graduate with a Master's in Counseling Psychology at Florida International University. It will be a difficult journey, as is any other when pursuing higher education. I will also be financially stable, even during my retirement. Currently, I am on the road to completing my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. What has been an obstacle in the way of me building my future is my fear of asking for help and the belief that asking for help is a terrible thing. I like to accomplish things on my own to prove that I am capable of any obstacle, to show that I am not a weak person, and show that I am capable. This is where the negative self-talk and negative comments from others come into the equation. There is always someone bringing negativity, making me feel like I am walking on eggshells. The saying "people will talk." applies heavily, but that does not mean that words should be so hurtful and negative all of the time. To remove this block, I am looking inward. A lot of negativity should not be acknowledged but I always listen to it. This has been an addiction that I have been trying to shake since high school. I hurt and I need to understand why I tend to hurt so much, recognizing what is causing me to feel such uneasiness with... basically anything related to grown-up decisions. The idea of becoming an evolved version of myself at times feels hard to reach. Take 2 steps forward, yet I fall 3 steps with every other step I take. Falling is supposed to happen, but I hate falling so often on things that should get over, things that I should already know the answer to. I just need to accept that mistakes aren't always failures.

There were a few times when I experienced loss quite a few times in my continuous path in life. These past three years were not the easiest mountains to climb over, losing friends and family alike. At 17, I lost my great-grandmother. What pained me the most was that while looking at her in the hospital bed, I have seen her light dimming. She was dying in front of me and I could not do anything to change it. Following her funeral, a classmate of mine, who was also a friend, passed away almost a month after her death. I knew that graduation was the goal, but I worked overtime to be able to make them proud, to do what my classmate could not do anymore. In 2020, I lost two more classmates. I honestly did not know how to move on from it. I knew one of them personally, since elementary school, and we graduated together. Even now, my eyes grow blurry as I voice my experiences. Currently, I am overcoming the loss of my great-grandmother who died in March of this year. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 before but she overcame it and I thought she was going to be okay. Whenever my parents had to work, she was always there to take care of me. She would always have a bright smile and would engulf me in warmth with her hugs. With her passing especially, I wanted her to look down on me and to be proud of how far I have come so far. I am a transfer student who obtained her Associate's in Psychology and am on my way to a Bachelor's. I have accomplished a lot in such a short time, like graduating with my Associate's in Arts and being a secretary in a club, and I feel that I can do more, not only for my loved ones but for myself as well.

To maintain peace in my mental and physical being, there is a multitude of activities that I participate in. Reading, as typical as it sounds, can bring peace to the mind. It isn't a foreign topic, seeing that we carry out this action every day. It can reduce up to 70% of stress (Group Medical Services). Writing out my feelings over the events that may have taken place throughout the day can also aid in maintaining peace. Journaling can reduce anxiety and can help with brooding, contemplating a lot on the negative (WebMD). Did you know singing your favorite song could even be convenient? Even if we cannot be Tevin Campbell, it can improve our overall mood by trying (Stanborough). The final activity would be exercise. This is comforting as it is for the sake of our mental health as well as our physical health. Focusing on the body can help treat mental health disorders such as anxiety, ADHD, depression, and PTSD (Robinson). To summarize, these are the activities that I participate in for the purpose of maintaining a peaceful mental and physical being. References: The mental health benefits of reading. (2020, September 7). Group Medical Services. https://www.gms.ca/living-well/the-mental-health-benefits-of-reading Mental health benefits of journaling. (2021, March 25). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-benefits-of-journaling Stanborough, R. J., & MFA. (n.d.). Benefits of singing: 10 ways singing boosts your health. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-singing#benefits Robinson, L. (2018, November 2). The mental health benefits of exercise. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm

Growing up, I realized that outrageous events had never impressed me as much. If someone were to gift me a book that I have been staring at in a bookstore as a present, I would appreciate it as if I had won over a million dollars. There are many simple pleasures that I appreciate in my daily life, especially now that I am an adult. I enjoy quality time with my family, especially with my siblings. Money doesn't need to be spent in order for me to have fun a lot of the time. If you take me to the park, I will scream like a schoolgirl and run to the swing set with glee. Self-care is the best care that an individual can provide for themselves. Money can be involved at times but it is not always required. To read, to journal, to meditate. There is never anything wrong with having interests that may be more on the straightforward side.

To listen to someone alone, can be an action that can save the speaker's life and you would not even know it. They may not have support who would listen to them without judgement, or even at all. To listen to someone is to be there for them. I would want to talk to someone that I feel would be able to listen to me and be very understanding of my situation. To actively listen to someone is simple. Remove your phone and put it away. This may seem simple but we live in a generation where a phone will forever be in someone's hand. Both parties should put away their phones unless they need them for the purpose of explaining. Listening, for me, is being able to help someone, even if I am not on duty as a firefighter or someone in the army. I am still able to be of use to someone, even if it may seem very minimal.

Happiness can be obtained in many unique ways. There are many ways that happiness is always within my grasp. The first on my list would be affirmations. There were numerous times where negative thoughts had appeared in my head, becoming impulsive over time. Yet, repeating to myself that everything is going to be alright, how I am successful, how I am somebody period, aids me to see the bright side of things. Secondly, the practice of journaling. Emotions can sometimes be hard to express and can feel overwhelming at times. To maintain control, writing about my day and what could have been better, helps to move forward. And finally, the presence of music. Music speaks to the soul, every feeling that may be trapped from within is exposed when music steps into the room. It is fascinating how one song can bring many fruitful memories and how new songs can bring a smile to the face of someone who may be hurting on the inside. These simple things brings joy to my life and I am not sorry for it.

Frida Kahlo is revolutionary. Her paintings showed the emotions, such as pain, that she was feeling at the time her paintings were created. Kahlo released a painting called "The Broken Column" which was created after an accident she was in that resulted in spinal surgery and infertility issues soon after.

You meet someone that you may have features in your own personal lives that may be similar. You find yourself talking to them almost every day, whenever you possibly can. A friendship is beginning to bloom before your very eyes. Friendship is a foundation. You need to start with a friendship before anything else is pursued. Friendship is often a roller-coaster. There will be happy days, however, there will be days of turmoil. The arguments can be over something trivial, like taking their clothes, or over something that is serious, such as breaking a promise. It is not a friendship if they bring negativity in your aura if they do not lift you up when you are down and if they choose to hurt you for the sole purpose of dimming your light; misery loving company. Friendship for me is similar to a family. I give my all to my family and when you are my friend, you are a part of my family. This is why it always hurt when there is an argument, or in worse case scenarios, friendship breakups. I recently lost someone who I considered to be my best friend, my sister, and the pain was unbearable. There were many things that I have done that caused her to drift away until the day we called it off completely and I regret it fully. Friendship is a part of you that you can never really get rid of, it is a part of who you are.

A way that I practice self-care is journaling. Being a college student, suffering from stress is inevitable. Some events we can control to alleviate some stressors in our daily life. For some, expressing ourselves vocally can be impossible. In my personal experience, I try not to rely on others with my own emotions out of fear of annoying them, out of fear that they will believe that I am overreacting, that I am just a pain. Those thoughts begin to manifest and it does not help those friendships that I want to keep. Journaling has helped me express the feelings that I cannot say aloud, onto paper, as well as guiding me in a way that I thought that I could not even imagine doing vocally as well. It also keeps my mind from being as clouded during the day. Self-care, in my opinion, is the best thing that one can do for themselves.

The biggest problem isn't just a singular situation. It is multiple scenarios that make up one single problem and it needs to be addressed. Police brutality and racism, for instance. There are many, and I mean MANY, examples of the police attacking and in numerous cases, killing, unarmed black men and women. Some are killed in their own home (Breonna Taylor), while they're walking home from a corner store (Trayvon Martin), playing with a toy (Tamir Rice), going for a jog (Ahmaud Arbery), accused of having a gun and being shot, only for news to come out that there was no gun present (Alton Sterling), even accused of being "sketchy" because of the clothes they were wearing and injected with ketamine (Elijah McClain). The list goes on and it all roots in one thing: RACISM. I should not be afraid of the people who are claimed to protect the community. Why am I worried that the police will kick my dorm door down and shoot me because of assumptions that I may be a perpetrator in a crime I did not commit? And it continues to happen without any convictions being made. Many officers either resigned, fired, or were put on paid leave, with the exception of George Floyd's murderers. One conviction is not enough. It will never be enough when many of my black brothers and sisters are being murdered for no reason at all. What also needs to change is racism being taught to children. It will only continue the toxic cycle and make society a much worse place.

Having patience is very important in life. It would not help to be negative to those who may be unable to understand or ignorant to certain situations, especially if the people in question are children. Children are growing so fast and learning as they walk through their paths of life. Every child does not have similar struggles if any are present. Many face issues like bullying, poverty, homelessness, parental abuse, or some do not have parents at all to teach them. Being patient would be a great benefit to us mentally. Those who are patient tend to be more hopeful and more satisfied with their lives (Newman p.4). Being patient can be an aid for people mentally. It is better to work with those who may struggle to understand ideals that may be different than your own. They are not accustomed to knowing and acting on such information. Many cultures are diverse and deserve to have the chance to acknowledge what may or may not be acceptable.

The pandemic was very challenging for many. Even now, there are some who ruin it for everyone else by not wearing a mask in private businesses. But, this pandemic helped me realize a lot about myself emotionally. I was able to pinpoint what I needed to work on in in order to mature more and become the best version of myself that I could possibly be. I realized that it is okay to reach out for help, to a counselor for the battles that I fight mentally. There were often moments where I found myself constantly worrying about my future and what will come of it, if I will be successful. I worried so much that I often experienced mental burnouts. This would cause me to move at a slower pace and it often affected my grades drastically. This pandemic actually inspired me to work much harder to get what I want, but to also take breaks when they are needed because too much stress could be harmful to not only my mental health, but my physical health as well. I am a hardworking person, I am just in a ditch right now, trying to figure out my next move.

Florida International University is very accepting of students apart of the LGBTQ+ community. This submission is me at one of the events held by the university's Pride Center. The Pride Center has many upcoming events and I cannot wait to see what else they have in store.

"You are exactly where you need to be." These were life-changing words for me because they were exactly what I needed to hear during this time. I felt that I was not doing enough for my family and myself because of the constant criticism from elder family members stating that I could be better, feeling that I was never doing enough, that I am not the person that they wanted me to become. That pressure began to weigh heavily onto my shoulders. Another weight being the job to be an inspiration to my younger brothers. It all began to pile up as if they were bills on the first of the month. It was all so stressful to the point where I was breaking down emotionally, wondering where I should be, who I should be, and if the person that I am today even mattered at all. Speaking to my father about my concerns, he did not judge me for feeling the way that I felt and told me those exact words. He even added that I was "ahead of schedule." At the time, I had graduated with my associate's degree and I was wondering where to go next on my journey and if it was the right decision. I wanted to know my future right then and there so I could just follow suit with what was planned right there for me, though I knew that it was very foolish due to how impossible it is.

"When you love what you do, it does not feel like work." is not only a quote but a philosophy that I choose to live by in my daily life. Though I am a junior in college, I find myself feeling out of place because I have not found what my calling is, yet there are people who know exactly what they want to do in life, for the rest of their life. I long to be able to find out what I really love to do before it is too late. This quote is very special to me because of who told me, which was my stepmother. When she told me this quote, it really resonated with me and caused me to really think more for myself and the future a great deal amount of the time.

I had experienced loss quite a few times in my continuous path of life. These past three years were not the easiest mountains to climb over, losing friends and family alike. At 17, I lost my great grandmother. What pained me the most was that while looking at her in the hospital bed, I seen her light dimming. She was dying in front of me and I could not do anything to change it. Following her funeral, a classmate of mine, who was also a friend, had passed away almost a month after her death. I knew that graduation was the goal, but I worked overtime to be able to make them proud, to do what my classmate could not do anymore. In 2020, I lost two more classmates. I honestly did not know how to move on from it. I knew one of them personally, since elementary school, and we graduated together. Even now, my eyes grow blurry as I voice my experiences. Currently, I am overcoming the loss of my great grandmother who died in March of this year. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 before but she overcame it and I thought she was going to be okay. Whenever my parents had to work, she was always there to take care of me. She would always have a bright smile and would engulf me in warmth with her hugs. With her passing especially, I wanted her to look down on me and to be proud at how far I have come so far. I am a transfer student who obtained her Associate's in Psychology and on my way to a Bachelor's. Though I have accomplished a lot in such short time, I feel that I should do more, not only for my loved ones, but for myself as well.

Transitioning from high school to college was not an easy one. In high school, there was always a uniform rule, with the exception of wearing jeans on Fridays. Outside of school, I often wore clothing that hid my body. I often looked at myself in distaste because I wasn't as skinny and my curves weren't as prominent as others. What inspired my #Back2SchoolBold moment was the realization that I was beautiful no matter what I looked like. I am looking at myself in a better light now.

My favorite book is "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur. This book is filled with a cluster of poems that express a variety of emotions, surrounding the experiences from childhood and how they transfer into our adult life. Kaur communicates her feelings of unresolved feelings rooted in trauma when entering a relationship, which eventually leads to a toxic love altogether. This book will send chills down your spine and goosebumps on your arms due to the intensity of the passion that Kaur placed into this masterpiece. I chose this book as my favorite because it touched me in a way that no person ever could emotionally. Her words played in front of me like a projector in a movie theater. A poem that resonated with me was when Kaur states "every time you/ tell your daughter/ you yell at her/ out of love/ you teach her to confuse/ anger with kindness/ which seems like a good idea/ till she grows up to/ trust men who hurt her/ cause they look so much/ like you." This small piece correlates with my personal life. Growing up, I wasn't the easiest child to raise, but I was often yelled at for very trivial matters and the purpose would always be to teach me right from wrong. the matters that weren't small, I understood that. However, it was never really necessary when it came down to me not understanding math homework. The reason was never due to me "not trying" to do it, I genuinely could not understand it. "Milk and Honey" honestly made me realize that I had unresolved frustration that I never spoke up about.

My name is Cree Butler. I am the oldest of three siblings and I am a first-generation college student. This would be my second time graduating college, receiving my Associate's in Psychology earlier this year. I am aiming to be a mental health counselor once I graduate because I want to be an outlet for children, teenagers, and adults who may have suffered from trauma suffered throughout their life, just to be able to let them know that they have someone to depend on, someone to talk to, someone who can be there. I plan on being an intern to gain more experience in the field of counseling and therapy. I also plan on volunteering as well. What excites me about this world would be that there are many opportunities that can be blessings for many people, yet they do not realize it. There are events, so many possibilities that could be undercover blessings for a person to move forward on their path to greatness. I plan to give back by volunteering and in my counseling career. It will help me save lives, young lives that do not to be taken away so soon.

Mood Swings Playlist by Cree Butler Lonely ~ Akon I'm Not Ok ~ H.E.R. When I See You ~ Fantasia OMG ~ Usher Outta Time ~ Bryson Tiller (Feat. Drake) Fall Apart ~ Post Malone Bare Wit Me ~Teyana Taylor

Rihanna once said, "I was born by a black woman, who was born by a black woman, who was born by a black woman". Hair being washed in the kitchen sink, holding my ear when the hot comb or flat iron is present, and the constant mutters of how thick my hair is or how hard it is to detangle it, will only be a glimpse of what my story is. At one point, I was often ashamed of my hair because of the constant knots and time consumed to look presentable and often wanted it to be straight. Being well-spoken but unfortunately, being called a "white girl" because of it. My hair is pulled into a half-decent bun, and hearing comments on how my hair isn't "done." My hair practically became my identity. Being told that you are the only black(girl) friend that someone has due to the fact that the other black women in the area were "ghetto" isn't exactly a compliment to hold on the belt. Even when trying to pursue a relationship, you ponder if the person you are interested in, may not have a preference for black women due to us being "aggressive" and "angry". Those same men tend to find those features attractive in other women of different ethnicities. Even our own people tend to disrespect us. Black men, who were brought into this world by black women, degrade black women of darker skin tones. The irony is, their mothers are the exact skin tone of the women that they verbally abuse. The constant disrespect of black women is visible on the internet. Black women cannot even walk their dogs without being told that they do not belong. Being shamed for getting plastic surgery, yet also being bullied for not getting plastic surgery on a certain body part that does not fit in society's beauty standards. With these experiences, first hand or not, I want to be able to inform black women like myself that we are powerful, beautiful, and unstoppable. We are the blueprint. We should not be ashamed of who we are, the melanin in our skin, or the texture of our hair because we are still beautiful and we are still humans who deserve respect.