Growing up in a Vietnamese immigrant household, Vietnamese was my first language and my first responsibility. Before I could even fully navigate school myself, I was translating for my parents: doctor’s appointments, utility bills, school forms. Mistakes weren’t just embarrassing, they had real consequences. At times, it felt heavy, like I was carrying two worlds on my small shoulders. Yet, over time, I realized that being bilingual wasn’t a burden, it was a bridge. It allowed me to connect my family to the world, and myself to opportunities that might otherwise have felt out of reach. Being bilingual has shaped not just my words, but my thinking. I’ve learned to see situations from multiple perspectives, to listen deeply, and to adapt quickly. I know what it feels like to straddle two cultures and two languages, and that has given me empathy I carry into every interaction. It’s why I mentored middle and high school students in after-school programs and assisted fellow college students in navigating the educational system. I can relate to their struggles and feeling unseen. I can speak in ways that make them feel understood, and I know the difference that makes. Of course, the path hasn’t been easy. Early on, I sometimes felt invisible like I was too Vietnamese to fit fully in my English-speaking classes, yet too American to feel at home in my family’s culture. But over time, I learned that my bilingualism was not something I needed to hide. It was my superpower. It gave me confidence, adaptability, and a sense of purpose. It pushed me to take bold steps, like transferring from Michigan State University to the University of Michigan, because I realized that opportunities are meant to be pursued even when they feel risky or unfamiliar. I am now pursuing a degree in economics, driven by a desire to use data, research, and policy to create real opportunities for underserved communities. My bilingualism gives me an edge because I can communicate across cultures, bridge gaps in understanding, and help ensure that policies don’t just exist on paper, but actually reach the families and students who need them. Post-graduation, I hope to work in public policy or economic research, designing programs that expand access to education, healthcare, and financial stability for immigrant and working-class families. Receiving the Julie Holloway Bryant Memorial Scholarship would not only recognize the resilience and perspective that comes with being bilingual, it would allow me to continue my education and service without the constant stress of financial strain. It would give me the chance to breathe and have the freedom to keep mentoring, learning, and building the skills I need to lift others as I climb. My first language, Vietnamese, is more than a tool for communication. It is the lens through which I understand the world, the bridge to my family, and the foundation of the life I am building. This scholarship would honor that foundation while helping me create something bigger: a future where no one feels unseen because of their language or heritage.

Sustainability must be at the center of every field today, but especially economics, the field I am pursuing. Growing up in a low-income Vietnamese immigrant household showed me how deeply environmental issues intersect with economic inequality. My parents worked physically demanding jobs, yet we lived in areas with limited access to fresh food, clean recreational spaces, and reliable public transportation. I did not grow up hearing the word “sustainability,” but I lived the consequences of systems that were not sustainable in the form of communities with fewer trees, families relying on cheap processed food, and neighborhoods affected by pollution and lack of investment. These experiences shaped the way I now understand economics, not as theory on a chalkboard, but as a tool that determines which communities thrive and which are left behind. As I learned more about public health and chronic illness in college, I saw how environmental sustainability and economic policy are deeply connected. Preventable diseases like heart disease and diabetes, conditions I’ve watched loved ones struggle with, are worsened by environmental factors such as food deserts, poor air quality, and lack of safe outdoor spaces. To me, sustainability is not an abstract ideal. It is a matter of human well-being, dignity, and long-term opportunity. A sustainable world is one where families like mine have access to affordable healthy food, clean neighborhoods, and infrastructure that supports rather than harms their futures. This belief influences what I want to do with my career. As an economics student, I hope to focus on public policy and community-centered economic development. I want to help design policies that promote renewable energy investment, equitable transportation, sustainable agriculture, and healthier built environments, especially in underserved and immigrant communities. Sustainability should not be something only wealthy communities can afford. It should be accessible, practical, and rooted in the real needs of everyday families. My volunteer work with students at the Michigan State University library strengthened this conviction. Many of the students I mentored came from working-class backgrounds similar to mine, and their families faced the same challenges of food insecurity, limited resources, and neighborhoods lacking environmental investment. These students deserve a future where sustainability is not a luxury, but a foundation. Their stories remind me that policy is not just data; it affects real children, real families, and real futures. In the long term, I hope to work in economic research or policy analysis, helping governments and nonprofits implement sustainability-focused solutions. I want to advocate for systems that reduce environmental impact while improving quality of life through policies like expanding access to public transit, incentivizing sustainable food systems, or designing urban spaces that promote health. Sustainability must be a priority in economics because it ensures that growth does not come at the cost of people’s health, safety, and opportunity. As a first-generation student, I carry my family’s sacrifices with me. I want to use my education to create a world where communities like mine are not left behind in environmental progress, but included, empowered, and protected. This scholarship would help me continue toward that goal with focus and purpose, allowing me to build a career grounded in justice, sustainability, and hope.

For many students, calculus is a class to survive. For me, it has become a way to understand the world, especially as a first-generation Vietnamese American student who had to navigate school systems on my own. Growing up translating documents for my parents and figuring out college without guidance taught me to break down complicated problems into smaller, more manageable steps. When I finally reached calculus in college, I realized that the subject mirrors the very process I had been practicing all my life: taking overwhelming challenges and turning them into something solvable. Calculus is important in the STEM field because it teaches us how change works. It gives us a language to describe movement, growth, and the relationships between things we do not fully see yet. In STEM, this is essential, whether measuring the rate at which a virus spreads, understanding how a bridge responds to weight, or analyzing how small changes in policy can impact an entire economy. But beyond formulas and derivatives, calculus forces us to think deeply. It teaches us to be patient with ourselves, to look for patterns, and to understand that solutions come from examining problems from a different angle rather than stepping back. That mindset has shaped my own career path. As an economics major, my work is built on understanding change, as in how small shifts in wages, food prices, or housing costs can dramatically impact low-income and immigrant families like mine. My goal is to work in public policy and economic research, where calculus plays a quiet but powerful role. Behind every model that predicts the effects of poverty, every graph showing rising inequality, and every statistical analysis behind a policy recommendation, there is a foundation of calculus. It allows us to quantify real-life struggles and design solutions rooted in data, not assumptions. My experiences outside the classroom reinforce why this matters. Mentoring working-class students in the Michigan State University Library’s after-school program opened my eyes to how many families are one financial setback away from crisis. Losing my grandmother who lived in Vietnam deepened my understanding of the fragility of life and inspired me to pursue experiences and goals that make her proud. These moments taught me that change is constant, sometimes painful, and always worth understanding. Calculus, in its own way, helps me make sense of that reality. Calculus is not just a STEM requirement. It is a tool that helps us measure the world more honestly. It pushes us to think critically, understand complexity, and seek solutions that consider every variable. For someone like me, who learned early on to navigate life with limited guidance, calculus has become both a challenge and a reminder that even the hardest problems have answers when approached step by step. This scholarship would help me continue pursuing a STEM-connected path in economics and public policy where I can use the analytical tools calculus provides to uplift communities, empower underrepresented students, and build the kind of equity I want to see in the world.

Losing my grandmother in 2023 was the first time I experienced a loss that changed the course of my life. She lived in Vietnam while I lived in the United States. When she passed, I could not be there to say goodbye. I made the difficult decision not to see her funeral because I knew it would leave an image I was not ready to carry for the rest of my life. Instead, I chose to remember her as the woman who raised me when my parents worked long hours, who taught me Vietnamese, and who introduced me to the traditions, foods, and values that root me in my culture even now. Her love shaped my childhood, but her passing shaped my future. When she died, everything around me seemed to shift. At the same time I found myself having to switch households for unforeseen reasons, and life suddenly felt unfamiliar and unstable. Grief can make even ordinary routines feel overwhelming, and during that time, I struggled to make sense of what direction I was supposed to take. But the loss also pushed me to rely on my faith in ways I never had before. I was raised in a Catholic Christian household, and prayer became the place where I could release the confusion, the sadness, and the guilt of being so far away. Faith reminded me that even though I could not be there physically, my connection to her was never broken. That grounding gave me the strength to keep moving forward when I felt like I was standing still. Her passing also forced me to rethink how I was living my life. I began to understand how quickly time can disappear, and I promised myself I would start making decisions that aligned with the person I wanted to become instead of the person I was afraid to be. Losing her reminded me that life is not guaranteed, and because of that, I wanted to pursue experiences that would make her proud. This led me to make one of the biggest decisions of my life: transferring from Michigan State University to the University of Michigan. It was a risk, a leap, and a challenge all at once, but I knew that pushing myself academically and personally was a way to honor her legacy of strength, sacrifice, and unconditional love. Today, her memory continues to shape how I show up for myself and for others. Her loss taught me compassion and patience, both with people and with myself. It gave me a deeper understanding of grief, which helps me support friends, peers, and younger students who feel alone in their struggles. It taught me that pursuing my goals is not just for me, but also for the people who poured love into my life even when I didn’t understand it. My grandmother’s life was simple, but her impact was profound. She showed me what resilience looks like long before I ever had to practice it myself. Losing her taught me to live with purpose, to keep going even when life hurts, and to build a future that reflects the strength she gave me. Every step I take in my education, in my career aspirations, and in my service to my community is guided by the desire to honor her and carry forward everything she gave me.

Growing up as a Vietnamese American and first-generation college student has shaped every part of who I am: my identity, my values, and the goals I strive toward. Being a racial minority in both academic and professional spaces has never been simple. For me, it means constantly navigating systems that were not designed with my community in mind, carrying the weight of my parents’ sacrifices, and learning how to make space for myself where people who look like me are not always represented. At the same time, my identity is a source of deep pride. It connects me to my culture, my family’s history, and the resilience that has been passed down through generations. As the oldest child of Vietnamese immigrants, I grew up translating documents, helping my parents communicate, and taking on responsibilities earlier than most people my age. I noticed early on that many of my classmates relied on their parents for guidance through school, but I was the one guiding my parents. These experiences taught me independence, maturity, and the importance of advocating for myself. They also made it clear that racial minorities often face an uneven playing field, and not because we lack ability, but because we lack access, representation, and support. Being underrepresented has also influenced the way I move through college. In lectures and discussion groups, I am often one of the only Southeast Asian students in the room. Sometimes this comes with an unspoken pressure to perform perfectly, as if one mistake would confirm stereotypes about my community. Other times, it means feeling invisible, especially when my classmates have connections, resources, or familiarity with the academic world that I never had. Nevertheless, these challenges have strengthened me. They taught me not only to find my voice, but to use it with purpose. My identity also motivates my academic and career goals. I am majoring in economics because I want to address the structural inequalities that affect families like mine: immigrant families, low-income households, and racial minority communities who are often overlooked in policymaking. I know what it feels like when systems overlook your needs. I have seen firsthand how language barriers, cultural differences, and socioeconomic struggles create obstacles that are rarely acknowledged. My vision is to become someone who uses data, research, and advocacy to amplify the voices of those who are too often unheard. I want to help design policies that create opportunity, expand access to education, and reduce economic inequality. In every room I enter, I want to carry my community with me. My Vietnamese identity will continue to shape my future because it grounds me in resilience, humility, and service. It reminds me why representation matters, specifically why young students need to see people who share their background pursuing leadership, education, and public service. I want to become that representation. I want to show that being a minority is not a limitation; it is a strength that pushes us to work harder, speak louder, and dream bigger. As I pursue higher education, I know my path will continue to come with obstacles, but it will also come with purpose. My identity is not just part of my story, as it is the reason I am committed to building a future defined by equity, opportunity, and empowerment for underrepresented communities.

Growing up as a first-generation Vietnamese American student in a low-income immigrant household, I felt like I was carrying the weight of two worlds at once. I translated for my parents, navigated school alone, and learned to be independent at an age when most kids were still learning who they were. These responsibilities shaped me, but they also contributed to my mental health challenges that I did not fully understand until college. Entering Michigan State University as a first-generation student brought on new pressures of financial stress, uncertainty about the future, and the feeling that I had to succeed not just for myself, but for my entire family. I felt isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure how to ask for help. It took time, reflection, and faith for me to understand that struggling with mental health does not make you weak, it makes you human. My mental health journey has deeply shaped my beliefs. I used to see strength as enduring everything alone, but I have learned that true strength comes from vulnerability, community, and the willingness to grow. Experiencing anxiety and emotional exhaustion taught me how important it is to slow down, take care of myself, and give myself grace. I now believe that healing is not linear and that progress is something to be celebrated, even when it comes in small steps. This shift in perspective has made me more compassionate toward myself and toward others who carry invisible burdens. My struggles have also transformed my relationships. When I began volunteering at the Michigan State University Library’s after-school program, I realized how much my experiences allowed me to connect with students on a deeper level. Many of them came from working-class families, felt pressure from school, or lacked emotional support at home. Because I knew what it felt like to be overwhelmed, I approached them with empathy and patience. I made it my priority to create a safe environment where they felt heard and valued and not just tutored. Supporting them reminded me that connection is one of the most powerful tools we have in protecting mental health, a mindset I remain grounded in no matter who I have helped after those students. This journey has also influenced my career aspirations. Majoring in economics may seem separate from mental health, but to me they are deeply connected. Growing up and witnessing the stress my family faced from financial instability to long working hours showed me how economic hardship directly impacts emotional well-being. Mental health challenges are not just personal, as they are shaped by systemic inequities. This realization inspired me to pursue a career in economic research or public policy to help create programs that reduce poverty, increase access to resources, and make mental health support more accessible for underserved communities. I want to use data and policy to uplift families like mine so people do not suffer in silence because of circumstances beyond their control. My mental health experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and purpose. They have shown me that vulnerability is not a weakness but a pathway to connection, healing, and leadership. I hope to continue using what I have learned to support my community, advocate for systemic change, and remind others that they are never alone in their struggles.

The Sherwood Family Scholarship would have a meaningful impact on my education and the future I am working toward. As a first-generation college student from a low-income Vietnamese immigrant household, every step of my academic journey has required persistence, resourcefulness, and faith. Paying for college has always been one of the biggest challenges for my family and me. I currently balance school with working multiple jobs to afford tuition, housing, and basic necessities. While I am proud of how hard I work, the constant pressure of finances sometimes limits the time and energy I can dedicate to the things that matter most including my education, my service work, and my long-term goals. Receiving this scholarship would ease some of those pressures and allow me to focus more fully on shaping the future I envision for myself and my community. My goal is to build a career in economics and public policy, where I can use data to advocate for policies that reduce inequalities, expand access to healthcare, and support working-class and immigrant communities. I chose this path because of the lived experiences that shaped me. Growing up, I saw my parents work long hours in physically demanding jobs, yet still struggle to afford basic needs. I watched relatives face chronic health issues that could have been prevented with better access to education and resources. I learned early on that financial hardship is not the result of a lack of effort. It is tied to larger systems that need change. This scholarship would give me the room to continue the work I have already started. I have volunteered with an after-school program where I supported middle and high school students from working-class backgrounds. Many of them remind me of myself. They are balancing school with responsibilities at home, navigating challenges that are invisible to many people around them. When I tutored them, talked with them, or helped them manage stress, I was reminded of why I want to pursue economic policy in the first place. These students deserve a world where opportunity is not determined by income or circumstance. Financial support from this scholarship would also allow me to reduce my work hours and dedicate more time to research, internships, and community involvement that will prepare me for graduate school and future roles in public service. It would help me continue showing up for the students I mentor and for the peers I support within the first-generation and immigrant communities UMich. The Sherwood Family Scholarship would not just lessen the financial burden of college. It would allow me to pursue my education with more stability, continue serving my community, and move closer to becoming the advocate I hope to be. My future goals are rooted in care, equity, and creating opportunities for others. This scholarship would play a direct role in helping me turn those goals into reality for myself and my community.

Losing my grandmother in 2023 was one of the hardest experiences of my life. She passed away in Vietnam while I was in the United States, and the distance made the grief feel unreal at first. I never got to attend her funeral or say goodbye, and that absence weighed heavily on me. I was moving between houses during that time, so everything around me felt uncertain and unstable. I was trying to hold myself together through changes at home, changes at school, and the sudden emptiness of losing someone who had been such a constant presence throughout my childhood and a deeply rooted tie to my culture. My grandmother played a huge role in shaping who I am. She babysat me when I was young, taught me Vietnamese, and helped me understand my culture in ways that I still carry with me today. She was patient, warm, and incredibly strong. Even though she lived far away in Vietnam, she always made an effort to stay connected in the ways she could, and I never doubted her love for me. Losing her forced me to confront the reality that life does not always give us the time or the moments we hope for. That realization changed me deeply. Her passing pushed me to rethink the way I lived. For a long time, I focused on survival and responsibilities. Growing up in a low-income Vietnamese immigrant household, I learned how to navigate life without much guidance, and I was always in “keep going” mode. But losing my grandmother made me stop and ask myself what truly matters. I realized that life is fragile and that experiences, relationships, and purpose matter just as much as achievements. I wanted to live in a way that would make her proud. I wanted to take risks, grow, and become the kind of person she always believed I could be. That shift in perspective is what led me to take a big step in my life: transferring from Michigan State University to the University of Michigan. It wasn’t an easy decision, especially as a first-generation college student who has always had to figure everything out on my own. But I knew I needed an environment that aligned more closely with my academic goals in economics and public policy, while also giving me the chance to grow personally. My grandmother’s memory gave me the courage to choose the path that would challenge me and push me toward the future I want. Her loss also strengthened my faith. In the middle of grief and major life changes, I leaned on prayer, reflection, and community to keep me grounded. Instead of letting the pain break me, I let it teach me. I learned how to sit with my emotions, how to trust that God has a plan, and how to keep moving forward even when it hurts. Grief will never fully leave, but it has helped me gain resilience, clarity, and gratitude. Today, everything I pursue is with her in mind. I want to honor her by building a life filled with purpose and service. I want to support communities like the one I grew up in and help make systems more fair for families who face the same challenges mine did. My grandmother’s love shaped me, and her loss transformed me. I am committed to carrying her lessons with me as I continue pursuing my education, my goals, and a future she would be proud of.

Helping people is an important value in my life. I believe that the most special thing about helping others is that I get to make a difference in someone’s life. We all have days where we can’t express our feelings. Sometimes we are too shy or feel discouraged due to personal issues. Helping others regardless of how they’re feeling can help. We can help with a smile, carrying their groceries, which in turn, can help them think positively about themselves, making a difference in their day. I have written letters of appreciation to the people who have helped me throughout my life and thanked them for helping me in my journey. With that, I am able to acknowledge their impact in my day, express my gratitude, and maybe even make a difference in their day by appreciating them! I also always keep in mind that we are all humans, we are not meant to be on our own, we are meant to grow as a community. We as humans are created equal with different talents in our life, so collaboration is key as we get to learn from each other through difficult times and allows us to achieve our dreams. Communication and developing relationships is essential for humans to thrive. For instance, I have always held self responsibility because even though my mom reminds me to do my work, it was my responsibility to reach out for help when I needed to, and succeed academically on my own. In helping and being helped, in addition to spreading kindness to all, I also believe that we are able to develop connections with others, creating healthy relationships and leaning on each other through challenging times. According to my faith, we are supposed to love and help one another, regardless of religious beliefs, political affiliations, or any other difference in opinion. Many people tend to only devote their attention to people who think and act like them. However, it is important to help everyone, even if one’s values and beliefs are not the same as someone else’s. I am shy to share my faith but I am always able to show my faith by smiling and greeting them by their names, even if they don’t say my name back. I know this helps others know that they are loved and supported. At the end of the day, we are all human beings, before any other subdivision. We should all be treated equally. Instead of building boundaries and barriers among different people, I choose to build bridges and help other people, whoever it is, as much as I can. Lastly, by lessening the burden of someone else’s life, the help giver is able to nurture the other person’s mental health while still bettering theirs, since they will feel about themselves having made a difference in someone’s life.

I am really excited for the future and what it has in store for me. I know it will have its ups and down, but these challenges will help me grow as a person in the real world. In regards to my career goals, I am very excited to work in supply chain management, where I will get to use the skills I learned in my Economics classes in the industry of supply chain. Both in the near future in college and later on while working, I will be able to meet people with the same academic interests as me, and we will get to discuss real world topics and how we can use our economics skills to solve these issues. This will hopefully bring me more friends and a network of people that I can rely on. Growing up in an immigrant household, it also makes me very excited to think about being financially independent and being able to make my own money. I hope to invest, travel, support my future family as well as my sister as my parents are getting old. With job stability, I hope to be able to choose where I live, and I would love to move around to open my mind to new ideas and lifestyles. I hope to one day be able to settle with my family in a beautiful place with warm weather and for my children to grow up without wanting for anything. Lastly, I hope to become healthier, and focus on both my mental and physical health. I also hope to keep my faith as it is central to my experiences in life. This scholarship will help me by relieving the cost of my tuition. For a lot of students, financial problems only add to the emotional, mental, and physical burden from school. With help to pay for college, I would feel less stressed and would relieve some of the pressure over me. With that, I would be able to focus on my studies, and eventually get a job with a good salary so I could do other things for the community, such as volunteering, spending time with others who are lonely, and helping the less privileged. Another way winning this scholarship would help me is by motivating me to work even harder in the completion of my degree. In my tuition because this makes me want to work harder for my completion of degree, not only because it would give me the encouragement I need to know that I am capable of accomplishing difficult things, but also because the fact that my tuition will be aided gives me no excuse to not do my best and succeed in school. This would lessen my financial burden by paying less tuition, which means less debt owed, leading to less pressure and more time to focus on my classes, my mental health and on helping my community. Winning this scholarship would be an achievement for me because it would showcase my writing skills and how hard I have worked in order to become the person that I am today, revealing my grit and character. With that, comes pride in sharing my life story and goals with others!

Mental health is like a flower that is sensitive and can hurt due to different circumstances. In order to grow, it requires specific conditions, such as a specific temperature, sunlight, water, as well as a suitable environment. Like a flower, my mental health also needs certain requirements to thrive, such as love and care. It is also impacted by my environment, such as how much stress I am under, how happy and loved I feel or who I am surrounded by. To me, taking care of my mental health is equally important as taking care of my physical health. Both my mental and physical health are responsible for my energy, motivation, and basic well-being. My mental health is responsible for the decisions I make and my mindset in school and in life. With my mental health in check, I am able to make better decisions in life, be more motivated to perform well in school, and think positively of what life has to offer. I believe that poor mental health leads to me being more stressed, more quickly overwhelmed and losing hope. Recovering from bad mental health episodes is extremely challenging, and can take a lot of effort. These episodes can drag me down on certain goals that you want to achieve in my life. Thus, in order to maintain my mental wellness, I have several strategies. I believe that faith can lead to better mental health. Faith helps me to restore my relationship with God and listen to His plans. My faith is the most important thing God has given me. It is such an important factor in my life, as it helps me focus and achieve my goals, not be too hard on myself, and for me to keep trying and not give up. In addition to faith itself, religion has brought me comfort in other ways. For instance, attending church and getting to learn from the priest. Such practices have inspired me to help others and be a good example to my community, whether that is my school, my local church, my friends, or at home. Another way to maintain my mental wellness is by talking to counselors as well as upperclassmen in my university. This is especially helpful because I get advice and to learn from their experiences. They are able to suggest how they would cope or react with different situations if they were in my shoes. College can be lonely, being away from home and family. So, whenever I am feeling down, I reach out to them about personal challenges in life, whether it is in school or relationships, and I am suddenly calmer and know that I am alright. Moreover, having good sleep for me is essential to my well-being and performance in school. It gets rid of all the stress from the day, without having to think of any of my problems or school assignments, and I feel rejuvenated and energetic for the next day. A lot of my stress comes from burning out and feeling overworked, so getting good sleep helps me maintain a healthy mind. Lastly, I try to have a positive mindset because when I focus on the good rather than the bad, it helps me feel more confident in myself. When I have a positive mindset, I can think straight and achieve my highest goals and dreams, while boosting my mental health.

My grandparents first set foot in a small town in the state of Michigan with little knowledge of English. However, with faith and hard work, they were able to adapt to the American culture and lifestyle. My dad originally came to the United States with his parents, but went back to Vietnam to meet my mom and bring her here. Like most immigrants, my mom came to America with little English, and no idea how to be successful. All she knew was that my dad needed to work hard and provide for the family. My parents’ tireless work ethic was and still is admirable, but growing up in my immigrant household was not easy. My parents did not know how American schools worked and how to prepare me and my sister at home to succeed in school. I always felt inferior to my peers, and discouraged by the negative treatment from teachers at school. I became a rather sad child, with a low self-esteem. At home, the problem grew as my parents expected me to make big decisions when I was not old enough. I got yelled at and scolded for any mistake I made, no matter how small. This made my childhood feel hopeless and lonely. Nonetheless, I am happy that these things helped me become the person that I am today as a young adult, trying to learn about the world and all it has to offer. I have learned that working hard, having a positive attitude, and kindness can make one go from the bottom to the top, as I have watched my parents’ miraculous journey in America. Although I love my parents and all they have done for me, I would not parent my future kids in the same way. Instead of scolding them, I would encourage them, give them kind words so they could learn their lessons. Instead of focusing on others, I would tell them to look at themselves and improve to be a better version of themselves. We are humans, and we have flaws. With both inspiration and realizations from my parents growing up, these are the core beliefs I carry with me wherever I go. When it comes to my career aspirations, I have made decisions without much influence from my parents. They had always wanted me to study something that would provide me with a high-paying job, like a doctor or a businessman. Thus, the decision to study economics was one I made on my own. Studying economics is the true understanding of the human experience. The reason why I wanted to study it is because it will open doors for me to different career paths. In high school, I couldn’t decide between studying finance or economics, but I decided to stick with economics, because of how applicable it is to the real world. I wanted a different path from my parents, a new journey to embark on. Ironically, though, I am following my parents' footsteps in the sense that I am creating my own journey, just like they did when they moved to America. In addition, when it comes to career goals, there is quite a bit of tension between me and my parents, as they minimize my concerns about my mental health. To me, however, it is a significant factor in whether or not I succeed in school and in life. It is like taking care of our bodies. The disagreements between me and my family have guided me to make my own path, but at the same time, I carry with me their perseverance, determination, and positive attitude.

Growing up, my academic journey has not been the smoothest, with language barrier, mental health issues, poor academic performance, and the pandemic during my high school years. At home, it was challenging to balance and distinguish between my parents’ goal for me and my goals for myself. When I transitioned to college, it was even more difficult as I was away from home for the first time, and did not know where my classes were, how to choose my own classes and schedule, or how to reach out to teachers counselors. I felt physically and mentally tired, I was worried about my academic performance, and felt disappointed since my older friends from high school had glorified college life, with the freedom of living in a dorm, hanging out with friends, eating whatever I wanted and going to parties. I, however, did not enjoy the supposed college life. In fact, I felt sad and lonely, as I struggled to balance all my feelings and demands in the first few weeks of college. However, with determination, I was able to focus on the material and read ahead so that I would be ready and succeed in my classes. There were rather difficult times in college where I felt overwhelmed or incapable of doing something, but I persevered and ended my first year with great grades. With the new college environment, I was forced to adapt to a new lifestyle, one in which I am more independent and have more responsibility for my grades and well-being. I have learned that change is crucial for growth and versatility has enabled me to shift my mindset and accept that my life is in college now. With the new college environment, I was forced to adapt to a new lifestyle, one in which I am more independent and have more responsibility for my grades and well-being. I have learned that change is crucial for growth and versatility has enabled me to shift my mindset and accept that my life is in college now. On top of academic challenges and college, I have also had several issues with different social interactions when I was younger. In elementary and middle school, teachers treated me badly because of how I looked or that I needed to use a translator in order to understand the lessons in class. Many teachers undermined my abilities because of how I looked or interacted with other kids, which made me feel like a failure. My self-esteem was further lowered as the popular kids were the handsome ones or the ones that hopped on the new trends. I did not feel as “cool” as them, and my family could see I felt lonely and sad. As first-generation immigrants, my parents have always done everything for me and it was heartbreaking for them to see the way I was treated. Today, I can clearly see the lack of respect and equality my school demonstrated, so I have taken upon myself to treat others equally and with respect. I have taken all my pain and turned into kindness towards others because hatred will never get me far. I have learned to nurture relationships with respect and care, especially those who have always been there for me and supported me.

Throughout my life, I have struggled with my mental health, especially depression, although some experiences have triggered my anxiety. Growing up, I was judged on my looks and academic performance. When I was little, I was a skinny kid with braces, so people teased me. They believed I was weak and constantly reminded me that I had to eat more and that I was not strong enough. The constant bullying led to my depression. I went even deeper into it as I grew up into a teenager with low self-esteem. Later, my grandfather passed away, leading to a very dark time in my life. This had been the first real grief I had ever experienced because he was so close to me. The added pain of losing someone who gave me so much love led me deeper into feelings of loneliness. Then, when I was in high school, the pandemic happened. During COVID, I, like most students, had to take classes through Zoom, which sounds great in theory but after months of it, I realized that I had lost motivation, as staying engaged through online lessons was challenging. Teachers were struggling as well, and were not as accessible virtually. Staying at home all day and feeling like every day is the same was the worst part of the pandemic, and what led to my poor mental health. In order to get ready to pursue my education, there were several hurdles I had to overcome, especially through young adulthood. I learned that the academic journey is a personal one, in which the only competition I am in is that with myself. My experiences are only mine and thus my academic performance should only be focused on doing better before. I now understand that people who judged me due to my looks are unhappy with themselves since my looks should not bother anyone because it does not affect how kind I am towards others. With this, I have also learned the importance of healthy relationships, which I believe are those where neither party is hurt as a result of the relationship. I have learned to put up boundaries and cut people from my life who do not serve me well. In regards to my family, I appreciate everything they do for me and believe their criticism is a result of worry. Thus, I have set boundaries with them to preserve the healthy part of our relationship. However, I did not learn all of this on my own. I had several mental health practices, such as talking to counselors, establishing a healthy sleeping schedule, praying, listening to my pastor, and going on walks. With that, I was able to get myself to a place of emotional clarity to successfully transition to college and proceed with my dream of getting an Economics degree. This is not to say that I am immune to any form of traumatic experiences. In fact, there was a shooting in my university that put me in a dark place for a while. However, I used my mindfulness practices to bring me back to a stable mental place, and was able to regain my ground and succeed in school, even in the midst of chaos. Weeks after the shooting, our schedules were confusing, so I needed to cram two quizzes and an exam on a Saturday morning. This was very stressful as this material would set me up for future classes. In the past, I would have broken down and given up, but I decided to simply focus on the material, which resulted in great results on the assessments!