Many people assume that healthy eating habits are necessary to stay in shape; however, when we are busy, it is difficult to manage our time, and easy to make poor food choices. Most unhealthy food options are easily accessible and cost less than healthier options. While they do sustain us for a moment, consuming unhealthy foods over a long period of time is detrimental to our health. Fast foods are linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more. In addition, it can often lead to sluggishness, which can affect our ability to concentrate and perform daily tasks. As a full-time worker and college student, it has been difficult for me to adopt healthy eating habits. On a typical weekday, I had little time to eat between work and school. In the past, time would only allow me to find fast-food establishments to nourish myself. This gradually developed a routine of eating unhealthy daily. This routine often resulted in grogginess, and increased stress, which caused me to crave more unhealthy foods, develop poor sleeping habits, and greatly affected my work. When the pandemic started, fear of going out led to a lot of deliveries. My mental and physical health continued to suffer more and eventually, I began therapy. It was then that I developed a heightened focus on health and wellness. It led to a new exercise regimen and eating better. As I worked to develop these habits, I learned to focus on wholesome foods that were nutritious and noticed how much it helped improve my health. Things such as alcohol and caffeine consumption were great contributors to my anxiety, and I found healthier alternatives to manage my anxiety and energy levels. My energy levels increased, I became physically healthier, and my productivity at work and school greatly improved. Overall, these changes provided a great benefit to my lifestyle. Two years later, I am still having a healthy mindset. Yes, occasionally I may order takeout. However, I have heard my fitness coach's voice in my head continuously say that the efforts are a “part of our life’s journey, not a destination”. Continuing to eat well has changed my relationship with food. I have learned to enjoy it more, find gratitude in its benefits, and become more conscious of how what I eat can impact my overall health. Access to healthier foods has been a challenge, and we can see its impact on society. There are many who live in low-income communities with stores that only provide fast food, processed pre-packaged food, and little access to healthier alternatives. Many educators can attest to how this affects child development and their performance in the classroom. Their lack of access to healthy food can cause obesity, malnourishment, depression, or anxiety, all of which can impact their ability to perform in a school setting. Many schools endeavor to provide access to healthy food for students, and some stores have begun to provide access to sustainable, healthy food for families. As always, we can do more; but a children’s overall development is reason enough to conclude the importance of healthy eating habits. It does more than just feed our bodies – it feeds our future. Experiencing the effects of both healthy and unhealthy foods has shown me that it is important for everyone’s overall well-being, on both a physical and mental scale. It has become the catalyst for other areas of my life, and I believe it can help others be the best that they can be. That is why I think healthy eating habits are important for everyone.

Creative expression is the only way that I can communicate clearly to convey the truth of who I am and my thoughts about the world that surrounds us. I've always been an introvert, rather quiet and thoughtful. Although I've practiced art all of my life, only in recent years have I sought to express myself creatively. Try as I might, I can never utter words, either vocally or on paper to express how I feel, what I am thinking, or what I am witnessing with my own eyes. It seems I can only do this through art. It is a struggle; however, as I continue this journey to express myself creatively, I've discovered that I live authentically as I should and that this is the proper route of creative expression for me. There are many methods we can express ourselves - through poetry, film, painting, or art. Methods that work for the individual speak to them, and whenever I paint, I feel that I am conveying all that I cannot say to express what I truly witness or perceive clearly. Often I remember when I gave up on art, that inability to express myself left me miserable, even when I did not realize this. When I began to pick up a brush again, I felt lighter, which is when I noticed the impact of creative expression. It is this realization that has made me resolve to continue to practice. The journey of creation is what life is about for me. I hardly know who I'd be without it.

As someone who works two jobs while attending school, it is easy to get stressed out. After years of struggling with taking care of myself, I have learned to schedule time to practice self-care by making daily habits. Each morning I meditate before I begin my day, and make sure I do any amount of exercising, even if it includes walking in my neighborhood. Thanks to my fellow team members at work, I've also learned to schedule breaks on my work calendar and use it to actually enjoy a meal without the distractions of the internet and computer. I've also learned the importance of eating healthy and making sure I get enough sleep. Most importantly, I make sure I take one day every week to relax and do whatever I'd like to do. The pandemic has granted me the opportunity to cultivate these habits, which has helped me realize even the busiest person can find ways to take care of themselves and still thrive to achieve their goals.

My biggest hobby is being creative. One of my favorite activities includes oil painting, particularly scenes of nature, which is combined with my hobby of hiking. However, I also enjoy painting in other mediums, using whatever is available to me when I decide to paint. I also enjoy sketching, writing, and bookbinding. As a working adult with two jobs, it can be tough to navigate them along with school and personal responsibilities; but I've found ways to set aside time for these hobbies on a daily basis.

My artistic talents have been practiced my whole life. As a child, it's been easy to hone in on your artistic talents when educational institutions provide them. As an adult, however, you need to be a bit more self-sufficient. As a working individual, it can be challenging, but if your talent is important to you, you have to take the time to enjoy it. Daily sketching communities have helped keep me inspired to practice drawing regularly, and I dedicate weekends to painting whether it be at home, in nature, or during classes at the art students league. Being an art student has increased my capability to practice nurturing my talents more and more each day. I look forward to continue growing to teach others.

There are many things that make a person happy. Those they love, what they do for a living, their hobbies, the list goes on and on. If I had to choose one thing that makes me happy, I would say it is....living. As simple as that. We are two years into a pandemic which, causes a great deal of introspection. Many of us are burdened with the difficulties of work and finances. At the same time, we find ourselves forced to ask ourselves - Am I truly happy? If I were to die tomorrow, could I say I found contentment in my life? Like many, my heart screamed "No!" so loudly, it reverberated within my entire body. I am in general, happy. Though I had recognized that I had not truly lived. I never embraced the things I love. And so, I endeavored to do the things I love. Paint what I want. Write what I want. Walk in the woods. Walk along the grass with bare feet. Read what I'd like, not what others say I should. I let go of trying to be something I am not and love all that I am, meeting any hardship with much-needed compassion. No one ever grows and is simply done. There will never be a point where we say, "I am complete" and truly mean it. The journey of life is an arduous one and learning to face the adversities with gratitude, compassion, joy makes it all worthwhile. A walk around the block is considered living to me. It could be jumping out of planes, but that is not for everyone. Everything we do, waking up even, is something to be proud of. So each day I am able to live - that is what makes me happy.

When I was younger and just switched from majoring in English literature to Art, there were free trips to the armory show. It was my first ever show, and I wandered around, marveling the work of new and familiar artists. In between the various European gallery booths, a painting caught my eye. It was of a woman, hunched over in bed, reading a book. It was titled Hotel Room by Edward Hopper. The realism of the figure was sublime; but what captured my eyes was the use of color and the technique which, while oil, appeared to be more of a pastel medium. The angle of the room was not straightforward, nor sideways; it is as if the viewer were glancing in the doorway of a room as they passed by – you can feel yourself practically walking past the door. The realistic and dramatic use of the shadow does make the whiteness and redness of the subject's skin stand out, bringing forth the light whose source we cannot see, but determine its direction. There was something supremely thoughtful, playful, and serene in the composition, and I fell in love with it. It was my first discovery of Hopper, one that I took home with me. I later toured the Whitney museum and bought a book of his work, and realized he had a brought spectrum of paintings that were not just figures, but landscapes, all showing his mastery of depicting light, stretching the canvas beyond its dimensions, allowing a fewer to see through a paintings window or door. His work embodies the artist I’d like to be, and it inspired me to not overlook any opportunities that can be a wonderful painting.

Years ago, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist came into my life. As a young adult who had really no choice but to enter the workforce, I found myself disillusioned in the idea of truly living. I only knew stress, struggle, anguish, and hunger. I ached for a change, but I had doubted my capabilities. As I lamented in my loss of direction, I came across a quote someone posted: “ Don’t give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.”. This spoke to me, and I commented on this to the person. She credited the quote to Paulo Coelho, whose novels she has treasured over the years, and recommended that I read The Alchemist. As an avid reader, I take monthly excursions to the book store to stock up and purchase this novel. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of chasing my dreams and overcoming the fear to make them happen. It helped me realize that fear held me back from doing what I dreamed of and that I’d accepted the comforts of staying still to avoid the disappointment of failure. This novel was the catalyst for me to chase my many dreams. I found work that was meaningful and enrolled in school to pursue my passions. It took me longer to realize what I dreamed of; And even now, it feels it is taking longer than most since I am now a full-grown adult. Whenever I find myself feeling that sense of disillusionment again, I always turn to this novel and remember to enjoy the trip. It is a solid reminder that “life’s a journey, not a destination”, and I allow gratitude for all that I have and hope to achieve to take hold.

As someone who enjoys all that life has to offer, it feels as though everything inspires my passion for the arts. The start likely began as a child, when many of us were inspired by the landscape paintings of Bob Ross. There was such an ease and serenity in his techniques, and I always thought, “I want to paint what I see.” Throughout elementary, junior high, and high school, I’ve been in art programs learning the basic fundamentals. Fine arts is always the core of it, and what has always made me swell with ambition, including the subjects of classical Greek and Roman arts, and eventually their rebirth during the renaissance. In high school, some of us learn we are small fish in a rather big pond of artists. It was then that I felt discouraged in there is a potential for a future as an artist. To say the least, I pursued other, more practical goals. No matter where I went, however, my love for art has always been there. Even as an adult, I’d come home after a long, grueling day of work and sit down to recreate Van Gogh's cherry almond blossoms, or paint my own still life. As I walk and run outside, I constantly take in the beauty of nature – trees swaying in the wind, the grass, the glistening waters as the sun hits it, the geese swimming or waddling away; And all the while, I consider their colors and shapes, how I would create them. As an adult, I’ve lamented over time I do not have to create these things. I’d savor the little I had and struggle to make more. Recent events have inspired me to push forth and nurture these passions. As opposed to what many consider “practical” degrees of business, healthcare, etc., I have decided to take the time for my passions. I am enrolled as an undergraduate in a fine arts degree program, learning with a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective. It has taken a long time to arrive at this destination, and I, like many have and continue to work hard to get to where we want to be. My dream is to be an artist, create what I love and hopefully teach others to nurture their passions rather than hinder them. While as an adult I do earn an income, it is not nearly enough to cover the cost of tuition and supplies. As someone who’s transitioned from another degree path that is not art-related, the supplies for an undergraduate art student seem much more expensive compared to the former. Previous paths have exhausted any other options for a student of my age, and soon the expense will continue to increase. While being endlessly frugal to cover the cost and make my own way towards my long-desired art degree, any support from scholarships can greatly increase the chances of bringing my hopes to fruition.

While to most this painting doesn’t appear as much, this bears a greatly significant meaning to me. I’ve drawn and painted all my life, considered it a hobby more than my life’s work. This past year has dealt us all with periods of deep introspection, leading some of us to question whether our lives are lived with meaning. After coming to the realization that I’d look upon the end of my life with regret for not doing what I loved, I swallowed my fears and started art school, while also learning to put myself out there as an artist. I am afraid of criticism, but I love art more. I’ve named this painting “ Illumination”, as a representation of my inner light being reignited. This is also the first painting I’ve ever submitted and had selected to be exhibited in a gallery. This year, I’ve learned so much about myself through art education and creation – its greatest message being the journey is far greater than the destination. Living life with intent, giving in to creativity offered by life’s outer and inner experiences – these are my visions of both present and future. To live and breathe art for the remainder of my life and not let go.

For most of my life I have considered myself to not be much of a patient person; However, the past few years have presented challenges I never thought I would overcome, and displayed a level of perseverance I never knew I had. I work and attend school full-time. Work has dominated my world, being necessary in order to live. I have been in the workforce for more than ten years and have always wanted to earn a college degree, but could not afford it, or make the time for it. Last year I enrolled in school because my organization reimburses tuition for those entering the healthcare field. At the same time, I found myself unhappy in my role as a trainer and wanted to do instructional design instead. As the sole trainer in my organization, it was an intense struggle to find another person to take my place. My boss was incredibly supportive and always asked me to be patient, and I tried, with much difficulty. On many occasions I did want to leave; but I often wondered if it would be a mistake and decided to keep remaining patient, waiting to see if it would work out. I can say that this patience has helped me a great deal. Now, I am an instructional designer. As I navigate towards my degree and work goals, I often feel eager to complete something. The desire for instant gratification sets in and makes me uncomfortable. Though each day, I remind myself that I am that much closer to my goals. The experience in the past year has made me realize that I am indeed more patient than I thought, and continuous practice is a pivotal step towards growth as a person.

I am an adult student who has recently changed her degree path for her passions. As a young adult with no direction, I dropped out of school early due to the need to work and earn an income. While spending years seeking employment that would allow me to grow, I have found a career in health care, enrolling providers with insurance plans to allow them to see patients who need medical care. I have been educating new staff members and providing opportunities to those who have never had options for career growth just as I have and have found this to be tremendously rewarding. I am however, passionate about many things. The pandemic this year has resulted in so many losses, and so many for those close to me. As we ponder the meaning of life, I asked myself if I were to not wake up tomorrow, could I say I have lived a fulfilling life? My answer was a quick no. The one thing I have been passionate about all of my life, has been art. I love to create and depict everything from life. While I love healthcare and still want to contribute to the community, I have strongly felt that becoming an epidemiologist was not the path I should take. I have recently transferred from a degree in public health to a degree in fine arts, to expose myself to the education I have deprived myself from, and to enhance my skills as an artist. I enjoy many things in life - love, nature, family, friends, and all that I have. My goals are not to simply be a well known artist. My goals are to be an art educator, and to use the skills I have to also nurture and promote the health and well being of others in the community, wherever it may take me. Life is not limited to one thing. Many think this, and I intend to challenge it. Strangely, I feel that art is the way to channel my contributions to the world, and I endeavor to explore every crevice of the world around me to make that possible.