"A house or apartment where a person or a family lives"—this is the definition of a home. However, for me, playing beach volleyball has always felt like home. I find comfort in the sand between my toes, the sun beaming against my skin, and the beads of sweat falling down my face. Competing within those 128 meters of sand never fails to relieve my mind of outside stress. With every dive, I worry less about homework, and with every kill, I worry less about my future. Beach volleyball has empowered me to become a better communicator and teammate. When it is only two people against the world, one learns to lean against their partner while inspiring the best version of them. On the sand courts, I get to play the game I love with an amazing community. Beach volleyball has become an integral part of my soul and a home in my heart. I have gotten the incredible opportunity to play beach volleyball at Berry College. Everyone I have met from Berry is filled with infectious joy and positivity. The culture stems from the coaches, but the whole program is bought into achieving success through mindset, passion, and hard work. Most importantly, the entire team shares a love for the game. Beach volleyball has opened up the door to this incredible community. Without it, I never would have considered Berry in my college search. Through Berry Beach, I have been allowed to bring a part of my home to college. I am so excited to play the sport I love within such a wonderful program. Alongside athletics, the Berry beach volleyball program is dedicated to academics as well. They strive for excellence both on and off the court. I am no different. At Berry, I plan to major in Biochemistry and minor in Women and Gender Studies as well as Neuroscience. I plan to be on the pre-med track. After college, I aspire to go to medical school and become a surgeon. Throughout my life, I have seen the challenges of illness and the power of medicine. Surgeries saved both my mom and my grandpa's lives. I would love to wield this power and use it to change lives for the better. I believe that Berry will help me achieve these goals and prepare me for my future. I am so grateful to beach volleyball for leading me to Berry.

Three friends, two earbuds, and one album left me with memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. In early fall of 2021, shortly after the release of Billie’s album Happier Than Ever, I was at a volleyball tournament sitting at the top of my high school’s bleachers with two of my friends, Myra and Rania. We talked about our favorite songs on the album and our awe of Billie Eilish. I will never forget the serenity of that night. A few months later, Myra passed away. Sitting with her atop those bleachers became sitting by her grave. A friendship of four years became a memory instead of a constant. Her favorite artist became mine. The emotions Billie Eilish expressed in “Happier Than Ever” made me feel understood. The anger and heartache in her voice made grief less lonely. “Happier Than Ever” has remained my favorite song for the past three years because when it plays, memories of me and Myra play like a slideshow through my mind. The music and emotions connect us. Since then, my love for Billie Eilish has only grown. When me and my best friend got into a fight that cost us our friendship, “Wildflower” gave me comfort through feeling seen. We were attached at the hip. She was the moon to my sun. I remember holding her as she cried on my shoulder, bringing us closer. But our friendship didn't last. After our fight, everything changed so fast. I still see her in the back of my mind—all the time. I don’t know if it was me or her who crossed the line. “Wildflower” is the only song I know that describes the hurt and guilt of a broken girl code. They say that friendship breakups hurt more than romantic ones. “Wildflower” speaks to that truth. Another song that is reflective of my life is “The Greatest.” The feeling of unreciprocated love in a relationship is lonely. I loved a girl with all my heart. She was my first love, first relationship, first kiss. I gave her my unconditional love, patience, and admiration. I was the perfect girlfriend. I gave her gifts, talked to her daily, listened, and comforted her. I would have done anything for her. I was the greatest. But it didn’t matter. She still cheated on me. Everything I did was unappreciated. The passion I gave to our relationship wasn’t mutual. “The Greatest” expresses this feeling in a beautiful and emotional way. All three of these songs are reflective of my life. Both the lyrics and the emotions of these songs have made me feel less isolated in my experiences. For every hardship, there is a Billie Eilish song to help me process my emotions and let go. She is my greatest inspiration because of her strength through difficult times.