Helping one person with mental health issues can save a life, but I believe that help needs to be given to all starting at a young age. A fundamental shift in the mindset of the American population needs to occur, and this can be done by adding mental health awareness and skills to public school curriculums across the country. Physical and mental health are both crucial to living a healthy lifestyle. The importance of learning social skills and self-care practices is essential to creating a well-rounded, emotionally mature individual. In school, we are taught algebra, American history, and photosynthesis, but not proper coping mechanisms for daily stressors or problem-solving skills for conflict resolution. We don't know what emotions are allowed to be expressed, let alone how to express them, and the result has a tendency to be violence, either against oneself or others. The lack of emphasis on what have been referred to as "soft skills" such as interpersonal communication and mental health exercises has very negatively affected our population as a whole and has resulted in tragedies such as the Columbine shooting. What is there to do? There are some schools experimenting with teaching coping skills and having discussions about emotions starting at a very early age, and the results have been astounding. Not only are students less likely to act out negatively in the classroom and at home, but parents are also benefitting from their children's newfound skills in managing their mental health. There are so many things we can do on a micro-scale to help individuals when they're having a hard time: give a hug, be a shoulder to cry on, seek professional help, etc. What we should be seeking is a way to help on a macro-scale to implement systemic change in beliefs on mental health.

Ever since I can remember, I've always felt out of place, like something was wrong with me. I was overcome by bouts of abrupt depression from a young age. I used food to fill the giant void inside of me, and after developing an unhealthy body image, I stopped eating consistently and starting cutting myself to release the overwhelming emotions I was experiencing. I was spiraling, hoping someone would care enough to notice how much I was struggling. At the age of 15, I took a lot of pills with the intention of ending my life. Fortunately I was taken to the hospital before any serious damage was done, and I was sent to a psychiatric facility from the ER. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Some people would have considered this a burden, a life sentence of pills and doctor appointments; I saw it as an opportunity to get better. What I felt had a name and there was a solution. Shortly after my diagnosis, I started using drugs and alcohol to cope with feelings medication couldn't fix. After nine years of self-medicating, I nearly overdosed in my apartment mixing alcohol and pills. This time, I realized that I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to live that way anymore. I asked for help and went to treatment, where I was diagnosed with substance-abuse disorder. Recovery has taught me how to live life on life's terms. It's given me an opportunity to truly feel my emotions and process them in a healthy way. When I was a child, I buried my emotions in food, released them through the blood in my veins, and learned that drugs made them disappear. I know now that they are a blessing, and I am grateful to learn and grow from them. Now, I take other addicts through the 12 steps to help them find the light. I openly discuss my experience with mental illness to destigmatize it and give others an opportunity to talk. I remind people that they're not alone and no longer have to be.

"My name is Sara, and I'm a drug addict." Addiction is a destructive, debilitating disease that causes despair and heartbreak, to not only the person afflicted, but to the people around them. I lived in active addiction for 9 years, until nearly overdosing in 2016 brought me to my knees. I realized in that moment that active addiction is passive suicide; at the age of 24, I wasn't ready to die. I chose life and chose a life beyond my wildest dreams: sobriety. I started going to 12 step meetings in 2016. I was scared, alone, and defeated. I felt like my life was over. The idea of not being able to drink or use mind-altering substances of any kind for the rest of my life was a hard pill to swallow. As an adult, I never learned how to socialize and have fun without being intoxicated, how was I supposed to make friends now? What do sober people do for fun? Come to find out, everything drunk people do without being drunk! I found a group of friends in recovery who showed me that you can have fun, go on adventures, and laugh until you cry without being high. They showed me a simpler way of life that isn't resolved around getting intoxicated in order to function. Most importantly, they understand what it was like to be inside my head. My mind was my own worst enemy. I used drugs to numb myself from feelings. I never learned how to process my emotions, and without the drugs to numb me, I was miserable, manic, and living with emotional turbulence throughout the day. I was told that working the steps would help with the cravings and help me learn the skills to deal with life on life's terms. The 12 steps are a road map to a way of life. I met a woman who walked me through what I had to do in order to be relieved of the obsession to drink and do drugs. I had to humble myself, give up the perceived control I had over my life to a Higher Power, and take inventory of my resentments, fears, all the ways I harmed other people throughout my life, and the character defects that stood in the way of me being the best person I can be. I confronted the people I harmed and apologized, as well as promised to change my behavior and not hurt others in the way I hurt them. After I was done with all this self-improvement, I had to pay it forward and take other women through the steps. Getting sober was the most challenging, eye-opening, and gratifying thing I have ever done. As promised, I don't think about using anymore. I no longer see drugs and alcohol as a solution to my problems. Taking the steps, as well as staying connected and helping other addicts has helped keep me sober for nearly 5 years. I have a life beyond my wildest dreams, which includes being in a healthy relationship with a loving partner, being present for my clients, friends, and family, and going back to school. I love helping people, and want to pursue a career in education. I am studying to teach anatomy and physiology in a university setting, training medical professionals of the next generation. I also want to participate in medical research and be a part of the progress made toward curing and preventing debilitating diseases. When I was using, the world revolves around me. Now, my mission in life is to help others in profound ways.

Female empowerment and equality among the sexes are especially important during this current wave of feminism. The income disparity among rich and poor is not a new concept when comparing it to the income disparity between men and women. One in the women consider themselves to be a victim of some form of sexual harassment. "Mansplaining" is the epitome of the societal standard that women are stupid and don't understand anything outside of "women's work." It's appalling to me how many advancements we have made in technology and how little we have advanced societally. As a woman, I believe that self-empowerment is most important. History has shown that relying on someone else to change typically leads to dissatisfaction and disappointment. I think that society needs some adjusting, but I do believe that most female empowerment should come from within. (When I reference society in this essay, I am referring to the Western/developed world. I cannot speak for other cultures and their societal norms, so I will stick with what I have experienced and witnessed.) One way that our society could empower women is by discontinuing the sexualization of the woman's body in media, film, and everyday life. We are not objects to ogle at, and we are not asking for anyone's attention by wearing what we think looks and feels good. In addition to the objectification of women, it is also giving women (and young girls) the idea that they will not be considered sexy or desirable without looking like a super model. This is dangerous, as it can lead to life-threatening choices and illnesses, such as diet pills, bulimia, long-term fasting, and the list goes on. The idea that "boys will be boys" must be squashed in order for societal progress to occur. Men have the ability to refrain from bad behavior in all other aspects of their lives; why can't they stop themselves with women? It's not an evolutionary caveat, our frontal cortexes counteract that argument. The excuses that are made on behalf of men, and the expectation that women are to be quiet, tolerant, and polite is dated and needs to be eliminated. What needs to fundamentally change is the behavior of all people and how they treat each other, especially how women treat other women. Women need to support and lift each other up rather than tear one another down. We already know the pressure of the double standards and high expectations for women to be aesthetically beautiful all the time, successful income-earners, chefs, maids, caregivers, and horny wives. It is entirely unnecessary to add to the insurmountable pressure of being a woman in the 21st century by worrying about the judgment, criticism, and cruelty of a fellow woman who should understand more than a man how much words can hurt. I have learned throughout my lifetime that expecting other people to change, regardless of the demands, is often a just cause, but not an effective one. The most impactful thing we can do for the future is teach the next generation the proper way to treat women: as equals. In the meantime, women need to empower themselves and point out the inconsistencies and hypocrisy so others may think twice about their behavior.

My name is Elizabeth Reese. I am 29 years old and pursuing a career in teaching college students anatomy and physiology. I am interested in everything related to human biology, from a cellular level and higher. I find the human body and all of its workings to be an evolutionary miracle, and find all aspects of it fascinating. My interest turned into passion when I attended Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado in 2014. I started to learn about the human body at a practical level and had hands-on experience with feeling the tissues and how they worked. I also started to become curious about pathophysiology in massage school; that interest grew significantly after taking a pathophysiology course at the community college I got my Associate of Science. One of the most influential people in my life is my anatomy professor at MTIC, Lloyd Mills. He has had experience in the health care industry longer than I've been alive. He is an incredible body worker and is fascinated and excited about science at all levels. He is constantly on the prowl for knowledge and follows science journals out of pleasure rather than obligation. He also gets great satisfaction in teaching others about the human body. His life mission seems to be to stop the spread of misinformation and correct it whenever he hears of it. He never started anything he doesn't find to be proven by a reputable source and has no trouble saying, "I'm not sure of the answer to that question. I will look it up and get back to you." On top of all of this, he is very humble. He has been an integral part of my passion in anatomy and physiology as well as my pursuit to become a teacher.

Legacy is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as "something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past" To me, a legacy has two parts. Part one similar to Merriam-Webster's definition, requiring the predecessor to carry the torch from their mentor (or parent). This means that for a legacy to be carried on, one has to follow the same or a similar path to one of their parents. The second part in my definition is living one's life to its fullest potential while doing impactful things in the process. Legacy is not something to be taken lightly, and it requires an immense amount of dedication and effort to achieve that status. My parents are highly educated individuals who have the desire to see my brother and me doing well in life based on our education. This results in a very high bar being set to be a part of a legacy. Fortunately I was not forced to go to college right after high school, which led me to many adventures and fact-finding missions about myself. I decided on my own free will to be a student again at the age of 27. Because I chose this path for myself, I care about doing well and obtaining as much knowledge as possible. For the last two years I have been a full time student and in May 2021 I received my Associate of Science with a 4.0 GPA. My parents are very proud. My mother is a doctor and my father is a structural engineer that built his multi-million dollar business from the basement of my childhood home. My brother is also back in school for his second degree to become a doctor. He is fulfilling the doctor-in-the-family legacy. He will do great things and automatically have a high societal status because of his academic endeavors and noble career choice. I, on the other hand, am pursuing a career in teaching anatomy and physiology to university students. Though I will be working in the health sciences field, I will not be fulfilling the occupational legacy for either of my parents. What is most important to me is that I fulfill the second part of my definition, which is to do my best and make a positive impact on the world around me. I want to help open the minds of students who have the desire to learn. I want to be an integral part of medical research that can make a profound impact on our current medical system. I want to help people in a different way than my parents do, but a way that is still honorable and impactful. Being someone who helps others, someone who is genuine and hard-working, a self-supporting individual with good values and integrity--these are the legacies I wish to carry. My parents are good people, and I strive every day to be a good person like they are. I am very lucky to have their acceptance and support.

"There are two things in this world that no one can take from you: your experiences and your education." My mother gave me these very wise words when I first started pursuing my degree. I don't think she realized when she said it how much it would affect me. I have had a lot of experiences considering how young I am. I have had two careers, traveled to 14 countries and all 50 states, and recovered from a debilitating drug addiction. All of those things have helped shape the person that I am today. My life is very rich in experiences, but not as much in education. I was nervous when I first started school again. I was afraid that I wasn't smart enough, that I couldn't stick with something for half of a decade, that I wouldn't know what to do with my degree and it would all have been for nothing. On top of all that, the looming dollar signs made me feel trapped to a type of life that would include paying off student loans forever. This quote has helped me conquer those fears, stay focused and keep moving forward in school and in life.

I visited Scotland in 2016 and want to live there I have never wanted anything so badly. I have visited three times since then, and every time I do I cry uncontrollably when I have to leave. No other place has felt like a home, and I wish everyone could feel a sense of belonging like this. I have worked very hard to get an Associate of Science, graduating with a 4.0, allowing me the requirements to be accepted to a university in Scotland. My hard work has paid off, and I have been accepted to a wonderful school with a reputable science department. Unfortunately, international students have to pay very high tuition rates. I am an independent student who is paying for school herself and am looking for any scholarships that will consider assisting me in fulfilling my dream to live in Scotland, as well as become a professor and teach others about the human body.

The decision of what to do with my education has been a winding road, full of self-discovery and contemplation. I decided to pursue a degree at the age of 27, wanting to be a physical therapist. I am a massage therapist by trade currently, but life has recently shown me that I am not cut out for a career that uses my body; I am destined for a career using my mind. I love helping people. It sounds cliche, but I find nothing more satisfying than facilitating someone's growth and healing. During my first year of school, I was helping a few students with an algebra assignment that they didn't understand. A newfound way of helping people in the most gratifying way was presented to me. The "Aha!" moment that lit up their entire face once they understood the concept was very fulfilling. I had been so focused on helping people physically that I didn't ever think of how helpful I could be as an educator. That moment, I realized that being a teacher would bring me a lot of satisfaction. The next thing to ponder was what subject I excel at enough to teach others. What was I most interested and passionate about? Over the years of working in the health care industry I have gained a plethora of knowledge about the structure and workings of the human body. I have dove into text books of my own volition simply out of curiosity. I teach my clients what is happening in their bodies and what they can do to prevent their ailments from reocurring. I discovered that I had already been teaching anatomy and physiology informally, and that is a subject I could teach in greater detail. An additional question I had to ask myself was what type of students I wanted to teach. I have found college students to be far more receptive to gaining knowledge and taking their studies seriously because most of them are their by choice. I want to teach other curious people who want to learn, and I feel that may not be the case with high school students. At the end of my first year of my Associate degree, COVID hit and my education moved online. I still persevered and became more interested in pathology. Following the discoveries of COVID made me ponder a career in medical research. Fortunately, there are many universities that offer teachers positions that involve research. I could help people directly by teaching and indirectly by assisting in the scientific method to create cures for diseases! With research, the sky is the limit and the possibilities are endless. In the end, all I want to do is help people. I have found my education on-campus and online to be gratifying in ways that I could never have imagined. I have broadened my horizons and discovered things about myself that could not be done without an academic environment. More than anything, I want to be a part of that growth in others. There is a saying I heard in school that has continued to stick with me throughout my studies. "There are only two things that no one can ever take from you: your experiences and your education." I want to inspire inquisitive minds and give them knowledge that is indispensable. To me, that would be one of the greatest gifts anyone could ever give.