Psychology is the base of all humans and all we know. Psychology makes the world go round. Those who pursue psych careers power through all adversities and are always finding new ways to revolutionize medicine, mental health, neurology, and how we think of the world all around us. I am pursuing psychology as my major. Psychology is an important science that studies how the mind, a vital human body part, works and how neurons fire. Psychology uses technology and notes to further investigate the science of the brain and the emotions and problems that come with it. Psychology for me brings comfort. It allows me to dive deep into many topics I love and see what makes people tick. I have also been surrounded by mental illness and addiction my whole life. My uncle just passed away on the streets of Detroit due to a drug overdose and my 4/6 aunts and uncles are alcoholics, along with that friends and close family have been plagued by mental illness, but also my boyfriend has PTSD. That sparked a new interest in me and inspired me to work in pediatric therapy, specializing in PTSD. I find psychology vital to society because without it we would have nothing. No neurological technology, anti-depressants, and various other medicines, therapy, and psychological evaluations. Life would be cold and beyond depressing as no one would know how to cope. I find psychology so important from a future therapist's standpoint because science allows people to heal. We develop new technology to soothe people, we develop medicine to ease people's symptoms, and we discover what part of the brain is affected and when so we can work toward curing mental illnesses. It's a lot of work but without it, many would die and/or suffer greatly. Psychology also provides comfort. Psychologists with impressive experiments make technology that allows people to ruction properly. If people aren't comfortable, then everyone would be in a forever sour mood and there would be no productivity. We can also look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which states that the first 2 steps to a whole and sane person are physiological needs, such as food and warmth, and then safety needs. Psychology makes that happen. It makes sure our comfort needs are met in terms of physical and mental needs alike. I want nothing more than to provide any sort of comfort or mental soothing to those, especially children who need it more than anything. I want to be a pediatric therapist who changes the lives of little children, especially those with PTSD. I have seen the awful effects first hand and providing comfort, is my life goal. That is why I am pursuing psychology. My therapist helped me greatly, I want to provide such comfort to others in need. Knowing the importance of the role psychology provides in society and seeing mental illness effects firsthand and even experiencing depression and anxiety myself, makes me yearn to be a therapist.

My experience with mental health has given me so much insight into other people's minds and more sympathy for all. Struggles with mental health change and shape you. It really does affect everything that goes on and even affects others around you. My beliefs changed but not in the typical way of religion, but rather that mental health was people's exaggerating things changed. I thought people were being dramatic until I was diagnosed with depression and I lost interest in everything. I didn't shower, I was beyond emotional, and I couldn't stay organized to save my life. Because of everything seemingly going wrong and my entire persona being in shambles, I moved on from wanting to be on broadway making and creating props and focusing deeply on mental health. I wanted to be a criminal psychologist but then after a few more years of personal therapy and working more and more with kids, I fell in love with pediatric therapy. Of course, it is awful that some children as young as 3 need therapy, and I understand all the baggage and awfulness that comes with these children's heartwrenching stories, but if I can change and/or help 1 child and see them succeed, later on, that is the best reward. Every dollar spent, every hour talking, it will all have been worth it. As for my relationships, they plummeted. Something no one truly thinks about is just how much someone who has any sort of relationship with a person with mental illness suffers. It's not just those with mental illness. People thought it was way too much because I put too much on them, I shouldn't have. My parental relationships became strained because they thought I wouldn't come to them anymore. My friends left because they considered me too much and too hard to deal with. They quit cold turkey because I was too sad and needed too much. My boyfriend is still with me but I can see the mental toll. It hurts. I am hurting him by being too lazy, too gross, too sad, and too much. I am beyond grateful for him but it kills me to see him hurt. For anyone who says people around those with mental illness don't suffer, is wrong. They hurt as we hurt. Mental illness is a killer—a killer of people, relationships, and aspirations. There is nothing more deadly, but getting help and healing, can heal others too. Here is to all those who are hurt and are taking steps toward healing. I am with you, I support you, and I see you.

The mind is a curious thing. It deals with all things differently and no human mind is the same. Something so small for someone could be so big for someone else. I have had to overcome loss, depression, anxiety, and so much more. So many people have told me "why are you so caught up in those things?" but they never ask if I am okay. I was diagnosed with depression sophomore year of high school, after 4 years of dealing with things through self-harm. I was severely bullied for being bisexual and having 2 moms and my parents are not together, but still find a way to fight, and its always about me. So much weighs on me every day and I want to channel that into helping others. I am pursuing psychology as my major. Psychology is an important science that studies how the mind, a vital human body part, works and how neurons fire. Psychology uses technology and notes to further investigate the science of the brain and the emotions and problems that come with it. Psychology for me brings comfort. It allows me to dive deep into many topics I love and see what makes people tick. I have also been surrounded by mental illness and addiction my whole life. My uncle just passed away on the streets of Detroit due to a drug overdose and my 4/6 aunts and uncles are alcoholics, along with that friends and close family have been plagued by mental illness, but also my boyfriend has PTSD. That sparked a new interest in me and inspired me to work in pediatric therapy, specializing in PTSD. I find psychology vital to society because without it we would have nothing. No neurological technology, anti-depressants, and various other medicines, therapy, and psychological evaluations. Life would be cold and beyond depressing as no one would know how to cope. I find psychology so important from a future therapist's standpoint because science allows people to heal. We develop new technology to soothe people, we develop medicine to ease people's symptoms, and we discover what part of the brain is affected and when so we can work toward curing mental illnesses. It's a lot of work but without it, many would die and/or suffer greatly. Psychology also provides comfort. Psychologists with impressive experiments make technology that allows people to ruction properly. If people aren't comfortable, then everyone will be in a forever sour mood and there will be no productivity. We can also look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which states that the first 2 steps to a whole and sane person are physiological needs, such as food and warmth, and then safety needs. Psychology makes that happen. It makes sure our comfort needs are met in terms of physical and mental needs alike. I want nothing more than to provide any sort of comfort or mental soothing to those, especially children who need it more than anything. I want to be a pediatric therapist who changes the lives of little children, especially those with PTSD. I have seen the awful effects first hand and providing comfort, is my life goal. That is why I am pursuing psychology. My own therapist helped me greatly, I want to provide such comfort to others in need. Knowing the importance of the role psychology provides in society and seeing mental illness effects firsthand and even experiencing depression and anxiety myself, makes me yearn to be a therapist.

A tale as old as time, since 1928 the Walt Disney Company has been more than well-known for creating the most popular characters on earth. Choosing between their over 2,000 characters is nearly impossible! But overall my favorite Disney character has to be Marie from "The Aristocats". "Ladies Do Not Start Fights, But They Can Finish Them!", there are no other better words to live by. Marie is a spunky, yet proper little white kitten and the 1 girl of a litter of 3. We as people can learn so much from Marie. To be strong, to be proper, and to be brave. She is an inspiration to little girls, and quite frankly everyone, by showing all aspects of womanhood. To be feminine and to be ladylike is to be strong. Many times throughout the film we see Marie put in the face of danger, and every time she gets out of a sticky situation and prevails. That danger never puts Marie down and she always comes back with poise. She also teaches us all to be acceptable to change. Marie is the most accepting of Thomas O'Malley becoming the kitten's new stepfather. We see her accepting him and embracing him as her own. This teaches us all that change is inevitable, but we can control if we embrace it and make it better, or despise it and have a sour life. Along with that, Marie shows that being ladylike, calm, and proper in situations will ultimately lead to a better outcome. Handle with poise and finish strong. In the end, Marie is my favorite Disney character because she upholds all aspects of feminism and poise. She shows us all that being sassy, stubborn, and ladylike is just as brave and deserving of being showcased as those manly acts that often overshadow those of women.

Wake up, eat maybe, go to school, do homework, do physical activity maybe, do more homework, eat maybe, then sleep—a perfectly normal day for the average teen. Maintaining the health of all kinds in high school is beyond hard. We get piles upon piles of homework, we are expected to do tons of activities to keep us busy, and all this while expecting to look like models and be typical teenagers. We starve ourselves, we procrastinate, and we engage in awful coping mechanisms, where do we go wrong? It all comes down to the big three of health; mental health, physical health, and nutritional health. To live a balanced life perfectly is hard but just figuring out how to balance one of those big three and we as a group can then figure out the rest. My physical health was kept in shape by doing soccer, volleyball, and softball. I was doing sports all year until theater took over my life in 9th grade and I stopped all sports. I then had to find a way to stay in shape in a fun way that was conveint for my busy schedule. I tried pilates, weight lifting, and swimiing, and hated most every single one. Through looking up different work outs I found a love of yoga, and now do yoga and mediate every morning, I run when I feel like being prodcutive or to get my mind off of everything, and I strangly love doing push-ups. All those workouts fit in to a busy schedule and I can do at almost anytime. I have found that maintaining mental health doesn't have to be hard. Personally, I found the best method was to receive professional help through therapy. My therapist taught me ways to beat procrastination by creating a reward system such as 1 hour of homework for 20 minutes of free time, and taught me how to deal with the bad days. I got rid of my bad coping mechanisms and now draw, write poetry, and talk through issues with my trusted family and my boyfriend. That alone has bettered everything about my persona as a whole and I can now teach others how to feel better and find what works for them possibly. That helped me a lot because when I used to doubt myself, I now dream of getting into the University of Michigan and later on becoming a therapist, I trust myself to learn and grow constantly. But with that, I now had to better my nutritional health. I have had an on-again-off-again relationship with food. I ate so bad, then so well, then didn't eat, then well again, then bad, and finally well. That struggle and finding people who truly care about me motivated me to develop healthy eating habits. I struggled with finding food I like but I found that simple substitutions such as a salad instead of fries and water instead of coke, slowly working my way into main courses being healthy, worked the best for me. There are so many resources that can help us find balance and maintain all forms of health. There's online, in books, life coaches and therapists, family, and even friends. The best advice I can give is to find one you want to work on and then slowly progress into bettering the rest. It is a personal choice to see if you would feel better starting with the hardest health group for you or the easiest to fix, but whatever you may choose will ultimately benefit you in the end.

Volunteering gives back to people, animals, communities, and much, much more in the most amazing ways. Over the years, especially in high school, I have found an immense love and admiration for giving back in every way possible. It all started with joining my school's theater troupe and doing school performances which were community service actions. The people of our community, our parents, siblings, friends, school faculty, and students loved the performances but the most heartwarming was when old grandparents or community members would tell us our plays and musicals reminded them of their childhood and that they don't get out of the house much and this was the best reason to. Our troupe did more than just plays, we also put on an annual Haunted Theater and Princess Tea Party for kids 12 and under. It felt more than good to help overworked parents by taking their kids and giving them face paint, a magical sing-a-long, and a great time. I was paid in nothing but gratitude and seeing that made me so happy. I felt like I was making a lasting impact on at least 1 person and with that, I decided to further my volunteer experiences. I found solace and even a future when I made the decision to volunteer at a local animal future. I recently started an organization called Cozy Paws, which was dedicated to donating to animal shelters and organizations with the intent of giving out needed supplies. During that time I connected with many amazing people and shelters, and over the summer I decided to volunteer at the Michigan Animal Rescue League. I found that waking up at 7 am could be fun and actually looked forward to my Wednesday and Thursday 8-12 cat room shifts, during which time I cleaned the shelter, cleaned cat cages, fed cats, brushed them, and played with them. It brought me so much joy and further inspired me to keep up with Cozy Paws. Although a small organization, this past fall I raised over $300 worth of animal supplies, which may not seem like too much, but think of $300 worth of treats or toys or even beds, now that's a lot. These experiences have taught me that giving back doesn't have to be just a service requirement for school, it can grow your mind, help your mental health soar, and cause you to give back in great and bigger ways. I will never stop volunteering and will constantly strive to give back. Philanthropic giving makes all the difference in any one community. I found this out when I went to a poor area to volunteer at an animal shelter and simply just opening the place would bring smiles to residents' faces. It gives happiness and hope to those in less-than-desirable situations and allows people to live better. There truly is a volunteer opportunity for everyone; building houses gives people shelter and warmth, it keeps people alive, volunteering at an animal shelter allows thousands of pets to be rescued and kept off the streets, soup kitchens give food for those in need, and volunteering at local businesses gives people the chance to connect with their community. There is no right or wrong way to volunteer, and volunteering allows nothing but better living standards and a more communal place for all.

When we think of addiction, we think of drugs, alcohol, or smoking, but why don't we think of other things? Eating can be an addiction, exercise can be an addiction, and even self-harm can be an addiction. Self-harm is a cut-throat addiction that people see as someone looking for attention. That can be true, but in the majority of cases people feel like they deserve the pain or feel calm after cutting, and both were true for me. I did it once and it hurt, I said "This sucks". But the next time I felt overwhelmed I remember how the pain felt good and I did it again, and again, and again. It was a never-ending cycle and harder to quit than one might think. I experienced that firsthand after I didn't do it for months and suddenly found myself doing it again. Try as I might, the pain, scars, and mental trauma never truly go away. I first struggled with self-harm in 7th grade. I saw it on social media and in 7th through 11th grade I struggled. Things got better for a small period, but then I found myself relapsing over a year later and felt nothing but regret. My boyfriend was upset with me, I was upset with me and I decided at that very moment I would never do it again. After seeing him cry, yell, and break down because he thought I was going to kill myself, I couldn't live with myself after seeing that. I felt beyond awful but at that moment it clicked, someone cares. Being sober has made me feel so great, but also scared. Everyone only talks about the glorious side, but I had to completely change around how to express my emotions. Doing that for years, and in 8th grade almost every day, I had and still truly don't have any idea how to express emotions properly. I would use my education to try and help those just like me. I went to a therapist in 8th grade, and although I wasn't cured, she helped me find happiness, better coping mechanisms, and the process of a slow recovery. I want to be a pediatric therapist because of that experience. No child, no teen, and no one deserves to feel pain such as that, and that is how I will use my higher education to study psychology and help anyone who needs it.

"Everlong" by the Foo Fighters sends an important message of love and holding on to someone so dearly that you love them spiritually and physically with all your heart. I adore this message and it is so important to me because relationships, whether partner, sibling, friend, family or really even pet! The song is about yearning for a relationship where they finish each other sentences, and love is beyond important to me. I have spent so long looking and hoping for a love such as that, and now that I've found him, this is one of our songs. I can feel the deep and raw emotion presented by dave Grohl and I take that to heart. Begging, searching, and praying, for a deep connection is something I've done as I am one to focus on connections with a small group of people, over having a bunch of half-connected friends or group of people. I never got deep connections in childhood, so now more than ever, because I got a taste of deepness and true love, I live for it, just like the song "Everlong".

Psychology is the base of all humans and all we know. Psychology makes the world go round. Those who pursue psych careers power through all adversities and are always finding new ways to revolutionize medicine, mental health, neurology, and how we think of the world all around us. I am pursuing psychology as my major. Psychology is an important science that studies how the mind, a vital human body part, works and how neurons fire. Psychology uses technology and notes to further investigate the science of the brain and the emotions and problems that come with it. Psychology for me brings comfort. It allows me to dive deep into many topics I love and see what makes people tick. I have also been surrounded by mental illness and addiction my whole life. My uncle just passed away on the streets of Detroit due to a drug overdose and my 4/6 aunts and uncles are alcoholics, along with that friends and close family have been plagued by mental illness, but also my boyfriend has PTSD. That sparked a new interest in me and inspired me to work in pediatric therapy, specializing in PTSD. I find psychology vital to society because without it we would have nothing. No neurological technology, anti-depressants, and various other medicines, therapy, and psychological evaluations. Life would be cold and beyond depressing as no one would know how to cope. I find psychology so important from a future therapist's standpoint because science allows people to heal. We develop new technology to soothe people, we develop medicine to ease people's symptoms, and we discover what part of the brain is affected and when so we can work toward curing mental illnesses. It's a lot of work but without it, many would die and/or suffer greatly. Psychology also provides comfort. Psychologists with impressive experiments make technology that allows people to ruction properly. If people aren't comfortable, then everyone will be in a forever sour mood and there will be no productivity. We can also look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which states that the first 2 steps to a whole and sane person are physiological needs, such as food and warmth, and then safety needs. Psychology makes that happen. It makes sure our comfort needs are met in terms of physical and mental needs alike. I want nothing more than to provide any sort of comfort or mental soothing to those, especially children who need it more than anything. I want to be a pediatric therapist who changes the lives of little children, especially those with PTSD. I have seen the awful effects first hand and providing comfort, is my life goal. That is why I am pursuing psychology. My own therapist helped me greatly, I want to provide such comfort to others in need. Knowing the importance of the role psychology provides in society and seeing mental illness effects firsthand and even experiencing depression and anxiety myself, makes me yearn to be a therapist.

Psychology is the base of all humans, and all we know. Psychology makes the world go round. Those who pursue psych careers power through all adversities and are always finding new ways to revolutionize medicine, mental health, neurology, and how we think of the world all around us. I am pursuing psychology as my major. Psychology is an important science that studies how the mind, a vital human body part, works and how neurons fire. Psychology uses technology and notes to further investigate the science of the brain and the emotions and problems that come with it. Psychology for me brings comfort. It allows me to dive deep into many topics I love and see what makes people tick. I have also been surrounded by mental illness and addiction my whole life. My uncle just passed away on the streets of Detroit due to a drug overdose and my 4/6 aunts and uncles are alcoholics, along with that friends and close family have been plagued by mental illness, but also my boyfriend has PTSD. That sparked a new interest in me and inspired me to work in pediatric therapy, specializing in PTSD. I find psychology vital to society because without it we would have nothing. No neurological technology, anti-depressants, and various other medicines, therapy, and psychological evaluations. Life would be cold and beyond depressing as no one would know how to cope. I find psychology so important from a future therapist's standpoint because science allows people to heal. We develop new technology to soothe people, we develop medicine to ease people's symptoms, and we discover what part of the brain is affected and when so we can work toward curing mental illnesses. It's a lot of work but without it, many would die and/or suffer greatly. Psychology also provides comfort. Psychologists with impressive experiments make technology that allows people to ruction properly. If people aren't comfortable, then everyone would be in a forever sour mood and there would be no productivity. We can also look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which states that the first 2 steps to a whole and sane person are physiological needs, such as food and warmth, and then safety needs. Psychology makes that happen. It makes sure our comfort needs are met in terms of physical and mental needs alike. I want nothing more than to provide any sort of comfort or mental soothing to those, especially children who need it more than anything. I want to be a pediatric therapist who changes the lives of little children, especially those with PTSD. I have seen the awful effects first hand and providing comfort, is my life goal. That is why I am pursuing psychology. My own therapist helped me greatly, I want to provide such comfort to others in need. Knowing the importance of the role psychology provides in society and seeing mental illness effects firsthand and even experiencing depression and anxiety myself, makes me yearn to be a therapist.

Carbs, sugar, fat, calories, and a bunch of weird chemicals that sound like mumbling from a baby. I was guilty of not paying the least bit of attention to anything at all to do with eating healthy and I payed the price. It all changed when my bones and muscles were becoming weaker so I decided to make a change. Playing soccer for 9 years did a number on my knees and joints. I wasn't eating healthy and that was making everything worse. My 9th year was the worst with me having to miss almost every practice because of leg and knee injuries but when I ate more greens and cut out processed food, I magically felt better. My bones did not, but my gut and aching body did. I felt more energetic and alive, which helped me focus on getting better and pushing through. Along with that, my mind was also stronger. I could focus better in school and I was doing better on tests. My mental health increased because I felt better overall. My self-confidence issues lowered because I looked better. I was getting more sleep and waking up well slept, and I was taking life by the horns, cleaning my room, and keeping up with hustle and bustle. Coming home to a clean room, eating clean food, and going to bed and waking up refreshed was an experience like no other. Overall, everything just felt stronger, better, and more eager. But why does this matter? Why should we focus on eating healthy? There is a simple explanation for this that can be summed up into a few short words, to feel better. Science has proven that if your mind feels better, your physical form will too. So many of today's teens and adult hurt waking up, hurt all day, and hurt going to sleep. They feel depressed or like life isn't worth living, but a simple change in diet, with more greens and less processed food, can help change all that. You'll look better, your mind will be more active, you'll sleep better, which means bein gless tired, and for those with kids, you can play with your kids more. There really is no better feeling than having a great sleep, which turns into a great day, and all that can stem from a small change. Eatign healthy is vital to help us live a long, happy, and healthy life.

My experience with mental health has given me so much insight into other people's minds and more sympathy for all. Struggles with mental health change and shape you. It really does affect everything that goes on and even affects others around you. My beliefs changed but not in the typical way of religion, but rather that mental health was people's exaggerating things changed. I thought people were being dramatic until I was diagnosed with depression and I lost interest in everything. I didn't shower, I was beyond emotional, and I couldn't stay organized to save my life. Because of everything seemingly going wrong and my entire persona being in shambles, I moved on from wanting to be on broadway making and creating props and focusing deeply on mental health. I wanted to be a criminal psychologist but then after a few more years of personal therapy and working more and more with kids, I fell in love with pediatric therapy. Of course, it is awful that some children as young as 3 need therapy, and I understand all the baggage and awfulness that comes with these children's heartwrenching stories, but if I can change and/or help 1 child and see them succeed, later on, that is the best reward. Every dollar spent, every hour talking, it will all have been worth it. As for my relationships, they plummeted. Something no one truly thinks about is just how much someone who has any sort of relationship with a person with mental illness suffers. It's not just those with mental illness. People thought it was way too much because I put too much on them, I shouldn't have. My parental relationships became strained because they thought I wouldn't come to them anymore. My friends left because they considered me too much and too hard to deal with. They quit cold turkey because I was too sad and needed too much. My boyfriend is still with me but I can see the mental toll. It hurts. I am hurting him by being too lazy, too gross, too sad, and too much. I am beyond grateful for him but it kills me to see him hurt. For anyone who says people around those with mental illness don't suffer, is wrong. They hurt as we hurt. Mental illness is a killer—a killer of people, relationships, and aspirations. There is nothing more deadly, but getting help and healing, can heal others too. Here is to all those who are hurt and are taking steps toward healing. I am with you, I support you, and I see you.

Psychology, the base of all humans, and really all we know. Psychology makes the world go round. Those who pursue psych careers power through all adversities and are always finding new ways to revolutionize medicine, mental health, neurology, and how we think of the world all around us. I am pursuing psychology as my major. Psychology is an important science that studies how the mind, a vital human body part, works and how neurons fire. Psychology uses technology and notes to further investigate the science of the brain and the emotions and problems that come with it. Psychology for me brings comfort. It allows me to dive deep into many topics I love and see what makes people tick. I have also been surrounded by mental illness and addiction my whole life. My uncle juts passed away on the streets of Detroit due to a drug overdose and 4/6 aunts and uncles are alcoholics, along with that friends and close family have been plagued by mental illness, but also my own boyfriend has PTSD. That sparked a new interest in me and inspired me to work in pediatric therapy, specializing in PTSD. I find psychology vital to society because without it we would have nothing basically. No neurological technology, anti-depressants and various other medicines, therapy, and psychological evaluations. Life would be cold and beyond depressing as no one would know how to cope. I find psychology so important from a future therapists standpoint because science allows people to heal. We develop new technology to sooth people, we develop medicine to ease peoples symptoms, and we discover what part of the brain is effected and when so we can work towards curing mental illnesses. It's a lot of work but with out it, many would die and/or suffer greatly. Psychology also provides comfort. Psychologists with impressive experiments make technology which allows people to ruction properly. If people aren't comfortable, then everyone would be in a forever sour mood and there would be no productivity. We can also look at Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, which states that the first 2 steps to a whole and sane person are physiological needs, such as food and warmth, and then safety needs. Psychology makes that happen. It makes sure our comfort needs are met in terms of physical and mental needs alike. I want nothing more than to provide any sort of comfort or mental soothing to those, especially children who need it more than anything. I want to be a pediatric therapist who changes the lives of little children, especially those with PTSD. I have seen the awful effects first hand and to provide comfort, it is my life goal. That is why I am pursuing psychology. My own therapist helped me greatly, I want to provide such comfort to others in need. Knowing the importance of the role psychology provides in society and seeing mental illness effects first hand and even experiencing depression and anxiety myself, makes me yearn to be a therapist.

Science, the base of all things made, all humans, and all we know. STEM makes the world go round. Those who pursue STEM careers power through all adversities and are always finding new ways to revolutionize medicine, mental health, biology, and how we think of the world all around us. I am proudly pursuing psychology as my major. Many consider psychology to not be part of STEM, but it is in fact a science, one that studies how the mind, a bug part of the human body, works and how neurons fire. Psychology uses technology and notes to further investigate the science of the brain and the emotions and problems that come with it. Psychology for me brings comfort. It allows me to dive deep into many topics I love and see what makes people tick. I have also been surrounded by mental illness and addiction my whole life. My uncle juts passed away on the streets of Detroit due to a drug overdose and 4/6 aunts and uncles are alcoholics, along with that friends and close family have been plagued by mental illness, but also my own boyfriend has PTSD. That sparked a new interest in me and inspired me to work in pediatric therapy, specializing in PTSD. I find science vital to society because without it we would have nothing basically. No technology, medicine, therapy, and even some foods. Life would be cold and less developed than a 3rd world country. I specially find STEM so important from a future therapists standpoint because science allows people to heal. We develop new technology to sooth people, we develop medicine to ease peoples symptoms, and we discover what part of the brain is effected and when so we can work towards curing mental illnesses. It's a lot of work but with out it, many would die and/or suffer greatly. Science also provides comfort. Science makes technology which makes heaters and air conditioners for homes and businesses to keep people at a comfortable temperature. If people aren't comfortable, then everyone would be in a forever sour mood and there would be no productivity. We can also look at Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, which states that the first 2 steps to a whole and sane person are physiological needs, such as food and warmth, and then safety needs. Science makes that happen. It makes sure our comfort needs are met with houses and thermostats, and makes sure we have technology to like cameras and weapons to arm ourselves for safety. Without science the world would not be anywhere close to how we know it. We would be back in caveman times where we knew nothing. Science is in architecture, food, every object we touch, in space, and truly all around us. We need to understand to evolve and provide for the ever-growing human population. To provide comfort and safety, and to heal. That is why science is so pivotal to society.

Limes and Lights Sour, Sticky and sour, Puckered face and pursed lips, Walking in ordinary life, Basking in your limelight. That light that lifts you so high, And sometimes you crashed, Your lightbulb burst. A halt, A tiny explosion, So very cocky, Your ego burst it. You sip that lime juice, Under that light, It's your limelight. It's sour, And it can honestly drive some away, Not everyone chooses lime, Not everyone chooses lights on. Lime dark, It makes no sense, What about "lemon dark"? Does that? It's the exact opposite of the limelight, So it really should. Have fun sitting there, sipping that sour, puckering, Lime Juice. Have fun sitting there, In the warm, bright, Light. Have fun sitting there, In your limelight, Don't forget to tell me how it tastes!

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest". – Benjamin Franklin. Higher education is stressed, it is highly valued, and it encapsulates us all. We are told from the beginning to get good grades to get into a good college. Whether you chose to go or not, is a near and dear personal choice, but for those of us who chose to pursue it, we continue the pattern and further stress all that education. Education being furthered is vital to me because in order to change the world in the field of psychology, I need to further my education and dive deeper into all topics and correctly learn how to understand people. Higher education also allows us to be presented with unique opportunities that can be found nowhere else. Higher education will teach those who want to pursue jobs such as those in STEM the education they need to be successful. In some jobs, higher education is absolutely needed. You can't be a doctor right out of high school with no medical knowledge background, and you can't be a biologist without learning the correct way DNA works. It can apply to many jobs and is essential to success. Humans strive for success and work towards it, it's what the majority of people want in life, and higher education is what helps us achieve such success. Higher education isn't just found in college or university, it is also found in gaining certificates and when jobs send you to corporate training. For example, Ford Motor Company and all dealerships and branches under Ford pay for their workers to go to classes to learn how to do things all around. They have branches in Seattle, Chicago, and Wixom. This is vital because even if the employees chose to go straight into working as a mechanic, they are still earning a higher education. I find this beyond important to society as it allows people to walk away with some type of qualifications to their name. It makes employers look at you and allows you to get hired. Lastly, higher education allows us to discover what we actually love and what we are good at. It is reported by Ohio State University that 50-75% of students switch majors in college. That statistic alone proves that higher education is valuable. I find this so important because being happy is much more important than any amount of money you could ever earn from a job. They say happiness is the true key to success, and I fully believe that. If we all jumped right into a job without any kind of test trial, the majority of the world would be unhappy. Higher education gives you that chance at a test run, a trial, and a chance to figure out if your dreams are what will make you happy. In conclusion, higher education is one of the most important things in today's society. Higher education, which means college, university, corporate learning, seminars, and certificate training among much more, guides us towards finding out what we love, it allows us to learn vital information and background about said field of study and gives people a chance to earn something that gives them a leg up on qualifications. That is why higher education is so important to me.

Money, money, money, and even more money. What most people dream of and want, but for many, it's a need. Money makes the world go round but also pays for college. Without a plan for the future, we are taught we will fail. Scholarships let people who maybe can't afford college have a chance to be successful and afford their future. I learned, though applying to over 50 scholarships and not winning a single one, that scholarships are beyond competitive and take a great resume to win. Winning money is just as hard as getting into college. You compete with peers all over the country for a spot in the top 10 and then eventually win. It is reported that only 7% or 1 in 8 will win scholarships. That's equivalent to getting into MIT or Yale. With those statistics in mind, it really makes those who won seem like gods, but in reality, they are just like you and me. Anyone can win, and all it takes is some bold points, one spectacular essay, or a pretty profile. Scholarships are also made for those with good resumes. You must be polished, with a pretty picture. You learn that all those times you've been told you're the best, someone has a leg up on you. So you want a scholarship for medicine and did a summer intern program with Harvard? Well someone else has been practicing medicine since they were 3 years old and did an internship for 15 years at Standford. It really brings out the better and best in people. With that being said, you also learn that bragging can sometimes be okay. Showing off can earn you a spot at a top college or a few thousand dollars. It proves that you can get somewhere by just being you. To show off who you truly are and demonstrating the best of you pays off. It makes you feel good, and it makes those who read about feel happy for you and maybe even jealous at times. In short, scholarships are a fantastic tool. They help us worry a little less about college and careers, guide us to figure out who we are, and show us we can be great too. We, who are applying for scholarships, are the future. It is our job to be great and there is nothing more rewarding than earning money for the great accomplishments you worked so hard for.

My experience with mental health has given me so much insight into other peoples minds and more sympathy for all. Struggles with mental health cnage and shape you. It really does effect everything that goes on and even effect others around you. My beliefs changed but not ina typical way of religion, but rather that mental health was people exagerting things changed. I thought before people were being dramatic, until I was diagnosed with depression and I lost interest in everything. I didn't shower, I was beyond emotional, and I couldn't stay organized to save my life. Because of everything seemingly going wrong and my entire persona being in shambles, I moved on from wanting to be on broadway making and creating props and focus deeply on mental health. I wanted to be a criminal pshycoolgist but then after a few more years of personal therapy and working more and more with kids, I fell in love with pediatric therapy. Of course, it is awful that some children as young as 3 need therapy and I understand all the baggage and awfulness that comes with these children's heartwrenching stories, but if I can change and/or help 1 child and see them succeed later on, that is the best reward. Every dollar spent, every hour talking, it will all have been worth it. As for my relationships, they plummeted. Something no one truly thinks about is just how much someone who has anysort of relationship with a person with mental illness suffers. Its not just those with the mental illness. People thought it was way too much because I put too much on them, I shouldn't have. My parental relationships became strained because they thought I wouldn't come to them anymore. My friends left because they considered me too much and too hard to deal with. They quit cold turkey because I was too sad and needed too much. My boyfriend is still with me but I can see the mental toll. It hurts. I am hurting him by being to lazy, too gross, too sad, and too much. I am beyond grateful for him but it kills me seeing him hurt. For anyone who says people around those with mental illness doesn't suffer, is wrong. They hurt like we hurt. Mental illness is a killer. A killer of people, relationships and aspirations. There is nothing more deadly, but to get help and heal, can heal others too. Here is to all those who hurt and are taking steps toward healing. I am with you, I support you, and I see you.

Hero of my Heart Ella Dean (2022) To know when to run away, When to realize what you love needs to be left behind, That is a true talent. To recognize and prioritize yourself, A sin, But a necessary one. Miroslav Kohl, Say. His. Name. He sacrificed his life and family to be free, Liberation means to run. Finding his way in a cruel world, Working his way up, Up, Up and away. Finding work in Brazil, Finding love in Belgium, Raising a family in Indonesia, Finally resting in Michigan, Returning home every now and then, Spending 3 nights in jail every time he wanted to return. All for his family. His family. It all comes down to family. He wanted a family and fled his family. A hero to some, A burden to a whole country, To choose and live, Fly free and solo, Rest easy Freebird, My hero, I love you

I have always had a dog and still do from german shepherds to Shih Tzus, to mutts, and finally cocker spaniels. I have always had a dog around, never been a time in my life without one. My family is a true dog family and that will never change. Each dog I've had has played a crucial role in my life. Each one is just as important. I want to make the time to talk about each one. Murphy the german shepherd was around since before I was born. he was beyond important and taught me strength and protection. He came from a puppy mill where he was the smallest of the litter. He was raised in a tiny room with over 100 dogs all fighting for a big bowl worth of food. My parents took him in and he was true love ever since. He was the most powerful dog who would bark, growl, and disturb anyone who looked at me the wrong way. I was about 5 when he passed, I always reminisce about the happy times. I remember riding him like a horse because he grew to be big and sturdy and honestly loved having tiny me pet and cuddle and laugh. He shaped me to be loyal, which may sound strange but quite honestly he was one of the world's most perfect dogs. Ming was a little Shih Tzus. She was fierce and old when I knew her. She lived until I was about 7 and was rescued from a humane society where she was treated awful. She always had her guard up and taught me to stand up for myself. Because of her being so fierce, she was the squirrel protector and rodent exterminator. She was a great dog who taught me sassy is okay. People should love you, for you. Snowy, my favorite girl, my german shepherd had to be put down on the night of prom, May 26th, 2022. I will always be sentimental about her because she was the first dog I had from birth to death. I got her at 6 and she lived until I was 17. I said my goodbyes right before my boyfriend and I took pictures. She was the world's most perfect dog. She was loyal, funny, and protective. She was there through every single bad time. Through death, friendships ending, and fights, I hugged her, I cried on her, and I even vented to her because I knew she'd keep secrets. She was my rock and truly the only one consistently by my side. I loved her up until the very end. Gary and Gill, the boys. They are 5 years old now, they are just funny. They taught me humor and how to love. They showed me that different is okay, they are tiny little mutts who everyone calls Ewoks. They fall over randomly, always ask for belly rubs, and curl up in the sun like little cats. Finally, Maggie, we picked her up 5 years from a random drug house in Center Line. She's the cutest little cocker who loves cuddles and would never play fetch. She prefers the heating blanket and taught me laziness is needed. All my dogs taught me a core value that I take to heart. I am forever thankful for them and for the ones that passed, I miss them dearly. If I could give each one a treat and pet right now I would. I love you my doggies and that is why they are so dearly important and life changing.

This generation is facing a mental health epidemic that most don't even realize we have. It keeps us strong, healthy, and well-balanced. We quite honestly can't get anywhere without prioritizing our mental health. As someone who wants to be a therapist, mental health is single-handedly one of the most important things influencing everyday life. It is essential because, to do well in school, be physically healthy, live a fulfilling life, and even take care of basic hygiene needs, you need good mental health. First, to be physically strong, we have to be mentally strong. Over 50% of high school students participate in sports (nobgains.com) and yet 1 in 3 students feel like their mental health is poor (cdc.gov). That makes for failing academic careers and with that students quit sports and don't get exercise. Along with that with mental health being poor some won't even get out of bed, let alone do strenuous activity. If students can't even get out of bed, how will they keep up their hygiene? Hygeine is vital to adolescences. It's a time of change and new smells, which means that a lack of hygiene is detrimental to self-confidence. Depression can cause anyone, not just teens, to not be able to perform basic tasks such as brushing teeth or brushing hair. This is why mental health is important. No one deserves to feel like they can't even brush their teeth. I say that because I went through the same thing. I got through it with support and finding coping mechanisms that work for me. Simply smiling through the day and looking at inspirational messages never worked. I found that telling people I need "quiet time", basically time to myself helped me 10 fold. I surround myself with only people who support me and I left those who doubted me or brought me down mentally. I apply myself to school and personally found much happiness in the academic world. I then applied that to the outside world and started my own non-profit and started volunteering at the Michigan Animal Rescue League. My non-profit called "Cozy Paws" works with animals, which are amazing for mental health. Habri.org reports that participants in a study stated that 75% of people reported that they or a family member felt a mental improvement when getting a pet. With that, I too have experienced a huge increase in happiness when working with animals and volunteering. I was less grumpy, more relaxed, and had a better academic performance. The most important part of mental wellness is finding out what works for you. There's tons and tons of ways, research, act on it, and you can be happy. It is possible and my goal is to help those who need it.

The pandemic has changed the world of SUD treatment by not allowing for much in-person treatment, which meant more overdoses and non-sobriety (https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/comorbidity/covid-19-substance-use). Participants in treatment steadily declined while the need inclined. People felt as though the government could send them to prison for saying things online, so fewer went. People also may not have money for programs online and could want help but couldn't afford it. There were so many factors that went into SUD treatments being lessened that it is hard to summarize, funding, lack of participant money, small business closures, depression, and lack of social connections are just some of the many reasons people stopped seeking treatment for substance abuse whether intentional or non-intentional. The ideal online treatment center would be a free clinic where anyone who thought they needed help could submit anonymous forms and chat with counselors and other patients anonymously. There would be daily meetings through zoom with anyone who please come including a certified counselor and participants at certain times such as 7 am, 12 pm, and 8 pm that way people with all schedules could attend. These meetings don't require you to talk, turn on your camera or have your real name. Participants would slowly work up their way to sharing. Participants could also have the chance to work one on one with a counselor that would help them quit their substance abuse at anytime. Some people can't talk at conventional hours so if we recruit counselors from all over, then there would always be someone to help. The most important thing for online resources is confidentiality. There would be a guarantee that the counselors would never say a single thing, no session would ever be recorded, and you can always stay anonymous. Some people simply need to listen to others and never talk, some need to pour their heart out in private or to a group of people going through similar things, this online clinic will offer all of that. I would want more than anything for people to be comfortable and get the resources they need without having to worry about the cost. This topic is very personal to me because my uncle passed away this past July due to a drug overdose. All the fancy clinics that cost $30,000 a month never worked and I fully believe that his overdose could've been prevented if he had better resources and went of his own free will. He left behind a wife and a 10-year-old daughter. 2 of my aunts struggle with alcoholism and my 2 uncles struggle with smoking and drinking issues. We need more resources for those who need recovery. Losing a loved one to something preventable with a simple talk with a counselor hurts more than anything. Being surrounded by at least 5 people who struggle(d) with substance abuse made me care deeply about the subject and drove me to discover a love of psychology, I now want to be a therapist or counselor for children or specialize in substance abuse. My goal in life is to make a positive change and help families in need.

Feeling alone? Need help but your parents don't believe in that made-up therapy nonsense? Well boy, do I have the solution for you! Nothing! Fight your mind until you can't take it anymore! That is what's wrong with our society. I wish to change the lack of mental health resources. Too many people have to go through horrible things with no help. Too many people are fighting for their lives all because their parents don't believe in therapy. There needs to be a change in the stigma and mental health resources for those who cannot afford it and those who are not allowed to attend therapy. I want to be a therapist, specifically a pediatric therapist. Too many teens and children, including myself, have not had the chance to have easy access to mental health resources. I eventually got the help I needed but not without a long fight. It almost took too long. This needs to change because suicide among teens and pre-teens is too high, from 2007-2018 it increased by 60% (CDC). With access to easy help, the number could be much lower. Most all my friends have said they have contemplated suicide or have even attempted it, all because they don't have the help they need. It breaks my heart. That's why with my love of helping people and psychology degree backing me, I want to change the world by creating new mental health resources. Whether that be a website, a hotline, or local free/reduced-priced therapy for all, I have a great need to make a change. I need to see a change.

Psychology and mental health is something I care deeply about. Too many of my friends, family and even myself have been traumatized by poor mental health with little resources. I want to earn a degree in psychology so I can help those who have been impacted by life and poor mental health. As someone who is LGBTQ so many of the people in my community look for like-minded or similar people to feel safe. Feeling safe and secure is the most important thing with human health and services. My goal is to reach those who feel outcasted and help. If a client sees a person who is like them, wether that be the same skin color, same gender, same hair color, same sexuality, they may feel like they’ll be understood better and be more cooperative. Diversity means a more comfortable workplace all around. Happier clients mean happier workers. Happier clients also means a better world all around. That’s the goal. A happier world all around. A happier, safe world. Every kid, every person, they all deserve to feel safe, included and understood. That’s why future psychology majors and workers, future human service majors and workers, future health service majors and workers, we all have a dream of helping.

Acceptance is something we all strive for. We all want validation from others. In many cases people don't accept others and often are quite rude to them for no reason. This has happened to me. I walk into high school and already on my first day people look at me with disgust and call me slurs. I walked through the halls, alone, with hundreds a beady eyes staring right at me. My outfit wasn't crazy and I didn't stand out too much. I had red ends tied into a ponytail and I was wearing jeans, yet I was still the center of attention, not in a good way though. I knew what they were all thinking, "There goes that gay girl. Ew". I never understood why the hated me so. I hadn't even spoken to some of them and they already despised me. I just wanted to be accepted, I wanted to be treated normally. I am a normal person, just like everyone else. I am not the only one this happens to. All over the world people are treated lesser due to skin color, hair color, sexuality and overall appearance. Many people just wish they could be treated as everyone else. After all, we are all human beings. If I could change one thing about this world it would be how people, specifically students, treat each other. Students make up a majority of the residents in my small town and much of the worlds population. From elementary school to college, students can be see all over the place. As we all know, sometimes people aren't always kind to each other, and this is very prominent in my school district. Many students are harsh and unaccepting towards each other. They often get into fights, talk behind each others back, and call each other terrible slurs and names. My school district is not the only one who has this problem. Every school and even every work place has at least one person who causes drama and is just generally unkind. My mission is to help change that. Later on this year, once COVID precautions loosen a small bit, I want to start a movement/campaign that spreads kindness. Simple acts like putting up posters in shops and school, having people come to each of the schools and talk about their own experiences of being unaccepted, and just preforming random acts of kindness towards one another can greatly benefit the whole community. I know from personal experience how mean students can be. I want to change the way we all see each other and have people be less judgmental. Acceptance and judgement is tight. No one is born racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc... they are taught that from their surroundings. I want more than anything to try and spread and teach kindness in an unbiased way. I want it to be as unbiased as possible because everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am simply trying to say that we should all be kinder to each other. This world is broken, but we can attempt to fix it. Simple acts like complementing a stranger, holding a door open or even just saying "Hi" are all ways we can be kinder. When I was down, sometimes just someone talking to for 5 minutes made my day. It made me feel wanted and accepted. You never know what can change a persons life. That's why I want to spread kindness. It makes everyone feel good and happy and the world thrives on happiness.

There's always something to smile about :) Instagram handle: @ella.d3 Pet Name: Snowy