The first time I heard of addiction, it was because I heard my dad say that he didn't drink anymore and I wondered why. He explained that he struggled with an alcohol addiction in the past and warned me about how slippery of a slope it could be, how much it could change a person, and how difficult it could be to climb out of that hole you dig yourself into. I understood what he was saying but never paid much attention because I didn't think it would ever apply to me, I was only a kid at the time so I thought of it as an 'adult problem'. But when I started to get depressed in middle school, I remembered how people in movies would "drown out their sorrows" with alcohol, so I wanted to give it a try. It was not a good idea, a bit nonsensical when looking back on it, but it was easy since I was left home alone fairly often due to both my parents working and my sister having extra-curriculars. I would get anxious if I couldn't drink anything in the afternoon or at night, but I didn't think I was addicted because I didn't crave it every second of the day. I ended up drinking everyday for nearly a year before the bottle under the counter ran out; I felt so empty and depressed and I no longer had a way to ignore it, so I started to develop a new addiction. In sixth grade I began to cause myself pain in order to fell more in control of my body when I got anxiety. Again, I never thought I had an addiction, even when I was resorting to more harmful methods or when I started missing it throughout the day. I was able to take it down a notch but I still used pain as a way to control my emotions and anxiety disorder. One of the worst part of this, was that I was alone in it, even though I intentionally didn't tell anyone, I felt so isolated and lonely because of it. I think the real turning point for me was when my sister asked my mom if she could get on medication for anxiety and depression. This had changed so much for me because I now knew I wasn't the only person in the world with these problems and that it was okay to ask for help. It's obviously easier said than done, it took me months to work up the courage to ask the same thing and even then I was practically shaking when I did. I thought I was going to get in trouble for every secret I had ever kept; I had suddenly felt so ashamed of everything I had done, the alcohol, the self-harm, and I felt like I didn't deserve the help. But after talking with my doctor, plus some trial-and-error and a bit of crying, I was able to find a medication that worked well for me. I started high school sports and made good friends; feeling known had decreased my need to numb my negative feelings, because now I could just talk about them. It's not always sunshine and rainbows, I know the path to recovery isn't linear, but it's been 2 year 6 months and 24 days since I last self-harmed, so I think that counts for something in the name of progress. I have a plan for my future now, hopes and dreams and all that, and I won't let any destructive temptations get in the way of it.

Neither of my parents have graduated college, nor anyone in my family for that matter. Even my much older cousins on my dad's side just went right into working minimum wage jobs. But my parents have never wanted that for me or my sister, they knew that by not going to college themselves, it might cost them in the long run, but they made that choice so they could take care of my sister and I, and give us the opportunity of a better education. My dad was always working when I was younger, luckily my mom was around to take care of us, but I really missed my dad. Even when my sister, Riley, and I were both in high school, he left the house before we woke up and was back around dinner time. He would always vent about how stressful it was to my mom, who worked at my school in administration and could somewhat empathize with him. I know he’s only working this much so that he can afford to put us through college and still life a comfortable life in the mean time, but it can be hard sometimes. One morning when I was younger, I had once asked both my parents what they wanted to be when they grew up, they humored me even as they got ready for the jobs they already had, and even gave thoughtful answers. My dad said he would've wanted to either be a firefighter or do professional yard work, and my mom said she would've wanted to be a professional photographer. This reminds me everyday that my parents were once starry-eyed kids just like I was, but they didn't get to live the same lives they're providing to my sister and I, where we get to choose what dream to follow without feeling the same pressures they did. Riley is two years older than me, so at the time I'm writing this she'll be starting her third year of college and I my first year. We know how much our parents sacrificed and how much us going to college means to them, so we have a sort of unspoken agreement to make the most out of these precious experiences, because there are others who will never have the same opportunities. I'm so grateful for the way my parents raised me, even though it may seem a bit unfortunate in parts, I feel like there are so many life lessons I've learned because of my upbringing, both ones that are overused and also more unique. My father taught me never to give up on things that I love or care for, to cherish things and treat people with respect. He passed onto me what his own parent's taught him about 'grit', which I'm thankful for today since I believe it's an integral part of who I am and why I've come as far as I have without giving up. I never would've been able to work as hard as I have in school, sports, volunteering, etc..., if it weren't for my father leading by example. My mother has had an equally significant impact in my life, being the one to stay home and raise the demon of a toddler I happened to be. She was always there for me, and taught me how to say 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry', two phrases that I see others sometimes find difficult to say, and I'm forever grateful that my mother is the person she is, to have taught me how to set my pride aside when the situation calls for it, but to never let myself be walked over; give respect and expect it in return. I'll forever aim to use what I've learned to forward my life and help others do the same. My specific goals in life are to become a rehabilitation ecologist, live sustainably, and set up my own scholarship for college students in the same field. I've always been taught to care about others, so it's no surprise that I've become passionate about protecting the Earth and all its inhabitants, and we need others with the same motivations to work together and take care of it.

My father is a veteran of the National Guard, and when I was younger I idolized him and wanted to join the military like he had. That ended up not being the right path for me, but my dreams of being a 'Navy Seal' when I was in middle school have still shaped me as a person and I'm grateful for it. Being in middle school and having such career goals ended up with me prioritizing discipline and responsibility as two main character traits I would demonstrate in school and life; this had a major positive effect on my independence, patience, and overall respectfulness of things and people. For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. After a lot of consideration, I've decided that I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, and if I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I'm currently majoring in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, and by using that degree I plan to work with other scientists regarding how to solve environmental problems everywhere. I have a passion for restoration and habitat rehabilitation; restoring ecosystems to their rightful balance really calls out to me when I think of what I want to use my time on this Earth for. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, microplastic, global warming, and biodiversity loss are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress and establish a sustainable life for humans on this Earth. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving complex global issues like climate change, and that's without even touching on different government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

There aren't enough words in the English language for me to articulate the full impact wrestling has had on me throughout my life, but I can highlight a few general points, such as an increase in physical and mental strength, a willingness and drive to succeed, and a deeper respect for those around me. All of which translate to other aspects of life and set me up for great success in the future. I started wrestling during my sophomore year of highschool and absolutely loved it. I had great success throughout my highschool career, even placing at the state tournament when I was a senior. Our team was able to develop a great community together, and I really missed them all when I got to go to college and study environmental science. But that was simply the start of a new chapter in my life, and I'm building new relationships with the people in the wrestling club at my university. I never want to take these opportunities for granted, which is one of the reasons I've decided to set up my own wrestling scholarship once I have a steady career, so that kids like me can have the same amazing opportunities to learn the habits and life skills from wrestling that will set them up for success in the future. Balancing college-level school work and an athletic life hasn't been easy, but I couldn't imagine my life any other way. Using what I've learned and am still learning from wrestling has been a tremendous help with this. Things like showing up early, always being mentally present, putting forth 100% effort even into the little things, and being grateful for those who've chosen to educate me have had a great positive impact in my college experience, and have set me apart from my peers, demonstrating the usefulness and often essential nature of these skills I learn from wrestling. At the beginning of my first college semester, I admittedly struggled to adjust to this faster-paced and more complex teaching style, but it was the hard-earned habits that got me through it. Showing up to class early, especially for my major-specific science classes, made a huge difference in how well I absorbed the material; I was calm and prepared to learn instead of rushing to find a seat and hurriedly taking down notes without really learning anything. The mental strength that came from wrestling hard matches also helped me not give up when tackling difficult or complex scientific concepts, such as natural selection and the nitrogen cycle. Shaking my coach's hand after every practice gave me the confidence to go up to my professors after the first class and shake their hand while introducing myself and conveying my gratitude for their teachings; establishing a social network in STEM is essential for a successful career and I believe this habit will be a driving force in that for me. Even though I don't have a specific career picked out yet for the future, I believe that cultivating my strength, drive, and respect for others is a critical aspect in how well I'm able to establish my career in environmental science, whether that be with staying dedicated to my research, confidently advocating for wildlife conservation policies, or keeping a mutual respect for individuals related to my environmental consulting efforts. Whatever I end up doing with my envisci degree, I know that I'll be prepared to face any hardship I come across, not because I'll be omniscient, but because of wrestling.

The first time I engaged in any form of public service was when I was about 7 years old; it was an initiative to support the homeless put on by my church at the time, where we all made a meal and set up a buffet for those who weren't able to financially feed themselves. Even as young as I was, I really enjoyed it, it gave me a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment in my community because I could see the direct positive impact I was having on others. Needless to say I kept doing service work through my childhood, teens, and I'm currently looking for opportunities at my new university as well. I love volunteering with all sorts of events and groups, I sorted food donations at my local food bank back in my home town and now I plan to help out at the local bike shop in my college town. Being part of that kind of community really helps me see why the others love it as well, you immediately connect with these people because they're there for the same reasons as you are, to help and to make a positive difference in the world. Aside from volunteering as a hobby, I also plan to make a career out of servicing all life on Earth. I'm striving to become a wildlife conservationist and work with a nonprofit so that we can protect those that can't protect themselves from humans. As much as we might not want to admit it, much of the loss of biodiversity in this world is directly due to human interaction with the environment, be that pollution, hunting, agriculture, and everything else. But we don't have to be at odds with the Earth in order to live well on it, and that's what I want to show people by restoring ecosystems and living in peace with them. My life experiences have created me as a person, I owe who I am to what I've done, and an integral part of my experience on this earth has been volunteering. My public service experiences have shaped my personality and ideals more than school or friends or anything else I've been a part of; I now care, more than I ever thought I could, and it almost hurts sometimes but I know it's worth it. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to give the world and the people in it what they deserve, we need to work together, for each other, if we want to make it and thrive.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. As I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science, I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and a career with a focus on conserving and restoration is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even when it's difficult or takes a long time or if I make mistakes. I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, and if I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about and pursuing it in any way that I can. I've used the knowledge obtained to help educate others as well, in any way that I can I've given out tips or swaps or habits that people need to implement in order to live more sustainably and reduce their carbon footprint. I can't pretend to know everything about it since I'm still learning new things everyday, but I was surprised to find out how little the people around me knew given that these issues greatly impact them in the long run. Simple things such as composting and bringing your reusable bags to the store can help immensely, switching to more eco-friendly brands is also an easy adjustment to make in everyday life. I often recommend shopping secondhand or switching their default browser to Ecosia, which plants trees from your searches. These are just the tips for everyday people, and though important, I want to do more than this, I want to make a personal tangible difference to what I see in front of me. I plan to major in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, and by using that degree I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, biodiversity loss, global warming, microplastics, water waste, the list goes on, these are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. Preventing further damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better technology in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving these complex global issues, that's without even touching on government policies and pushing for regulations, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. After hearing more about climate change and humanity's negative effects on our environment, I've decided that I want to protect wildlife and help to restore the environment, and conservation ecology is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work and study as hard as it takes in order to make this happen because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. With conservation ecology, this includes listening to podcasts, watching habitat restoration videos on YouTube, and researching all the different careers within this field. The most popular results when searching national databases for jobs in conservation are 'Environmental Restoration Planner' or 'Wildlife Biologist'. I plan to do work somewhere between the two, ecology is such a broad and complex field that I'm unsure if I'll ever have a permanent position 'title' with how many diverse things I wish to do. I plan to perform research and write scientific papers, while also being in the field and doing ground work, another goal of mine is to be involved in the political side of environmental policy and influence government decisions. I'm unsure whether I'll be able to complete all that I'll strive to accomplish, but I know that I'm going to try. I'm currently majoring in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, with a plan to minor in sustainable policy, and by using that degree I wish to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve habitat loss, deterioration, and pollution around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, microplastics, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. I make it a priority to learn about these issues and do all I can to help solve them, whether signing a petition, voting green, or donating to ocean cleanup projects like 4Ocean. Preventing further damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and rehabilitating the Earth is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving these complex global issues, that's without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

My father is a veteran of the National Guard, and when I was younger I idolized him and wanted to join the military like he had. That ended up not being the right path for me, but my dreams of being a Navy Seal when I was in middle school have still shaped me as a person and I'm grateful for it. Being in middle school and having such career goals ended up with me prioritizing discipline and responsibility as two main character traits I would demonstrate in school and life; this had a major positive effect on my independence, patience, and overall respectfulness of things and people. For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I'm currently majoring in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, and by using that degree I plan to work with other scientists regarding how to solve environmental problems everywhere. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving complex global issues like climate change, and that's without even touching on different government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

Alright so, I think the four categories of 'parts of a flower', 'units of measurement', 'movies that start with "the"', and 'containers' are the ones I will choose. With parts of a flower being, 'stem', 'stigma', 'petal', and 'root'. I like this one since 'stigma' could mean the anatomy of a flower or a social stigma meaning a bad reputation, which makes the category a bit more difficult. I was thinking that units of measurement could incorporate different measuring systems, like 'celsius', 'yard', 'kelvin', and 'ounce'. So that it wasn't as obvious as it would be if they were all in the same field like meter, foot, and inch, all being in length. Movies that start with the- would be 'Matrix', 'Notebook', 'Mummy', and 'Hobbit', since they're all relatively popular movies that most people would know of have heard of. And containers would be 'cup', 'tupperware', 'glass', and 'vase'. I think these are relatively simple to group together but 'vase' might also throw someone off with the parts of a flower category, so it's not extremely easy. The difficulty levels would likely start with 'containers', then 'parts of a flower', 'units of measurement', and finally 'movies that start with the-'.

Well first of all her voice is absolutely beautiful, the way she's able to use a more breathy singing voice and still make it feel so powerful is incredible. Picking only 3 songs that I love and resonate with is going to be extremely difficult but I'll do my best. I would say my favorite song from Billie Eilish is 'The 30th'. I really like songs with subtle stories to them and this is no exception, especially with the strong themes of love, fear, regret, and nearly grief. The story is from the perspective of someone who drove past an accident who someone they knew happened to be in and they were called to come to the hospital that night where this person was in recovery. I love the added bit about 'just wanting to get to work on time', not even thinking that the car accident on the side of the road was anything more than an inconvenience; maybe that's a problem she's pointing out in society, how we don't really care about strangers unless it directly affects us. In the song, the part where she's singing about how 'you're alive', like that fact is a life-line they're clinging to is SO good; the relief in her voice is palpable. When hearing that someone you care for was in a dangerous accident but in the same call hearing that they're alive and recovering is so emotional and confusing, and I feel like that was portrayed well in 'The 30th'. Especially when, in the middle of the song, there's a tone change where the "What if?"s come in and there's just so much tension and fear. It reminds me of a quote I read once saying "you still mourn what you almost lost", from CataclysmicEvent online. This is overall an amazing song with so many layers and emotions, always going to be one of my favs. Another favorite of mine is 'Xanny', which is about the perspective's experience with a group of people who do drugs together and how the POV doesn't want to be involved and seems to look at them all with contempt. How everyone of them seems to be living a poor lifestyle and refuses to mature or truly connect with even each other given the line ashtrays are "the only thing they share". Aside from the impactful lyrics, the bass and the rhythm of the song are amazing as well. I'll always love something with a heavy beat and good word use. The last of my favorite three would be 'LUNCH' from her new album. I love this song differently than the other two, it's not a song that I'm obsessed with lyrically or musically, but the fact that it's a queer song really resonated with me since I'm bisexual and always looking for clear representation in music. The chorus is also very catchy, and though sexual, it also has a lot of undertones and implications that I find interesting. Like the fact that the perspective is actually in love with this girl and wants to give her pleasure and show care. I also love the clear consent in the song that isn't prevalent in many other sexual songs, how it's "if I'm allowed, I'll help you take 'em off", and how they're both clearly enjoying themselves with the "she's smiling ear to ear" line, instead of the song just being a one-sided perspective. Another great song by a great artist.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. After learning about all the ways that people have negatively impacted the environment, I've decided that I want to protect wildlife and restore the environment. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something and if I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. That's the way I was raised, my father taught me never to give up on things that I love or care for, and my grandparents taught me more about 'grit', which I'm thankful for today since I believe it's an integral part of who I am and why I've come as far as I have. I plan to major in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, and I'm working on minoring in sustainable practices as well, and by using that degree I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment and within our communities as well. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. I've recently learned more in-depth how environmental racism is affecting the lives of tens of thousands of minority communities, whether being forced in to areas with poor air and water quality due to pollution, or having processing plants built right next door, leaking harmful chemicals into their front yards. Preventing further damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better technologies in the future is the best way to ensure that we save the life on Earth, that includes ourselves. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving these complex global issues, that's without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do efficiently without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

I didn't know I was bisexual until high school, but that didn't stop me from supporting the LGBTQ+ community even before then. I was raised Christian and I went to a private christian elementary and middle school, so I didn't even know being gay was a thing until the 7th grade, but even with the negative outlooks of those around me, I always felt like loving someone and being true to yourself couldn't possibly be a sin. I still hold this belief and it's only cemented itself in my life now that I'm no longer part of a specific religion. Once I started to embrace who I was in terms of my sexuality, it was liberating but also a little scary; I wasn't sure if my parents or friends would accept me, and I still needed time to accept it myself. Finding community with other LGBTQ+ students was really what helped me gain confidence in myself, whether it be making friends with them or just overhearing a conversation in the halls where a student admits to being part of the community, it made me feel so much less alone. The biggest impact on me socially happened within my high school sports teams. The majority of my cross country was religious so it was hard to completely be myself around them; trying to grow closer to my team was a challenge but I feel like it helped me grow as a person. There's always going to be those who choose not to support my "lifestyle", but that doesn't mean I have to treat them unkindly or refuse to be friends with them. While I was able to make friends on my cross country team, it was my wrestling team that actually helped me feel accepted and cared for. There were a lot more seniors on the wrestling team than in cross country, so I had good role models and leaders when I was an underclassman doing wrestling. The environment was so different when I joined wrestling compared to my previous sports, there were other LGBTQ+ students on the team, seniors too, and I was able to let that part of myself be known without any kind of shame or fear of ruining friendships. One senior in particular helped me with gaining confidence and embracing who I was; a teammate named Parker helped me out a lot when it came to both wrestling and to just life in general. I wouldn't call her the perfect role model, but they are a good person, just a little abrasive sometimes. The way they held themselves and the confidence in their identity really rubbed off on me, his outspoken nature reinforced what I already knew, that it was okay to be myself and be proud of it. I knew in my head that being part of the community wasn't a sin, but I think hearing it and witnessing it helped heal the child inside me who still felt like she was 'going against god' or something like that. Now as a role model myself, it's my goal to make the same environment possible, to be confident in myself so that maybe I can be an positive influence on the younger community members, like Parker did with me. I openly talk about my sexuality and I encourage people to do the same; I believe the most important person in your life who needs to accept you is yourself.

My father is a veteran of the National Guard, and when I was younger I idolized him and wanted to join the military like he had. That ended up not being the right path for me, but my dreams of being a Navy Seal when I was in middle school have still shaped me as a person and I'm grateful for it. Being in middle school and having such career goals ended up with me prioritizing discipline and responsibility as two main character traits I would demonstrate in school and life; this had a major positive effect on my independence, patience, and overall respectfulness of things and people. For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, and by using that degree I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving these complex global issues, that's without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, and by using that degree I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving these complex global issues, that's without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

I am very interested in psychology and mental health, especially regarding how your past experiences shape your thoughts and actions. At first, I was just interested in my own actions and emotions, accidentally taking it to the point where I thought through my feelings instead of actually feeling them, something which I still struggle with but am working on after having gone to therapy. Nowadays, I'm much more interested in thinking about why other people do the things that they do. I found out that I was very passionate about my interest in human behavior; I get excited when thinking about it and I'm always searching for more knowledge when it comes to psychology and mental health, both through classes and personal explorations. I struggle with anxiety, depression and ADHD, so understanding how these things affect the mind is not only interesting but relevant to me personally. I want to help others with understanding themselves so they don't have to struggle with it as much as I did in the past, because while it may seem like a trivial matter to some, it was once life or death for me, and I don't want others to go through that. Especially regarding my religious upbringing and becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I struggled with my religion while sorting through my sexual orientation and gender identity, and it was really hard to function properly without that foundation in my life. My mental health really suffered for a long time before I was able to reimagine my spirituality, but I think it's important for people to know that they don't have to choose one or the other, both can be integral parts of your identity without conflicting too harshly. When it comes to a career, I've decided to pursue environmental science, specifically in restoration so that I can improve the nature that surrounds all of us and that we're also apart of. There's a lot of reasons contributing to this decision, but one of the main ones is that I feel more like a person when I'm doing something for nature. I feel so alive and connected when I'm even just standing in the grass under a tree, much more so than when I'm doing anything else. How different environments can influence the mind is very interesting to me as well because of this personal effect, and it reminds me of a complaint I heard about how mental hospitals so often have dreary interiors, which seems counter-intuitive to their goal of helping people enjoy and value life. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters. I've also been interested in studying proper parenting techniques for a long time, and deconstructing the way I was parented as a child helped me uncover a lot of root problems in my life, like certain insecurities and harmful though-processes. I don't think society puts enough emphasis on good parenting in the United States; harmful parenting often causes those children to inherit the same negative outlooks and ideas of what parenting is supposed to look like. This cruel cycle has a tremendous negative effect on these people's mental health and it creates bad habits that become a part of their personality, which can only be undone through disciplined thought and probably years of therapy. Knowing that my parents had a hand in my current mental health was hard to accept, I was dealing with a lot of complicated feelings regarding my relationship with them. I couldn't blame them because they'd only done their best to raise me with the tools they had; I believe our relationship will forever be a work in progress but that doesn't mean I don't still care for them or that I'm not grateful for their best effort. I've used this knowledge to understand myself better and figure out why I react to things the way I do. There's no such thing as truly, completely understanding yourself as a person, but being well acquainted with your mind can drastically improve your quality of life and experiences. Understanding yourself is so important to being able to cope with your existence when you go through hard times, at least that's how it was, and still is sometimes, for me. I know that life isn't over when I turn in an assignment late or fail to meet an athletic goal, and I'm able to cope with the overwhelming feeling of failure because I know it's just a temporary reaction I'm having. Knowing why I am having these feelings doesn't stop the hurt that they cause, but understanding that I'll make it through because I always have before is very helpful and it's kept me alive this long so I'm going to call it a proven method.

Through college, I plan to minor in psychology or sociology so that I can better help those around me when they're struggling with their own minds. Though my main focus will be environmental science, It's equally important to me that I'm able to help others with their mental health. I struggle with anxiety, depression and possible ADHD, so understanding how these things affect the mind is not only interesting but relevant to me personally. I want to help others with understanding themselves so they don't have to struggle with it as much as I did in the past, because while it may seem like a trivial matter, it was once life or death for me, and I don't want others to go through that. How different environments can influence the mind is very interesting to me because of this personal effect and it reminds me of a complaint I heard about how mental hospitals so often have dreary interiors, which seems counter-intuitive to their goal to help people enjoy life. I've also been interested in studying proper parenting techniques for a long time, and deconstructing the way I was parented as a child helped me uncover a lot of root problems in my life, like certain insecurities. I don't think society puts enough emphasis on good parenting in the United States; harmful parenting often causes those children to inherit the same negative outlooks and ideas of what parenting is supposed to look like. This cruel cycle has a tremendous negative effect on these people's mental health and it creates bad habits that become a part of their personality, which can only be undone through disciplined thought and probably years of therapy. I want ot help others in any way I can, whether that be through helping the earth or helping them understand themselves and establish healthy coping mechanisms. I believe both are necessary if we're to continue living happily on this planet.

I would say I've rewatched Bungo Stray Dogs about three times by now, even was more seasons are coming out. It's extremely difficult to pick an all-time favorite anime but bsd would be at least top three. It's not super well paced and the plot can be wonky at times, but it's still one of my absolute favorites and I'll never get tired of watching it. I'll confess that I did start the anime because of an edit I saw where one of the characters was featured, however I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I started the first season and I was onto the second after a week. Bungo Stray Dogs has a good balance of hilarious and wildly depressing that's just easy to get addicted to, and while it may not be perfect, as I mentioned before, it's still able to grab at your emotions and make you feel what the author wants you to feel for the characters in a way that not many other shows can. This was also the anime that got me into classic literature since all the characters are (loosely) based on real-life famous authors such as Dazai Osamu in Japan and F. Scott Fitzgerald in the US, as well as many others from places like the UK and Russia. Since I'm from America and hadn't heard of many Japanese authors, I hadn't realized this until H.P Lovecraft showed up as a character/eldritch monstrosity in the beginning of the second season. I now have a new appreciation for certain books written ranging from just 70 years ago to nearly 200 years ago. The mangaka for bsd, Kafka Asagiri, once mentioned how 'Bungo Stray Dogs isn't a story for people that are good at living', and it really hit me hard given my struggles with mental health. His words helped me realize that through my hardest years on Earth, it was stories that kept me alive, sometimes staying here only because there was a new episode or manga chapter coming out that week and I just couldn't miss it. I felt understood and part of a community where I didn't have to tone down my issues because other people could empathize and relate to how I felt. Bungo Stray Dogs is one of my all-time favorite animes, and I can watch it over and over again just so I can make sure I hadn't missed anything important or impactful in a scene. It's not perfect in plot or pacing, but it's still what I want and at times it was what I needed, and I'll never forget it or the impact it had on me.

Minecraft was always my favorite game as a kid and that sentiment still hold true today. I wish I could answer that my favorite aspect of the game was red stone work, but alas I am not meant to be an red stone engineer cause I would usually give up after the first failed attempt at it. However, I do love exploring and interacting with villagers. My most recent goal is to completely fill out a map in my newest world, I keep dying so it's a work in progress, but regardless, it's been a lot of fun so far. As a kid, my sister and I would play on our xbox and we both had our separate roles, she would go out and kill/mine things and I would farm, smelt, and cut down trees. I liked the creation portion of the game, so I would gather the supplies to make rare things and I'd leave the design part to her since she was more artsy, and our houses ended up looking like a 10 year old designed them instead of an 8 year old. But regardless of interior design ability, I loved the teamwork we were able to foster in this game, even as young kids. Now that we're both young adults, things have changed a lot. Well, not too much since we still play Minecraft together, but now we're looking at the game through different perspectives. That's another thing I love about Minecraft, how versatile it in regarding age ranges, how I could enjoy it at 8 and 18 years old because it could adapt to my evolving interests. I was able to start playing with friends as well and join in more complicated challenges and games. Staying in touch with friends was especially important over the Covid years, we couldn't go to each others physical houses anymore but I could always crash their Minecraft house and steal their painting or something just as mildly irritating. The little things made a big difference when we started feeling lonely, the game served not only as a distraction but as a way to connect us together. Overall, I would say the most important aspect in Minecraft to me is the ability to create and maintain relationships through it. Staying in touch with my sister when she moved away for college, still interacting with friends during quarantine, and making new friends with others because we enjoyed the same video game and could play together. These things helped shape me as a person and are incredibly important to me, I'll always be glad to have them.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in Biology with a focus on ecology and conservation, and by using that degree I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I'm unsure how to even start solving these complex global issues, that's without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

I've been playing sports pretty much all my life, but it was only in high school that I realized how big of an impact they had on me. My freshman year of high school was mostly online, so I didn't have the opportunity to make any friends in class, but doing sports helped me connect with people when there wasn't any other way. I have been doing cross country and wrestling for three years now, and not only have they positively affected my physical health, but my mental health and my personality as well. I feel so much better about my body when I'm doing a sport, disregarding society's beauty standards, I love how strong and fast I feel in the midst of the season. Practice with my team in the mornings has me feeling ready to take on the day, sports help motivate me to actually live my life. I love all the ways in which sports have shaped me as a person, definitely regarding confidence as well. I wasn't shy, but I didn't feel like I could ever take charge in a group, that was until I was chosen to be the captain of my cross-country team. I was nervous but also excited, I wanted to see if I would be any good at it, and although it took a little while for me to come further out of my shell, I made a really good captain. The role bled into my daily life in incredible ways, I felt more confident talking to people I didn't know, I recognized that my words have weight and chose them more wisely, and I learned a lot of humility as well. Wrestling had a similar impact; learning not to hesitate and being able to adapt to the situation are important skills in every aspect of life, ones that I am only better at because of wrestling. I also did track for a little while, more specifically long-jump, but I decided to leave it behind me as I move into the next part of my life. Track might actually be one of the sports I loved the most, but even though I enjoyed it I knew it wouldn't get me as far as the other sports I had would. It took a lot of time to decide, but I'm okay with leaving track behind, and doing so taught me a lot about letting things go and being at peace with it. More recently, I've gotten really interested in how female physiology relates to athletic performance, this is because of a book that was recommended to me by one of my cross-country coaches, ROAR by Stacy Sims. I believe this new interest will shape my life for the better and I'll learn more about how to work with my body instead of against it. Sports have always been a part of my life and I'm sure they always will be, I gained experience, learned things about life and myself, and I'm so excited to learn even more with whatever comes next.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering working in restoration. I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will actually use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

I didn't know I was bisexual until high school, but that didn't stop me from supporting the LGBTQ+ community even before then. I was raised Christian and I went to a private christian elementary and middle school, so I didn't even know being gay was a thing until the 7th grade, but even with the negative outlooks of those around me I always felt like loving someone and being true to yourself couldn't possibly be a sin. I still hold this belief and it's only cemented itself in my life now that I'm no longer religious. Once I started to embrace who I was in terms of my sexuality, it was liberating but also a little scary; I wasn't sure if my parents or friends would accept me, and I still needed time to accept it myself. Finding community with other LGBTQ+ students was really what helped me gain confidence in myself, whether it be making friends with them or just overhearing a conversation in the halls where a student admits to being part of the community, it made me feel so much less alone. The biggest impact on me socially happened within my high school sports teams; I loved my cross country team and I'm still friends with a lot of them today, but the majority were religious so it was hard to completely be myself around them. The environment was so different when I joined wrestling compared to previous sports, there were other LGBTQ+ students on the team, seniors too, and I was able to let that part of myself be known without any kind of shame or fear of ruining friendships. I knew in my head that being part of the community wasn't a "sin", but I think hearing it said and witnessing it helped heal the child inside me who still felt like she was 'going against god' or something like that. Now as a senior myself, it's my goal to make the same environment possible wherever I go, to be confident in myself so that maybe I can be a positive influence on other community members. I openly talk about my sexuality and I encourage people to do the same; I believe the most important person in your life who needs to accept you is yourself and I plan to bring this philosophy with me into college. My current plan is to attend Montana State University in the field of Earth Sciences so that I can use my education to help restore habitats and conserve wildlife. This dream comes from my environmental ideals; I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin, I feel like this is the field I want a career in. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing for renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small, positive change is all that matters.

Oh Team Jeremiah ALL THE WAY, I just love the way him and the main character interact and their chemistry is insane - I get butterflies just watching them interact. They've been through so much together as well, like they understand each other so well and it's like they can really be themselves around each other because of their shared experiences. And I mean, I like Conrad and all, but there's just not as much there when it comes to the romance, it feel a bit forced if you ask me. The female lead doesn't seem to even genuinely love him, she just thinks she might which is why she can't let go of him as a love interest. I actually feel bad for Jeremiah because of this too, he's such sweet guy but the girl he's in love with is trying to decide between him and another man, like I would be insulted but he loves her enough to wait for her decision and respect it. Plus I find Jeremiah to be more attractive than Conrad, which isn't an objective reason in the slightest but it's a reason for my choice non-the-less. More analytically however, I find that Jeremiah plays a bigger role in the plot and really elevates the themes of the show, like how his conversations with the female lead influence her opinions about herself and how that ties into the shows main themes and it's title as well. It is an interesting portrayal of self love, beauty's role in society, and biases in respect to appearance such as unofficial class systems. I love how this show tackles these complex issues and though the main characters may not handle these issues the most delicately, neither would anyone in real life talking about the unfairness in life as it approaches them. Life can be hard, romance can be hard, but I think finding the right people to navigate through these things with is one of the most important things you can do. Each person in your life will have role that suits them best, and though they might not stay in that role forever, it's your decision to allow them into your life and influence the course of your reality. So, having said all this philosophical jargon, I believe Belle should chose Jeremiah to be her lover and partner in life. Conrad is still important to her and I believe he cares about her, but he's better left a friend or a fond memory for Belle. This is why I am and will forever be TEAM JEREMIAH.

I love the way she's not afraid to speak up about subjects that are important to her. Many other actors and songwriters tend to shy away from political or controversial topics since they value their position and reputation too much to do so. But even with the potential risk, Zendaya so often brings awareness to the things that need it. I particularly like how she'll openly talk about toxic beauty standards in society and how the acting industry is doing very little to combat this issue or protect their actors from it. I remember seeing a video of her with makeup on only half of her face and first she said that the makeup side was beautiful and then turned the camera and said how her natural face was just as beautiful. This video really spoke to me personally, I used to be truly scared of leaving the house without makeup, I was afraid I would be rejected by society and that people would give me weird looks wherever I went if I wasn't wearing at least some kind of 'face paint'. But she's one of the celebrities who've helped me come to accept and love who I am, both physically and mentally; I still wear makeup from time to time, but it's because I want to, not because I feel like I need to. A quote I really like from Zendaya on the topic of activism is "I'm just a person with a heart who wants to do the right thing", and I like it since she allows herself to be seen as a regular person, because she is. It's so easy to put celebrities up on a pedestal and use that as an excuse to not speak up yourself, but Zendaya inadvertently encourages those people to act because if she, as a regular person, can speak up and act then so can they.

If I were to choose just 3 characters from stranger things to face a new threat, they would probably be Eleven, Kali, and Robin. I feel like Eleven is an obvious pick, she's the most powerful character in the show and her determination to succeed will contribute greatly to the outcome of this new encounter. I also chose Kali, for one because she's another powerful character, but also because she's willing to cross some lines in order to achieve her goals and I think I'd need someone like that on this team. Plus, her and Eleven now get along so they'll be able to work together and defeat anything that they come across. Now Robin was a bit more unique as a pick, but I think she'd do really well as part of the team. I don't think she'd slow the other two down enough to outweigh her potential contributions. Robin doesn't have powers but she has a lot of confidence and she's good at thinking on her feet, like when she made up a story on the spot and lied to the Warden in order to meet Creel. So overall, with the amount of power and street smarts on the team, I think they'll do very well against a variety of threats.

I started wanting to be more environmentally friendly in middle school and so I followed a bunch of different profiles on Instagram that focused on environmental health, whether that be tips everyday people can do or posts just raising awareness to current problems going on around the world. One day, I saw a post by 4Ocean of some type of robot-looking thing cleaning up a beach, it looked super interesting so I looked more into it. People had designed it to move like a tank and sift through the sand to find garbage and pieces of plastic while also recognizing any kind of life and leaving it alone, it was really incredible. It also made me realize that the majority of people won't be able to adjust their lifestyles as quickly as the Earth needs them to, which is why we need to have technology to pick up the slack. Especially in the US, there isn't really a prominent 'put your trash in the trash bin and recycle in the recycle bin' culture and I don't think there will ever be a time when everyone in the country recycles properly, let alone composts. This is why advancing energy technology and creating cleaning robots is so important for the earth. Educating people on how to help nature is also necessary but it can only go so far, and thinking about the recent jump in technological advances in society, I think we're on the path to something really great as long as it can leave a positive impact on the world, the entire world, not just people and not just rich corporations. The passion I feel about this subject helped me decide my career path as well as how I stand morally; we must start using technology as a tool for the environment instead of against it if I and people my age are supposed to have a future.

I am very interested in psychology and mental health, especially regarding how your past experiences shape your thoughts and actions. At first, I was just interested in my own actions and emotions, so I thought through my feelings instead of actually feeling them, which I still struggle with, but now I'm more interested in thinking about why people do the things that they do. I found that I was very passionate about my interest in human behavior; I get excited when thinking about it and I'm always searching for more knowledge when it comes to psychology and mental health. I struggle with anxiety, depression and possible ADHD, so understanding how these things affect the mind is not only interesting but relevant to me personally. I want to help others with understanding themselves so they don't have to struggle with it as much as I did in the past, because while it may seem like a trivial matter, it was once life or death for me, and I don't want others to go through that. Especially regarding my religious upbringing and becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I abandoned my religion while sorting through my sexual orientation and gender identity, and it was really hard to function properly without that foundation in my life. My mental health really struggled for a long time before I was able to reimagine my spirituality, but I think it's important for people to know that they don't have to choose one or the other, both can be integral parts of your identity without conflicting too harshly. When it comes to a career, I've decided to pursue environmental science, specifically in restoration. There's a lot of reasons contributing to this decision, but one of the main ones is that I feel more like a person when I'm doing something for nature. I feel so alive and connected when I'm even just standing in the grass under a tree, much more so than when I'm doing anything else. How different environments can influence the mind is very interesting to me because of this personal effect and it reminds me of a complaint I heard about how mental hospitals so often have dreary interiors, which seems counter-intuitive to their goal to help people enjoy life. I've also been interested in studying proper parenting techniques for a long time, and deconstructing the way I was parented as a child helped me uncover a lot of root problems in my life, like certain insecurities. I don't think society puts enough emphasis on good parenting in the United States; harmful parenting often causes those children to inherit the same negative outlooks and ideas of what parenting is supposed to look like. This cruel cycle has a tremendous negative effect on these people's mental health and it creates bad habits that become a part of their personality, which can only be undone through disciplined thought and probably years of therapy. Knowing that my parents had a hand in my current mental health was hard to accept, I was dealing with a lot of complicated feelings regarding my relationship with them. I couldn't blame them because they'd only done their best to raise me with the tools they had; I believe our relationship will forever be a work in progress but that doesn't mean I don't still care for them or that I'm not grateful for their best effort. I've used this knowledge to understand myself better and figure out why I react to things the way I do. There's no such thing as fully understanding yourself as a person, but being well-acquainted with your mind can drastically improve your quality of life. Understanding yourself is so important to being able to cope with your existence when you go through hard times, at least that's how it is for me. I know that life isn't over when I turn in an assignment late, and I'm able to cope with the overwhelming feeling of failure because I know it's just a temporary reaction I'm having. Knowing why doesn't stop the feelings, but understanding that I'll make it through because I have before is very helpful and it's kept me alive this long so I'm going to call it a proven method.

The first time I heard of addiction, it was because I heard my dad say that he didn't drink anymore and I wondered why. He explained that he had struggled with an alcohol addiction in the past and warned me about how slippery of a slope it could be, how much it could change a person, and how difficult it could be to climb out of that hole you dig yourself into. I understood what he was saying but never paid much attention because I didn't think it would ever apply to me, I was only a kid at the time so I thought of it as an 'adult problem'. But when I started to get depressed in middle school, I remembered how people in movies would "drown out their sorrows" with alcohol, so I wanted to give it a try. It was not a good idea, but it was easy since I was left home alone fairly often due to both my parents working and my sister having extra curriculars. I would get anxious if I couldn't drink anything in the afternoon or at night, but I didn't think I was addicted because I didn't crave it every second of the day. I ended up drinking everyday for nearly a year before the bottle under the counter ran out; I felt so empty and depressed and I no longer had a way to ignore it, so I started to develop a new addiction. In sixth grade I began to cause myself pain in order to fell more in control of my body when I got anxiety. Even in class, whenever I felt any sort of negative emotion it was a release I would use to keep my head. Again, I never thought I had an addiction, even when I was resorting to more harmful methods, even when I started feeling empty again if I hadn't done it that day. I was able to take it down a notch when my fear of being caught outweighed my desire not to stop, but I still used pain as a way to control my emotions and anxiety disorder. One of the worst part of this, was that I was alone in it, even though I intentionally didn't tell anyone, I felt so isolated and lonely because of it. I think the real turning point for me was when my sister asked my mom if she could get on medication for anxiety and depression. This had changed so much for me because I now knew I wasn't the only person in the world with these problems and that it was okay to ask for help. It's obviously easier said than done, it took me months to work up the courage to ask the same thing and even then I was practically shaking when I did. I thought I was going to get in trouble for every secret I had ever kept; I had suddenly felt so ashamed of everything I had done, the alcohol, the self-harm, and I felt like I didn't deserve the help. But after talking with my doctor and some trial-and-error plus crying, I was able to find a medication that worked well for me. I started high school sports and made friends, feeling known had decreased my need to numb my negative feelings, because now I could just talk about them. It's not always sunshine and rainbows, I know the path to recovery isn't linear, but it's been 1 year 11 months and 6 days since I last self-harmed, so I think that counts for something.

I didn't know I was bisexual until high school, but that didn't stop me from supporting the LGBTQ+ community even before then. I was raised Christian and I went to a private christian elementary and middle school, so I didn't even know being gay was a thing until the 7th grade, but even with the negative outlooks of those around me I always felt like loving someone and being true to yourself couldn't possibly be a sin. I still hold this belief and it's only cemented itself in my life now that I'm no longer religious. Once I started to embrace who I was in terms of my sexuality, it was liberating but also a little scary; I wasn't sure if my parents or friends would accept me, and I still needed time to accept it myself. Finding community with other LGBTQ+ students was really what helped me gain confidence in myself, whether it be making friends with them or just overhearing a conversation in the halls where a student admits to being part of the community, it made me feel so much less alone. The biggest impact on me socially happened within my high school sports teams; I loved my cross country team and I'm still friends with a lot of them today, but the majority were religious so it was hard to completely be myself around them. The environment was so different when I joined wrestling compared to my previous sports, there were other LGBTQ+ students on the team, seniors too, and I was able to let that part of myself be known without any kind of shame or fear of ruining friendships. I knew in my head that being part of the community wasn't a "sin", but I think hearing it and witnessing it helped heal the child inside me who still felt like she was 'going against god' or something like that. Now as a senior myself, it's my goal to make the same environment possible wherever I go, to be confident in myself so that maybe I can be a positive influence on other community members. I openly talk about my sexuality and I encourage people to do the same; I believe the most important person in your life who needs to accept you is yourself and I plan to bring this philosophy with me into college. My current plan is to attend Montana State University in the field of Earth Sciences so that I can use my education to help restore habitats and conserve wildlife. This dream comes from my environmental ideals; I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin, I feel like this is the field I want a career in. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing for renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small, positive change is all that matters.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering working in restoration. I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will actually use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. In terms of core classes, I've always liked math and English, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems or when writing, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it, but I never really understood it. Ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident because my ADHD makes motivation a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically habitat restoration or environmental studies, and though I am nervous about being a neurodivergent woman in a STEM field, I'm the only person who decides what I do in this life, and I've decided to pursue something that fulfills me. I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin; I feel like this is what I want to do and no one but myself can tell me otherwise. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, and that's without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world; no matter how small, positive change is all that matters.

I didn't know I was bisexual until high school, but that didn't stop me from supporting the LGBTQ+ community even before then. I was raised Christian and I went to a private christian elementary and middle school, so I didn't even know being gay was a thing until the 7th grade, but even with the negative outlooks of those around me I always felt like loving someone and being true to yourself couldn't possibly be a sin. I still hold this belief and it's only cemented itself in my life now that I'm no longer religious. Once I started to embrace who I was in terms of my sexuality, it was liberating but also a little scary; I wasn't sure if my parents or friends would accept me, and I still needed time to accept it myself. Finding community with other LGBTQ+ students was really what helped me gain confidence in myself, whether it be making friends with them or just overhearing a conversation in the halls where a student admits to being part of the community, it made me feel so much less alone. The biggest impact on me socially happened within my high school sports teams; I loved my cross country team and I'm still friends with a lot of them today, but the majority were religious so it was hard to completely be myself around them. Trying to grow closer to my team was a challenge but I feel like it helped me grow as a person; there's always going to be those who choose not to support my "lifestyle", but that doesn't mean I have to treat them unkindly or refuse to be friends with them. While I was able to make friends on my cross country team, it was my wrestling team that actually helped me feel accepted and cared for. There were a lot more seniors on the wrestling team than in cross country, so I had good role models and leaders when I was an underclassman doing wrestling. The environment was so different when I joined wrestling compared to my previous sports, there were other LGBTQ+ students on the team, seniors too, and I was able to let that part of myself be known without any kind of shame or fear of ruining friendships. One senior in particular helped me with gaining confidence and embracing myself, a teammate named Parker helped me out a lot when it came to wrestling and when it came to life in general. I wouldn't call her the perfect role model, but they are a good person, just a little abrasive sometimes. The way they held themselves and the confidence in their identity really rubbed off on me, his outspoken nature reinforced what I already knew, that it was okay to be myself and be proud of it. I knew in my head that being part of the community wasn't a sin, but I think hearing it and witnessing it helped heal the child inside me who still felt like she was 'going against god' or something like that. Now as a senior myself, it's my goal to make the same environment possible, to be confident in myself so that maybe I can be an positive influence on the younger community members, like Parker did with me. I openly talk about my sexuality and I encourage people to do the same; I believe the most important person in your life who needs to accept you is yourself.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. In terms of core classes, I've always liked math and English, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems or when writing, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it, but I never really understood it. Ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away. I'm confident in this because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to work with other scientists in order to research how to solve environmental problems like pollution and habitat loss around the world. I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin; I feel like this is what I want to do. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away, I want to make it work so I will. I'm this confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering working in restoration. I plan to work with other scientists in research regarding how to solve environmental problems around the world. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will actually use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

I have been playing sports pretty much all my life, but it was only in high school that I realized how big of an impact they had on my life. My freshman year of high school was all online, so I didn't have the opportunity to make any friends in class, but doing sports helped me connect to people when there wasn't any other way. I have been doing cross country and wrestling for three years now, and not only have they affected my physical health, but my mental health and my personality as well. I feel so much better about my body when I'm doing a sport, disregarding society's beauty standards, I love how strong and fast I feel in the midst of the season. Practice with my team in the mornings has me feeling ready to take on the day, sports help motivate me to actually live my life. I love all the ways in which sports have shaped me as a person, definitely in terms of confidence as well. I was never shy but I didn't feel like I could ever take charge in a group, that was until I was chosen to be the captain of my cross-country team. I was nervous but also excited, I wanted to see if I would be any good at it, and although it took a little while for me to come further out of my shell, I made a really good captain. The role bled into my daily life in incredible ways, I felt more confident talking to people I didn't know, I wore whatever I wanted to, and I learned a lot of humility as well. Wrestling had a similar impact on my life, it's not a sport where you can afford to be shy, especially when it comes to quick decision-making and movement. Learning not to hesitate and to be able to adapt to the situation are important skills in every aspect of life, ones that I am only better at because of wrestling. Winning a race is amazing, but winning a match is a different kind of high altogether. You learn your strength and knowing you were stronger than your opponent makes you feel powerful and it's really what made me love the sport. I also did track for a little while, more specifically long-jump, but I decided to leave it behind me as I move into the next part of my life. It might actually be one of the sports I loved the most, but even though I enjoyed it I knew it wouldn't get me as far as the other sports I had would. It took a lot of time to decide, but I'm okay with leaving track behind, and doing this taught me a lot about letting things go and being at peace with it. Sports have always been a part of my life and I'm sure they always will be, I gained experience, learned things about life and myself, and I'm so excited to learn even more with whatever comes next.

As a child, I prided myself on not having any allergies in school. It was like I was winning some sort of genetics game in society, but I later learned that genetics aren't the only thing playing a role in whether you develop allergies or not. In late middle school, I started to develop light seasonal allergies, it would just feel like a head cold if I spent too much time outside, but by high school, I would start to dread spring because I knew it would get hard to even breath. I'm not sure what it is I'm allergic to, but I know it hates me because no matter where I am, it's a constant stuffy nose and headache. These things obviously aren't deadly, but I was surprised by how much they impacted my life. I could no longer smell things that others could, I was constantly bringing around tissues so I could blow my nose, walking up stairs got harder since I couldn't breath as well, and I would get irritated more easily if my allergies had been bad that day; I felt like it followed me everywhere. The thing that bothered me the most was the difficulty breathing, it impacted my performance in sports, which are a big part of my life and my achievements/goals are important to me. It only got worse when I somehow developed a deviated septum halfway into high school, that of which I didn't even know about until months later when I started breathing raggedly and thought I was developing sports-induced asthma or something similar. I now had trouble breathing year-round, and it would still get worse in the spring, now with itching too ever since my family moved to be closer to my high school. I was able to take medicine to help with the allergy symptoms, but I just had to deal with the deviated septum until I'm able to get surgery so I can breath better. I was luckily able to finish my sports seasons pretty well, relying on Dayquil, breathing techniques, and willpower. Now that they're over I'll soon be able to get my nose surgery as well, hopefully I can get a consultation done before I leave for college this fall. All in all, I'd say the few medical conditions that I've had have in fact soundly affected my life and my ability to enjoy it. It does really suck sometimes, but I've never let it stop me from dreaming of a future, it's never made me feel like was left in the dark with no where to go. I still want to live through as many springs and summers as this life will allow me, because I've learned to take all of life exactly as it is, we all have since it's not like we have another option; you either live your life or you die, and I've made my choice.

The title of this most recent chapter in my life would probably be 'Identity and Purpose', since those are the two things that underwent the most change and development in the past few years. Even in just the past few months, I feel as though I've gone through major changes regarding who I believe I am and what I want to do with my life. Which isn't at all surprising given the timing, it's my senior year of high school, my sense of self is finally settling in and I'm choosing a career path along with a college, there's a lot of monumental changes going on kind of all at the same time. I believe I will be continuing on with this 'Identity and Purpose' chapter though my college years as well, at least the first few, as I go through new experiences and further refine my career goals and my overall life goals in general, especially regarding where I want to live and work and what those things mean for who I become. I can't say this chapter has been a smooth journey, but I'm still excited for how it will continue to play out; I like figuring out who I am and what I want to do, I mean, decisions are hard but at least I have the opportunity to make them for myself.

I was going through a few different phases in middle school, like fedoras or knitting, and I landed on being environmentally friendly, I started following a bunch of different profiles on Instagram that focused on environmental health, whether that be tips everyday people can do or posts just raising awareness to current problems going on around the world. One day, I saw a post by 4Ocean of some type of robot-looking thing cleaning up a beach, it looked super interesting so I looked more into it. People had designed it to move like a tank and sift through the sand to find garbage and pieces of plastic while also recognizing any kind of life and leaving it alone, it was really incredible. It also made me realize that the majority of people won't be able to adjust their lifestyles as quickly as the Earth needs them to, which is why we need to have technology to pick up the slack. Especially in the US, there isn't really a prominent 'put your trash in the trash and recycle in the recycle' culture and I don't think there will ever be a time when everyone in the country recycles properly let alone composts. This is why advancing the processing plants or creating little cleaning robots is so important for the earth. Educating people on how to do what is also necessary but it can only go so far, thinking about the recent jump in technological advances in society, I think we're on the path to something really great as long as it can leave a positive impact on the world, the entire world, not just people and not just rich corporations. The way I got immediately passionate about this subject helped me decide my career path as well as how I stand morally, I want to become an environmental engineer so that I can use technology as a tool for the environment instead of against it.

I am currently not eating a vegan diet but hear me out, it's my goal to become plant-based in the future because I've only recently understood how important it is for humanity's future. According to the tipping points laid out by scientists in various fields, agriculture is nearing or perhaps has already passed its point of no return, meaning that we've done irreparable damaged to the Earth in this industry. Specific issues involve harmful farming practices like tilling and all that goes into the production of meat, such as the overproduction of required animal feed and the release of large amounts of methane gas upon butchering. The government understands how much meat we consume as a nation, and they've applied what are essentially sales on specific crops used to feed animals, making them more profitable to farm which leads to the overproduction and over-farming of that crop and land. This has only perpetuated a harmful cycle that won't be able to sustain humanity for even another 50 years. Along with the negative environmental impacts, animal farming, in my opinion, is far too often inhumane and it feels like the big meat industries are getting away with the mass mistreatment of farm animals. This is not okay, and the simple solution is for more people to consume less meat products, but nobody wants to make that sacrifice because the atrocities aren't in their face, they're distant and forgettable. This is why I have begun talking with my friends and family about going plant-based, I'm not sure if any of them will ever go vegan permanently but any minuscule change as long as it's a positive change is worth the effort. I encourage the family and friends to have more meatless dinners and I repost vegetarian recipes on my social media whenever I find good ones, making sure to highlight the fact that it is meatless so people get more exposure to the concept. I hope to further my education in the field of environmental science so I can better explain to people how these day-to-day choices of eating less meat, or at least choosing humane-certified and pasture-raised brands, will actually bring immense benefits to everyone and everything: the earth will be happier, the animals will be healthier, and the people will be able to find community in their shared compassion. Eating less meat and dairy products is one of the number one ways for regular people to fight against climate change, so not only is veganism better for individuals on a local level but it is another way for humanity to slow the warming of the planet as well. Another plus side is that almost every vegan meal I've ever had has been delicious; it's a common yet tragic misconception that all vegans eat are leafy greens. There have been so many flavorful and nutritious meals I've had the pleasure of trying and I can't wait to use these recipes to convince more people to come over to the plant-based side of things, even if they don't do it for all the reasons I do, I hope they can at least do it for the good food.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. In terms of core classes, I've always liked math and English, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems or when writing, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it, but I never really understood it. Ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away, I want to make it work so I will. I'm this confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically habitat restoration or environmental studies, and I am nervous about being a woman in a STEM field, even in college you hear stories about how the women were looked down upon, both by teachers and peers. But I'm the only person who decides what I do in this life, and I've decided to pursue something that fulfills me. I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin; I feel like this is what I want to do and no one but myself can tell me otherwise. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, and that's without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

I have struggled with mental health since elementary school so I understand the importance of prioritizing it in order to have good quality of life, just like with physical health, it requires your attention and effort if you want it to stay in a healthy place. Despite understanding this logically, it can still be a struggle when dealing with mental illness, especially during the early stages of life when I already have so much going on, such as school, sports, incoming college, finances, employment, and living day-to-day life. It's no surprise that living can be stressful, but that's what healthy habits are for, they help take the pressure off your mind by allowing you to do the things you need to subconsciously. Medication helps, but I need to put effort into living well if I want the best results. A few things that I like to do are wake up early, eat well, and take a moment to breath whenever I feel overwhelmed. They aren't complicated and they aren't supposed to be, it's the stuff that everyone tells you to do but that never gets done that you need to prioritize: getting sleep, eating well, breathing, and communicating your feelings. Setting up these habits can be difficult at first, but once I got the hang of them they came naturally and I'm living a happier life because of it. I've heard it enough times that I need to get enough sleep, but taking the steps to prioritizing it was more difficult than I had expected because of the bad habits I already had set up for years. I needed to fix my entire afternoon schedule in order to get to bed at a proper time and be able to wake up early in the morning to get my day started right, it wasn't easy to figure out but it was worth the effort, especially now that I'm seeing results. Eating well came easier to me since I've been an athlete for as long as I can remember, getting enough vegetables in a day was drilled into my head early on, but I didn't learn about specific vitamin and mineral effects until later in life. I started taking a vitamin D supplement as well as magnesium, and I feel like my mood started to improve gradually but steadily as time went on. Getting the specific nutrients that I was lacking improved my moof significantly and even with just these two habits I felt myself leaving the dark place I was in. In order to take a breath when I feel overwhelmed, I need to identify that I am overwhelmed in the first place, which can be difficult for me since I've gotten good at hiding my feelings from myself. But whenever I hear my tone get shorter when talking to people or if I start to feel my back get really warm, I'll just close my eyes, give myself a second, and breath. I'll often start immediately feeling better, and then I can get to the issue of what was overwhelming me and break it down into more digestible mini issues. This has also helped tremendously with the last habit, communicating my feelings. After forcing myself to acknowledge my negative feelings instead of just stewing in them, it gets a lot easier to communicate them to other people, which is especially important if my bad mood is affecting them. I can take a breath and tell them that I'm feeling overwhelmed or frustrated or sad, whatever the issue may be, and they will help me if I need it.

I didn't know I was bisexual until high school, but that didn't stop me from supporting the LGBTQ+ community even before then. I was raised Christian and I went to a private christian elementary and middle school, so I didn't even know being gay was a thing until the 7th grade, but even with the negative outlooks of those around me I always felt like loving someone and being true to yourself couldn't possibly be a sin. I still hold this belief and it's only cemented itself in my life now that I'm no longer religious. Once I started to embrace who I was in terms of my sexuality, it was liberating but also a little scary; I wasn't sure if my parents or friends would accept me, I mean I still needed time to accept it myself, so it could be overwhelming at times. Finding community with other LGBTQ+ students was really what helped me gain confidence in myself, whether it be making friends with them or just overhearing a conversation in the halls where a student admits to being part of the community made me feel so much less alone. The biggest impact on me socially happened within my high school sports teams; I loved my cross country team and I'm still friends with a lot of them today, but the majority were religious so it was hard to completely be myself around them. Trying to grow closer to my team was a challenge but I feel like it helped me grow as a person; there's always going to be those who choose not to support my "lifestyle", but that doesn't mean I have to treat them unkindly or refuse to be friends with them. While I was able to make friends on my cross country team, it was my wrestling team that actually helped me feel accepted and cared for. There were a lot more seniors on the wrestling team than in cross country, so I had good role models and leaders when I was an underclassman doing wrestling. The environment was so different when I joined wrestling compared to my previous sports, there were other LGBTQ+ students on the team, seniors too, and I was able to let that part of myself be known without any kind of shame or fear of ruining friendships. One senior in particular helped me with gaining confidence and embracing myself, a teammate named Parker helped me out a lot when it came to wrestling and when it came to life. I wouldn't call her the perfect role model, but they are a good person, just a little abrasive sometimes. The way they held themselves and the confidence in their identity really rubbed off on me, his outspoken nature reinforced what I already knew, that it was okay to be myself and be proud of it. I knew in my head that being part of the community wasn't a sin, but I think hearing it and witnessing it helped heal the child inside me who still felt like she was 'going against god' or something like that. Now as a senior myself, it's my goal to make the same environment possible, to be confident in myself so that maybe I can rub off on some of the younger community members, like Parker did with me. I openly talk about my sexuality and I encourage people to do the same; I believe the most important person in your life who needs to accept you is yourself.

At first, I thought this scholarship wouldn’t apply to me because I don’t consider myself an artist, but I realized that I don’t have to meet my standard of “good” art in order to have good hobbies. I would consider my creative passions to be music and writing, I love to play instruments even when I’m not great at playing them and I like to write poetry when I feel like I can’t explain how I’m feeling to another person, even if I look back on it and cringe at the grammar or cheesiness. I keep these hobbies to myself for the most part so I won’t claim that they’ll change the world for anyone else or even make it a little brighter, but they matter to me and they make my world more beautiful, and I hope that that energy can shine through to others in some way as well. Maybe like in the way that I’ll start humming a popular song that I had been practicing and get it stuck in someone else’s head, or in the way I’ve gotten better about explaining how I feel since writing, so I can avoid misunderstandings and maybe I can rub the new skill off on others. I don’t think I’ll ever perform for anyone or ever publish any of my poems, but I hope that at least in some small way, I can make someone else’s day more meaningful. I really like the quote “every single thing we experience is cosmically mundane, but individually profound” and I feel like it well explains what I’m trying to say in regards to how my artistic hobbies affect the world, it’s about how I’m not doing anything incredible in comparison to every other talented artist, but as an individual, I can still have a profound impact on another individual simply by existing and the same applies to every other individual in the world. If I had an extra 24 hours in a day, I would probably set aside a few hours to craft and read, probably do a deep house clean more often too. I have a pile of cardboard, plastic bags and plastic containers on my art room desk right now that I need to craft with, but I just keep pushing it off because I always have something that I deem more important to do. I would love to just sit down and make a cardboard weaved basket or a few plastic bracelets. I feel most creative when I feel connected to the Earth and when there are mystic or clean vibes. It’s hard to put into words but when I’m passionate about a project the creativity will just flow.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. In terms of core classes, I've always liked math and English, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems or when writing, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it, but I never really understood it. Ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away, I want to make it work so I will. I'm this confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science or environmental studies and do a study abroad program in Germany so that I can potentially live there and work with other scientists to research how to solve environmental problems around the world. Germany is a very environmentally conscious country and that was a big factor when I was deciding where I wanted to live. I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of sustainability act, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin; I feel like this is what I want to do. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be either improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on wildlife. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. We need better designs in related technology, we need people to stand up against major polluters, and we really need to educate the common person about how they can help. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 18 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies and procedures, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it clearly, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is what matters.

I've been playing sports pretty much all my life, but it was only in high school that I realized how big of an impact they had on me. My freshman year of high school was mostly online, so I didn't have the opportunity to make any friends in class, but doing sports helped me connect with people when there wasn't any other way. I have been doing cross country and wrestling for three years now, and not only have they positively affected my physical health, but my mental health and my personality as well. I feel so much better about my body when I'm doing a sport, disregarding society's beauty standards, I love how strong and fast I feel in the midst of the season. Practice with my team in the mornings has me feeling ready to take on the day, sports help motivate me to actually live my life. I love all the ways in which sports have shaped me as a person, definitely regarding confidence as well. I wasn't shy, but I didn't feel like I could ever take charge in a group, that was until I was chosen to be the captain of my cross-country team. I was nervous but also excited, I wanted to see if I would be any good at it, and although it took a little while for me to come further out of my shell, I made a really good captain. The role bled into my daily life in incredible ways, I felt more confident talking to people I didn't know, I recognized that my words have weight and chose them more wisely, and I learned a lot of humility as well. Wrestling had a similar impact; learning not to hesitate and being able to adapt to the situation are important skills in every aspect of life, ones that I am only better at because of wrestling. I also did track for a little while, more specifically long-jump, but I decided to leave it behind me as I move into the next part of my life. Track might actually be one of the sports I loved the most, but even though I enjoyed it I knew it wouldn't get me as far as the other sports I had would. It took a lot of time to decide, but I'm okay with leaving track behind, and doing so taught me a lot about letting things go and being at peace with it. More recently, I've gotten really interested in how female physiology relates to athletic performance, this is because of a book that was recommended to me by one of my cross-country coaches, ROAR by Stacy Sims. I believe this new interest will shape my life for the better and I'll learn more about how to work with my body instead of against it. Sports have always been a part of my life and I'm sure they always will be, I gained experience, learned things about life and myself, and I'm so excited to learn even more with whatever comes next.

I'm always searching for more knowledge when it comes to physical and mental health. I struggle with anxiety, depression and possible ADHD, so understanding how these things affect the mind is not only interesting but relevant to me personally. I want to help others with understanding themselves so they don't have to struggle with it as much as I did in the past, because while it may seem like a trivial matter to some, it was once life or death for me, and I don't want others to go through that. On the other hand, I've never struggled with my physical health; I always played sports in school or for a club and I was a very active child. Aside from a brief disordered eating phase in middle school, I've never suffered nutritionally either. I don't mean "phase" as in trivial, I mean it literally, that there was a phase of my life where I thought eating less would make me like how I looked better, even though I was 12 and needed the food. Luckily, I've moved past that and educated myself on how the body works; my goal body now requires more protein instead of less everything. Now that I'm in high school, I love playing sports that strengthen me physically, like cross country, wrestling, and olympic weightlifting. My school also places emphasis on good grades for athletes, so I rarely struggled with completing schoolwork even with practice. My wrestling team even won the 4A Academic State Champions award at state last year and the year before. I was recently encouraged by a coach to buy a book on women's health specifically, because it's important to personalize your training according to your body and how it responds to things, the book is called Roar and it's really interesting so far. Staying physically healthy has helped a lot with my mental health as well, I always feel so uplifted after I finish a workout, and it gives my mind something to focus on. However, when my depression would get really bad, it used to be hard to want to play even my favorite sports, I didn't feel like I had the energy to even walk around, let alone run a 5k or spar with someone. Even with sports, the dark clouds got the best of me sometimes, especially regarding my religious upbringing and then transition to becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I somewhat abandoned my religion while sorting through my sexual orientation and gender identity, and it was really hard to function properly without that ever-present foundation in my life. It was so much to juggle all at once and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed, with questions about my academic future and religion and whether my attraction to girls was aesthetic or sexual. My mental health struggled for a long time before I was able to reimagine my spirituality and really feel like I was a part of my new communities. I'm in a much better place than I was months ago regarding mental health, and staying in sports- staying healthy even when I wanted to quit, helped a lot with that.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. In terms of core classes, I've always liked math and English, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems or when writing, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it, but I never really understood it. Ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away, I want to make it work so I will. I'm this confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering or environmental studies, and do a study abroad program in Germany so that I can potentially live there and work with other scientists to research how to solve environmental problems around the world. Germany is a very environmentally conscious country and that was a big factor when I was deciding where I wanted to live. I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin; I feel like this is what I want to do. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 17 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. Through a lot of thinking and research, I've decided that I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes to make this happen, motivation is a big part of how well I understand something and if I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can.            I plan to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering or environmental studies, and do a study abroad program in Germany so that I can potentially live there and work with other scientists to research how to solve environmental problems around the world. Germany is a very environmentally conscious country and that was a big factor when I was deciding where I wanted to live. I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning up trash on a beach or getting a compost bin; I feel like this is what I want to do. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. We need better designs in related technology and more data on specific issues relating to our effect on animal and plant life. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress.            At 17 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. In terms of core classes, I've always liked math and English, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems or when writing, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it, but I never really understood it. Ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away, I want to make it work so I will. I'm this confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering or environmental studies, and do a study abroad program in Germany so that I can potentially live there and work with other scientists to research how to solve environmental problems around the world. Germany is a very environmentally conscious country and that was a big factor when I was deciding where I wanted to live. I always feel so inspired and accomplished after participating in some kind of environmental change, whether it’s cleaning a beach or getting a compost bin; I feel like this is what I want to do. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to taking care of the earth. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 17 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

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I am very interested in psychology and mental health, especially regarding how your past experiences shape your thoughts and actions. At first, I was just interested in my own actions and emotions, so I thought through my feelings instead of actually feeling them, which I still struggle with, but now I'm more interested in thinking about why people do the things that they do. I found that I was very passionate about my interest in human behavior; I get excited when thinking about it and I'm always searching for more knowledge when it comes to psychology and mental health. I struggle with anxiety, depression and possible ADHD, so understanding how these things affect the mind is not only interesting but relevant to me personally. I want to help others with understanding themselves so they don't have to struggle with it as much as I did in the past, because while it may seem like a trivial matter to some, it was once life or death for me, and I don't want others to go through that. Especially regarding my religious upbringing and then the transition to becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I abandoned my religion while sorting through my sexual orientation and gender identity, and it was really hard to function properly without that foundation in my life. My mental health really struggled for a long time before I was able to reimagine my spirituality, but I think it's important for people to know that they don't have to choose one or the other, both can be integral parts of your identity without conflicting too harshly. I'm in a much better place than I was a few months ago regarding mental health, but I'm still dealing with a lot of the issues that took place while I was in a darker place. Like how I still struggle with loud rooms or the fact that I can't listen to the music I listened to then because I'll start feeling like crap again, it's a slippery slope sometimes and I have to put in a lot of effort not to fall back into that dark place. It's definitely not a 100% turnaround just because I'm not struggling as much, and I'll probably be dealing with these issues for the rest of my life, but as long as it keeps getting better I think the struggle is worth it in life, so I'll keep pushing and keep living my life however I want in order to enjoy it to the fullest.

I was going through a few different phases in middle school, like fedoras or knitting, and I landed on being environmentally friendly, I started following a bunch of different profiles on Instagram that focused on environmental health, whether that be tips everyone can do or just raising awareness to current problems going on around the world. One day, I saw a post by 4Ocean of a robot-looking thing cleaning up a beach, it looked super interesting so I looked more into it. People had designed it to move like a tank and sift through the sand to find garbage and pieces of plastic while also recognizing any kind of life and leaving it alone, it was really incredible. It also made me realize that people won't be able to undo the damage that we've done to the environment without it being worth it or easy for us, which is why we need to have technology do it. Especially in the US, there isn't really a prominent 'put your trash in the trash' culture and I don't think there will ever be a time when everyone recycles properly. This is why advancing the processing plants or creating little cleaning robots is so important for the earth. Educating people on how to do what is also necessary but it can only go so far, thinking about the recent jump in technological advances in society, I think we're on the path to something really great as long as it can leave a positive impact on the world, the entire world, not just people and not just rich corporations. The way I got immediately passionate about this subject helped me decide my career path as well as how I stand morally, I want to become an environmental engineer so that I can use technology as a tool for the environment instead of against it.

Disney was always a huge part of my childhood, I loved watching all the movies on CDs or television and playing with the toys that followed them. Even at 17 I still watch some Disney movies as they come out, but not exactly for the same reasons. When I was a kid, all I really wanted was some entertainment and I didn't care how I got it, I liked all the pretty lights and whatever kids' jokes came up. But now I can look deeper into the movies, it's not just mindless entertainment anymore, it's diversity and inclusion. I remember how excited I was when the movie Brave came out, there was finally a princess who looked like I did, I felt seen. Not to mention how good of a role model she was in terms of independence and sticking up for yourself, not for the turning her mom into a bear bit but she regretted that at the end. However, I didn't realize at the time that there were still a lot of people waiting to be seen. Which is why I love a lot of the movies now, even if the plot or character development isn't perfect, I love that these newer movies are helping people feel seen and educating others on minority issues. Not even just regarding race or ethnicity, but gender and sexuality as well. Representation and education are incredibly important when it comes to helping people feel seen and accepted. As someone who is part of the LGBT+ community, it was really cool to see the more openly queer characters shown in some of the newer movies and shows. The platform that Disney has is huge, meaning that they have a responsibility to their audience to produce diverse media, not just in representing minorities but in educating those that are ignorant of their struggles. I'm not saying Disney should become a school, that's not what they are there for, but media content has so much power (and since Spiderman was my favorite superhero growing up) and with great power comes great responsibility. I love what Disney has been doing so far with their platform, the diverse representation and effort to have an accurate depiction of it is awesome and makes me glad to watch whatever they put out. I only hope they keep this going as things continue and are able to keep using their movies to help people feel understood and seen.

For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away, I want to make it work so I will. I'm this confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. I plan to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering or environmental studies, and do a study abroad program in Germany so that I can potentially live there and work with other scientists to research how to solve environmental problems around the world. Germany is a very environmentally conscious country and that was a big factor when I was deciding where I wanted to live. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will actually use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 17 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how: how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

As a kid, I always looked to others for directions. While that wasn't a bad thing when I was a child, as I got older and the habit stayed with me, I realized that something needed to change or else I would always feel helpless and anxious when left to do things independently. I tried to be more outspoken in class, like raising my hand more often or trying harder to socialize with classmates I didn't know, but when it came down to making decisions I still stayed quiet or looked to someone else for answers. I didn't know how to break this habit and it frustrated me, I didn't ask anyone for advice because I thought it would be counterproductive, but looking back on it I could've saved myself a lot of grief if I'd understood that leaders ask for help too. I became more outspoken when I started high school, maybe I was just excited to be able to talk to people after all the covid restrictions eased up, but I still felt like someone who couldn't handle being in charge of anyone or anything. It wasn't until I started sports that I got a better idea of it. I started cross country my sophomore year of high school and I really liked the captains of the team: Levi, Addi, and Ian. I was able to keep up with Addi while running so we became friends, and Levi and Ian were very sociable so even though they were all technically in charge, I felt like we could still relate to each other, they didn't feel unreachable like many other adult leaders in my life did. I figured out that I was standing in my own way with that kind of mindset, the way I put the people I admired up on an unreachable pedestal so that in my mind, I could never measure up or be like them. I still admired the great qualities they had and they influenced how I interacted with the rest of the team, like cheering them on more often or learning everybody's name. These actions led to my coach choosing me to be the next team captain. I was obviously nervous and still felt a bit like I wouldn't be able to do it, but my teammates supported me and helped me learn how to be a better captain. Becoming a leader doesn't happen overnight and it's not easy, there's also no trophy that you get telling you when you've reached leader status, it's a process that will go on forever. I certainly still have a lot to learn when it comes to leading people, not everyone on the team will follow my directions and I need to learn when to let it slide and when not to. The ability to be graciously wrong is also a necessary skill in a leader, sometimes people mess up and that's okay, learn from your mistakes and move on. Being put in a leadership position sparked some really important character growth in me, like being more at peace with myself, which I think is one of the most important things in life. Some people aren't meant to be or simply don't ever want to be leaders, but I think that the experience I had could lead to people living happier lives if they let it.

The closest thing I have is that I may be the first in my entire family to get my associate's degree, even before my older sister since I am doing running start in high school. I won't write much since I figured this scholarship isn't exactly geared towards me, but my dad always tells me to apply to everything I can cause at least I have a better chance than if I don't apply at all. But I do want to say that I admire those who return to school because it takes a lot of courage to go back, for many reasons.

Since the theme is Barbie, I want it to be pink, and since it is a Dream House, I am going all out. So for color, I'm thinking of different shades of pastel pink with white accents and maybe a little bit of gold around the door and the walls inside. It's gonna be a mansion, obviously, probably just two stories with an attic and a basement because I've never had either and I need storage and somewhere to do like an underground party if I ever have one, also for natural disasters, but my Barbie House will be reinforced anyway because money is no object when it comes to things like this. For rooms, I need two kitchens, at least ten bathrooms and just as many bedrooms, two dining rooms, a library, an indoor pool and gym as well as an outdoor pool, a game room, an indoor and outdoor garden, and I think a gymnastics room would be fun too. It should also have plenty of yard space for all the pets I'll have to adopt, I'll need a cat room too in that case. And since it's impossible not to feel like elitist garbage whilst describing the many rooms I will have in my mansion, I will also have a soup kitchen and survival kit storage area to give to those who are struggling to make ends meet. Everything will obviously be free and I could even make up some kind of competition for those who struggle with accepting charity from someone who lives in a pretty pastel pink mansion. On the main house, I'll have a flat roof so that people can chill up there as well, I'm picturing white floors (can't decide on material) with white railing around it but the furniture and accessories are pretty pastel colors. For energy, there will be different contraptions in the gym to save up on man-made energy, but the primary sources will be from the sun, the nearby lake (of course it's environmentally conscious), and the fun-meter, that's right, a fun-meter. I will be hosting amazing parties weekly and every time someone has fun it turns into energy to run my glorious dream house, it'll also give people jobs since I'll have to hire event planners, chefs, cleaners, and whoever else I'll need to make it a super fun party. I will occasionally escape out of the house through secret passageways during these parties though, because I'm an ambivert and I simply cannot deal with weekly parties. I'm confident my friends won't absolutely trash the place though. But even though I'll need breaks, this sounds like an amazing house to live in and what an eventful life it sounds like too, and to make this all happen I will be needing the money you offer in this scholarship (fourth-wall break) to make this all possible, I think 500 would be enough right? Yeah, Probably.

For a long time I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. I've always liked math, I liked that it made sense and how I felt guided when working through problems, but on the other hand, science never really made sense to me, I loved it anyways but I never really understood it. But ironically, as I thought of what I wanted to do with my life, I got stuck on environmental science. I tried to forget about it and find something else to do that came easier to me, but my mind always came back to it. I want to protect wildlife and take care of the environment, and environmental science is the way I have decided to go about it. I'm willing to work as hard as it takes in order to make this happen, even if I don't click with the science aspects right away, I want to make it work so I will. I'm this confident because motivation is a big part of how well I understand something, especially when it doesn't come easily to me. If I'm passionate enough about a subject, then there's nothing that can stop me from learning about it in any way that I can. My plan is to major in environmental science, specifically environmental engineering or environmental studies, and do a study abroad program in Germany so that I can potentially live there and work with other scientists to research how to solve environmental problems around the world. Germany is a very environmentally conscious country and that was a big factor when I was deciding where I wanted to live. The world is moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing pollution and pushing renewable energy, but there's still so much more that needs to be improved or banned when it comes to humanity's negative effects on the environment. Oil spills, wildfires, global warming, and water waste are only a few reasons why I am so passionate about the need for people to step up and be better when it comes to these issues. We need better designs in related technology, designs that people will actually use without dismissing them as too costly or too difficult. Preventing damage and waste, cleaning up what's already there, and using better tech in the future is the best way to ensure progress. At 17 years old, I have no idea how to even start solving these complex global issues, without even touching on government policies, which is why I need to learn how, how to think about it, how to design solutions, and how to start implementing them, things I can't do without the educators in college. I'm confident that, given the chance, I could bring about real change in the world, no matter how small; positive change is all that matters.

I have been playing sports pretty much all my life, but it was only in high school that I realized how big of an impact they had on my life. My freshman year of high school was all online, so I didn't have the opportunity to make any friends in class, but doing sports helped me connect to people when there wasn't any other way. I have been doing cross country and wrestling for three years now, and not only have they affected my physical health, but my mental health and my personality as well. I feel so much better about my body when I'm doing a sport, disregarding society's beauty standards, I love how strong and fast I feel in the midst of the season. Practice with my team in the mornings has me feeling ready to take on the day, sports help motivate me to actually live my life. I love all the ways in which sports have shaped me as a person, definitely in terms of confidence as well. I was never shy but I didn't feel like I could ever take charge in a group, that was until I was chosen to be the captain of my cross-country team. I was nervous but also excited, I wanted to see if I would be any good at it, and although it took a little while for me to come further out of my shell, I made a really good captain. The role bled into my daily life in incredible ways, I felt more confident talking to people I didn't know, I wore whatever I wanted to, and I learned a lot of humility as well. Wrestling had a similar impact on my life, it's not a sport where you can afford to be shy, especially when it comes to quick decision-making and movement. Learning not to hesitate and to be able to adapt to the situation are important skills in every aspect of life, ones that I am only better at because of wrestling. Winning a race is amazing, but winning a match is a different kind of high altogether. You learn your strength and knowing you were stronger than your opponent makes you feel powerful and it's really what made me love the sport. I also did track for a little while, more specifically long-jump, but I decided to leave it behind me as I move into the next part of my life. It might actually be one of the sports I loved the most, but even though I enjoyed it I knew it wouldn't get me as far as the other sports I had would. It took a lot of time to decide, but I'm okay with leaving track behind, and doing this taught me a lot about letting things go and being at peace with it. Sports have always been a part of my life and I'm sure they always will be, I gained experience, learned things about life and myself, and I'm so excited to learn even more with whatever comes next.

It took me a while to decide on just one book that I would want everyone to read; I want it to have an important message but I also don't want it to be a dry read for those who aren't into philosophy. I also thought of how wide the range in the audience was when I chose the book, obviously there would be a language barrier (but let's ignore that for the sake of the hypothetical) and I would want people of all ages to enjoy it. Anyway, the book I would choose is called The Little Prince, it's a pilot's narration of what happened to him when he crashed in the desert. It has many themes regarding innocence and how someone's perspective drastically changes how people view things in daily life. It was very refreshing to read about how the 'little prince' saw the world and how he interpreted things, very childishly but he also came across as inexplicably wise in his explanations. His effect on the pilot wasn't immediate but we saw the gradual change in how the adult started to understand him better and opened up to the possibility that it is actually he and society that are the stranger ones. I have read the book twice and both times I was left feeling like I had been enlightened and that I was somehow missing something, so I think that if everyone in the world read it, we could all come to understand both its intricate themes and how our close-mindedness keeps us from understanding each other as well.

Someone who is happy with herself and where she is, someone the present me would be proud of and excited to become. I want to be more at peace than I am now.

I am very interested in psychology and mental health, especially regarding how your past experiences shape your thoughts and actions. At first, I was just interested in my own actions and emotions, so I thought through my feelings instead of actually feeling them, which I still struggle with, but now I'm more interested in thinking about why people do the things that they do. I found that I was very passionate about my interest in human behavior; I get excited when thinking about it and I'm always searching for more knowledge when it comes to psychology and mental health. I struggle with anxiety, depression and possible ADHD, so understanding how these things affect the mind is not only interesting but relevant to me personally. I want to help others with understanding themselves so they don't have to struggle with it as much as I did in the past, because while it may seem like a trivial matter, it was once life or death for me, and I don't want others to go through that. Especially regarding my religious upbringing and becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I abandoned my religion while sorting through my sexual orientation and gender identity, and it was really hard to function properly without that foundation in my life. My mental health really struggled for a long time before I was able to reimagine my spirituality, but I think it's important for people to know that they don't have to choose one or the other, both can be integral parts of your identity without conflicting too harshly. When it comes to pursuing a career, I am thinking about things more along the lines of developmental psychology, like becoming a child psychiatrist or therapist or even just studying and researching how a child's brain functions as it grows to further our knowledge in the field. How different environments can create long-term behaviors and studying ways to increase the good behaviors and decrease the bad. I've also been interested in studying proper parenting techniques for a long time, and deconstructing the way I was parented as a child helped me uncover a lot of root problems in my life, like certain insecurities. I don't think society puts enough emphasis on good parenting in the United States, people use the phrase "free country" or the fact that gentle parenting is a relatively new concept for a lot of people as an excuse to not put enough effort into parenting their child, which often causes those children to inherit those same negative outlooks and ideas of what parenting is supposed to look like. This cruel cycle has a tremendous negative effect on these people's mental health and it creates bad habits that become a part of their personality, which can only be undone through disciplined thought and probably years of therapy.