My experience in media began in 2021, when I created and maintained a TikTok page dedicated to book-related content. While it was mostly for personal entertainment, throughout this process, I discovered my knack for translating widespread trends into niche topics. Eventually, my passion for book content faded over time, but my interest in social media marketing only continued to grow. In high school, I joined my school newspaper, where I created and ran its first Instagram account. The responsibility of controlling an account for a group, rather than myself, helped prepare me for my upcoming role in ACT! for Youth (AFY), a local theater nonprofit in Wilson, N.C. In 2023, the board gave me permission to create and manage the official AFY TikTok page. Keeping the arts alive in underfunded communities is a driving passion of mine, so I was ecstatic to help promote a cause close to my heart. After that experience, I decided to apply to UNC as a media and journalism major, hoping to further explore social media management as a career. In classes so far, I have completed a PR campaign for the company Honorbridge and a suggested ad campaign for Clorox, aimed at Gen Z audiences. These experiences, and the valuable education I receive daily, have solidified my desire to pursue social media marketing as a career path. My experience working with people with disabilities equipped me with a unique skill set to utilize at UNC and in my future career. Content creation centered around people with disabilities is a delicate matter that should be handled with the utmost care. It’s crucial to understand when to focus on their disabilities, when the disability is not the focus, and how to carry out interactions in a respectful manner. I have spent the majority of my life interacting closely with the disability community due to my brother having Down syndrome, and they've taught me lessons that are applicable in all aspects of life. I learned to prioritize patience in professional and personal situations, which allows for a clear mind and the ability to think through difficult scenarios, something easily applicable to work in the public relations and advertising world. Active listening and attentiveness are additional skills that the disability community has instilled in me. Everyone deserves to feel understood and taken seriously, whether they’re a client pitching their ideas or a friend expressing their emotions. Overall, my experiences have provided me with a diverse set of skills and knowledge to implement in my educational and professional careers. While attending university, my primary educational objectives are to study abroad, form meaningful relationships with classmates and professors in my field, and take advantage of every opportunity to expand my portfolio of work. With the combination of these three goals, I will hopefully secure an internship, potentially one overseas, to help with the job application process after graduation. After receiving my degree, I hope to accept a position in social media management, no matter where it is in the world. Opportunities with the promise of travel are very appealing to me, at least for the beginning of my career. Eventually, taking all of my learned experience from the world, I’d like to settle down in North Carolina again. Ideally, I’d like to manage social media accounts for an N.C. small business, where close working relationships are easily fostered. Giving back to my local community is a lifelong ambition of mine, and fulfilling that by running social media or advertising for small businesses is my ultimate goal.

Prompt #1) Nonfiction Writing Prompt (Essay or Personal Story) I was born a child made of glass. As the oldest sibling, I crack with the pressure of perfection expected from me. I must behave the best, achieve the highest academic accomplishments, display the best manners, and smile while doing it all. I love my brothers more than anyone else in the world, but it’s hard to know that they look at me as an example for everything. Aside from simply being an older sister, which I would argue is one of the most difficult jobs out there, I am also the sibling of a child with special needs. My youngest brother, William, was born with Down Syndrome, ADHD, and Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The arrival of those diagnoses changed the course of my life permanently. In the early years, I spent most of my time bouncing between grandparents, aunts, and uncles while William stayed in the hospital. Skype calls with my parents served as bedtime stories and McDonald's Happy Meals made up most of my dinners. I had my other brother, James, with me, but it was a lonely way to live. All I wanted was to be at home with my parents, not seeing them for a quick visit in the waiting room. I’ll never forget those cold linoleum floors or the harsh fluorescent lighting on the way to visit my brother and parents. The faded window paintings of giraffes and cartoon characters from the children’s hospital flash behind my eyes every time I think of my childhood. After a while, the hospital visits became less frequent and we all returned home; however, new problems soon arose. Now we all live under the same roof, but I can feel the disconnect as if I’m still visiting that hospital room. My parents don’t see my struggles. They need at least one child that they don’t have to worry about constantly. When I go to them to express my anxieties, they look through me to see my brother’s issues. After all, they have bigger things to worry about. I might be stressed about school drama or feeling socially awkward, but William hasn’t slept in a week so they have to take turns monitoring him at all hours of the night. They might not know my teacher’s names, but my mom has to fight in meetings for William to have a curriculum plan for the school year. I know that my mom and dad are drained, so eventually, I stopped confiding in them about my problems, not wanting to add anything else to their plate. Despite all, I wouldn’t change anything about my family or how I was raised. Nothing compares to getting home from a long day at school and hearing my brother crack jokes or sing along to his favorite songs. His wit and humor are unmatched, contrary to what many people may think is possible for people with special needs. He makes me want to be a better person every day. Because of William, I am very selective with who I surround myself with. Whether it’s friends or boyfriends, I know how they act towards and around him is extremely important. Because of this, I am lucky to have the best support system full of the kindest, most loving people I know. When I’m feeling overlooked at home, I know I will always, without a doubt, have them to lean on. I may be a child made of glass, but I found people willing to look hard enough to see me.

The day I watched the 2019 movie musical La La Land, I knew I’d finally found my purpose in life. I grew up in a musical family, but theatrical music was not something that I'd been exposed to. My dad was a drummer in a garage band after all, not a Broadway singer. But as soon as I sat down to watch La La Land, I knew that life was calling me. My whole childhood, I found myself searching for the thing I was going to excel in. I tried soccer, cheerleading, dancing, swimming, running, biking, volleyball, and even gymnastics (that was a disaster) but nothing seemed to stick. By the time I reached middle school, years of experience were required to make it on any sports team. I felt like my life was over, like I'd never find my calling. That all changed when I saw Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling sing about their wasteful lovely night and tap dance their hearts out. Sure, the movie was about film acting mainly, but the songs and numbers were staged like a Broadway performance. I loved Emma Stone as an actress already, but I truly saw myself in her throughout this film. She had all these dreams of making it out in the world, but mainly, I saw myself in her doubtful moments. She was ready to give up on her aspirations and accept that she wasn't good enough, which was the same way I felt at the time. The only difference was that I didn't know what I aspired to do, just that I needed something to fill the void inside of me. Well, as soon as the credits started rolling, I knew the answer. That same year, I auditioned for my first musical with my local youth theater program. It was a production of Beauty and the Beast and little seventh grade Harper went in expecting to be Belle. Imagine my surprise when the cast list comes out and I'm given a part helping backstage. I didn't let that douse the fire inside of me though, because I knew Emma Stone’s character didn't stop after one failed audition. If anything, it made me feel closer to the character. When the next audition rolled around, this time for Oklahoma, I walked in with my head held high and my best stage smile on. Let me tell you, that smile was nothing compared to the one on my face when I found out I was finally given an onstage role. Although it was only an ensemble part, I felt so proud of myself for getting to that place. I finally felt like I had somewhere where I belonged. Now, twenty six shows and four lead roles later, I'm eternally grateful to La La Land for helping me find my greatest passion in life. I've met some of my closest friends in theater and each show and person I've performed with has touched my life in one way or another. Each character has brought out little traits that I didn't know I possessed before and filled me with a little more confidence each time. Without La La Land, I would be ending my senior year of high school with half as heavy of a heart, because I wouldn't have found a form of expression or a theater family worth missing.

I was born a child made of glass. As the oldest sibling, I crack with the pressure of perfection expected from me. I must behave the best, achieve the highest academic accomplishments, display the best manners, and smile while doing it all. I’m expected to look at the glass half-full even if I feel empty. I love my brothers more than anyone else in the world, but it’s extremely hard to know that they look at me as an example for everything. Aside from simply being an older sister, which I would argue is one of the most difficult jobs out there, I am also the sibling of a child with special needs. My youngest brother, William, was born with Down syndrome, ADHD, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The arrival of those diagnoses changed the course of my life permanently. My parents don’t see my struggles, even though I crack more and more every day. I feel weighed down by all of the schoolwork due. Crack. My supposed friend whispers lies about me into my other friend’s ears. Crack. I’m breaking with the weight of everything I must carry. When I try to confide in my parents and express my anxieties, they dismiss me. It’s hard to talk about anxiety with someone who doesn’t believe it exists. However, I understand that they have bigger things to worry about. I might be stressed about school drama or feeling socially awkward, but my brother hasn’t slept in a week, so they have to take turns monitoring him at all hours of the night. Or maybe, he has a cardiologist appointment coming up and my parents have to take off work to travel to the hospital, adding more stress to their daily lives. I know that my mom and dad are drained, so eventually I stopped confiding in them about my problems, not wanting to add anything else to their plate. Despite all this, I wouldn’t change anything about my family or upbringing. I have never let my mental health stop me from living life to the fullest and focusing hard in school. Choosing to attend an early college with a small population and strong support group of teachers was the best choice I ever made, as it provided me with an outlet to talk about my struggles safely. I also do not let my anxiety struggles stop me from having fun with my loved ones. Nothing compares to getting home from a long day at school and joking around with my brothers or singing along to our favorite musicals. Thanks to William, I am also very selective with who I surround myself with. Whether it’s friends or boyfriends, I know how they act toward and around him is extremely important. Because of this selectiveness, I am lucky to have the best support system full of the kindest people I know. My friends support me in everything I do, and anytime we’re together, I am happy and at peace. When I feel overlooked at home, I know I will always have them to lean on. Regardless of my cracks, I am made strong as a result of my experiences and the support of my friends. I may be made of glass, but I found people willing to look hard enough to see me.