Ever since I was younger, I knew animals were my one true passion. At first, I wanted to be a veterinarian but after a while, I decided that I will focus on working with companion animals and advocating for them. I never saw myself being happy if I did not work with animals so when I discovered that the university I wanted to go to offered Animal Science as a major, there was no going back. My mind was set and I was officially starting my journey of helping animals. I have had two dogs for about fourteen years and they are the love of my life. I was able to learn a lot from them and I experienced something only pet owners know. I experienced the beautiful bond between humans and animals, where both parties benefit. Due to the passion I had for my dogs, I wanted to always experience such happiness and I want others to experience it too. Ever since I started studying my chosen major, I have learned a lot of information in a classroom setting, and with hands-on experience. My school offers animal research and welfare lessons on a farm. I have been able to do both and worked with mice, pigs, cows, sheep, and goats. Thanks to the opportunities offered, I have also been able to volunteer at a petting zoo and handle a chicken, and have become part of a club where I help train service dogs in training (SDIT). I am happier than ever before- after every time I am done with a shift in the lab with the mice, or I come back from a club meeting for the SDITs, I feel a sense of accomplishment that is indescribable and that alone lets me know I am doing what I love the most and I am doing something good. I even feel a sense of accomplishment when I post something on Instagram for the cat rescue I volunteer at because I know it will help them find a loving home. I want to advocate for animals and show the importance of research and the responsibility that any animal owner needs to have. A lot of domesticated animals can not survive without the help of humans, and because of that, along with a lack of research when obtaining a new animal, a lot of suffering occurs that could have been avoided. Due to that fact alone, I want to do everything in my power to teach others about animals. Animals and humans have a symbiotic relationship. Humans keep pets alive, make them happy, and support them when needed. Animals help humans physically and emotionally. That is why animal owners and pets have bonds only they can describe- they survive off each other and can thrive because of each other. It is a magical bond that I believe more people should experience. It is only possible with the presence of responsibility and knowledge, which is why those two components are critical. With my degree, I want to be able to bring knowledge to people with the help of my experience, with any job I end up in. Advocacy and education are the two things most important to me when it comes to animals. Every animal deserves love, whether they be new, old, disabled, or perfectly healthy. They all deserve a fair chance with people who know them and can give them an environment that benefits their welfare. I know I can do that with the knowledge I have and the knowledge I will continue to gain.

At my university, veterinary medicine is under the name of Animal Science. I first chose to major in such a field because ever since I was a child, I had a profound compassion for animals that nothing could beat. I knew it was my calling because I did not see myself being happy doing anything besides helping animals in need. As time went on, my passion and interest in animal behavior and welfare grew. I have two dogs of my own, a Pomeranian and a Yorkshire Terrier, and they are both fourteen years old. They have medical conditions of their own and it has only grown worse throughout the years so I know it is time to say goodbye soon. They are my childhood dogs so I know it will be hard. After spending so much time at school with farm animals, such as pigs and cows, and research mice, I know it is only natural, but that does not mean it will hurt any less. I just take my time to remind myself of what they have done for me and taught me. I learned to love unconditionally, to pick up the smallest of differences in behavior, and that pets allow for a positive symbiotic relationship between humans and animals, where everyone benefits. Seeing animals suffering is something I was never able to stand by and stay silent. I have always done everything in my power to protect animals and to help them as much as possible- it has become instinct. I know many people can not say the same, and a lot of pets are bought without the proper research being done so they suffer in ways that could have been avoided. I took a class about a year ago called Companion Animal Science and it was taught by a Veterinarian. The one thing she wanted students to learn from that class is that research is the number one step when it comes to getting a pet. You have to know what you’re getting yourself into and many people do not. Ever since then, that has stuck with me. My primary goal in getting this degree is to advocate for animal health and safety. It is of the utmost importance that people maintain a close bond with their pets and be educated on their nutrition, prevention, behavior, and the importance of regular check-ups. It is also important for people to be educated on animal neglect and cruelty to remind them to treat animals with care. Without humans, many, if not all, domesticated animals would not be able to live. Responsibility as a pet owner is their number one priority. A living creature’s health is in your hands and it needs to be taken seriously. Things can happen unexpectedly, but for the most part, if it can be avoided and prevented, it should be. I have a lot more to learn so taking my education seriously is important. I want to be able to obtain my degree to help advocate for animals and show the significance of responsibility and awareness when it comes to being a pet owner. I want to make a positive impact to help grow bonds between owners and pets. Through education and advocacy, I know I will be able to do just that and contribute to the health of animals, just like they contribute to the health of humans, physically and mentally, just as Crosby was able to do.

I currently own two dogs and share the responsibility with my family when I go away to college. They are both thirteen years old. One of them is a Pomeranian named BamBam and the other is a Yorkshire Terrier named Mr. Big, or Biggy for short. The only way I can describe them both are the loves of my life. They are truly the silver lining to everything for me. I do not know what I would do or where I would be without them. Due to them, and the two dogs I had before them, I want to work with companion animals. More specifically, the love they have given me has driven my passion for animals. That passion caused me to study Animal Science and now I want to work with animals in need. I want to work for a non-profit and give homes to animals who were surrendered or were never given the chance. When I was younger, I had to leave my home for a little while. I was in 3rd grade and the only thing in my mind at the time was "what about our dogs?". I still remember the pain I felt seeing them being taken away. Even knowing they were going to be put into the hands of the local animal control, I was still extremely upset. My babies were being taken away and were going to be alone, in an unknown environment. The only upside was that they had each other. After about a month or so, the animal control was going to put them up for adoption if we could not take them back, so a kind doggy daycare took them in for the next few months. I was, and still am, extremely thankful because I was able to visit them until we could take them back, which we did. Now they are happily in my life and are the highlights to coming home from college. I believe that traumatic moment in my life, and in theirs, is what caused me to focus my goals on helping animals find homes and working with a non-profit. Being a little kid and seeing, and feeling, that is something I wish for no one to experience. I cannot imagine what it could have been like for the dogs. It has been proven that animals remember their owners for years after they were lost so knowing that makes it even more necessary to find those surrendered or abandoned a home where that will not happen again. Not only did they influence my career path and are my best friends, but they also taught me a lot of traits I have come to believe are important to have. Due to them, I have become empathetic, patient, nurturing, and playful. Growing up with them and learning how to take care of them and play with them, especially the older they got, has given me the chance to learn all of those things and more because of how often I was, and am, with them. It is important to take the time and understand them, so you know their needs. It is also important to fulfill their needs. The older they get, the harder it becomes, but that is where the patience comes in. They took care of me when I was in my darkest moments. It is my turn to take care of them, and any animal after them I may come across. I am thankful to them, and I hope while they are alive, I am able to do them justice like they did for me.

When I am home, it is hard for me to live a healthy lifestyle. I sit in bed all day because I cannot go outside and there is nothing for me to do around the house except for chores. I do not have a say in what food we get when grocery shopping, and even if I did, anything healthy would be too expensive for my family's budget. It wasn't until I left for college and then came back home for breaks that I realized how important living a healthy lifestyle is. When I am away at college, I have freedom to eat and do as I please. I have to walk to all of my classes due to a lack of car or unnecessity of a bus. I have a wide variety of food options to choose from at the dining halls and cafes. I can even go outside and just take walks. I grew so used to the independence of doing what I want, and my mental health got so much better from being surrounded by nature and eating healthier food options. I did not realize just how much I enjoyed it when I got home. When school ended and I was home for the longer breaks, such as summer and winter breaks, I became idle. I started feeling sad, bored, antsy, and so much more I can barely begin to describe. I did not feel better until I started working. At my job, I have to move around a lot and keep my mind active. It made me become happier again. Even if staying at home and working is not a "healthy lifestyle" in textbook terms, it is a healthy lifestyle to me. That is the best part about it. As long as you are not bringing yourself harm, I believe that a healthy lifestyle is what you make it. As long as you are keeping active, physically and mentally, and you are doing what makes you the happiest, then it is healthy. It is more than just exercise and proper dieting. It is about emotions and outcomes. No one looks at a person constantly working out and eating healthy yet is visibly upset and calls them healthy. That is why it is important to live a healthy lifestyle. Living one means that you can be happy, avoid medical complications due to better health and less stress, and you are able to have the best way of life for yourself. For me, having a healthy lifestyle means following my passions, getting outside to be with nature, and eating in a way that makes me have energy and remain happy. For others, it is most likely different. Either way, being happy and doing your best will give you the best outcome and living a healthy lifestyle, in your own way, is the best way to get there. It does not matter what society says. Everyone is different and they react to things in different ways. One thing that may be good for someone, may cause harm to another. That is why a healthy lifestyle is what you make it. In the end, making it your own is important and it can get you where you want and need to be. It will show your body and mind the gratitude you have for them taking you as far as you have come and for continuing to take you where you are meant to be in life.

When I am home, it is hard for me to live a healthy lifestyle. I sit in bed all day because I cannot go outside and there is nothing for me to do around the house except for chores. I do not have a say in what food we get when grocery shopping, and even if I did, anything healthy would be too expensive for my family's budget. It wasn't until I left for college and then came back home for breaks that I realized how important living a healthy lifestyle is. When I am away at college, I have freedom to eat and do as I please. I have to walk to all of my classes due to a lack of car or unnecessity of a bus. I have a wide variety of food options to choose from at the dining halls and cafes. I can even go outside and just take walks. I grew so used to the independence of doing what I want, and my mental health got so much better from being surrounded by nature and eating healthier food options. I did not realize just how much I enjoyed it when I got home. When school ended and I was home for the longer breaks, such as summer and winter breaks, I became idle. I started feeling sad, bored, antsy, and so much more I can barely begin to describe. I did not feel better until I started working. At my job, I have to move around a lot and keep my mind active. It made me become happier again. Even if staying at home and working is not a "healthy lifestyle" in textbook terms, it is a healthy lifestyle to me. That is the best part about it. As long as you are not bringing yourself harm, I believe that a healthy lifestyle is what you make it. As long as you are keeping active, physically and mentally, and you are doing what makes you the happiest, then it is healthy. It is more than just exercise and proper dieting. It is about emotions and outcomes. No one looks at a person constantly working out and eating healthy yet is visibly upset and calls them healthy. That is why a healthy lifestyle is so important to me. It is so much more than what society says it is. It is about your mental state as well. Once I realized what was necessary to make me live a healthy lifestyle and to be happy and active, it was gone. When it came back, I was, and I am, happier than ever. I do not feel any regret or sadness. Instead, I wake up in the mornings, ready to start my day and do what I can. I tend to my indoor plants, and I do chores around the house. I give people food and walk around, staying active to do my job. I no longer just sit in bed all day, watching television. I am happy and always ready to do things. Being healthy is more than just physical activity. It is your mental health too and that is why it is so important. Without a healthy lifestyle, you are causing yourself to not live at the fullest and in the long run, it can harm you. Knowing this, in the future I plan to be more active and start working out. I plan to do more and better myself as a person and to be healthier so I can be happier.

To me, legacy is more than just yourself. I recently watched a show called Legacies and it made me realize just how broad someone's legacy can be. There are so many components to someone's legacy, and it is not just the good and the bad. Legacies contain the views of people in the dozens or even millions. It is their views compiled into one main view of yourself, your family, your ancestors, your business, your career, and everything you are associated with. It is the view you have for yourself as well. It is what you expect from yourself and what you have to uphold to keep a legacy going. Whether that legacy be something bad, for example taking advantage of others, or something good, for example speaking up for those with no voice in society. The one thing a lot of people don't realize with legacies though is how you choose them. You choose whether or not you want to continue down the same path expected of you. You choose to create one for yourself and what it will be. You do not have to continue a legacy you don't believe is right or you feel as though you cannot do. It is your life and someone's views of it should not be what deters you from doing what you think is best for yourself. Your life, your legacy. You choose what to do with it and that is exactly what I did. When I think about my own legacy, I think of my hard-working family. All they have done is to get the best lives possible and for their children to do the same. From a young age, I have known that. I have tried following their footsteps and because of it, I am able to work hard, despite the downfalls and obstacles faced. I decided to continue their legacy before I even knew what a legacy was. I just followed their lead. Every day, I saw my parents come home from work and I would sit and eat dinner with them, listening to their stories. I would hear about the obstacles faced and the people who made their jobs hard. Then, I would see them wake up the next morning, do it all over again without a complaint. Eventually, as we all got older, I would see how tired they were but that didn't stop them from getting things done and working the next day. One thing I remember the most about their stories though is how they used to like their jobs, even though it wasn't their passions. They used to like them, but as the years wore on, they started feeling resentment towards them. My dad soon retired, and my mom found a job that made her happier. They still never stopped getting stuff done though. From a young age, I learned that hard work paid off and was respected. I want to continue their legacy of hard work. I want to do it in my own way through and make my own legacy. I want to follow my passion of helping animals. I know working with animals can be draining, especially because of the heartaches faced often, but I do not want that to stop me from saving animal's lives. I realized that by helping animals, I can also help people. I want to be known as someone who never gave up and continued to help others, despite the obstacles faced, just like my parents. I want to show others that following your passion is worth it. I want my legacy to change others.

When I think about the qualities and characteristics that I have and which one I value the most, I mostly think about my passion. When I was younger, maybe around five years old, I started saying I wanted to become a veterinarian to help dogs specifically. It was because my family had two dogs and I had an unbreakable bond with them. When I would come home from daycare and school, I would immediately run to my dogs without putting my things down first. Eventually, they passed away and we ended up getting two new dogs. Today, both of those dogs are thirteen years old, and they are the sun to my very being. I cannot imagine life without them, and I would do anything to keep them with me for as long as possible. Within the time span of those thirteen years though, I realized something. I realized that I could never let myself become a vet. I could not go through the sadness of seeing people lose their best friends and closest family members over and over again. I do not want to go into such large debt and struggle with the quick burnout. I struggle enough seeing my own dogs facing discomfort at their old ages. Even though I learned that I did not want to be a vet, I still wanted to help animals. I feel that way today too. Helping animals and working with them is the only thing I ever saw myself doing for the rest of my life and being happy with. The passion for them is so strong, I dedicated my educational years to them and I now study Animal Science at Rutgers University. So far, with the short amount of time that I have been there, I learned just how much animals are in need of human help, whether that be first-hand or through advocacy. Now, after a year of studying what I love, I learned that I want to help animals through non-profit organizations and advocating for them. I can spread important information and help the animals I cannot help first-hand. My life journey will be revolved around helping them and that will also help other people. People depend on animals for things such as mental health and physical wellbeing. By helping animals, I can help people. When I think about my life journey so far, I often come to realize just how much my passion has grown bled into other topics, even if momentarily. That is one thing that I believe sets me apart from others. I see people growing out of their passions the older they get because life just gets in the way. I decided to let my passions dictate where I am going in life. My passion drives me forward and it makes me work harder. In return, the harder I work, the more passionate I become. Yes, I have a passion for animals, but I also have passions for people, for the environment, for life itself. My passions will always help me because they are a large part of me. They make me the kind, hardworking person I am today, and they help me grow as time goes by. They help me learn and embrace everything around me. Due to my passions, I am able to make a lot of things better and I am able to help other people and animals and push through any obstacles that gets put in my path. My passions are the best part of me, and I will never let them go.

Originally, I never sought out purposefully pursing a degree in STEM. It just so happened that my major was a part of it. I study Animal Science at Rutgers University. I decided on that major because I have always loved animals. There was nothing else that sounded appealing to do for the rest of my life besides working with animals. When I found out I could study them, I knew instantly that I had to do so. It ended up being considered a part of STEM and after a while, I liked that. I like that it is a part of STEM, and I can consider myself to be a woman in STEM. I have always had a respect for people who worked in STEM or related fields, especially females. Females have to face a large disrespect because of their gender, and they are often overlooked or taken advantage of. Since I am working with animals, that may not be the case for me since most people think of animal caretakers as women, but that does not mean I will not face any obstacles because of that. Obstacles in STEM usually starts in school. Women are overlooked or ignored in a lot of STEM classes such as chemistry, math, and more. There are thousands of incidents where women have their answers shot down and then repeated by another gender that is then listened to and deemed as correct. Less opportunities are available for women outside of the classroom while they are in school as well. A lot of teaching assistant positions are given to males. It could be due to sexism, or it could be due to the discrimination faced in classes, causing lower grades. Either way, I have seen it firsthand. It is not like that in all cases, and things are changing as time goes on, thankfully, but it can still be seen. Personally, when I think about the obstacles I will have to face in STEM, I first think of issues I may face with being underappreciated and overlooked in classes. I worry about the lack of opportunities I may have to face, especially due to the recent changes our government has made. When I think about my career, I only worry about being cut off from certain animal-related career options because they may seem too dangerous for a female. For example, wildlife conservation may be an issue getting into, especially in geographic areas such as rainforests and deserts. I consider myself lucky though because, realistically, I do not think I will face that many obstacles that other genders do not face just because I am a female. I think that I will face obstacles everyone wanting to go into my field would have to face. Honestly, males may have more discrimination going into animal science related STEM fields than women, which is an interesting take on it. As stated before, animal caretakers are often thought of as women more than men. That is usually because of the difference in stereotypes, such as gentleness and compassion, and how they fit such roles of caregivers. Either way, STEM is a field where someone is going to face discrimination due to something such as race or gender. It is something that needs to change, and I hope it changes soon so no one will have to feel bad for following their passions.

Ever since I was younger, I had a strong care about animals. I wanted to always be around them and hopefully work with them one day. As I got older, that care turned into my passion. I study Animal Science at Rutgers University and it is not easy with all of the STEM related courses. All of the animal courses, on the other hand, makes the challenges worth it. My passion slowly grows stronger by the day, and it motivates me. Often, one of the downsides of working with animals is the heartache you face and the low income you receive. Those two factors alone are why many people choose not to go into the animal industries. I decided that all of the downfalls this industry has are ones I am willing to face. As I stated before, thanks to my passion, I want to have a career working with animals. I want to be able to give them good homes and increase their welfare. I recently found out that the biggest reason a lot of animals to go vets is because of a lack of knowledge and improper conditions. It often causes them to get sick and pass away. When I work with animals, I want to not only make sure that they are being well taken care of under my efforts, but also that their owners know the best way to do things. Advocacy is a big part of my passion for animals, especially after learning everything they have to face with improper care. Currently, I have a job that raises money for rescued animals. I mainly deal with people, but on slow days I can take a walk and see all of the animals we have. Knowing that I am helping animals, even a little, is extremely rewarding for me and makes the job even more enjoyable. With having the job that I have now and seeing the positive effects it has on me and others, it made it perfectly clear to me that this is what I am meant to do. I love animals with all of my heart, and I want to help them for as long as I possibly can. Despite the downsides, I have no regrets following my passion. If it ever gets rough, I will just tell myself that everything has a rough patch eventually. I just have to keep pushing and I will get through it. I am not just in it for myself; I am in it for the animals. I worked hard my entire life to help them, and I will not let my efforts go to waste. I will do everything in my power to help them and my passion for them will keep me motivated every step of the way.

About a month ago, I reached out on Facebook to make it known that I was looking for a job in my local area. I knew a lot of places were short-staffed and I needed a job, so I figured it was the best way to get in touch with the smaller businesses in the area. Within the hour, I got a message from Don Oriolo saying to reach out to his personal assistant. Next thing I knew, I was working at Blue Arrow Farm and Rescue. Originally, I did not know it was a rescue. All I know is that I visited the facility about three years ago before it opened to the public and it was extremely gratifying to see how far it has come in such a short amount of time. It has over 100 acres and has rescued about 20 farm animals so far. I work in a food truck and all of the money earned gets put towards the budget for the rescued animals and the grounds. When I started working there, I thought I was just giving out food during the concerts and car shows held there to earn profit for the business and not the animals. When I learned that the profit was going towards the animals and the people, I felt overjoyed. Everyone I work with at Blue Arrow are extremely nice, compassionate, and understanding. It is like one big family that keeps getting bigger. It makes the job rewarding and it aligns with the career I want. I want to have a career that benefits the welfare of animals and the humans involved with them. When I first joined this job, I had no clue I would be doing just that, so to find out I would, made me happy. The job is not an easy one, especially on hot days. Since I am in a food truck, there is not much ventilation and on days where the temperature is over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, it gets really toasty in the truck, but that is the only downside. After working there for a little while, I realized how much of an impact a simple position makes on people, as well as myself. I have had two jobs before this one and even if it is not as many hours as I originally wanted, I have never been happier working. On top of that, the people I see every day are very kind. I get to see all kinds of people and make a momentary connection with them. I can make them smile and make sure they are getting the best service possible while they wait for their food they ordered. Being able to make those momentary connections with them and seeing their smiles brightens my day more than before. I know from experience that having a good connection with someone, even for a few minutes, can make a bad day turn into a good one. There was one time when I did not have enough money for food and a drink and was not feeling well due to heat exhaustion. The lady who was checking me out let me get the drink for free and it made my day a lot better. That has stayed with, and I am still thankful to this day. I hope with my job, not only can I jump start my career with helping animals, but I can also make a similar impact on the people I interact with. I hope to spread the job I once got and make someone else's day better as well.

I study Animal Science at Rutgers University and have a focus on Companion Animals. When I was younger, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Animals were my only true passion that stayed with me while everything else changed. Due to that, I wanted to work with them and at a young age, being a veterinarian was all that I knew where you can work with animals and help them. As I got older, I realized I did not want to go through such a draining career so I decided to just study animals and see where that would take me. When I started studying at Rutgers University, in my first year I took four animal-related courses. Three of them focused on the very basics of animals and careers with animals. One thing that was repeated in those courses was the importance of animal safety and being knowledgeable of the animal(s) in your care. As someone who has wanted a hundred different kinds of animals as pets and only has dogs, I never really knew about how important research on your animal was. I always knew, but it was something that went unspoken all of my life. A fact I learned in class was that most animals get sick or pass because of a lack of knowledge their owners had. That same class taught be about what to research and how to do it properly before getting an animal. It is a class that will always be my favorite and will stick with me forever. Just the fact I learned alone is what made me realize how important it is to speak up for animals and to be an advocate. As mentioned before, I have dogs. I have two of them and they are both 13 years old. I grew up with them and at their age, they have health issues. There was a time when I was younger where my family had financial issues and it caused our dog's health issues to be neglected. It was heartbreaking to see and think about. I still tear up seeing the results of that neglect. I know my dogs are well taken care of otherwise, but that is not the case for every dog or pet out there. There are millions of pets, including exotic ones, that are taken in and are put in situations where they are in an unhealthy environment and are being taken care of in the wrong way. That is mostly because of lack of research. A lot of pets that are bought on impulse or for little children end up dying sooner than their life expectancy would be if they lived in proper conditions. Especially after the COVID pandemic started, hundreds of pets were returned or abandoned because they needed a lot more care than many people realized. That is not fair to the animal. The animal could have been put in a good home but instead it had to deal with neglect and traumatic scenarios. In order to avoid such conditions for pets, it is important to advocate for them. Recently, I am more into animal advocacy because of what I have noticed and learned in the last few years. I am so passionate about spreading the information I have seen and learned because I can help save an animal's life and I can also help someone avoid the heartache of seeing an animal die. The best cure is avoidance and avoidance starts with knowledge. I will continue to spread knowledge with the things I learn, and I will always be an animal advocate.

My name is Jamilah Evelyn and I study Animal Science at Rutgers University. I have always had a passion for animals, and I have always known I wanted to have a career with helping them. When it comes down to who or what has influenced me the most with that decision, I cannot pick a specific person in my life. Everyone has influenced me in some manner, even if I knew them for only a few hours. For example, in my Exposition Writing class, we would get put into a group of three students last year. Every time it was a different group and each time, the people I was with helped influence my writing to give me a better grade, which helped me get a better overall score in the class. Every person we pass in our lives influences us. When it comes to the biggest influence though, I would have to say society. Society as influenced my life the most, as I am sure it has with everyone. It is not even a specific kind of society that has influenced me; it is all of the societies I have observed and lived in for all nineteen years of my life that have been connected by the news and social media. It is the society we see when we watch riots and protests happening on the news and the society we see when we scroll through Twitter, Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, and social media in general of different people voicing their different opinions and the occasional hostility towards others for doing the same. It is the society that tells us what is right and wrong and points out the wrongs we are facing today. It tells us the standards we are supposed to follow and for me, those are the most influential things in my life. It causes me to think of what I say, how I say it, how I act, and more. It changes my beliefs, whether they agree with societal standards or not. Either way, everything is based on the society we live in today and whether or not it matches standards or not. Due to society influencing a lot of what I see, hear, and experience, my career aspirations have been influenced because of it. In 2018 or 2019, when the news was broadcasting the catastrophic wildfires happening all over the world, I was watching from the safety of my kitchen. All that was going through my mind was that the poor animals in places such as the rainforests and Australia were losing their homes and their babies. They were suffering because of human causes and the only way they could be saved was by human intervention. Due to the news broadcasting the horrific events and my passion for animals, I decided I wanted to work with saving animals in need since humans were their only way to keep living when they lost their homes. Society makes people worry about other people, so millions of humans take their time and help others, so why not do the same with animals. I want to be an advocate for animals in need and I want to increase their quality of life whenever and however possible. The number one thing that causes animals to visit veterinarians is due to lack of knowledge. By joining the efforts, being an advocate, and helping them myself, I can decrease those odds. I can do that with the people I cross paths with. Everyone can influence someone in a matter of moments. Society just did that for me in a matter of years.

The first time I was exposed to what a mental health illness was and the struggles it can bring was when I was in the 7th grade. I ready to go to school to join my homeroom class and head to the nearby baseball field to watch my first ever game in a class field trip. I was in the bathroom, brushing my teeth when I suddenly felt a large pain in my stomach and an intense surge of nausea. I began to shake, and I told my mom what was happening. I ended up staying home that day and watched what happened through my friend's social media pages. That same year, I played my first ever "big kid" concert at my local high school with the school band. I was in the front row, playing through a piece I was not the best at. All of a sudden, the sharp pain, the nausea, and the shaking began again. I wouldn't know those incidents were anxiety attacks until about a year later after it happened a few more times. In the 8th grade, I reconnected with an old friend of mine in music class. I was unaware of what mental health was until I started getting closer to her. That was when I saw the truth. She was also struggling, but in a different way. She had depression, panic disorder, anxiety, and bulimia. I saw all of these in full swing with a front row seat. I saw a few of her panic attacks and talked to her about my own experiences. That was when she started telling me about anxiety and then told me more about her own experiences and battles. One night, I went to my mom. My anxiety attacks were starting unprovoked, and I was exhausted by them. She took me to the doctor's a few days later and all I was told was to "consume less sugar". My mental health state was shoved aside when I needed help. I felt discouraged and it turned into me ignoring it and focusing on my friend. As time went on, I got attached and I got worse. In the 9th grade, my friend kept leaving school to go to mental health professionals. I was happy for her, but it wasn't until the end of the school year I realized what was happening with myself. She would leave with no warning, and I would wait at the edge of my seat for our first class of the day to begin to see if she would show up. A lot of the time she wouldn't. I grew anxious and I would go about my day barely speaking a word. I fell into momentary depression. I am not sure what else to call it. It wasn't the constant depression a lot of people go through, but all I know is that when she wasn't there, I had a hard time coping and I wouldn't smile, laugh, or anything of the sort. I even took up self-harming for a little bit. The next year, she transferred schools and I had to learn how to function on my own. I had only one or two friends and I started counting on them more than ever. Eventually, I started feeling better. My anxiety was still present, and I still had to deal with it. I stayed in the school band, making it all the way to what some would consider the honors band. I still had anxiety attacks on stage, and I still had to pretend as though they weren't happening. They stopped happening as frequently when I graduated high school. Currently, I am still dealing with those attachment issues and the anxiety. My mom recognizes my mental health state now and I am doing my best to work through the issues I have. I realized a lot of the reasons why I have the responses I do to certain things, which is progress; You have to start at the root of the problem. Due to my discoveries, I am now able to notice the starting symptoms and change the way I do something. It helps me be able to stay as mentally healthy as possible. There are times when I slip through the cracks, but I try to make up for it when I climb back out. When I slip, I try not to blame myself. It happens to everyone struggling and it is a part of the process. You just have to get back up and try again. I grew to learn so much about mental health during my middle and high school years. I learned what to do and I try to help others struggling as well. I try to advocate and show people it is okay to not be okay. I had a fan account on Instagram for a band that got me through a lot of my struggles. I had a large outreach and used my voice to be a mental health advocate. I stopped interacting with the account when high school ended because I gained other priorities, but I still advocate for mental health. I make sure to not only help myself, but I try to help my friends. I no longer know a single person who does not suffer from a mental illness, and it is sad to know that is where the world is right now. The best thing I can do is to continue to shed light on these issues when I can. I want to get a career to help animals when I grow up. The more days that pass, the more I realize how much animals can help us and our mental health. That is why this dream is so important for me. If I can help animals, I can help people. Mental health is everywhere, and it can't be ignored. I hope that one day soon, with my efforts, others will see that and start to recognize and advocate for it more.

I never had my own bank account until a year ago when I started my first job. Having a bank account feels freeing. At first, as money would enter it through all of my hard work, I tried to save it up for when college started. Then college started and I spent a lot of it on unnecessary items. Now that I realize just how much money I went though, I regret it. I wish I had thought long and hard on the things I spent money on. It made me learn that money is not something that you can spend if you do not have it and saving up or investing is more important than many people realize. When I was a kid, people would give me money to spend on things right away. I had subconsciously learned that once you get money, you use it. It was drilled into my head, and no one would stop it; they encouraged it. It was not until high school when I took my first financial literacy class did, I learn that investing and saving was the better option. It makes it so that you have the money you need now while assuring you have the money you need later on in life. When I saw I was spending hundreds of dollars on things I did not need when I first got financial freedom, I had to take a step back. I started talking to my financially smart friends and they all said "budget, save, and invest". Those are the keys to being as financially stable as you can be. It betters your personal finance, and it will help in the long run if emergencies ever come up. The most important finance lesson I learned is one I will never forget: save.

Life is hard and everyone knows that. A lot of tough things get sent our way and it is hard to deal with them, especially at first. We each get our own coping mechanisms when we deal with them and mine is optimism. It is something that I learned to have and now comes naturally to me. A large reason for that is because of the people around me. One of my parents is a pessimist and one is an optimist. As the years have gone by, I learned that being optimistic makes you happier, so I tried to follow that lead and it worked. As I got older, I became more and more aware of the faults in this world. Through first-hand experience, and observation, a lot of tough times have been faced. I watched as the people around me reacted and tried my best to be the shoulder they can lean on. I would give them any advice I could, and I would point out reasons why what was happening was not so bad. I was able to see their eyes light up with hope. It made me happy to see and made things better quickly. It taught me that optimism is what keeps people going. It gives people hope and keeps them from giving up. Sometimes people just need a little push to see the bright side of things and I am able to supply that to them. It is hard to always stay optimistic. When I find myself struggling, I let myself lean into the pain of pessimism and then I think about the whole situation. Eventually, I am able to find the silver lining and I think about it. I keep trying and I find optimism in the darkest of places. I find hope.

I have always needed a creative aspect in my life. If I didn't have one, I would feel antsy and wouldn't be able to sit still. As a child, I was never able to do anything a typical project that children would do at home such as painting a canvas to hang up in my room or tie-dying a shirt so I did simple things. I created bracelets with string or rubber bands, made cute Perler bead designs, and colored in coloring books. That need to be creative is still a part of my life. As I grew older and technology became more prevalent, I discovered editing apps such as PicsArt. I stopped doing the other things I did before and focused on being creative online. I kept some Perler beads to make things for my family and friends for their birthday, but I spent most of my time on my phone. I started making pictures with music lyrics I liked and backgrounds that matched. I photoshopped my favorite pictures to make them more colorful. I even took a photography class in high school and learned how to take photos of nature and edit them using Adobe Photoshop. If I ever feel antsy and need to let out creative energy, I continue to make pictures online, but I also now organize. As a college student, organizing things is being creative and productive for me. There is a multitude of ways to organize things and getting them to look pretty is as satisfying as completing a bracelet of rubber bands for me. I started using this as a way to take breaks form studying and getting things done. It worked and now I could not be happier. Creativity has always been a part of my life and it always will be.

Everyone has their own tips and tricks for dealing with their mental health when it gets bad. For me, the best tip to clear my mind is just talking about it. I have always had an overactive mind. When I was younger, I tended to keep what was going through my mind to myself. Now that I am older, I realize that just made it worse. The best thing I found to clear my mind of any thoughts is to talk about it with someone I trust and to express myself. I made the intrusiveness become extrusive and it worked. Some of my worst issues has to deal with anxiety and dependency issues so clearing my head is very important when it comes to my mental health. I am not a religious person, nor am I very spiritual, while I respect both, so I never had that kind of outreach before I discovered what was best. I didn't pray and meditating did not seem to work. One day, I decided to just say what was on my mind to a friend and I suddenly felt a lot better. It happened a few more times with different people and after each time I felt clarity, as if weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Since then, I talk to people, if they are willing to listen, to help quiet my mind. People are not there for our own needs all the time, so it is not possible to always talk to people to clear my mind, so throughout the years, I found other ways. When someone is not available, I use music to quiet my mind. A lot of the times, the effect it has is blocking out my thoughts as well as the outside world. When I feel overwhelmed, I play my favorite playlist on Spotify and listen with an empty mind. When I don't feel like blocking everything out, including my own thoughts, I sit down and read a good book or watch a new favorite movie or show. Reading books create movies in my head where I can decide how everything looks and what pace it goes at. It makes time go by a lot faster and helps my mind quiet down. If I choose a movie or a book, the time goes by as well but instead of my mind taking control, the directors and actors take control. If I am feeling extra antsy, writing my thoughts down on a piece of paper and then I throw it away, as if I am throwing away the thoughts. Whether it is writing, watching television, reading, listening to music, or talking to someone else, I found my ways to quiet my active mind. I realized how important it was to not keep things inside, so they won't get the best of you. Overall, my favorite tip to give someone who is struggling on the inside is to express it anyway they want, in a healthy manner. Empty the thoughts giving them a hard time as often as necessary and then the weight they contain will be lifted off their shoulders, giving them the clarity they need.

I first started getting into books in the 5th grade. I become obsessed with them in the 7th. Due to the number of books I have managed to read since I started, I fell in love with quite a few. The one that has stuck with me the most though is called Storm and Silence by Robert Thier. It is the first fictional historical romance novel in an ongoing series of eight books that left the deepest imprint in me than any other fictional book I have read. Storm and Silence follows the life of a lady in 19th century England named Lilly Linton and her journey of freedom. The male protagonist, Rikkard Ambrose, is Lilly's worst but best nightmare. Since women during this time period had no freedom to vote and or do anything, Lilly decided to become Mr.Linton. She ends up working for Mr.Ambrose, the richest businessman in London, and having her dreams come true despite the few hiccups along the way. While the plot and the slow burn romance of the book is what caught my eye, the deeper meanings is what keeps me a fan of it. While reading this book, I slowly realized it gave oppressed women a voice and showed that women can do anything a man can do. With everything going on today and the rights of women possibly being taken away, this book stands out more than ever. Lilly inspires many of the readers by showing that against all odds, she can still do what she puts her mind to. More importantly than that, as it was one of the few books that made me feel something throughout every chapter. Not only did it inspire me to follow my dreams, but it was a book that was hard to put down.

Recently, I have come to realize that I do not know a single person who is mentally healthy. Even that one person who we all think is perfectly okay is going through a mental battle. The people I have gotten closer with through the years used to seem perfectly content with their lives and themselves until one day, I realized they weren't. One day, we would just be talking as our relationship grew stronger and something rings a bell in my head as I realize what was just said or talked about shows it. The issue with so many people not being mentally healthy in this world though, is there is not enough being done. One practical solution for helping more people who struggle with mental health is showing you are there for them. This world does not have enough mental resources to get better and it does not have enough people to be those resources. It can be draining and not everyone can handle that so doing something on a large but small scale is important, in my opinion. When I say a large but small scale, I am talking about individuals helping friends who are struggling and this happening everywhere in the world. When you notice someone feeling unwell, tell them it is okay and tell them you are there for them. Instead of individuals being taught at a young age that crying or showing emotion is not okay and invalidating their feelings, show them it is okay and let them show how they feel. It is best to deal with things in a healthy manner such as talking about the issue instead of burying it away and hiding it from others. It starts small, with individuals. It grows large when everyone doing it.

The first time I was exposed to what a mental health illness was and the struggles it can bring was when I was in the 7th grade. I was getting ready to go to school to join my homeroom class and head to the nearby baseball field to watch my first ever game in a class field trip. I was in the bathroom, brushing my teeth when I suddenly felt a large pain in my stomach and an intense surge of nausea. I began to shake, and I told my mom what was happening. I ended up staying home that day and watched what happened through my friend's social media pages. That same year, I played my first ever "big kid" concert at my local high school with the school band. I was in the front row, playing through a piece I was not the best at. All of a sudden, the sharp pain, the nausea, and the shaking began again. I wouldn't know those incidents were anxiety attacks until about a year later after it happened a few more times. In the 8th grade, I reconnected with an old friend of mine in music class. I was unaware of what mental health was until I started getting closer to her. That was when I saw the truth. She was also struggling, but in a different way. She had depression, panic disorder, anxiety, and an eating disorder. I saw all of these in full swing with a front row seat. I saw a few of her panic attacks and talked to her about my own experiences. That was when she started telling me about anxiety and then told me more about her own experiences and battles. One night, I went to my mom. My anxiety attacks were starting unprovoked, and I was exhausted by them. She took me to the doctor's a few days later and all I was told was to "consume less sugar". My mental health state was shoved aside when I needed help. I felt discouraged and it turned into me ignoring it and focusing on my friend. As time went on, I got attached and I got worse. In the 9th grade, my friend kept leaving school to go to mental health professionals. I was happy for her, but it wasn't until the end of the school year I realized what was happening with myself. She would leave with no warning, and I would wait at the edge of my seat for our first class of the day to begin to see if she would show up. A lot of the time she wouldn't. I grew anxious and I would go about my day barely speaking a word. I fell into momentary depression. I am not sure what else to call it. It wasn't the constant depression a lot of people go through, but all I know is that when she wasn't there, I had a hard time coping and I wouldn't smile, laugh, or anything of the sort. I even took up self-harming for a little bit. The next year, she transferred schools and I had to learn how to function on my own. I had only one or two friends and I started counting on them more than ever. Eventually, I started feeling better. My anxiety was still present, and I still had to deal with it. I stayed in the school band, making it all the way to what some would consider the honors band. I still had anxiety attacks on stage, and I still had to pretend as though they weren't happening. They stopped happening as frequently when I graduated high school. Currently, I am still dealing with those attachment issues and the anxiety. My mom recognizes my mental health state now, but she still has never tried making an appointment to get it truly diagnosed. I do not believe in self-diagnosis, but there are times when it truly is evident and I know this is one of those times, otherwise I would have lived most of my conscious life in a lie to myself and the attacks were just mind games. Either way, I am doing my best to work through the issues I have. I realized a lot of the reasons why I have those responses to certain things, which is progress; You have to start at the root of the problem. Due to my discoveries, I am now able to notice triggering symptoms. I take a step back when I notice them and think about what I can do to make sure nothing happens, and I am able to stay as mentally healthy as possible. There are times when I slip through the cracks, but I try to make up for it when I climb back out. I grew to learn so much about mental health during my middle and high school years. I even had a fan account with about nine thousand followers on Instagram where I was a mental health advocate. I stopped interacting with it when high school ended because I grew out of it. I still am a mental health advocate though. I make sure to not only help myself, but I try to help my friends. I no longer know a single person who does not suffer from a mental illness, and it is sad to know that is where the world is right now. The best thing I can do is to continue to shed light on these issues when I can. I want to get a career to help animals when I grow up. The more days that pass, the more I realize how much animals can help us and our mental health. That is why this is so important for me as well. If I can help animals, I can help people. Mental health is everywhere we are. It truly does come full circle, and hopefully others see that and start to recognize and advocate for it more.

Nature is all around us and I grew up in a family that was never really appreciative of nature. Due to that, I was not exposed to the fun activities that were created to appreciate it such as hiking, camping, fishing, and site seeing. It was not until I moved away to college, I was truly able to see how powerful and inspiring nature is. When I started dorming for college, I got put into a campus that had the most nature aspects than any other campus my college had. It had a pond, a farm, lots of fields, and walking paths between trees. The whole campus was about twenty to thirty minutes walking distance so I would walk to class in all kinds of weather. During my walks, I would listen to music and look around at the animals such as birds, squirrels, geese, and horses and I would always feel warm and content. When it got nice out towards the end of the year, I took walks around the pond and I saw turtles, a friendly heron bird, catfish, and even koi fish. It was magical and I would purposefully leave my dorm early to take slow walks to class. I started to truly appreciate the nature around me after realizing how beautiful it was. I would take walks when I needed a mental health break from studying. I would go to the farm and see the animals or go to the dining hall to get some food and would always take a look around. I didn't realize how important seeing nature had become for me until I had to go back home for breaks and at the end of the year. I miss them a lot and cannot wait to go back to see it again.

I was never the kind of person who had to study long and hard when it came to getting good grades in school. I would just look over my notes, spend a few hours making quizlets while I listened to my favorite artists, or I would listen intently to the study reviews my teachers had during class. A few times, we used kahoot or played a jeopardy version to study before an exam. That all changed when I started college. I handwrite my notes because I feel as though I learn the material easier than if I were to type them. When I saw how much material we were learning in the short amount of time we had, and three to five exams for every class I had, I knew I had to change my study method. I started with my science classes since they had more material and the concepts needed to be understood instead of just memorization like I learned in high school. I wrote down dozens of questions on flashcards, made quizlets with hundreds of terms, and I made dozens or organizers that included comparing and contrasting tables as well as sequences of the processes. Ever since I started my school career, I never liked to study with others because I noticed we would not get as much done as I would have if I studied individually. When I started learning harder courses, I found myself creating study groups with friends and counting on others to help me learn. When it came to exams, I would look at questions and use different methods we created to remember certain things. It helped a lot. I look at my friends and see them using iPads and fancy technology, but for me, writing and speaking helps more than anything.

The first time I was exposed to what a mental health illness was and the struggles it can bring was when I was in the 7th grade. I was getting ready to go to school to join my homeroom class and head to the nearby baseball field to watch my first ever game in a class field trip. I was in the bathroom, brushing my teeth when I suddenly felt a large pain in my stomach and an intense surge of nausea. I began to shake, and I told my mom what was happening. I ended up staying home that day and watched what happened through my friend's social media pages. That same year, I played my first ever "big kid" concert at my local high school with the school band. I was in the front row, playing through a piece I was not the best at. All of a sudden, the sharp pain, the nausea, and the shaking began again. I wouldn't know those incidents were anxiety attacks until about a year later after it happened a few more times. In the 8th grade, I reconnected with an old friend of mine in music class. I was unaware of what mental health was until I started getting closer to her. That was when I saw the truth. She was also struggling, but in a different way. She had depression, panic disorder, anxiety, and an eating disorder. I saw all of these in full swing with a front row seat. I saw a few of her panic attacks and talked to her about my own experiences. That was when she started telling me about anxiety and then told me more about her own experiences and battles. One night, I went to my mom. My anxiety attacks were starting unprovoked, and I was exhausted by them. She took me to the doctor's a few days later and all I was told was to "consume less sugar". My mental health state was shoved aside when I needed help. I felt discouraged and it turned into me ignoring it and focusing on my friend. As time went on, I got attached and I got worse. In the 9th grade, my friend kept leaving school to go to mental health professionals. I was happy for her, but it wasn't until the end of the school year I realized what was happening with myself. She would leave with no warning, and I would wait at the edge of my seat for our first class of the day to begin to see if she would show up. A lot of the time she wouldn't. I grew anxious and I would go about my day barely speaking a word. I fell into momentary depression. I am not sure what else to call it. It wasn't the constant depression a lot of people go through, but all I know is that when she wasn't there, I had a hard time coping and I wouldn't smile, laugh, or anything of the sort. I even took up self-harming for a little bit. The next year, she transferred schools and I had to learn how to function on my own. I had only one or two friends and I started counting on them more than ever. Eventually, I started feeling better. My anxiety was still present, and I still had to deal with it. I stayed in the school band, making it all the way to what some would consider the honors band. I still had anxiety attacks on stage, and I still had to pretend as though they weren't happening. They stopped happening as frequently when I graduated high school. Currently, I am still dealing with those attachment issues and the anxiety. My mom recognizes my mental health state now, but she still has never tried making an appointment to get it truly diagnosed. I do not believe in self-diagnosis, but there are times when it truly is evident and I know this is one of those times, otherwise I would have lived most of my conscious life in a lie to myself and the attacks were just mind games. Either way, I am doing my best to work through the issues I have. I realized a lot of the reasons why I have those responses to certain things, which is progress; You have to start at the root of the problem. Due to my discoveries, I am now able to notice triggering symptoms. I take a step back when I notice them and think about what I can do to make sure nothing happens, and I am able to stay as mentally healthy as possible. There are times when I slip through the cracks, but I try to make up for it when I climb back out. I grew to learn so much about mental health during my middle and high school years. I even had a fan account with about nine thousand followers on Instagram where I was a mental health advocate. I stopped interacting with it when high school ended because I grew out of it. I still am a mental health advocate though. I make sure to not only help myself, but I try to help my friends. I no longer know a single person who does not suffer from a mental illness, and it is sad to know that is where the world is right now. The best thing I can do is to continue to shed light on these issues when I can. I want to get a career to help animals when I grow up. The more days that pass, the more I realize how much animals can help us and our mental health. That is why this is so important for me as well. If I can help animals, I can help people. Mental health is everywhere we are. It truly does come full circle, and hopefully others see that and start to recognize and advocate for it more.

I have a lot of future goals for myself, but there are some that are more vital to achieving than others. Those goals are to own a car, graduate from college with a Bachelor of Science, get a job with a stable income that helps increase animal welfare, and to get a place to live on my own. To me, those are all things representing true freedom and things that will make me happy and satisfied. Working hard is something everyone has been told to do since they were children. Now that I am older, I see why. The world we live in today is not a cheap one, and it is not getting cheaper. Getting a car and housing is an all-inclusive bundle of expensive payments. In order to obtain those necessary items, I need a job. In order to get a well-paying job in the career field I most desire, I need an education, which is not cheap either. Money is necessary to obtain the goals I want and so is an education. To avoid any more challenges, I decided to study and work hard in a field I knew I was going to enjoy: Animal Science. Ever since I was younger, I was very fond of animals of all kinds. As I grew older, I noticed all of the miseries and tragedies they had to face all around the world. The way many of them were able to get out of such situations was with the help of humans. After seeing the increased wildfires burning through thousands of animal's homes, I decided to do what I can to help. That is why the future goal that is most important to me is getting a job to increase the welfare of animals in need.

My future goals are very simple, but important ones in my eyes. I want to own a car, graduate from college with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, get a job with a stable income that helps increase animal welfare, and to get a place to live on my own. When I say they are simple, I mean they are the basics of what a lot of people have. I do not mean they're easy because they are not. They all involve a lot of money and/or effort to obtain and keep. It will require a lot of work and I may not even like some of the things I end up with and will have to work to get better ones. I am very aware of that and that is why I plan to achieve these successes by working hard. I cannot give up even when I feel as though I have no energy left. I have no plan to do so, and it is not an option. I want to work hard to earn everything myself. I will appreciate any help I can get but earning my goals on my own will be even more satisfying. I need to do more than just work hard. I will need to plan things out and strategize my financial decisions, spend time focusing on my studies and efforts, and I have to be willing to sacrifice things such as social time and emotionally but not efficient items I own. I am willing to do all of that though if it means I can have the future I have been working so hard for already.

Gratitude is not something everyone remembers to show nowadays. Things come so easily to people due to the increased technology we have that has the purpose of making things easier. I realize that and I try my best to stay grateful and appreciate the things I have. In order to do that for the momentary things, I formed habits to say please and thank you whenever I can. When it comes to larger things such as long-lasting and items on the more expensive side of things, I try to take care of them as much as possible. With clothes, I wear them until I am no longer presentable. With technology, I take care of devices and try to constantly keep the software updated. I often take small moments to think back to memories I have, and it makes me feel warm inside because it helps me treasure the things I have. That is all monetary though. The people in my life are the things I am most appreciative of. Without them, I would not be who I am, and I would not have what I do. I try my best to show them how grateful I am of them by doing things for them. I do the chores without being asked when my parents are at work. I give presents during special occasions that have a lot of thought put into them. I never complain about what is given to me and I always make sure they know I do not take them for granted. I am extremely grateful for what I have and who is in my life. I try my best to show it and live as happy as possible and keep complaints to a minimum. Taking those small moments to show it are what matter the most.

When I interact with others, I always try to be empathetic towards them and their situation. Whether I am in a disagreement with a person or am listening to some complaints they have about something or someone, I make sure to take the time and to listen carefully. Most of the time, they just want someone to agree with them in a situation that made them feel or look bad. In cases like that, I take a few minutes to think back to what they said and pretended as though I was in their shoes. I tell them what I think about the situation and make sure to include things from their perspective without being rude towards the person or thing bothering them. When I interact with someone who is not a friend and I am just passing them on the street, I act with kindness. You never know what is happening in someone else's life. If I can help them, I try my best to. If I notice they need a few extra cents for their meal, I'll offer it. If they're looking beautiful or handsome, I tell them quickly and keep moving. A little bit of extra kindness goes a long way and I know that from first-hand experience. I had a day where I failed my math exam, felt like I was going to pass out due to the heat, and just wanted to get some food and go home. I got a meal but could not afford the drink, so the cashier offered a cheaper but still cold drink without charging me and I am still thankful for that to this day. By treating others with empathy as that woman had treated me, I hope to make the same impact on someone having a bad day.

One thing that gives me hope that the future will be better is by simply looking at other people. I am extremely nervous for my personal future as well as the future of the United States. When it comes to my personal future, I am mostly nervous about finances. I need to be more financially stable than I am now because soon I will need enough money to live comfortably in an on-campus apartment when getting my education, a car to travel where I need to go, and to pay off loans once college is over. I need money for loans because my family is not able to afford tuition and still live comfortably to support four people under the same roof, so we were forced. We make too much to get financial aid, according to my school, but we make too little to support ourselves with no help at all. My dad retired a while ago and he is using his retirement funds to help pay for my sister's college education, along with my own. It is nerve wracking to think about. Not only am I worried financially, but I am also worried occupationally. I want to work with animals and help them have better lives. An issue with that is finding a job that wants to teach someone with a low amount of experience, pay a salary that I can live on, and find a location that is near me since I have to count on others to drive me. I am not lucky enough to have a grandparent to pass their car down to me or a parent that can afford to pay for a new car like most other people I know. I have to work to get a car but in order to work, I need to count on others. When it comes to this country, there is currently a mental battle between people. People are split between political views and morals. Women's rights are being threatened to be taken away, racism is still a prevalent issue, and the pandemic and vaccination opinions are still at an all-time high. When I look at the people who were in the same boat as me financially and managing to be more than comfortable now, I have hope I will one day be like that too. When I talk to people about the national issues going on today and hear the passion in their voices and how they want what is best for everyone, I have hope. My future depends on this country and this country is not in a good place right now. People are quitting their jobs left and right, people's rights are being taken away from them. A lot of the progress this country has made in the last few centuries is being erased. The hope I have left is slowly growing as more and more people see the rights and wrongs and stand tall to advocate for the rights.

I am interested in pursuing a degree in STEM not only because that is just what my major ended up being a part of, which is Animal Science, but also because STEM is a concept that continues to change and grow while society, along with our planet, depends on it. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are all what help society continue to adapt. Science and math are the basis of all biotic and abiotic factors. Technology is the basis of our society at this point in time because everything humans do depends on it. Lastly, engineering is the reason we have everything we do from chairs to solar panels. Ever since I was young, I had a strong interest in animals. As time went on, that interest grew into the need to help them and to work with them in my future career. I want to increase their welfare and make them live happy and healthy lives. I want my career to make an impact on at least one animal, specifically a companion animal such as dogs, cats, small mammals, reptiles, avians, and amphibians. They have all been taken from their feral worlds and have been or are starting to become domesticated for the benefits of humans. Humans still do not fully understand them though and it is causing them to suffer. I want to accomplish less suffering for those animals. I am not sure what I want my future career to be though. I am leaning more towards being a part of the pet care/health industry with a focus on nutrition or training. I never specifically wanted to pursue a degree in STEM. I never focused my path to be a part of it and more specifically, I never wanted to be a woman in STEM, but here I am. STEM is a hard topic to study, and it takes a lot of time and dedication, hence why I never purposefully wanted to pursue a degree in it. Seeing as I am now doing exactly that, I cannot complain. I am proud of myself. Even though I only finished my first year, I am proud to be a part of STEM. It is challenging but rewarding and it truly makes a difference, in all aspects. It is a large reason as to why we have what we have today, and it is why we continue to thrive. It created vaccines, saved billions of lives, explains thousands of concepts, and so much more. It is so vast and so beautiful; I am truly happy to have entered the world of STEM, even on accident. Animal Science is the study of animals and their husbandry, environment, behavior, and just their whole being. Companion Animal Science is the focus on companion animals. My major is Animal Science with a focus on companion animals. Due to the animals that have been domesticated by humans, we are able to experience bonds no one could have thought of otherwise. Humans are able to take care of this precious creature. We make others happy by gifting these animals to each other. We make ourselves have happier, more active lives. In return, these animals are able to live and thrive in most cases. They make us feel more confident and compassionate while feeling less lonely. They even help humans in need with service and humans do the same for them. It is a mutualistic bond only animal owners can understand. By going into this career field, I hope to spread that bond to more people while also advocating for the ones who are not that lucky.

To me, the meaning of life is just enjoyment and happiness. While it is simple, it is not the easiest to achieve. In order to achieve this, I try my best to be optimistic and enjoy the little things. Life is not easy, and I am sure everyone knows that. It is full of bumps and turns and a lot of the times we are set back in our advances. We have to keep trying to get to be where we want, and it is extremely easy to let that stop you from doing what you want and what you love. By taking the time to enjoy the little things like watching new movies, taking walks outside, petting animals, reading books, planting plants, and hanging out with friends, I am able to fully enjoy the small things. When I am having a rough time, I take a deep breath and I take a moment to look back at the things I did recently that gave me a rush of serotonin. It helps a lot. If I let every small inconvenience get in the way, life would be miserable, and I would want to give up. By living life and surrounding myself with things that make me happy, I feel as though I am truly living. It is the memories that last, not the glancing looks and small set backs.

To make my friends, family, or other people in my life feel loved, I do a multitude of things depending on the person. Each person has a different love language and most of the people in my life tend to overlap with love languages. Most people's love language is quality time, so I spend time with them as much as possible, even if it just means sitting in the same room but doing our own things. When it comes to a few of my friends, their love language is physical touch, so I try to hug them, high-five them, or fist bump them whenever I think the occasion calls for it. For my friends who have the love language of gift giving, I tend to get them more gifts throughout the year than I normally would, and I try to make them small but meaningful ones such as a handwritten card, a post about them online, or a creation I made with Perler Beads. Overall, there is not many other ways I make others feel loved besides listen to them. Many people just want to be listened to when they are going through a tough time so if I realize it, I sit them down and I ask them what is wrong. If they do not want to talk about it, then we talk about other things to get their mind off of what is bothering them. If they do want to talk about what is wrong, I ask them if they want advice or if they just want to be listened to and then I do what they most feel comfortable with. There is no one way to make someone feel loved and doing it in a multitude of ways is always the best for you and them.

More than just one dog has changed my life in the almost nineteen years that I have lived. I have two pets. One Yorkshire Terrier named Mr.Big and one Pomeranian named BamBam. They're both thirteen years old and I have had them in my life since I was five. I have been with them for their entire lives, and they have been in mine since I could remember. I have always loved animals but these two have a special place in my heart. They always make me feel loved and wanted when no one else does. I know I can always count on them to life my spirits when everything else feels dark and scary. They are my simple moments in a complex time in both the world and my life. I know for a fact that a similar impact has been made on other people's lives as well. It was seen during the COVID-19 Pandemic that the number of dogs being adopted drastically increased and that is because of the positive affect they have on everyone. That is why I love dogs so much. Due to my love for them, I realized what I want to do with my life. I want to help animals in need and increase their welfare. I want to work with them and find them the perfect home or promote better nutritional diets for them. I do not know the specifics, but the one thing I do know is that I want to help dogs in need. I started the process by studying Animal Science at Rutgers University. I know most animal related jobs do not need a degree, but I wanted to learn as much as possible to see where I want to help the most. Without having these animals in my life, I do not know where I would be. They made me more loving and sentimental. They made me more open minded and more comfortable with myself. They made me happy. My school has multiple clubs that work with dogs and train them to be service dogs. One club is called the Rutgers Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club. In this club, dogs are raised from puppies to be seeing eye dogs for people in need. The other club is called the Companion Animal Club. This club trains newly adopted shelter dogs to be service dogs for houses that have special needs children. During my time at the clubs, I realized that these dogs do so much for people and in return they can live a long and happy life. Being able to see firsthand the affect these dogs have on humans, in multiple scenarios is a beautiful sight to see and I am lucky to have had that chance once again. All of the dogs I have met in my life have really changed my life but the ones I get to see at home and the ones I get to see grow and change at my school's clubs have made the biggest impacts. I want to help animals so they can help humans so more people can experience the magic they carry around with them. I would be truly lost without these dogs in my life and that is why their impact is so great.

Like many, my life so far has not been easy. I did go to a domestic violence shelter when I was in fourth grade for a few months, I have had to worry about money, I have had people come and go, and I even had to deal with a little bit of bullying. I have been through a lot in the nineteen years I have been alive. It has shaped me a lot though. I am more aware of how the world is and how people are. I am not the kind of person to make my past experiences hate humankind though. People are both good and bad. Through my life, I have met a lot of kind people who have helped me get where I am now, especially in the last year of my life. I started my first year of college and within three days, I met the people who I would spend the following eight months of my life with. Matter of fact, I will spend more of my life with them because I will be living with them during my sophomore year of college. I have met animal lovers and animal haters. I have seen good and bad people and honestly, my hopes for the future are not a lot to ask for. My hopes for the future are to have a comfortable living situation financially, to have a bachelor's in animal science, and to have a long, steady career with helping animals to help people. My life has prepared me for any possible disappointments that may take shape, so it learned to hope for as little but as realistically as possible and that is what I am doing.

More than just one dog has changed my life in the almost nineteen years that I have lived. I have two pets. One Yorkshire Terrier named Mr.Big and one Pomeranian named BamBam. They're both thirteen years old and I have had them in my life since I was five. I have been with them for their entire lives, and they have been in mine since I could remember. I have always loved animals but these two have a special place in my heart. Now that they are getting older and I know more about life, I always have that voice in the back of my head telling me the next time I see them could be the last, so I often think back to all of the memories I have with them. They have been with me through the roughest years of my life, puberty, the journey of finding out who I am as a person, and so much more. They always make me feel loved and wanted when no one else does. I know I can always count on them to life my spirits when everything else feels dark and scary. They are my simple moments in a complex time in both the world and my life. I just finished my first year of college, where I spent months at a time away from them. Biggy and Bam would cross my mind every day and I would question how they were doing. Growing with them and only knowing life with them has been the greatest gift I have ever received. Due to these amazing dogs being more than just my pets, I realized what I want to do with my life. I want to help animals like them in need and increase their welfare. I want to work with them and find them the perfect home or promote better nutritional diets for them. I do not know the specifics, but the one thing I do know is that because of my dogs, I know I want to help others like them. I want to spend the rest of my life dedicated to helping animals like them. I started the process by studying Animal Science at Rutgers University. I know most animal related jobs do not need a degree, but I wanted to learn as much as possible to see where I want to help the most. Without having these animals in my life, I do not know where I would be. They made me more loving and sentimental. They made me more open minded and more comfortable with myself. They made me happy. My school has multiple clubs that work with dogs and train them to be service dogs. One club is called the Rutgers Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club. In this club, dogs are raised from puppies to be seeing eye dogs for people in need. The other club is called the Companion Animal Club. This club trains newly adopted shelter dogs to be service dogs for houses that have special needs children. During my time at the clubs, I realized that these dogs do so much for people and in return they can live a long and happy life. Being able to see firsthand the affect these dogs have on humans, in multiple scenarios is a beautiful sight to see and I am lucky to have had that chance once again. Having two loving pets as my own makes me even luckier. I cannot imagine my life without Biggy and Bam nor can I imagine a life without helping animals as my future career. All of the dogs I have met in my life have really changed my life but the ones I get to see at home and the ones I get to see grow and change at my school's clubs have made the biggest impacts. I want to help animals so they can help humans so more people can experience the magic they carry around with them. I would be truly lost without these dogs in my life and that is why their impact is so great.

I have two pets. One Yorkshire Terrier named Mr.Big and one Pomeranian named BamBam. They're both thirteen years old and I have had them in my life since I was five. I have been with them for their entire lives, and they have been in mine since I could remember. I have always loved animals but these two have a special place in my heart. Now that they are getting older and I know more about life, I always have that voice in the back of my head telling me the next time I see them could be the last, so I often think back to all of the memories I have with them. They have been with me through the roughest years of my life, puberty, the journey of finding out who I am as a person, and so much more. They always make me feel loved and wanted when no one else does. I know I can always count on them to life my spirits when everything else feels dark and scary. They are my simple moments in a complex time in both the world and my life. I just finished my first year of college, where I spent months at a time away from them. Biggy and Bam would cross my mind every day and I would question how they were doing. Being away from them for so long has made me see how old they truly are every time I come back. My Pomeranian is sick. He keeps coughing and he has a large lump on top of his ribcage. My Yorkie has issues with his hindlegs. He has had multiple occasions where he has fallen and got back up with a limp. Thankfully he has regained strength, but he still slips often. My parents do not have the funds to give him the care he needs and that scares me. I do not know what I am going to do when the time comes to say goodbye. Growing with them and only knowing life with them has been the greatest gift I have ever received. Due to these amazing dogs being more than just my pets, I realized what I want to do with my life. I want to help animals like them in need and increase their welfare. I want to work with them and find them the perfect home or promote better nutritional diets for them. I do not know the specifics, but the one thing I do know is that because of my dogs, I know I want to help others like them. I want to spend the rest of my life dedicated to helping animals like them, so no one has to go through the sadness and fear I feel every time I hear a cough or a thud. I started the process by studying Animal Science at Rutgers University. I know most animal related jobs do not need a degree, but I wanted to learn as much as possible to see where I want to help the most. Without having these animals in my life, I do not know where I would be. They made me more loving and sentimental. They made me more open minded and more comfortable with myself. They made me happy. I love pets because they love us. It is a mutualistic bond that not everyone understands or can have, and I consider myself extremely lucky to have felt such a bond at a young age. Pets help us be more comfortable with ourselves, less lonely, and happier. We help pets get all of the love and attention they crave while continuing to live. Due to the domestication of species such as dogs and cats, many would not be able to survive without human intervention. We help them live while they help us thrive. My love for pets stems deep, especially after my first year of learning about companion animals such as cats, dogs, reptiles, small mammals, amphibians, fish, and avians. Learning about them made my eyes open to a lot of possibilities. My school has multiple clubs that work with dogs and train them to be service dogs. One trains dogs from puppies to be seeing eye dogs and the other trains newly adopted shelter dogs to be service dogs for houses that have special needs children. During my time at the clubs, I realized that these pets do so much for people and in return they can live a long and happy life. Being able to see firsthand the affect pets have on humans, in multiple scenarios is a beautiful sight to see and I am lucky to have had that chance once again. Having two loving pets as my own makes me even luckier. I cannot imagine my life without Biggy and Bam nor can I imagine a life without helping animals as my future career. That is why I love pets so much and that is how they changed my life. I would be lost without them, as most humans would be as well. We depend on them, now more than ever, especially seeing the growth rate in the pet industry once the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the world by storm. Pets are a necessity for us now and the world without it would not be a good one to live in.

The way I relax and take care of my mental health always changes depending on the time of year. When I am at home for the summer, I like to lay in bed and watch Netflix, read a nice book, watch YouTube, or play with my two thirteen-year-old dogs. Doing those things put my mind at ease and gives me momentary relief from what is making me feel bad. When I am dorming at school I tend to do more exciting things. My favorite is spending time with my friends and going to Wawa or Quickchek or sitting inside with them and playing video games. When I do not spend time with them though, I normally sit back and relax on my phone, or I go for a walk around campus on the really nice days. On rarer occasions, I do facemasks, makeup, and dress up but to be honest, that takes a lot of effort, so I only do it if I have not done it in a while and want to feel cute. Before college, a way I would relax and slip away from the world would be playing the flute, which I have played since the fourth grade but recently stopped since I had no reason to play anymore. One thing not mentioned before, a large way I take care of my mental health in the short breaks I have is by listening to my favorite music. It used to be pop/rock, but it is slowly migrating over to indie thanks to a new friend I have made.

There are a lot of things that motivate me but on a daily basis, the thing that motivates me the most is thinking about my future. I am almost nineteen and I am terrified of what my future has in store. My dream is to help animals and increase their welfare, but other than that, I do not know what I want to do. I just know that I want a stable job and an income comfortable for my lifestyle. The terror I feel anytime I think about my future is what keeps me going. I finished with my first year of college, but I have three or more to go. I have tens of thousands of dollars I need to plan for to get the education I want and then I have to plan for tens of thousands of dollars in loans I need to pay back. Not only that, but I have to think about transportation, experience, housing, nutrition, and so much more. A million questions pop into my mind when I think about my future and then I remember that all starts now. Everything in my future depends on what I do with my life now, how hard I work, how I spend and save my money, what moves I make, what networks I create. All of that depends on the now and knowing that motivates me to work hard, study hard, spend smart, and do whatever I can so I can be less terrified of what my future will bring.

This is a simple question that has a complicated answer for everyone. I learned that in order to enjoy life, you have to enjoy the little things, thus a lot of things can make me happy. I am happy when I see my friends and family, when I get good grades in school, when I see my dogs or any animal for that matter, and so much more. I get happy when I see pastel colors or rainbows, I am happy when I ride rollercoasters or eat ice cream or watch a romantic movie. I think the thing that makes me the happiest though is love, which is ironic because it can also make me the saddest. Love is a double-edged sword. It can break you but also make you. The parts about love that make you are the parts that make me the happiest. The warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest when you see someone you love after a long time away is a feeling I want to feel again in again. The passion you feel and the true place of content it brings you are things you cannot have all of the time. When I am able to feel that way with my loved ones though, I am truly happy. I do not have any worries and those are the moments I want most in this world. They make me the happiest I have ever been.

I learned that my favorite way to help others is just by being there and listening to them when they are in need. I learned that people have different coping mechanisms and need different things when they are upset. Some people want hugs, some people want space, others just want to be heard. From firsthand experience, I know I just want to be listened to when I get upset or frustrated. My friends are all a mix of needs and mechanisms. The easiest thing to do is to give them a little space unless they come to you and then to ask, "Do you want advice, to be listened to, to not be alone, or to just have a hug?". Forcing yourself into a situation is not going to help them. Forcing them to speak or forcing them into a hug can make it worse. Just ask and communicate. Speaking about what is on your mind instead of letting it build up until it explodes is so relieving. Most times, no further action is needed. It is literally the minimum of what can and should be done when someone needs help. That doesn't make it any less helpful though. Being heard and having your needs taken care of in a weak moment in your life, no matter how momentary it may be, is something everyone needs. That is why if I see someone, especially a friend having a bad day or on the verge of tears, I stop what I am doing and just ask them what they need and try my best to provide it. It is fulfilling to me and helpful to them. Humans may be selfish when it comes to helping others, but you are still helping and that's what counts.

I recently finished my first year of college where I learned a lot about others, along with myself. I experienced a lot of new things and a lot of new, more diverse people than ever before. During that time, I learned a lot about myself. I learned that more often than not I will third wheel with to make someone feel appreciated and I will put others before myself. This has both positives and negatives. I do it to please others and to make them feel appreciated and not alone, but I also do it because I am afraid to say no. Through the many new experiences, I learned this and was called out by my friends again and again for this behavior until it stuck with me that it needed to change. I found it extremely valuable though. I have always thought that saying no and having boundaries were very important to make it in this world, so when did I become a hypocrite and why did I not listen to my own beliefs? That is changing though. Now, I am learning to say no and to have stronger boundaries, even if I get passive aggressive responses in return. Now, I am putting my studies first, my future first, and my happiness first. I am learning to no longer sacrifice my self-respect and instead I am practicing it to build it to be stronger than ever before. I started doing this a few months ago and I am already starting to see a change. Learning about a major issue I have and working on it has more of a refreshing feeling to me than freshly squeezed lemonade on a hot and humid day. I am reinventing myself to be even better and I am loving every moment of it.

Math is important because it is everywhere we look. The world would not be the way it is today without math. Heck, not even the universe would be the way it is without math. The earth's tilt, the rotation around the sun, etc. all depend on math and the way it is incorporated in every place possible. Not only that but algebra specifically is the basis of everything, especially STEM. When we are young, the first thing we learn is basic math such as 2+2. Then, we start to learn algebra in middle school. Everything we learn when we are young is important because that is when it sticks most, and it is important to have a foundation stick in our minds so we can understand the more complex of topics. The world is controlled by STEM. Science, technology, engineering and math. All of those are important for the world and for humas. Humans have grown to live with technology such as computers, phones, automatic light systems, and more. Everything we have needed to be engineered, including simple items such as tables and chairs. Without science and math though, none of that would be possible; Chairs would be wobbly, tables would be slanted. As people grow and time moves forward, things change. Thanks to algebra, we are able to change such simple items as we move forward in time as well. We have technology that uses sunlight and converts it into energy for cars and houses, chairs are being designed to be better for human posture, tables are being built to increase or decrease in size without buying more than one piece of furniture. Things will continue to change as time moves forward and human needs are going to be more and more dependent on STEM. Simple items are going to be more complex, complex items are going to get even more complex, new things are going to be created. Without algebra, the basis of where most if not all things STEM is based upon, we would have none of this. We would be far behind in our advancements and STEM would not have the chance to get as advanced as it is today. We would not understand calendars, why the seasons change, why some plants grow better in specific spacings than others. I enjoy math so much because of how important but underrated it is in our world. Every time math is brought up, I always hear at least one person say, "I hate math, I was never good at it". Not being good at it, therefore not liking it is understandable, but also those people never understood how important math truly was and why so many schools push onto students at such a young age. Not only that, but when you are good at it, it is like solving a puzzle and it becomes fun when you understand it. The little rush of serotonin when you get a problem right is worth the time it took to solve it. Math is rewarding at times and our entire world depends on it, whether that be in school, technology, or even our economy with money. It is important and we would not be able to function without it, which is why I like it. I mean, it is hard to like a non-functionable community.

I believe that calculus is important in the STEM field specifically because it is literally everywhere. It is in technology, architecture, chemistry, and so much more. It is in our day to day lives and many people do not even realize it. I have talked to a few people during my first year of college and their majors went all the way from health management to architect to even meteorology. Almost everyone I talked to needs some form of calculus in their major, including mine which is Animal Science. Even the pre-veterinary track needs calculus in order to graduate. Not only do many majors require it, but many courses do as well. Chemistry includes logarithms while Physics includes trigonometric functions. I do not have to take a higher level of math than pre-calculus due to my focus being companion animals such as dogs and cats but sitting in a class of over one hundred students and seeing over five hundred students taking the final and being in group chats, I know it is important. Without calculus, we would not have a lot that we have today. According to Wikipedia, calculus is the study of continuous change. The world is continuously changing and evolving, even by the smallest of incidences. Without calculus, many of those changes could not be predicted or understood. The world is controlled by STEM. Science, technology, engineering and math. All of those are important for the world and for humas. Humans have grown to live with technology such as computers, phones, automatic light systems, and more. Everything we have needed to be engineered, including simple items such as tables and chairs. Without science and math though, none of that would be possible; Chairs would be wobbly, tables would be slanted. As people grow and time moves forward, things change. Thanks to calculus, we are able to change such simple items as we move forward in time as well. We have technology that uses sunlight and converts it into energy for cars and houses, chairs are being designed to be better for human posture, tables are being built to increase or decrease in size without buying more than one piece of furniture. Things will continue to change as time moves forward and human needs are going to be more and more dependent on STEM. Simple items are going to be more complex, complex items are going to get even more complex, new things are going to be created. Without calculus, the basis of where most if not all things STEM is based upon, we would have none of this. We would be far behind in our advancements and STEM would not have the chance to get as advanced as it is today.

Joy means being content. Joy is the warmth the sun gives you on a sunny day, the satisfactory of passing a class you worked hard for, the smell of a newly bought romance novel, and so much more. Being joyful is deeper than being happy, even if most people think the words are interchangeable. Being joyful in my eye's means being content, satisfied, happy, and grateful. A lot of people can be happy without being grateful, but it is hard to be full of joy and not be grateful. That is why the phrase "tears of joy" is so meaningful. People have tears of joy when they are surprised with the pet they have wanted for so long, when they get tickets to the concert of the artist(s) that have literally saved their life, when they get into the school that will give them the job they have always dreamed of. I see those moments being described more as joyful than just as happy. When I seek out joy in my life, I go on walks when it is nice out, I think back to all of my friends and family and remember the moments of all of us just sitting at tables and studying, watching television, playing board games, or just sitting in silence and enjoying each other's presence. I look for it when I hug my loved ones, watch influencers who make me smile, when I am curled up with a good book after a long day, when I pet my childhood dogs and they lean their heads into my hands. Joy is about the little moments in life that you never want to forget because they make you feel so at peace even while everything around you is falling apart.

Throughout my first year of college, I met a lot of people. A handful of those people became my closest friends, and we all had a little group who were living through each other and with each other. While watching them and living through my very first year of independence, I learned a lot. The lesson that stuck with me most is that plans do not always work out how you want. Both my friends and I have experienced that, whether it be failing a class we depended on, not getting the GPA we wanted, having doubts about our major, or just not getting to do what we wanted in general. I have experienced this on smaller occasions, whether it be not going to the concert I was promised I could go to, or not going to the aquarium during spring break even though I was once again promised. I never experienced it on the larger scale I have seen while in college. Failing a class, you needed to pass in order to get the rest of your classes in time for graduating and your whole four-year plan falling through has been experienced way too many times from what I have seen. Plans falling through have hurt people in more ways that I thought was possible. After seeing this occur and experiencing it in smaller moments, I learned that plans do not always work out and that is okay. It is normal to not have plans work out and it is important to understand that. Planning your whole life is not healthy because the moment something backfires, everything can be thrown off and you are going to be a lot more stressed out, and possible destroy your mental health. I am using this newly learned lesson to help myself, my mental health, and my future. I will no longer plan out years in advance. If I have an idea, great. I will try my best to follow it but will keep other ideas on the backburner so I will not be so crushed if it does not go as planned. If I do not have an idea or plan, then that is perfectly okay, and I will just keep living my life until I have one or am happy with how far I have come. After learning how plans not being followed or working out can affect people, I took a step back and told myself it is okay not know what I want to do and that always having a plan is not as ideal as people make it out to be. This lesson has made me stronger as a person and more content with life. My mental health is better now that I am not stressed about following step by step instructions to get to a goal and I have learned to enjoy what I can in life, even if it means taking a step back and just relaxing with friends. Most plans do not involve friend time or taking that ten-minute walk on a nice sunny day where you feel like you are being hugged with warmth. Following a plan takes a lot of experiences out of your life and makes you less content with it. I learned to take my time, take the chances that come along the way, and to not stress about things not working out. There are a numerous of different ways to get to where you want to go, and you will get there eventually as long as you keep trying and do not give up.

There is a big dog. You can see his giant heart. It is red and pumps. The dog sees his friend. His tail wags quickly. His heart rate speeds up. Soon, his eyes are wide. Something else is there now. Poof. There is a cat. The cat is very small. You can barely his eyes. They are small and blue. The cat's back curls up He sees the giant canine. Her heart rate slows down. The friend is a deer. They have a brown bushy tail. The cat is its friend. The dog is its friend. The sun is high in the sky. There is a mirror. The sun starts to fall. The dog now sees the mirror. Now it sees itself. The deer is not there. The cat is not there either. It is just the dog. The mirror is big. Some would say it is deer shaped. Others would oppose. Others would oppose, because it is a cat shape. The dog would not agree. He has a big heart. He says it is the shape of both. There is only a dog.

1. I deserve this scholarship because I just want it. I am a terrible person who doesn't even go to college. I just want the money. I do not care about the educational aspect of it. 2. My academic and/or career goals are to be as lazy as possible. I will create a company just about laying down all day while watching sitcoms and forcing my parents to bring me my food in their basement. 3. There was never a time I have had to overcome an obstacle. I have a really easy life. I have never had to work for anything, and I have learned that doing nothing gets you everything you want.

When I started getting more into animated shows and movies, I discovered A Silent Voice, directed by Naoko Yamada. It was a powerful movie, especially for it to be one of the first animated movies I saw that was made in Japan. It impacted my life greatly. It taught me about the lengths of forgiveness, how far a smile can go, and how being hurt and suffering is so damaging and may go unnoticed in literally anyone you see. Seeing such a powerful piece made me rethink my actions and words with everyone I cross paths with. It even affected how I do my job at McDonald's. I see hundreds of people a day and deal with so many types of people. When I see someone who is extra quiet or extra rude, I make sure to keep my words nice. You never know what someone may be going through.

The biggest influences in my life have to be my parents. First, I’ll talk about my dad. My dad is the type of man who is strong, caring, confident, talented, and knows how to get things done. He and I have always been close. I guess you could call me a Daddy’s Girl. I’m not ashamed of it though. He knows a lot and he can teach me a lot. Even though he’s not constantly saying it, he is proud of me. Knowing he’s proud of me is what keeps me going. I enjoy knowing what I accomplish is not going unnoticed and it warms my heart. My dad recently retired but he worked for Verizon for over 30 years. Seeing him work for a company he never really liked for that long inspires me and makes me want to work for a company that I like for an even longer time. He shows me that even when the going gets tough, the tough keep going. He doesn’t give up and because of that, neither will I. He also teaches me lessons about the real world. He isn’t the type of adult to think climate change isn’t real, despite the obvious facts, he does a lot around the house, he fixes things when need be, and he knows how people are. He does his best to make sure I know as well and I appreciate that a lot. Now, I’ll talk about my mom. My mom is a strong, wonderful woman. She works in healthcare as a CNA and she has done so for over five years. She always talks about her patients and how happy they are to see her. Being a CNA is a tough job but she says that as long as she sees the impact she makes in the lives of people in need, she will never stop no matter how hard it gets. That inspires me to help others, in a different way though. I have always had more of a connection with small animals than I do with humans. Thus, I want to work with animals in need for my future career. I am going to study animal science at Rutgers University in the fall. I plan to take my mom’s views and work ethic into my educational life along with my future career. I am going to take my dad’s views and apply them to my home lifestyle. I like that the most about my parents being the biggest influences in my life. They both give so much and take so little. Their inspirational moments work best with all aspects of my life and it makes me have a good idea on how to do just about anything. Without them, I would be so clueless. Science is not the easiest thing to major in and life is definitely not going to be a walk in the park, but following both my parent’s footsteps, I will work hard and won’t give up, no matter how hard I get. Not only because they taught me well, but also because they believe in me and help me when I need it the most. They are both amazing people. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

I need this scholarship because the type of situation I am in often gets overlooked. I am in a situation where my parents do not count as someone in financial need, but paying for college would still be a struggle. I plan to go to Rutgers to study Animal Science because I want to help animals in the future. I am already accepted and committed to the school. Just the other day, my mother and I were looking at loans to help pay for school and there was a tool to help show what you would need to make to pay back the loan and the amount expected to pay the loan back is no amount a student fresh out of college would be able to afford. My father recently retired as well so we have that to consider too. They never had a college fund for me so they are going to have to pay out of pocket and then I will have to pay them back when I graduate. I feel so guilty about that because even though it is not my fault and my parents believe it is their job to pay for my education, I still can not help but feel guilty for putting them in such a situation. My situation also includes my academics. I am a straight-A student who got 1250 on SATs. I did not do many extracurricular activities, due to strict parents and an introverted personality, and I have around 20 hours of community service. I am ranked in the top 10 of my class as well. The issue is that for many scholarships I have applied to, that just has not been enough. I have applied to many scholarships already and they have all declined my application because there was someone who fit the role better. I am happy to be given the opportunity to be able to apply to so many scholarships and to have the chance to take the burden off my parents, even just a little bit. The issue is that I have had so many scholarships and companies decline me that I am starting to not want to apply anymore. I am going to keep applying because I know in the end that I tried, but it is still very discouraging. I understand that my situation is not as bad as others but it is overlooked by many and it is disheartening because I know I will be stuck in debt for a while and I am going to financially burden my parents. Education is important to me though so I am doing what I can to continue to learn and to help those animals in need. I will do anything it takes to do so.

The pandemic has affected my life and aspirations in a positive way. It gave me a chance to be with my family more. My sister, dad, mom, and I live under the same roof and we have not been as close as we are now. Thanks to the pandemic making schools go virtual, I have been spending more time with my family than I did before and I like it a lot. I especially like it because I will be moving away soon for college so having these moments together is more important than ever. It has affected my aspirations by making them stronger as well. I want to be an animal science major in college with a focus on companion animals. I have two dogs so I spent more time with them during the pandemic, which just solidified my thoughts on what I want to study. I love animals and want to help them in any way I can. It has also made me start teaching myself a language. I started learning Korean during the pandemic and I have always wanted to know another language. Being able to learn at my own pace is super helpful. Overall, despite all of the bad it brought with it, the pandemic did have a lot of positive impacts and I do not know if I would have it another way.

Laughter is the key to keep moving forward when the going gets tough. This meme is associated with one of my favorite shows The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. Whenever I get overwhelmed, I watch one of the episodes and laugh at the amazing, frustrating, hilarious content it contains. It brings me into another world, forgetting about everything else for 20 minutes. This meme embodies the personalities of the main characters when they are transformed into their alter egos so that is why I like it so much. Even if it never happened in the show, it is something that I can imagine happening. Every time I look at it, I laugh and everything the show contains is remembered again. I smile and remember that if two teenagers can save Paris, keep their humor and friendship, and still manage to be okay in any situation, then I can get past what I am dealing with too.

The First Photo: BamBam is probably the most relaxed dog I know until the bread gets taken out of the fridge. Then, it is as if he is a completely different dog. The Second Photo: Mr.Big never likes to pose for photos, but I got lucky enough to catch this rare moment thanks to him zoning out.