One of my earliest childhood memories is headbanging to “BYOB” by System of a Down at every chance. According to my parents, I always ran to the TV to watch the video and headbang along. Needless to say, I was raised in a Heavy Metal household. This became a huge part of my personality and musical taste. While my friends were listening to the country and pop stations, I was always tuning in to Octane or some other rock station. To this day, I prefer Ice Nine Kills, Motionless in White, and Beartooth over Taylor Swift, Beyonce, or Harry Styles. My name is Jazmyn Anderson, and I am a college student in Pittsburgh PA, originally from Meadville PA. Dance and music have been the most important aspects of my life. While I’m working, studying, walking to classes, or just sitting in my room, I am almost always listening to music. Ice Nine Kills is my favorite band to listen to, as their music combines horror and Metal, two of my favorite things. Science is my favorite area of study, which is a main factor in my choice to pursue healthcare. I also thoroughly enjoy learning about the criminal justice and the minds of serial killers, which is why I am minoring in criminology (criminal psychology and social work). As a rising sophomore at Chatham University in a rigorous 5 year Physician Assistant program, music is what keeps me sane most days. Maintaining a GPA higher than 3.6 is a necessary goal of mine, as it is a requirement for my guaranteed spot in the program. As a 4.0 high school graduate, I feel a strong passion to keep my college GPA as high as possible. I also aspire to make time for myself while also succeeding in my classes. I plan to become a Pediatric Physician Assistant in a small hospital when I graduate, as I would love to treat children while also maintaining a work-life balance. Since I plan to have a family while also working as a PA, a hospital with set working hours is ideal for me. My parents and I have come to an agreement that the majority of tuition will be paid by me, so scholarships are so vital for my situation. This scholarship involves something I am passionate about and is very generous, which would make it an honor to win. Jose Mangin has been my favorite radio host for as long as I can remember, so when I saw this opportunity I knew I had to take it. As someone who didn’t think about saving money before college, any money that can be put into my loan is extremely helpful and generous to me. Heavy Metal music is much more emotional than it sounds. To many people, the music is loud and aggressive, with its screaming and “extreme” background music. However, true Heavy Metal fans understand the work that goes into it, as well as the emotion that it conveys. Lyrics are my favorite part of the sound as a whole, as it is a simple way to release my emotions through music. When I am angry or upset, a good INK song that screams its lyrics can cheer me up and make me feel heard. On days when I am happy or excited, the music reflects those feelings and brings me even more joy. On sad days, Heavy Metal allows me to feel some rage and direct my feelings to the music so I can have a healthy outlet for them. In general, my life would be much more boring without this music, as it is a part of my daily life. Heavy Metal is a genre that is not meant for everyone, but it does provide a safe and exciting community to be in. I believe this scholarship opportunity is one of the most unique I have seen, as it gives a specific set of sometimes underrepresented people a way to explain ways Heavy Metal is important.