There’s a point when struggle stops feeling temporary and starts feeling like something you have to learn how to live with. For me, it wasn’t so much marked by any one thing as it was an increasing awareness of how heavy things could feel on the inside, even when everything appeared fine from without. I’ve felt the heaviness of that silence too. I know how sometimes stress, and pressure, and doubt can bubble until they blur the line between what you’re thinking and what is real, until it’d be easier to not feel at all or to escape through unhealthy means. I stopped pretending I was fine and dealt with what, apparently, was bothering me but I had ignored. It wasn’t simple I had to get used to the idea that not everything in life is comfortable. Sometimes you just need to bear the pain. Strength does not mean you are okay with everything life throws at you it means being able to acknowledge when something goes wrong, and doing your best to make it right. And through this I learnt better coping mechanisms, the importance of structure, how to ground myself when my thoughts felt overwhelming and to reach out for support rather than isolating. Most importantly, that recovery isn’t a one-time decision but a continuous choice of choosing better for yourself even on the days it’s hardest. These experiences have deeply shaped both who I am and who I want to become and are a large part of the reason I am applying to psychiatric residency. I want to understand, at a deeper level, the connection between mental health and substance use, why people struggle, what drives them toward particular coping mechanisms, and how they can best be helped to find healthier, lasting alternatives. But most of all, i want to be that one person through whom everybody can clearly see themselves when everything else seem so invisible. My educational goals are in line with my purpose. I am determined to pursue an undergraduate degree and further on to a medical school to acquire knowledge and preparation essential for a psychiatrist career. I am not going to walk down this road without being fully prepared it demands years of dedication and determination from me. However, I have acquired the concept of commitment through my experiences. Commitment entails staying on course even when the going gets tough. In essence, the same will to press on will push me towards reaching my goal. As I continue to grow, I realize that staying mentally healthy and remaining in recovery will never just happen. Staying in my routine whether that is school related, balance related or generally just monitoring how I am doing mentally is key for me. I need to continuously put myself in environments and relationships that are supportive because isolation is a slippery slope for me. And lastly, self-reflecting, adapting but most importantly holding myself accountable because “progress not perfection” couldn’t be more true specifically when it comes to the on-going journey of being in recovery. I know how silently one can weep. I know how easy it is for people to become invisible, when their hurt does not step over the threshold before them. That’s why I promise, I’ll become that person who listens, who comprehends, and guides others for a way. My experiences have not shattered me they made me the fighter I now am. more conscious and adamant and I am willing to utilize this strength to assist others who are in need.

There’s a point when struggle stops feeling temporary and starts feeling like something you have to learn how to live with. For me, it wasn’t so much marked by any one thing as it was an increasing awareness of how heavy things could feel on the inside, even when everything appeared fine from without. I’ve felt the heaviness of that silence too. I know how sometimes stress, and pressure, and doubt can bubble until they blur the line between what you’re thinking and what is real, until it’d be easier to not feel at all or to escape through unhealthy means. I know how for many that using becomes an escape in itself. I stopped pretending I was fine and dealt with what, apparently, was bothering me but I had ignored. It wasn’t simple I had to get used to the idea that not everything in life is comfortable. Sometimes you just need to bear the pain. Strength does not mean you are okay with everything life throws at you it means being able to acknowledge when something goes wrong, and doing your best to make it right. This process was neither swift nor simple because development never is easy. And through this I learnt better coping mechanisms, the importance of structure, how to ground myself when my thoughts felt overwhelming and to reach out for support rather than isolating. Most importantly, that recovery isn’t a one-time decision but a continuous choice of choosing better for yourself even on the days it’s hardest. These experiences have deeply shaped both who I am and who I want to become and are a large part of the reason I am applying to psychiatric residency. I want to understand, at a deeper level, the connection between mental health and substance use, why people struggle, what drives them toward particular coping mechanisms, and how they can best be helped to find healthier, lasting alternatives. But most of all, I want to be that one person through who everybody can clearly see themselves when everything else seem so invisible. My educational goals are in line with my purpose. I am determined to pursue an undergraduate degree and further on to a medical school to acquire knowledge and preparation essential for a psychiatrist career. I am not going to walk down this road without being fully prepared it demands years of dedication and determination from me. However, I have acquired the concept of commitment through my experiences. In essence, the same will to press on will push me towards reaching my goal. As I continue to grow, I realize that staying mentally healthy and remaining in recovery will never just happen. It needs to be on purpose. For me, this means many things but most of all it means being consistent. I need to continuously put myself in environments and relationships that are supportive because isolation is a slippery slope for me. And lastly, self-reflecting, adapting but most importantly holding myself accountable because “progress not perfection” couldn’t be more true specifically when it comes to the on-going journey of being in recovery. I know how silently one can weep. I know how easy it is for people to become invisible, when their hurt does not step over the threshold before them. That’s why I promise, I’ll become that person who listens, who comprehends, and guides others for a way. My experiences have not shattered me they made me the fighter I now am more conscious and adamant and I am willing to utilize this strength to assist others who are in need.

There’s a point when struggle stops feeling temporary and starts feeling like something you have to learn how to live with. For me, it wasn’t so much marked by any one thing as it was an increasing awareness of how heavy things could feel on the inside, even when everything appeared fine from without. I realized that mental health isn’t always apparent and that silence can be one of its most insidious manifestations. I’ve felt the heaviness of that silence too. I know how sometimes stress, and pressure, and doubt can bubble until they blur the line between what you’re thinking and what is real, until it’d be easier to not feel at all or to escape through unhealthy means. I know how for many that using becomes an escape in itself; and I’ve seen how fast an escape can morph into just one more thing you’re a captive of. That awareness changed me. I stopped pretending I was fine and dealt with what, apparently, was bothering me but I had ignored. It wasn’t simple I had to get used to the idea that not everything in life is comfortable. Sometimes you just need to bear the pain. Strength does not mean you are okay with everything life throws at you it means being able to acknowledge when something goes wrong, and doing your best to make it right. This process was neither swift nor simple because development never is easy. And through this I learnt better coping mechanisms, the importance of structure (even when motivation is lacking), how to ground myself when my thoughts felt overwhelming and to reach out for support rather than isolating. Most importantly, that recovery isn’t a one-time decision but a continuous choice of choosing better for yourself even on the days it’s hardest. These experiences have deeply shaped both who I am and who I want to become and are a large part of the reason I am applying to psychiatric residency. I want to understand, at a deeper level, the connection between mental health and substance use, why people struggle, what drives them toward particular coping mechanisms, and how they can best be helped to find healthier, lasting alternatives. But most of all, i want to be that one person through whom everybody can clearly see themselves when everything else seem so invisible. My educational goals are in line with my purpose. I am determined to pursue an undergraduate degree and further on to a medical school to acquire knowledge and preparation essential for a psychiatrist career. I am not going to walk down this road without being fully prepared it demands years of dedication and determination from me. However, I have acquired the concept of commitment through my experiences. Commitment entails staying on course even when the going gets tough. In essence, the same will to press on will push me towards reaching my goal. As I continue to grow, I realize that staying mentally healthy and remaining in recovery will never just happen. It needs to be on purpose. For me, this means many things but most of all it means being consistent. Staying in my routine whether that is school related, balance related or generally just monitoring how I am doing mentally is key for me. I need to continuously put myself in environments and relationships that are supportive because isolation is a slippery slope for me. And lastly, self-reflecting, adapting but most importantly holding myself accountable because “progress not perfection” couldn’t be more true specifically when it comes to the on-going journey of being in recovery. I know how silently one can weep. I know how easy it is for people to become invisible, when their hurt does not step over the threshold before them. That’s why I swear, I’ll become that person who listens, who comprehends, and guides others for a way. My experiences have not shattered me- they made me the fighter I now am. more conscious and adamant and I am willing to utilize this strength to assist others who are in need.

There’s a point when struggle stops feeling temporary and starts feeling like something you have to learn how to live with. For me, it wasn’t so much marked by any one thing as it was an increasing awareness of how heavy things could feel on the inside, even when everything appeared fine from without. I realized that mental health isn’t always apparent and that silence can be one of its most insidious manifestations. I’ve felt the heaviness of that silence too. I know how sometimes stress, and pressure, and doubt can bubble until they blur the line between what you’re thinking and what is real, until it’d be easier to not feel at all or to escape through unhealthy means. I know how for many that using becomes an escape in itself; and I’ve seen how fast an escape can morph into just one more thing you’re a captive of. That awareness changed me. I stopped pretending I was fine and dealt with what, apparently, was bothering me but I had ignored. It wasn’t simple I had to get used to the idea that not everything in life is comfortable. Sometimes you just need to bear the pain. Strength does not mean you are okay with everything life throws at you it means being able to acknowledge when something goes wrong, and doing your best to make it right. This process was neither swift nor simple because development never is easy. And through this I learnt better coping mechanisms, the importance of structure (even when motivation is lacking), how to ground myself when my thoughts felt overwhelming and to reach out for support rather than isolating. Most importantly, that recovery isn’t a one-time decision but a continuous choice of choosing better for yourself even on the days it’s hardest. These experiences have deeply shaped both who I am and who I want to become and are a large part of the reason I am applying to psychiatric residency. I want to understand, at a deeper level, the connection between mental health and substance use, why people struggle, what drives them toward particular coping mechanisms, and how they can best be helped to find healthier, lasting alternatives. But most of all, i want to be that one person through whom everybody can clearly see themselves when everything else seem so invisible. My educational goals are in line with my purpose. I am determined to pursue an undergraduate degree and further on to a medical school to acquire knowledge and preparation essential for a psychiatrist career. I am not going to walk down this road without being fully prepared it demands years of dedication and determination from me. However, I have acquired the concept of commitment through my experiences. Commitment entails staying on course even when the going gets tough. In essence, the same will to press on will push me towards reaching my goal. As I continue to grow, I realize that staying mentally healthy and remaining in recovery will never just happen. It needs to be on purpose. For me, this means many things but most of all it means being consistent. Staying in my routine whether that is school related, balance related or generally just monitoring how I am doing mentally is key for me. I need to continuously put myself in environments and relationships that are supportive because isolation is a slippery slope for me. And lastly, self-reflecting, adapting but most importantly holding myself accountable because “progress not perfection” couldn’t be more true specifically when it comes to the on-going journey of being in recovery. I know how silently one can weep. I know how easy it is for people to become invisible, when their hurt does not step over the threshold before them. That’s why I swear, I’ll become that person who listens, who comprehends, and guides others for a way. My experiences have not shattered me they made me the fighter I now am. more conscious and adamant and I am willing to utilize this strength to assist others who are in need.

My relationship with Christ affects my faith because I truly believe faith without action is dead. A relationship with Christ is equal to faith. I use my faith through my educational journey by using it to help guide myself to a greater and true education by using the words of Christ such as truthfulness and righteousness. As a rising freshman at Arizona State University, I am excited to major in Psychology. My faith in Jesus plays a huge role in my life and shapes how I approach my studies. Jesus teaches us to seek truth and live righteously, and I try to reflect these values in my academic journey. My high school GPA was 3.3, which shows that I put in effort and dedication to my studies. However, I know that my faith has helped me achieve more than just grades. Jesus teaches us to be honest and diligent in all we do. I try to be truthful in my work, never taking shortcuts, and always giving my best effort. This commitment to honesty and hard work is something I will carry with me into college. In my psychology studies, I plan to use my faith to guide me towards understanding and helping others. Jesus often spoke about love and compassion, and I want to reflect these teachings in my future career. By studying psychology, I hope to help people overcome their struggles and find peace and happiness in their lives. My faith will be my compass, guiding me to make ethical decisions and treat everyone with kindness and respect. Being a Middle Eastern woman, I am aware of the challenges I may face. However, my faith gives me strength and courage. Jesus faced many challenges and overcame them with grace and perseverance. I will draw on His example as I navigate my college years. My faith reminds me that I am never alone and that I can achieve great things with determination and trust in God. At ASU, I plan to get involved in campus ministries and faith-based groups. These communities will help me stay grounded in my faith and provide support as I pursue my education. I also hope to share my faith with others, showing them the love and compassion of Jesus through my actions and words. In conclusion, my relationship with Jesus deeply affects my faith and guides me in my educational journey. By living truthfully and righteously, I strive to honor Him in all I do. My faith will help me navigate the challenges of college, and I am committed to using my education to help others, reflecting the love and compassion of Christ. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply for the God Hearted Girls Scholarship and hope to continue growing in my faith and education at Arizona State University.

Hi, my name is Julia Habil, I have experienced bullying first hand. From grades k-2 not only students but teachers would bully me. I would go to school and hear “talk to the grass” “your dumb” This left me feeling hurt, my kindergarten teacher once went to the front of the classroom to show everyone in the class that I did one simple thing wrong. She let all the other kids make fun of me. This type of bullying you can truly scar someone regardless of how old or young. Humans need unconditional love and it especially hurts when people are doing the complete opposite. I want and will advocate to stop the bullying. In my Highschool I’m apart of a class that is designated to help students in need, this class is called Eagle crew you may have heard the other term “link crew,” it is the same concept. In my school there is a bullying problem and being apart of this crew makes it my job to go around talking to kids about bullying. For example today I had went into classrooms doing activities for the younger grades, these activities had a moral lesson behind them, That was to not bully other even if they are different then you, or if you don’t think you like them, instead give others a chance. I truly believe this activity opened some eyes. In one of the classrooms there was one boy who said something in the lines of “everyone thinks I’m a joke anyways and no one will want to be my partner.” This was heartbreaking for me, until I saw a young girl who said she will be his partner. I want to be apart of mental health careers because I too suffer from mental illness. I have sever anxiety with a suspected ADHD. It is so hard to try and go through illnesses alone, or so I thought I was alone. Mental health workers make it to truly inspiring to get better and they let those who are suffering know they are not alone. They make a difference. I would love to be apart of this difference. Yes, I am not perfect and I mess up, but what matters is I pick my self up and go again. Id like to show others that it’s possible to get better, to grow, to be happy in a world that seems to despise you. I’d love to be apart of that growth and that environment. I will strive to make the community better by working and listening to others and what is happening in their lives. Spreading good advice and new ideas to help kindness go around our environment.