I believe that having healthy eating habits is crucial for maintaining overall well-being and leading a fulfilling life. It directly impacts our physical, mental, and emotional health. Here are several reasons why it is important to prioritize healthy eating habits. Firstly, a balanced diet provides the necessary nutrients and energy for our bodies to function optimally. Nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats supply the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants needed for proper growth, development, and maintenance of bodily functions. These nutrients support a strong immune system, and healthy organ function, and help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Secondly, healthy eating habits promote weight management. A well-balanced diet, coupled with regular physical activity, helps maintain a healthy weight. Consuming nutrient-dense foods and controlling portion sizes can prevent excessive calorie intake and reduce the risk of obesity. Obesity is associated with numerous health problems, including cardiovascular diseases, joint issues, and mental health disorders. Furthermore, healthy eating positively affects mental health. Studies have shown that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is linked to a lower risk of depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. On the other hand, diets high in processed foods, sugary snacks, and unhealthy fats can contribute to poor mental health outcomes. A nutritious diet supports brain health, improves mood, and enhances cognitive function, enabling better focus, memory, and overall mental well-being. Additionally, healthy eating habits foster good digestion and gut health. A diet high in fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains aids digestion, prevents constipation, and supports a healthy gut microbiome. A balanced gut microbiome has been linked to improved immune function, reduced inflammation, and enhanced mental health. Lastly, healthy eating habits can positively influence other aspects of life, such as productivity, energy levels, and self-esteem. Nutrient-rich foods fuel our bodies, providing sustained energy throughout the day. This leads to increased productivity, concentration, and better performance in daily activities. Moreover, adopting a healthy diet can boost self-esteem and body image, as it promotes a sense of self-care and empowerment. In conclusion, maintaining healthy eating habits is vital for overall well-being. It provides essential nutrients, supports weight management, enhances mental health, promotes digestion and gut health, and positively impacts various aspects of life. By making conscious choices to prioritize a balanced diet, we can improve our quality of life, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and enjoy a healthier and happier existence. I try to eat healthy because I am also a college athlete, playing the sport of softball for my school. I find that when I eat a balanced diet, I sleep better, have more energy and can focus more on the task at hand. The biggest difference with eating healthy is being able to maintain a healthy weight and not have to stress about being overweight.

Calculus, as a fundamental branch of mathematics, plays a crucial role in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. Its concepts and techniques are integral to various disciplines, providing a powerful framework for analyzing and understanding complex phenomena. Now let's explore the importance of calculus in the STEM field. Calculus enables scientists, engineers, and researchers to model and analyze a wide range of natural and man-made systems. From physics to biology, chemistry to economics, calculus provides the tools necessary to describe and predict how quantities change over time. It helps in formulating mathematical models that capture the behavior of physical phenomena, enabling scientists to study the growth of populations, the spread of diseases, the motion of celestial bodies, and much more. Calculus is fundamentally concerned with rates of change. Through the concepts of derivatives and differentials, calculus allows us to precisely measure and analyze how quantities change concerning one another. This understanding is vital in fields such as physics and engineering, where knowledge of rates of change helps in designing systems, optimizing processes, and predicting outcomes. Calculus provides a powerful language for describing motion, forces, energy, and other dynamic aspects of the natural world. Many real-world problems involve finding the maximum or minimum of a function. Calculus provides optimization techniques, such as finding critical points and applying the first and second derivative tests, to solve these problems efficiently. Optimization is crucial in engineering design, financial analysis, operations research, and other STEM disciplines. It helps in maximizing efficiency, minimizing costs, improving performance, and achieving desired outcomes. The world is filled with complex systems that interact and influence each other. Calculus equips scientists and engineers with the tools to study and understand these systems. Differential equations, a branch of calculus, are used to describe the relationships between variables in dynamic systems. They enable us to model phenomena like population dynamics, fluid flow, electrical circuits, and climate change. By solving these equations, researchers gain insights into system behavior, make predictions, and devise strategies for control and optimization. Calculus plays a pivotal role in technological advancements and innovation. In fields like computer science, data analysis, and machine learning, calculus is essential for understanding algorithms, optimizing processes, and developing predictive models. It underpins the mathematical foundations of artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making. Calculus also enables advancements in engineering disciplines, allowing for the design of sophisticated structures, efficient transportation systems, and powerful electrical networks. Studying calculus develops rigorous analytical thinking skills, which are invaluable across the STEM fields. It enhances problem-solving abilities, promotes logical reasoning, and cultivates a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. The discipline required to master calculus fosters a systematic approach to tackling complex problems, breaking them down into manageable steps, and applying appropriate techniques and principles. In conclusion, calculus is of paramount importance in the STEM field due to its ability to model and analyze complex phenomena, its role in understanding rates of change, its optimization techniques, its application in analyzing dynamic systems, its contributions to technological advancements, and its development of analytical thinking skills. By embracing calculus, scientists, engineers, and researchers can unlock a deeper understanding of the natural world, drive innovation, and address the complex challenges of our time.

My future self will be working at my favorite gaming company helping to create future games or apps that can change someone's life for the better.

Hello, my name is Kassidy Chase and I am an 18 year old first generation college freshman at Pennsylvania College of Technology majoring in Game and Simulation Programming. I have been a dog owner for most of my life. Before I was born my family rescued two Rottweilers, Lazer and Lexie. I learned at a very young age that dogs really are man's best friend. I was too young to help take care of them and they sadly passed away while I was still a toddler. Fast forward to February 2018 when my parents adopted Bella, an 8 week old lab mix. I was with my Mom when we picked her up. She was so cute and innocent. Then about 3 weeks later we adopted Harley from the same rescue we got Bella at, she was 8 weeks old as well and a Sheppard mix. Harley and I bonded immediately and I knew she would be my best friend. Getting 2 puppies a couple weeks apart really tests an owners patience as well as doubles the love received from them. Being a dog owner has many rewards, unconditional love is my top pick. No matter how bad a mood you might be in, coming home to these two is never a dull moment. Bella's nickname is "wiggle-butt", you can kind of figure that one out. It is so funny when we come home and she sees us her butt just goes a mile a minute. Harley gets excited in her own way, her favorite thing to do is play fight, she loves getting the zoomies and then wrestling with my Dad. My dogs play a very important role in my life, especially now that I am away in college. They are a part of this family. My Mom sends me pictures of Harley a couple times a week and I just have to smile at how cute she looks. Before I left for college Harley was my bunk mate. She loves sleeping at my feet. She's not much of a cuddler but she does love kisses. Our family goes camping during the summer and the dogs are always with us. I am responsible for feeding and taking them for walks as well as the clean up after. Dogs have helped teach me responsibility and what it means to care for an animal who can not take care of themselves. I am thankful that my family rescued these two from a life in a shelter and now they have a home, a nice yard and a family who will always love them no matter what. I thank you for this opportunity to tell you about my dogs.

The thing I love most about nature is sunsets, it is absolutely the most beautiful part of the day. The way I appreciate it is I will just go outside and lay down in the grass take some photos and then just lay there and enjoy the sun setting. Some of the photos I take I will print out and hang up in my room, it is a reminder of how beautiful mother nature can be. When I am laying in the grass that is also my me time where I can reflect on things and just lay there and enjoy the view that is before me. We are also a camping family and some of the places we have visited like Oswego, NY, have given some amazing views of the sunset especially on Lake Ontario. I just love the way the sun reflects off the water while it is setting. Mother nature never ceases to amaze me.

What I would do with $1000 right now, I would use it to help my parents pay for the laptop that I will be needing when I attend a Pennsylvania College of Technology to study Game and Simulation Programming. To an 18-year-old adult, $1000 is a lot of money that would really help pay toward my books and even the laptop computer that I need to get for my programming class. I researched different laptops and the one that is perfect for my class will cost about $2100. I really don't want my parents to have to pay all of it so this money would be used to purchase the laptop. I am also working a part-time job at Wal-Mart to save up money to pay for student loans once I graduate in 2026.I don't want my parents to have to help me pay for school, I would like for them to save their money and hopefully go on more vacations just the two of them, they deserve it. My parents raised me to be a responsible teenager, not only with money but also with responsibility. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship money.

Looking to the future, after graduating from Pennsylvania College of Technology with a bachelor's degree in Game and Simulation programming, my career goal is to try and change the world from behind the shadows. I would like to be able to create or be a part of a team that creates an app, a game or even a computer program that can go on to make a difference in this world in a positive way. I do not want to be the center of the spotlight or become famous, but I want to be the person who works endlessly in the background making change truly happen. I want to be a part of something bigger than myself and the world and being able to be a creator of an app or a computer program while also not being known worldwide would have to be the biggest dream of mine that I have for my future.

I am an 18-year-old high school senior who currently works part time as a cashier my local Wal-Mart store. After putting in 1 year of employment I received information about their 401K savings plan. Not knowing what this is I talked to my parents about it, and they convinced me to start putting a percentage of my paycheck into the 401K plan to begin saving and investing money in stocks to better set me up for my future retirement income. The best part about a 401K plan is I do not have to worry about knowing the stock market myself, the plan takes the money I have in there and invests it for me. I truly appreciated the advice my parents gave me because I know that they care about my future and want me to be set up to be able to take care of myself and whatever the future may hold for me.

I have never really had big dreams growing up but as I started to figure out who I was and what I was meant to do in life a few dreams popped into my head. My overall career goal is to try and change the world from behind the shadows. I want to be able to create or be a part of a team that creates an app a game or even a computer program that can go on to change the world. I do not want to be the center of the spotlight, but I want to be the person who works endlessly in the background making change truly happen. I want to be a part of something bigger than myself and the world and being able to be a creator of an app or game changing program while also not being known worldwide would have to be the biggest dream of mine.

I am the therapist friend out of my current friend group. I love being able to help those close and around me. A massive way that I do that is by being there when they need someone the most. In the past few days, I have been able to help one of my friends in a big way. Unfortunately, she has gone through some personal events that have now caused her trauma. One day she reached out to me through text, telling me that she needed help with something. She told me what she was going through and, I was able to help her and give her some advice on her situation. My advice calmed her down enough allowing, her to reflect on the advice I gave her and use it in a later predicament. Advising people who need it is what I find practical when someone needs help. I want to be the reliable friend that everyone needs in their times of need. While doing that, it allows me to help all those around me and do it in the most efficient way possible and, making it my favorite way to help people.

I would say the best piece of advice I have received would be from my parents, who after I got a part time job told me that no matter what I want to buy for myself always allocate a specific amount to be taken from my paycheck and put it into my savings account, so now when I get paid I have a set dollar amount that goes from my checking account directly into my savings account to help me attain my goal of going to college and alleviate some of the pressure off my parents financially. I plan on hopefully being able to pay for some of my debt that I will acquire while I am still pursuing my degree in Computer Programming and Game Simulation. I also plan on working part time while attending college to keep on earning towards my tuition. I am currently paying my own car insurance as well, that is a large relief for my parents, as a teenager is very expensive to insure. So my advice to the next generation of students would be, no matter what the latest and greatest cell phone or gaming system would be it's not going to help you financially to pay for college. Save your change whenever you pay cash and put it in a jar. It doesn't take long to accumulate a significant amount of money. Every month or two take that jar to the bank and deposit it and forget it. If it is an interest savings account you will earn interest on the amount you have in there. Remember every penny counts.