My story is not something I talk about often due to the morbid details; however, my life story is how I have become who I am today. As of today, I can say I have overcome some of the most challenging obstacles a person can face: child abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, and poverty. Thankfully, I am safe and healthy and live in a beautiful apartment with my mom as I follow my dreams of studying psychology; however, I want to help her fund my college studies by sharing my story. I lived in an unsafe environment with someone my mother and I used to trust; by leaving him, we left behind half of our belongings as well as our primary source of income. We became homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for 7 months. We eventually found our way to where we live now and are working hard to find funding for my school career. The dreams I hold for myself stem from the hardships I have experienced this past year. I want to provide for myself without relying on anyone, own my house and furniture, and eventually fund my mother's retirement. This scholarship would be a weight lifted off my mother's and my shoulders because it would prove to me that I can win scholarships and that I have a chance at helping my mother fund my educational journey. One of my dreams is to help those who don't seem to have a voice regarding their mental health. I have experienced firsthand what it is like to want to take your own life, and I don't want anyone ever to feel that kind of pain or deal with it alone. I have already started working on how I would help people with their issues by talking to them about their struggles and how they can take baby steps to solve the problem they are currently facing. I am passionate about achieving my dreams because I was raised with the saying, "You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be." This family saying has been a mantra I have taken to heart for many years. The path of my studies is not easy, and I'm not sure I will be able to impact the world positively; however, my studies will positively affect the people around me in the occupation I find later. It is unclear what occupation I want to take after I graduate, but whatever field I choose to start in will help others who have gone through similar hardships as the ones I've faced. I want to positively impact their lives to ensure they feel like they have someone to talk to whenever they feel too close to the edge. I know how important it is to have someone there to pull you back to reality when you're spiraling. It is like having a weight lifted off your shoulders when you know someone is there for you. I plan to use my career to positively affect people and slowly make a difference in the world. I hope my story can bring hope to anyone in a similar situation and inspire those who wish to do something similar in their lifetime. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.

My story is not something I talk about often due to the morbid details; however, my life story is how I have become who I am today. As of today, I can say I have overcome some of the most challenging obstacles a person can face: child abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, and poverty. Thankfully, I am safe and healthy and live in a beautiful apartment with my mom as I follow my dreams of studying psychology; however, I want to help her fund my college studies by sharing my story. I lived in an unsafe environment with someone my mother and I used to trust; by leaving him, we left behind half of our belongings as well as our primary source of income. We became homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for 7 months. We eventually found our way to where we live now and are working hard to find funding for my school career. The dreams I hold for myself stem from the hardships I have experienced this past year. I want to provide for myself without relying on anyone, own my house and furniture, and eventually fund my mother's retirement. This scholarship would be a weight lifted off my mother's and my shoulders because it would prove to me that I can win scholarships and that I have a chance at helping my mother fund my educational journey. One of my dreams is to help those who don't seem to have a voice regarding their mental health. I have experienced firsthand what it is like to want to take your own life, and I don't want anyone ever to feel that kind of pain or deal with it alone. I have already started working on how I would help people with their issues by talking to them about their struggles and how they can take baby steps to solve the problem they are currently facing. I am passionate about achieving my dreams because I was raised with the saying, "You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be." This family saying has been a mantra I have taken to heart for many years. The path of my studies is not easy, and I'm not sure I will be able to impact the world positively; however, my studies will positively affect the people around me in the occupation I find later. It is unclear what occupation I want to take after I graduate, but whatever field I choose to start in will help others who have gone through similar hardships as the ones I've faced. I want to positively impact their lives to ensure they feel like they have someone to talk to whenever they feel too close to the edge. I know how important it is to have someone there to pull you back to reality when you're spiraling. It is like having a weight lifted off your shoulders when you know someone is there for you. That is how I plan on using my career to make a positive effect on people and slowly make a difference in the world. I hope my story can bring hope to anyone in a similar situation and inspire those who wish to do something similar in their lifetime. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.

College is a right of passage for everyone. It doesn't matter where you come from or who you are; it's a chance to make friends and memories and allow yourself the opportunity of a lifetime. It gives you a headstart in life that people later regret passing up. I always knew that I would go to college and make my way in the world. My mother always encouraged it, but I never truly understood why she would always push it on me. However, I finally understood her reasoning behind encouraging me to pursue college instead of anything else. There has been a pattern in my family for generations of family members wanting to go to college but finding love instead. They push their education aside, which comes back to bite them when the relationship fails; they can't go back to school because now they need to provide for their children and pay the bills. It didn't matter if it was a man or a woman in my family. No one I know of pursued education. The pattern of not pursuing education ends with me. I must pursue education above everything else because I never want to rely on anyone else as my primary source of income. I want the money I make from my career to go in and out of my bank account, not someone else's. My whole life, I have watched the women in my family rely on their husbands for their money, and when the men they love decide they don't want anything to do with us, they toss us aside with nothing more than a hypothetical bag of money. I have seen my mother bleed herself dry for work to make sure she can provide for her children. I believe that is what impacted me the most about education, my mother. My mother would have gone far in her education without someone reassuring her that they would provide for her, and because of that, she now has to work two jobs to keep her head above water. Who wants to live a life like that? I sure don't. I would love nothing more than to show my mother that I will be ok providing for myself with the educational path I have behind me. My academic path will be the legacy I leave behind in my family—the breaker of the chain that has cursed my family with dependence on others. I will also be the first woman in my family to show it is possible to break generational patterns of dependence. I will be the first woman in my family to graduate college and have a degree to prove it. College is the means to a end for me, studying psychology will give me the knowledge and the access to help others with their mental disabilities and give them the materials to get better not for someone else, but for themselves. I wish to accomplish so much in my lifetime, and my journey starts with achieving my dream of going to school to study psychology. That will be my legacy. That is why it is so important to me to attend college. Achieving this scholarship means that I will be able to take a weight off my other shoulders and ease her anxiety about not being able to afford my college education. It will prove to not only her but also to myself that I am worthy of achieving something as crucial as a scholarship and that I can obtain more with time and effort.

As a child, no one expects to hear the words that summarize "you have a disability." The word disability has a wide variety of outcomes that you could be diagnosed with, and at a young age, half of the disabilities are hidden in the dark by those around us. I didn't know what the word disability meant when I was young, but now my whole life is defined by my mental disabilities. The mental disability known as ADHD has been a part of my family history for years. My grandma, mother, brother, uncle, and cousins have ADHD, so when I was diagnosed at a young age, I didn't know what to expect since they seemed normal in my eyes. Reflecting on my past, I see now that I struggled heavily in my studies, especially subjects I didn't understand. I will never forget this one instance where I studied for two days for a math test that was coming up, but when I sat down to take it, there was no information, it was like I hadn't studied at all. I flipped between each page, begging that there was one question I could remember, but there was nothing. My teacher eventually came up to me and took me to the nurse's office, I was hyperventilating and sobbing, begging for another chance. That was the first of many test-taking incidents I would face in my lifetime. Although my education journey during school was very challenging, I found keeping the friends I made just as tricky. One of the symptoms of ADHD is impulsive behaviors, which means that people with ADHD don't think their actions through before they go through with them. This led me to cause a rift between the friends I made because I found the things I did funny, but they found them weird. This caused me to lose self-confidence and fall harder into depression before I knew I had it. Nonetheless, as I grew up, I found people who matched my weirdness and encouraged me to be myself instead of minimizing my personality. As I advance, whenever I look for romantic or platonic relationships, I look for those who won't pull me down for being myself. The steps I have taken to prioritize my mental health were challenging to implement into my everyday life. Medication was one of the biggest requirements for me to function correctly when learning; it ensured that my mind was focused and that any distractions were minimal. My physical health also made a difference in my learning; when I didn't feel like taking my medication, I would work out or meditate to get my mind in the right headspace needed to get my work done. It has taken me years to understand what can and can't work when it came to my mental health. I want to pass along what I have learned about my mental state to someone else who needs help just as much as I did. I want to break the silence of how much people with ADHD struggle in there daily lives by earning my degree in psychology and taking what I have learned to a career that is made for helping those overcome and control their daily struggles.

My story is not something I talk about often due to the morbid details; however, my life story is how I have become who I am today. As of today, I can say I have overcome some of the most challenging obstacles a person can face: child abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, and poverty. Thankfully, I am safe and healthy and live in a beautiful apartment with my mom as I follow my dreams of studying psychology; however, I want to help her fund my college studies by sharing my story. I lived in an unsafe environment with someone my mother and I used to trust; by leaving him, we left behind half of our belongings as well as our primary source of income. We became homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for 7 months. We eventually found our way to where we live now and are working hard to find funding for my school career. The dreams I hold for myself stem from the hardships I have experienced this past year. I want to provide for myself without relying on anyone, own my house and furniture, and eventually fund my mother's retirement. This scholarship would be a weight lifted off my mother's and my shoulders because it would prove to myself that I can win scholarships and that I have a chance at helping my mother fund my educational journey. One of my dreams is to help those who don't seem to have a voice regarding their mental health. I have experienced firsthand what it is like to want to take your own life, and I don't want anyone ever to feel that kind of pain or deal with it alone. I have already started working on how I would help people with their issues by talking to them about their struggles and how they can take baby steps to solve the problem they are currently facing. I am passionate about achieving my dreams because I was raised with the saying, "You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be." This family saying has been a mantra I have taken to heart for many years. The path of my studies is not easy, and I'm not sure I will be able to impact the world positively; however, my studies will positively affect the people around me in the occupation I find later. It is unclear what occupation I want to take after I graduate, but whatever field I choose to start in will help others that have gone through similar hardships like the ones I've faced. I want to positively impact their lives to ensure they feel like they have someone to talk to whenever they feel too close to the edge. I know how important it is to have someone there to pull you back to reality when you're spiraling, it is like having a weight lifted off your shoulders when you know someone is there for you. That is how I plan on using my career to make a positive effect on people and slowly make a difference in the world. I hope my story can bring hope to anyone in a similar situation and inspire those who wish to do something similar in their lifetime. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.

I will never forget the pain in my mother's voice as I heard her say "I don't think I can keep living like this, I just want to end it all!" My mother, the strongest person in the world in my eyes, telling me she wants her life to end. From that moment on, I became her anchor, her shoulder to cry on to ensure that she would make it through the hardships of our life. My life mission was to study the human brain and techniques to help those struggling. I became a therapist for three years for my mother, any time she broke down, I would be there to talk her through what she was feeling and what made her feel like that. Seeing her in such a state of sadness made me want to help her even more, to get her back to the independent, helpful, happy woman I remember. Over time, our sessions became less frequent, and she would slowly regain her strength to take on the world. I reminded her that she was needed in this world, that her life has a purpose and that she couldn't give up, no matter how hard she wanted to. While being my mother's emotional support, I realized how good I was at helping support people get over their hardships. Once she was better, I turned my full attention to my psychology studies to ensure I could find more ways to help people overcome their issues. The path of my studies is not easy, and I'm not sure I will be able to impact the world positively; however, my studies will affect the people around me in my occupation. It is unclear what occupation I will take after I graduate, but whatever field I choose will help others that have gone through similar hardships like the ones I've faced. I want to positively impact their lives to ensure they feel like they have someone to talk to whenever they feel too close to the edge. I know how important it is to have someone there to pull you back to reality when you're spiraling, it is like having a weight lifted off your shoulders when you know someone is there for you. That is how I plan on using my career to make a positive effect on people and slowly make a difference in the world.

My story is not something I talk about often due to the morbid details; however, my life story is how I have become who I am today. As of today, I can say I have overcome some of the most challenging obstacles a person can face: child abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, and poverty. Thankfully, I am safe and healthy and live in a beautiful apartment with my mom as I follow my dreams of studying psychology; however, I want to help her fund my college studies by sharing my story. I lived in an unsafe environment with someone my mother and I used to trust; by leaving him, we left behind half of our belongings as well as our primary source of income. We became homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for 7 months. We eventually found our way to where we live now and are working hard to find funding for my school career. The dreams I hold for myself stem from the hardships I have experienced this past year. I want to provide for myself without relying on anyone, own my house and furniture, and eventually fund my mother's retirement. This scholarship would be a weight lifted off my mother's and my shoulders because it would prove to myself that I can win scholarships and that I have a chance at helping my mother fund my educational journey. One of my dreams is to help those who don't seem to have a voice regarding their mental health. I have experienced firsthand what it is like to want to take your own life, and I don't want anyone ever to feel that kind of pain or deal with it alone. I have already started working on how I would help people with their issues by talking to them about their struggles and how they can take baby steps to solve the problem they are currently facing. I am passionate about achieving my dreams because I was raised with the saying, "You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be." This family saying has been a mantra I have taken to heart for many years. The path of my studies is not easy, and I'm not sure I will be able to impact the world positively; however, my studies will positively affect the people around me in the occupation I find later. It is unclear what occupation I want to take after I graduate, but whatever field I choose to start in will help others that have gone through similar hardships like the ones I've faced. I want to positively impact their lives to ensure they feel like they have someone to talk to whenever they feel too close to the edge. I know how important it is to have someone there to pull you back to reality when you're spiraling, it is like having a weight lifted off your shoulders when you know someone is there for you. That is how I plan on using my career to make a positive effect on people and slowly make a difference in the world. I hope my story can bring hope to anyone in a similar situation and inspire those who wish to do something similar in their lifetime. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.

The way I would describe my health, both mental and physical, is inconsistent. Since before I got diagnosed with ADHD and depression, I found it hard to do activities that I wasn't used to or didn't have a fondness for. It's almost like my DNA prevents me from getting into the habit of doing things I don't prefer; however, this past year, I have learned a lot about my body and what it needs me to do to stay happy and healthy. During the last few years, I have dealt with more ADHD and depressive episodes that I can count. 90% of the population has an idea of what happens to a person during a depressive episode, they feel sad, have no motivation, they want to be alone with their thoughts, they don't eat or get out of bed, etc.; however, a lot of people didn't know that people with ADHD can have episodes too. In one of these episodes, it seems like your brain wants you to fail at everyday tasks, any information you are trying to learn during that episode won't stick in your brain, it feels like it goes in one ear and out the other, you're overstimulated to every sound, sight, and feeling, so much to the point where it causes a break down. I wouldn't have these episodes at the same time, but sometimes one would trigger the other, and it would affect me the next day, for example, I would have an ADHD episode that triggers my depressive episode the next day. I had no idea how to fix these mental issues, especially since I was going through the most challenging time of my life during the height of these episodes; however, due to my studies in psychology, I learned several ways to help my body heal and get through these episodes naturally. These lessons would also help my physical health in the long run. In my studies, I learned that physical and mental health are hand in hand, if you help one, you support the other. I read that a lot of people with depression turn to exercise to clear their head and blow off stress from their daily activities. Eating healthier also helps since depressive episodes affect how you eat, either you don't eat at all or you eat junk food. Reflecting on my studies, I found that many of my habits matched those of the people in my textbooks, so I quite literally took a page out of their book. I turned to exercise and meditation to help clear my mind of any negative thoughts, and as I was starting my journey to a healthier mind and body, I found great difficulty getting started and sticking with my plan. I didn't have the motivation to go every day, so I would push it off to every other day, and then those periods I worked out got longer. I'm not sure what happened, but one day, the struggle stopped. I was motivated to go to the gym and walk around the neighborhood, but I turned to healthier snacks instead of convenience snacks. I saw the difference not only in my mental health but also in my physical health. The reason I am motivated to apply to scholarships again is that my mental health is more apparent than it has been in the past five years. Getting into a habit of working on yourself is not a waste of time, as some might think. If you work on yourself to help you become healthier, you will see the results in your work.

College is a right of passage for everyone. It doesn't matter where you come from or who you are; it's a chance to make friends and memories and allow yourself the opportunity of a lifetime. It gives you a headstart in life that people later regret passing up. I always knew that I would go to college and make my way in the world. My mother always encouraged it, but I never truly understood why she would always push it on me. However, I finally understood her reasoning behind encouraging me to pursue college instead of anything else. There has been a pattern in my family for generations of family members wanting to go to college but finding love instead. They push their education aside, which comes back to bite them when the relationship fails; they can't go back to school because now they need to provide for their children and pay the bills. It didn't matter if it was a man or a woman in my family. No one I know of pursued education. The pattern of not pursuing education ends with me. I must pursue education above everything else because I never want to rely on anyone else as my primary source of income. I want the money I make from my career to go in and out of my bank account, not someone else's. My whole life, I have watched the women in my family rely on their husbands for their money, and when the men they love decide they don't want anything to do with us, they toss us aside with nothing more than a hypothetical bag of money. I have seen my mother bleed herself dry for work to make sure she can provide for her children. I believe that is what impacted me the most about education, my mother. My mother would have gone far in her education without someone reassuring her that they would provide for her, and because of that, she now has to work two jobs to keep her head above water. Who wants to live a life like that? I sure don't. I would love nothing more than to show my mother that I will be ok providing for myself with the educational path I have behind me. My academic path will be the legacy I leave behind in my family—the breaker of the chain that has cursed my family with dependence on others. Not only will I be the first person in my family not to get married at a young age, but I will also be the first woman to show it is possible to break generational patterns of dependence. I will be the first woman in my family to graduate college and have a degree to prove it. That will be my legacy. That is why it is so important to me to attend college. Achieving this scholarship means that I will be able to take a weight off my other shoulders and ease her anxiety about not being able to afford my college education. It will prove to not only her but also to myself that I am worthy of achieving something as crucial as a scholarship and that I can obtain more with time and effort.

My story is not something I talk about often due to the morbid details; however, my life story is how I have become who I am today. As of today, I can say I have overcome some of the most challenging obstacles a person can face: child abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, and poverty. Thankfully, I am safe and healthy and live in a beautiful apartment with my mom as I follow my dreams of studying psychology; however, I want to help her fund my college studies by sharing my story. I lived in an unsafe environment with someone my mother and I used to trust; by leaving him, we left behind half of our belongings as well as our primary source of income. We became homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for 7 months. We eventually found our way to where we live now and are working hard to find funding for my school career. The dreams I hold for myself stem from the hardships I have experienced this past year. I want to provide for myself without relying on anyone, own my house and furniture, and eventually fund my mother's retirement. This scholarship would be a weight lifted off my mother's and my shoulders because it would prove to myself that I can win scholarships and that I have a chance at helping my mother fund my educational journey. One of my dreams is to help those who don't seem to have a voice regarding their mental health. I have experienced firsthand what it is like to want to take your own life, and I don't want anyone ever to feel that kind of pain or deal with it alone. I have already started working on how I would help people with their issues by talking to them about their struggles and how they can take baby steps to solve the problem they are currently facing. I am passionate about achieving my dreams because I was raised with the saying, "You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be." This family saying has been a mantra I have taken to heart for many years. The path of my studies is not easy, and I'm not sure I will be able to impact the world positively; however, my studies will positively affect the people around me in the occupation I find later. It is unclear what occupation I want to take after I graduate, but whatever field I choose to start in will help others that have gone through similar hardships like the ones I've faced. I want to positively impact their lives to ensure they feel like they have someone to talk to whenever they feel too close to the edge. I know how important it is to have someone there to pull you back to reality when you're spiraling, it is like having a weight lifted off your shoulders when you know someone is there for you. That is how I plan on using my career to make a positive effect on people and slowly make a difference in the world.

Three years ago, I learned the hard way how badly mental health can affect a person and their family. I used to think my family was perfect, sure we had our spats and traumas, but I thought it was perfect; however, that bubble I lived in was full of lies and eventually, that bubble popped. The anger that ran through my family slowly tore away at some of the branches in my family tree, causing connections to be severed. The depression that plagued our minds caused family members to turn to alcohol or drugs to try and numb the feeling of sadness. My family, once whole and beautiful, was now torn apart into separate families that barely left their bubble. But my family isn't the primary fault in my mental illness, it's the poorly dealt hand I have been given the past few years. I went from being healthy and happy with friends, to homeless, scared, depressed, with no one to talk to. I trusted the wrong person, leaving me without a house and anything to call my own besides a few bags of clothes. I thought to the universe, "Why would you do this to me? "I thought you were supposed to protect me. Why have you taken everything away from me?" Once I became homeless, I only had my mother with me for a tiny bit of time until my aunt and uncle took us in and we lived in their basement for seven months. Seven months of being homeless. I never thought I would be plagued with such a tragedy. That basement became my cocoon of sadness and anger that I rarely left. I witnessed how the situation affected my mother, she became a shell of herself, blaming herself every waking moment for what had happened. In a way, it strengthened our bond since we were there to comfort each other every time we broke down. My relationship with my aunt and uncle strengthened, too, since they didn't ask us for a dime while we lived with them. They helped us every day by sheltering us, and for that, I can never repay them. During this time, I reflected on my life and what the universe had in store for us. "Everything happens for a reason," I would say to myself. But as time passed, that saying got harder and harder to repeat, wondering why my life would lead me here. My world continuously got darker, as if I would never pull myself out of the grave the universe seemed to have dug for me, I wondered if I should do them a favor and speed up the process of my life ending, but I never did it. I believed there was something more for me out in the world; I wanted to see the whole world, and I just needed to get past this awful chapter of life. Soon enough, the chapter ended and a new one began, where I lived in a beautiful apartment with my mom and continued my studies for school. I had finally started the chapter that would slowly heal my mental wounds. These experiences in my life have fueled my need and desire to help others who are going through similar situations. I want to be the crane that lifts the weight off other people's shoulders and throws it out the window. I want to be their belief system, to tell them to hold on because this is not the end, it is merely the beginning of a new chapter of life.

Three years ago, I learned the hard way how badly mental health can affect a person and their family. I used to think my family was perfect, sure we had our spats and traumas, but I thought it was perfect; however, that bubble I lived in was full of lies and eventually, that bubble popped. The anger that ran through my family slowly tore away at some of the branches in my family tree, causing connections to be severed. The depression that plagued our minds caused family members to turn to alcohol or drugs to try and numb the feeling of sadness. My family, once whole and beautiful, was now torn apart into separate families that barely left their bubble. But my family isn't the primary fault in my mental illness, it's the poorly dealt hand I have been given the past few years. I went from being healthy and happy with friends, to homeless, scared, depressed, with no one to talk to. I trusted the wrong person, leaving me without a house and anything to call my own besides a few bags of clothes. I thought to the universe, "Why would you do this to me? "I thought you were supposed to protect me. Why have you taken everything away from me?" Once I became homeless, I only had my mother with me for a tiny bit of time until my aunt and uncle took us in and we lived in their basement for seven months. Seven months of being homeless. I never thought I would be plagued with such a tragedy. That basement became my cocoon of sadness and anger that I rarely left. I witnessed how the situation affected my mother, she became a shell of herself, blaming herself every waking moment for what had happened. In a way, it strengthened our bond since we were there to comfort each other every time we broke down. My relationship with my aunt and uncle strengthened, too, since they didn't ask us for a dime while we lived with them. They helped us every day by sheltering us, and for that, I can never repay them. During this time, I reflected on my life and what the universe had in store for us. "Everything happens for a reason," I would say to myself. But as time passed, that saying got harder and harder to repeat, wondering why my life would lead me here. My world continuously got darker, as if I would never pull myself out of the grave the universe seemed to have dug for me, I wondered if I should do them a favor and speed up the process of my life ending, but I never did it. I believed there was something more for me out in the world; I wanted to see the whole world, and I just needed to get past this awful chapter of life. Soon enough, the chapter ended and a new one began, where I lived in a beautiful apartment with my mom and continued my studies for school. I had finally started the chapter that would slowly heal my mental wounds. These experiences in my life have fueled my need and desire to help others who are going through similar situations. I want to be the crane that lifts the weight off other people's shoulders and throws it out the window. I want to be their belief system, to tell them to hold on because this is not the end, it is merely the beginning of a new chapter of life.

Three years ago, I learned the hard way how badly mental health can affect a person and their family. I used to think my family was perfect, sure we had our spats and traumas, but I thought it was perfect; however, that bubble I lived in was full of lies and eventually, that bubble popped. The anger that ran through my family slowly tore away at some of the branches in my family tree, causing connections to be severed. The depression that plagued our minds caused family members to turn to alcohol or drugs to try and numb the feeling of sadness. My family, once whole and beautiful, was now torn apart into separate families that barely left their bubble. But my family isn't the primary fault in my mental illness, it's the poorly dealt hand I have been given the past few years. I went from being healthy and happy with friends, to homeless, scared, depressed, with no one to talk to. I trusted the wrong person, leaving me without a house and anything to call my own besides a few bags of clothes. I thought to the universe, "Why would you do this to me? "I thought you were supposed to protect me. Why have you taken everything away from me?" Once I became homeless, I only had my mother with me for a tiny bit of time until my aunt and uncle took us in and we lived in their basement for seven months. Seven months of being homeless. I never thought I would be plagued with such a tragedy. That basement became my cocoon of sadness and anger that I rarely left. I witnessed how the situation affected my mother, she became a shell of herself, blaming herself every waking moment for what had happened. In a way, it strengthened our bond since we were there to comfort each other every time we broke down. My relationship with my aunt and uncle strengthened, too, since they didn't ask us for a dime while we lived with them. They helped us every day by sheltering us, and for that, I can never repay them. During this time, I reflected on my life and what the universe had in store for us. "Everything happens for a reason," I would say to myself. But as time passed, that saying got harder and harder to repeat, wondering why my life would lead me here. My world continuously got darker, as if I would never pull myself out of the grave the universe seemed to have dug for me, I wondered if I should do them a favor and speed up the process of my life ending, but I never did it. I believed there was something more for me out in the world; I wanted to see the whole world, and I just needed to get past this awful chapter of life. Soon enough, the chapter ended and a new one began, where I lived in a beautiful apartment with my mom and continued my studies for school. I had finally started the chapter that would slowly heal my mental wounds. These experiences in my life have fueled my need and desire to help others who are going through similar situations. I want to be the crane that lifts the weight off other people's shoulders and throws it out the window. I want to be their belief system, to tell them to hold on because this is not the end, it is merely the beginning of a new chapter of life.

When you think of someone with mental health issues, you think of someone who is believed to be crazy or admitted to a psych ward, someone who can't function normally because they have too many things piling up, but that's not true. Someone with mental health can struggle in silence, they can have depression, but say to friends and family that they're tired. Someone can have anxiety attacks but say they have to catch their breath when someone asks if they're okay. Someone could want to take their own life, but when asked about it, they say they're OK or they'll get over it. At least that's what I said to the people who asked. I suffered in silence for years because I was too scared of becoming a burden to those I care about. I didn't want them to see my vulnerable side in case someone tried to take advantage of that. I thought if I kept quiet, the issues would solve themselves, but in the silence, the root of the problems came to light. My anger comes from my alcoholic father who used to beat my family. My depression comes from my family crossing multiple lines, becoming homeless, and losing more belongings than I can count. My anxiety comes from the ruthless reality of life, that it doesn't get easier, you can only adapt to change to make it easier on yourself. All of these issues caused me to spiral out of control, I couldn't regulate my emotions properly, so I stayed silent, hiding in my room, which was consisting of the dark, cold basement I lived in while I was homeless. I didn't see a way out, I didn't think there was anything else in this world but pain and negative emotions. For a while, I wanted to end things, but then I thought to myself, "who would be the person to find me if I were to take my life?" "Who would I burden with the trauma of finding me with no air in my lungs?" I could never do it. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Instead, I focused on what I could do: focus on my studies to make a better future for myself, help my mom find a place for us to live, and spend time with family members who so graciously took us in. While focusing on the things I could do, I found my purpose in my studies. My purpose is to help those like me because someone out there is going through the same thing I suffered or maybe worse. Someone out there is considering taking their life because of their mental health, because they feel alone and don't have anyone to talk to about what is going on in their brain. I will be the person to take the weight off their shoulders when they feel it is too much, because I know how heavy that weight can get when piled on top of other issues. I plan to advocate for people with mental health in my community by educating people who don't understand the extent of mental health and the toll it can take on someone's mind and body. Whether it be creating a club at the university I attend after community college or working at a mental health service in the school, I want to be there for someone so they can lift a weight off their shoulders. I also want to gain experience working with people my age so I know what to expect later in my career to help others.

When you think of someone with mental health issues, you think of someone who is believed to be crazy or admitted to a psych ward, someone who can't function normally because they have too many things piling up, but that's not true. Someone with mental health can struggle in silence, they can have depression, but say to friends and family that they're tired. Someone can have anxiety attacks but say they have to catch their breath when someone asks if they're okay. Someone could want to take their own life, but when asked about it, they say they're okay or they'll get over it. At least that's what I said to the people who asked. I suffered in silence for years because I was too scared of becoming a burden to those I care about. I didn't want them to see my vulnerable side in case someone tried to take advantage of that. I thought if I kept quiet, the issues would solve themselves, but in the silence, the root of the problems came to light. My anger comes from my alcoholic father who used to beat my family. My depression comes from my family crossing multiple lines, becoming homeless, and losing more belongings than I can count. My anxiety comes from the ruthless reality of life, that it doesn't get easier, you can only adapt to change to make it easier on yourself. All of these issues caused me to spiral out of control, I couldn't regulate my emotions properly, so I stayed silent, hiding in my room, which was consisting of the dark, cold basement I lived in while I was homeless. I didn't see a way out, I didn't think there was anything else in this world but pain and negative emotions. For a while, I wanted to end things, but then I thought to myself, "who would be the person to find me if I were to take my life?" "Who would I burden with the trauma of finding me with no air in my lungs?" I could never do it. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Instead, I focused on what I could do: focus on my studies to make a better future for myself, help my mom find a place for us to live, and spend time with family members who so graciously took us in. While focusing on the things I could do, I found my purpose in my studies. My purpose is to help those like me because someone out there is going through the same thing I suffered or maybe worse. Someone out there is considering taking their life because of their mental health, because they feel alone and don't have anyone to talk to about what is going on in their brain. I will be the person to take the weight off their shoulders when they feel it is too much, because I know how heavy that weight can get when piled on top of other issues. Psychology will be my route to help those who need someone, and I plan to make a difference in the lives of others by making sure they live their life. No one deserves to have their mental health control their life, I intend to show people how their lives can be when shown coping mechanisms. Showing people these coping mechanisms can make a huge difference, and that is why I want to become a psychology major, to ensure that a person sees change in themselves and their everyday life.

My story is not something I talk about often due to the morbid details; however, my life story is how I have become who I am today. As of today, I can say I have overcome some of the most challenging obstacles a person can face: child abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, and poverty. Thankfully, I am safe and healthy and live in a beautiful apartment with my mom as I follow my dreams of studying psychology; however, I want to help her fund my college studies by sharing my story. I lived in an unsafe environment with someone my mother and I used to trust; by leaving him, we left behind half of our belongings as well as our primary source of income. We became homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for 7 months. We eventually found our way to where we live now and are working hard to find funding for my school career. The dreams I hold for myself stem from the hardships I have experienced this past year. I want to provide for myself without relying on anyone, own my house and furniture, and eventually fund my mother's retirement. Another one of my dreams is to help those who don't seem to have a voice regarding their mental health. I have experienced firsthand what it is like to want to take your own life, and I don't want anyone ever to feel that kind of pain or deal with it alone. I have already started working on how I would help people with their issues by talking to them about their struggles and how they can take baby steps to solve the problem they are currently facing. I am passionate about achieving my dreams because I was raised with the saying, "You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be." This family saying has been a mantra I have taken to heart for many years. The path of my studies is not an easy one and I'm not sure I will be able to positively impact the world; however, my studies will positively affect the people around me in the occupation I find later down the road. It is unclear what occupation I want to take after I graduate, but whatever field I choose to start in will help others that have gone through similar hardships like the ones I've faced. I want to positively impact their lives to ensure they feel like they have someone to talk to whenever they feel too close to the edge. I know how important it is to have someone there to pull you back to reality when you're spiraling, it is like having a weight lifted off your shoulders when you know someone is there for you. That is how I plan on using my career to make a positive effect on people and slowly make a difference in the world.

Addiction is something that can change a family forever, whether you're the person with the addiction, making your family see all the nasty parts of yourself, or you're the family member watching the person tear themselves apart. In my case, I was the family member watching as addiction plagued my family for generations. The first time I encountered how nasty addiction could be was when my father became an alcoholic, he would be drunk almost every time I saw him, and the liquor would make him angry. He had anger while sober, but when he was drunk, all he had was rage. My father would take out the majority of his rage on my mother and my brother because I was too young to be put through that, or so I thought. Eventually, my mother and I got out, but for some unknown reason, my brother decided to stay. It was later on that we found out addiction had taken my brother by the neck in the form of drugs instead of alcohol. I couldn't understand why someone would do that to their family, why he would do this to us. Due to the drugs, my brother never went to college, he was too focused on the next fix, and my father hadn't been seen in years, to pay his child support payments. When I was younger, all my mind could think of when I thought of addiction in my family was, "how could you?" "was it worth it?" It hurt to think of members in my family throwing their lives away for a bottle. It was in that moment when I saw the path of destruction that addiction had left on my family that I swore to myself that I would break the chain, I would stop the cycle of abuse and focus on constructing my future from the ground up. Towards the end of high school, I threw myself into studies to ensure I would get the best grades possible. I even got accepted into an early college class to get some of my prerequisites out of the way. After high school, I got into a community college and worked hard to earn a scholarship to help towards school supplies; however, I knew that wouldn't be enough for my mother. During my time in community college, we had become homeless for seven months because her boyfriend didn't want to put up with us anymore. We lived in a basement until my mother clawed herself out of the hole he dug for us and kicked us in. A single mother working two jobs to ensure that her daughter can be the first woman to graduate college with a degree and to ensure she can make a future for herself instead of relying on a man for help. I knew she would need my help, so as I am striding towards my graduation from community college, I am throwing myself into applying for scholarships to help as much as possible. Unfortunately, I haven't won anything to help with my college education; however, I am not stopping. I am not letting a dozen unaccepted scholarship applications deter me from aiming for the sky. My mother needs all the help she can get with money for my education, and I intend to do my part. This scholarship would take a weight off my mother's back and fuel the fire burning inside me to eventually make her life easier, knowing that I will make a name for myself like she has always wanted for me.

You are never prepared to hear one of your loved ones has cancer, let alone your mother. Your built-in best friend, the person who gave you life, the one who talks you through all the difficult moments, and the first person to love you before you have even come into the world. Before I knew she had cancer, before the doctors figured it out, I knew. We went to a dermatology appointment together because we shared the same doctor. Right in front of me on the wall was a poster that read, "Signs of Skin Cancer." A mole on the poster looked almost identical to the one on my mother's back. When I pointed it out to her, she shrugged her shoulders and said she would mention it to the doctor. I didn't know it then, but pointing it out to her may have saved her life. The doctors had previously checked out the mole and assured her it was nothing. That the mole had just changed in size and texture for no reason other than age. That the doctors found no signs of cancer in the sample they took. When they looked at the mole again, my mother didn't want me in the room. I waited in the car with this sinking pit in my stomach. "I'm going to lose my mother." I thought, "This is the last time she will be herself." But she stepped in the car with a smile on her face and told me that everything was fine when, in fact, my fears were correct. The previous doctor had missed the fact that my mother's cancer was practically screaming to be found, but she refused to tell me. I was kept out of her loop because she didn't want me any more stressed than I was while taking finals. I didn't know how bad it had gotten until one night; she walked in with a sling around her body and painkillers running through her blood. Due to the doctor's missing the cancer the first time, it had spread through most of her left arm and into her lymph nodes. Stage 3 skin cancer was sitting right under their noses, and they missed it. After that night, she was never the same. My mom was no longer the carefree woman I had grown up with. She was an anxious, depressed, and nervous person with the constant worry of whether or not the cancer was still there. I had seen her at her lowest and didn't know how to help her other than be a shoulder to cry on when she came back from chemo. Seeing her like this only made me wonder about others who had been going through the same thing she was. The same pain in her veins and bones as the chemo killed the cancer in her body. What if they didn't have anyone to help them through the after part of the process? How would they fight it if they didn't have anyone to fight with them? I didn't know it then, but my mother started me on my future of studying psychology. I want to study psychology to learn how to help others through the most challenging parts of their lives. I believe that no one should have to suffer alone. I am determined to go down this road of education so I can always be one call away from helping someone move one step forward. One day at a time.

College is a right of passage for everyone. It doesn't matter where you come from or who you are; it's a chance to make friends and memories and allow yourself the opportunity of a lifetime. It gives you a headstart in life that people later regret passing up. I always knew that I would go to college and make my way in the world. My mother always encouraged it, but I never truly understood why she would always push it on me. However, I finally understood her reasoning behind encouraging me to pursue college instead of anything else. There has been a pattern in my family for generations of family members wanting to go to college but finding love instead. They push their education aside, which comes back to bite them when the relationship fails; they can't go back to school because now they need to provide for their children and pay the bills. It didn't matter if it was a man or a woman in my family. No one I know of pursued education. The pattern of not pursuing education ends with me. I must pursue education above everything else because I never want to rely on anyone else as my primary source of income. I want the money I make from my career to go in and out of my bank account, not someone else's. My whole life, I have watched the women in my family rely on their husbands for their money, and when the men they love decide they don't want anything to do with us, they toss us aside with nothing more than a hypothetical bag of money. I have seen my mother bleed herself dry for work to make sure she can provide for her children. I believe that is what impacted me the most about education, my mother. My mother would have gone far in her education without someone reassuring her that they would provide for her, and because of that, she now has to work two jobs to keep her head above water. Who wants to live a life like that? I sure don't. I would love nothing more than to show my mother that I will be ok providing for myself with the educational path I have behind me. My academic path will be the legacy I leave behind in my family—the breaker of the chain that has cursed my family with dependence on others. Not only will I be the first person in my family not to get married at a young age, but I will also be the first woman to show it is possible to break generational patterns of dependence. I will be the first woman in my family to graduate college and have a degree to prove it. That will be my legacy. That is why it is so important to me to attend college.

"School teenager takes their own life." I have read that headline in the news more times than I can count, but I never thought I would be in the same boat as them. You never truly understand what is going through a person's head before they take their own life until you step into their shoes. You have all these thoughts running through your head that you can never hear individually; you hear four or five thoughts simultaneously and can never make out the whole sentence. Your chest goes tight as your mind goes numb to the thoughts; you can do nothing but listen to them take over your mind. The world goes black as you succumb to the raging wildfire that is your mind. Then you hear the most terrifying thing. Silence. A decision has been made about what you will do as your mind goes blank. Will you take your own life and leave this world? Or will you stay and continue pushing on until the pain goes away? This is the mind of a person with depression when they are pushed to their limits. When everything in life grabs them and pushes them towards the edge, at least that's what it sounded like for me. I will never forget what drove me to be in that position in the first place. I had been kicked out of my house by my stepfather and left to be homeless. I had to live in my aunt and uncle's basement in the middle of New Hampshire for months. I had to hear my mother cry because she never thought this would happen. I had lost my home, my friends, and my life all because of one person. I had never felt the extent of my depression until those months, living in a freezing basement in the middle of winter. The days felt like they had doubled in length. My legs felt like paperweights as they trudged through the house. I felt like my face had weights on it every time I smiled. I never thought I would have to make an effort to smile. Looking in the mirror, I saw eyes that used to have life in them and some sparkle. Now, they were dull and lifeless, waiting for the day to end so the next one could begin. I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel, and one day, I thought, " This pain could be gone in just a few hours. No more struggle, just lightness." However, whenever I felt that, I would think about who would find me, to whom would I give the burden of the memory of me lying in my bed with no air in my lungs? I couldn't do it. I never could. So I trudged on, one day at a time, until one day, it got easier. We exited the cold, dark basement into a cozy, warm, light-filled apartment. After what I had been through, it may seem too little to some, but I felt it was perfect. It was the perfect place to finally breathe, cry, and let all the negative emotions I had felt out. I still track my depression to this day, seeing how many bad days I have in a week or a month. I used to have a bad day 3-4 times a week, but now I have less and less as the months go by. To anyone reading this who has those same thoughts. You will get better. All you have to do is take it one step at a time.

There are many names I could call this past chapter of my life, and none of them are good. Chapter after chapter, I was going through the same pain again like Groundhog Day; however, if I had to describe this next chapter of my life, I would call it " A breath of Fresh Air." The chapter name may seem weird to whoever reads this, but it makes perfect sense to me. These past three years have felt like a recurring cycle of despair, loss, and depression, like a dryer that keeps getting turned on with the same clothes inside to get wrinkled again when the cycle stops. I had lost one of the most important people in my life because he was too controlling and wanted to shape every bit of my life for me, I was in a mentally abusive household that destroyed my confidence and self-love, and when I couldn't stand him trying to control me anymore, he kicked me out. I was homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for seven months while I tried to figure out what I'm going to do. That entire time, I couldn't catch my breath, it was like drowning. I would get a small breath every once in a while, but most of the time I felt like I was suffocating. I didn't know what to do so I turned to the dark side and considered taking my own life, but I couldn't do it. I wanted to fight to get that one breath of fresh air until that filled my lungs, and I eventually got it. I now live in a beautiful apartment filled with light and fresh air, and as I sat in my apartment, studying my heart in psychology, I thought to myself -- why am I doing this? What is the point of studying psychology if I don't know what I'm fighting for? Reflecting on those questions, I soon discovered my purpose in studying psychology. I want to be someone's gateway to getting help, the shoulder to cry on when they feel they have no one on their side, because that's how I felt when living in that basement. I want to help people define their lives and discover what their new chapter in life will be called.

I have always loved comparing an original book to a movie adaptation to see what the directors would do differently and what details would be scrapped. In my opinion, some good examples of great book-to-film adaptations would have to be The Maze Runner and The Hunger Games; however, those aren't my favorites. My favorite book-to-film adaptation is The Vampire Diaries. I know that in comparison to the book, the show is very different. For example, the book's main character, Elena, is described as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed queen bee who ultimately dies and returns as an angel; however, in the show, she is a brown-haired, brown-eyed, down-to-earth girl who becomes a vampire. In the books, Caroline is more of Elena's enemy than her friend and becomes a werewolf-vampire hybrid after Klaus turns her, but in the shows, she is one of Elena's best friends, who is just a regular vampire. I could go on for hours about the differences between the book and the show, and even though there are many differences, you can still love the show for what it is, even with the significant changes in character. You can grasp the other characters in the book and what their lives would have been like by connecting them to a different character in the show. The show and book are so different yet similar that it's like reading the book all over again. You see the various descriptions of the characters and grow attached to them since you understand at the beginning of the show that things will be drastically different than in the book. You sit on the edge of your seat, waiting for something to happen, not knowing if it will turn out how it did in the books. I enjoy the end-of-the-seat feeling that the show gives me. It also gives life to the vampires and werewolves and explains how they function. We see what vervain looks like and how it is used against the vampires in the form of liquid, injections, jewelry, and perfume. It shows how differently some vampires react to it and how they can use it to their advantage against other vampires. The viewing experiences of the gore the vampires produce are one of my favorite parts since, in the books, you don't precisely understand the mess they make when the vampires are hungry or in a fight, what furniture gets broken, or who is collateral damage. Because of the show's details, it will always have a special place in my heart as my favorite book-to-film adaptation.

For as long as I can remember, my mother has prioritized my education above all else: family vacations, new cars, or a down payment on a house. I never understood why she would pass these nice things up for something like college. It all seemed silly to a child; however, I finally understood her reasoning behind encouraging me to pursue college instead of anything else. There has been a pattern in my family for generations of family members wanting to go to college but finding love instead. They push their education aside, which comes back to bite them when the relationship fails; they can't go back to school because now they need to provide for their children and pay the bills. It didn't matter if it was a man or a woman in my family. No one I know of pursued education. The pattern of not pursuing education ends with me. I must pursue education above everything else because I never want to rely on anyone else as my primary source of income. I want the money I make from my career to go in and out of my own bank account, not someone else's. My whole life, I have watched the women in my family rely on their husbands for their money, and when the men they love decide they don't want anything to do with us, they toss us aside with nothing more than a hypothetical bag of money. I have seen my mother bleed herself dry for work to make sure she can provide for her children. I believe that is what impacted me the most about education, my mother. My mother would have gone far in her education without someone reassuring her that they would provide for her, and because of that, she now has to work two jobs to keep her head above water. Who wants to live a life like that? I sure don't. I would love nothing more than to show my mother that I will be ok providing for myself with the educational path I have behind me. My educational path will be the legacy I leave behind in my family—the breaker of the chain that has cursed my family with dependence on other people. Not only will I be the first person in my family not to get married at a young age, but I will also be the first woman to show it is possible to break generations of patterns of dependence. I will be the first woman in my family to graduate college and have a degree under my belt to prove it. That will be my legacy.

When it comes to humor, I can't say that I say many funny things. Of course, I have my moments, as everyone does; however, my sense of humor comes from the depths of my brain when I get sleepy and have a burst of energy out of nowhere. A fond memory of my humor is a sleepover with my best friend. Now, my best friend and I have a similar sense of humor, so we find each other hilarious. The whole night, we were giggling and making fun of each other, but after a little while, I felt my random burst of energy come into play. I started playing music that we both listened to when we were kids, which consisted of Five Nights at Freddie's and My Little Pony. I was doing the most obscene dances and jumping on the bed, making silly noises, and poorly singing along to the words. After a while of me doing this, my best friend joined in by playing some of her silly songs and videos as we lazily danced and laughed. At some point during this, she found an Irish jig song, and I did the weirdest dances while she recorded them in pitch black with the flash one, which made the situation even funnier to us. This whole scene lasted an entire hour, and after, we went on like nothing happened and continued to giggle and cry tears of laughter the entire night.

"School teenager takes their own life." I have read that headline in the news more times than I can count, but I never thought I would be in the same boat as them. You never truly understand what is going through a person's head before they take their own life until you step into their shoes. You have all these thoughts running through your head that you can never hear individually; you hear four or five thoughts simultaneously and can never make out the whole sentence. Your chest goes tight as your mind goes numb to the thoughts; you can do nothing but listen to them take over your mind. The world goes black as you succumb to the raging wildfire that is your mind. Then you hear the most terrifying thing. Silence. A decision has been made about what you will do as your mind goes blank. Will you take your own life and leave this world? Or will you stay and continue pushing on until the pain goes away? This is the mind of a person with depression when they are pushed to their limits. When everything in life grabs them and pushes them towards the edge. At least, for me, that's what it sounded like. I will never forget what drove me to be in that position in the first place. I had been kicked out of my house by my stepfather and left to be homeless. I had to live in my aunt and uncle's basement in the middle of New Hampshire for months. I had to hear my mother cry about how she never thought this would happen. I had lost my home, my friends, and my life all because of one person. I had never felt the extent of my depression until those months, living in a freezing basement in the middle of winter. The days felt like they had doubled in length. My legs felt like paperweights as they trudged through the house. I felt like my face had weights on them every time I smiled. I never thought I would have to make an effort to smile. Looking in the mirror, I saw eyes that used to have life in them and some sparkle. Now, they were dull and lifeless, waiting for the day to end so the next one could begin. I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel, and one day, I thought to myself, " This pain could be gone in just a few hours. No more struggle, just lightness." However, whenever I felt that, I would think about who would find me, to whom would I give the burden of the memory of me lying in my bed with air in my lungs? I couldn't do it. I never could. So I trudged on, one day at a time, until one day, it got easier. We exited the cold, dark basement into a cozy, warm, light-filled apartment. It may seem too little to some after what I had been through, but I felt it was perfect. It was the perfect place to finally breathe, cry, and let all the negative emotions I had felt out. I still track my depression to this day, seeing how many bad days I have in a week or a month. I used to have a bad day 3-4 times a week, but now I have less and less as the months go by. To anyone reading this who has those same thoughts. You will get better. All you have to do is take it one step at a time.

As you are growing up, no one tends to explain what it means to feel romantic feelings towards your same sex. You grow up with these movies and shows of children growing up to have a beautiful marriage, kids, and a big lovely home, which becomes the stereotypical relationship; however, you rarely hear or see the families that have same-sex relationships on television. Not having that information made it challenging to figure out how to justify my feelings towards people I grew close to. My journey as a fellow member of the LGBTQ+ community began when I was a freshman in high school. I was still trying to find my place in social status and didn't understand that having feelings for someone other than a man was okay. My friend and I started to play flirt all the time and even began holding hands and holding each other when all my friends got together to hang out. It was our thing, how we felt close to each other. I didn't understand it then, but I had feelings for her as more than a friend. As time went on in high school, I started to lose myself in becoming what others wanted me to be; however, that changed in my sophomore year when the pandemic came. COVID-19 changed everything for me. I was more lost in my own bedroom than I was in a public space. I felt like a husk that was waiting every day for the doors of my school to open, and it wasn't until mid-junior year that I was finally finding myself. Slowly but surely, I made friends that brought me out of my shell and helped me find who I was and understand what I was feeling. Due to the help of my friends, I came out as pansexual in my senior year and even had a girlfriend towards the end of the year. I was more nervous to come out to my own family than I was to my friends. I remember sobbing to my mother about who I was attracted to and felt an immense relief when she held me and told me she would love me no matter who I liked. One by one, I told my family members that I was pansexual; thankfully, they all accepted me with open arms since they saw me as nothing more than the little girl they loved. My aunt and uncle even had a bet to see what I would come out as eventually. I still find that moment hilarious to this day. All of the support and love for my family made me think about others like me in the LGBTQ+ community—the others who didn't have much luck in their families regarding openness and love. It made me sad thinking that someone out there was told they are a burden or a disgrace because of who they love. Thinking about kids being disowned and shunned made me want to be an outlet to help those with no one to turn to about their feelings; it fueled my fire to study psychology and help those who don't have anyone to turn to. I want every person in the LGBTQ+ community to feel loved, even if it isn't by their own family.

You are never prepared to hear one of your loved ones has cancer, let alone your mother. Your built-in best friend, the person who gave you life, the one who talks you through all the difficult moments, and the first person to love you before you have even come into the world. Before I knew she had cancer, before the doctors figured it out, I knew. We went to a dermatology appointment together because we shared the same doctor. Right in front of me on the wall was a poster that read, "Signs of Skin Cancer." On the poster was a mole that looked almost identical to the one on my mother's back. When I pointed it out to her, she shrugged her shoulders and said she would mention it to the doctor. I didn't know it then, but pointing it out to her may have saved her life. The doctors had previously checked out the mole and assured her it was nothing. That the mole had just changed in size and texture for no reason other than age. That the doctors found no signs of cancer in the sample they took. When they looked at the mole again, my mother didn't want me in the room. I waited in the car with this sinking pit in my stomach. "I'm going to lose my mother." I thought, "This is the last time she will be herself." But she stepped in the car with a smile on her face and told me that everything was fine when, in fact, my fears were correct. The previous doctor had missed the fact that my mother's cancer was practically screaming to be found, but she refused to tell me. I was kept out of her loop because she didn't want me any more stressed than I was while taking finals. I didn't know how bad it had gotten until one night; she walked in with a sling around her body and painkillers running through her blood. Due to the doctors missing the cancer the first time, it had spread through most of her left arm and into her lymph nodes. Stage 3 skin cancer was sitting right under their noses, and they missed it. After that night, she was never the same. My mom was no longer the carefree woman I had grown up with. She was an anxious, depressed, and nervous person with the constant worry of whether or not the cancer was still there. I had seen her at her lowest and didn't know how to help her other than be a shoulder to cry on when she came back from chemo. Seeing her like this only made me wonder about others who had been going through the same thing she was. The same pain in her veins and bones as the chemo killed the cancer in her body. What if they didn't have anyone to help them through the after part of the process? How would they fight it if they didn't have anyone to fight with them? I didn't know it then, but my mother started me on my future of studying psychology. I want to study psychology so I can learn how to help others through the most challenging parts of their lives. I believe that no one should have to suffer alone. I am determined to go down this road of education so I can always be one call away from helping someone move one step forward. One day at a time.

The biggest problem I have had to overcome was something I never thought would happen to me. I became homeless for a year after my ex-stepfather kicked my mother and me out for not following through with his twisted fantasy of being in charge of every aspect of our lives. I had gone through mental warfare to get out of the house I was living in to be in the same situation a little while later, only this time, I was living in a basement in the middle of New Hampshire. My aunt and uncle graciously took us in and made space for us, but it didn't change the fact that we had only mattresses and clothing. After years of going through mental torture, I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. I had no friends or home and was living at the bottom of a freezing cold basement. For a time, I considered taking my own life; however, I knew that wouldn't make the situation any better. Instead of focusing on the bad, I dove headfirst into my studies in an online community college to ensure I had the best chance of helping my mother put me through college and help me pursue my dreams of studying psychology. Studying psychology is my way of giving back to the communities around me so I can understand the human brain and learn how to help others without offending their religion or culture. Seeing how bad mental health can get from my own experience, I never want anyone to go through that. I never want anyone to feel like they don't have anyone to talk to or confide in. Unlike some people, I wouldn't wait until I graduated to start helping those in need. I would stack my plate with as much as possible to ensure that people get the help they need. Earning this scholarship would mean I could continue my studies with less struggle and learn how to help those with severe mental obstacles. Due to my application for this scholarship, I became aware of the hobby called philately and how it is the collection and study of postage stamps. I feel like it could be a fun way for people to learn more about the history and design of the stamps. The way I would encourage people to look more into it and consider it as a hobby is to use it as a distraction from their negative mental obstacles and focus more on creating a positive head space where they can indulge in something to distract them from the pain they are feeling.

The field of study I have chosen to pursue is not an easy road to education; it requires a lot of time, effort, and studying. Psychology has had a special place in my heart for the past few years; the education routes with psychology are endless and can help you learn more about each culture and religion and understand how their road to mental health works. I desire to study psychology due to my family history. My family tree has a lot of branches that struggle with mental health and addiction, and 90% of those family members never reached out for help because they had a fear of not being understood or judged. I have seen that fear in my family as well as in other families who, unfortunately, lost people they loved because they didn't ask for help. I don't want anyone to go through the pain of losing someone they love to something that could have been prevented if they felt comfortable enough to talk to someone about it. I want to be that someone. Although I do not know which field of psychology I will pursue, I am determined to make a difference in whatever field I choose. Psychology has the power of reading a person's mind and digging deeper into why they feel the way they do. It has the ability to figure out solutions that can apply to specific religions or cultures so people don't feel like they are out of their comfort zone or betraying themselves. My determination and drive to make a difference in people's lives keep me going forward with my dream. Despite all the negativity I have received recently about how it doesn't pay well or how I'm wasting my time and money. I know that; however, any career I choose can backfire on me. I don't know what the future holds for me, but I do know that I make my future with my current choices. I strive to make a difference in psychology, no matter how small. That is my dream.

My story is not something I talk about often due to the morbid details; however, my life story is how I have become who I am today. As of today, I can say I have overcome some of the most challenging obstacles a person can face: child abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, and poverty. Thankfully, I am safe and healthy and live in a beautiful apartment with my mom as I follow my dreams of studying psychology; however, I want to help her fund my college studies by sharing my story. I lived in an unsafe environment with someone my mother and I used to trust; by leaving him, we left behind half of our belongings as well as our primary source of income. We became homeless, living in my aunt and uncle's basement for 7 months. We eventually found our way to where we live now and are working hard to find funding for my school career. The dreams I hold for myself stem from the hardships I have experienced this past year. I want to provide for myself without having to rely on anyone, own my own house and furniture, and eventually fund my mother's retirement. Another one of my dreams is to help those who don't seem to have a voice regarding their mental health. I have experienced firsthand what it is like to want to take your own life, and I don't want anyone ever to feel that kind of pain or deal with it alone. I have already started working on how I would help people with their issues by talking to them about their struggles and how they can take baby steps to solve the problem they are currently facing. I am passionate about achieving my dreams because I was raised with the saying, "You can do anything you want to do and be anything you want to be." This family saying has been a mantra I have taken to heart for many years. I want to feel accomplished about what I have done so I can look back on my life and be proud of each action I took to get there. My dreams will also allow me to care for those I care about, like my mother, brother, and anyone who should come into my life along the way. I am a hard worker and know that if I work hard enough, I will achieve my dreams. I will never stop my education journey if it means these dreams come true.

As a first-generation college student in my family, I feel a vast influence to do well and make my family proud as I work my way up the scholarly ladder. From a young age, I always knew I wanted to go to college and be the first person to graduate college and the first female. I wanted to make history in my family line and make those before me proud of my decisions. The opportunities I will create for myself once I graduate college will provide me with security in my life and future; this is one of the goals I have had for myself since I was young due to my mother telling me she never wanted me to rely on someone else for my survival and life. My career goal has always been to help those who aren't willing to ask for help. I have seen firsthand in my community how a person can become a victim of their mind when not given the proper support. Sadly, a lot of those cases ended up with them taking their own life, leaving their family and friends with the thought of "what more could I have done?" My career goal is how I will give back to my community and make sure no one has to suffer alone by advocating for those who don't have a voice to ask for help.

As a child, no one expects to hear the words that summarize "you have a disability." The word disability has a wide variety of outcomes that you could be diagnosed with, and at a young age, half of the disabilities are hidden in the dark by those around us. I didn't know what the word disability meant when I was young, but now my whole life is defined by my mental disabilities. The mental disability known as ADHD has been a part of my family history for years. My grandma, mother, brother, uncle, and cousins have ADHD, so when I was diagnosed at a young age, I didn't know what to expect since they seemed normal in my eyes. Dealing with the disability was difficult at first and seemed to get more complicated over time since it caused the development of other mental disabilities like anxiety and depression; however, with years of dealing with the disability along with medication and research, I was able to deal with it. Reflecting on my life, I see how my disability has affected certain aspects of my life. Regarding my belief system, I don't see a point in believing in one specific religion. I like to think that each religion has a space to go when they cross over that accommodates their belief system. It might be incorrect or immature, but we will never know what we see at the other end until it's too late. In the past, I found relationship-building difficult since I was shy; however, I found keeping the friends I made even more challenging. One of the symptoms of ADHD is impulsive behaviors, which means that people with ADHD don't think their actions through before they go through with them. This led me to cause a rift between the friends I made because the things I did I found funny, but they found weird. This caused me to lose self-confidence and fall harder into depression before I knew I had it. Nonetheless, as I grew up, I found people who matched my weirdness and encouraged me to be myself instead of minimizing my personality. As we advance, whenever I look for romantic or platonic relationships, I now look for those who won't pull me down for being myself. I didn't know at the time, but all of these little moments I had with my ADHD, depression, and anxiety would drive me to become who I am today and pave the way for my career. I want to study psychology and help those who are struggling with their mental disorders because I want them to feel seen. Growing up, I didn't get that feeling of being seen for my issues; this fueled my ambition for wanting to help those like me who struggle with something affecting their minds and their lives.

For me, the spirit of excellence isn't just about achieving perfect grades or receiving awards—it's about the quieter choices we make for the pure satisfaction of helping the community and others around it. For me, it begins at the beginning of each day as I walk my dog; although my community is relatively clean, we receive pieces of trash now and then that taint it and the creak right next door. Whenever I go outside, whether walking my dog or getting outside for a break, I pick up whatever trash I find and throw it out to prevent the creak from getting trash-filled and protect the wildlife from eating the garbage. I also pick up trash so local families can enjoy a clean space to gather and socialize, which can extend as a meeting place for friend groups. The spirit of excellence drives me to become a better person for everyone around me, whether people or animals. However, I want to give back to the part of the community that can't speak up for themselves: the animals. Volunteering at my local animal shelter has been one of my life's most rewarding and joyful experiences. Helping feed, comfort, and bring the animals out of their comfort zone makes me feel accomplished since someone is helping them grow from the neglect they felt before. All animals at the shelter who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected deserve care and compassion. Beyond the daily tasks, I talk to people in the shelter, figure out if they are the right fit for the animal, and show them how the animals behave around those they trust in case the animal they are looking at tends to be timid. Through this work, I've learned that excellence isn't just about making significant achievements—it is about consistency and willingness to make a difference in the lives of the voiceless. I am aware that what I do to give back to the community isn't the most significant way I could go about giving back to the community; however, I don't believe there is a lesser way to give back to the community. Any work that improves the community matters; I chose to clean the community and care for the animals around me because those community actions mean something to me compared to other work I could be doing. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand how trash can affect a community and those who live there. I also saw how stray animals were treated in the surrounding communities and knew they would never be the same. Seeing how no one was taking action against these unfortunate downfalls to the community, I wanted to be the change to inspire others to join the cause and give back.

Hello. My name is Katelyn Steinberg. I am currently in community college pursuing my dream of becoming a psychologist so I can help those struggling with mental health issues. I want to help those who don't know how to ask for help. I have been surrounded by family members who are struggling with something internally. 90% of my family members who were struggling refused help; this caused them to go into a downward spiral of mental health and substances, which in turn damaged our family beyond repair. Watching this downward spiral firsthand led me to develop skills that would later help my family see what wrongs they were doing to the people they cared about and themselves. I gave advice and put their actions into perspective when I never thought it would work; however, as I grew up and started to advise my friends, I saw that they would take the advice and implement it into how they behaved or cut out a bad habit. Seeing this blossomed my interest in Psychology and turned my attention away from what I thought was my true passion. Psychology took the number 1 spot in my brain for what I wanted to do. Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to help people, but I wasn't smart enough to become a surgeon or strong enough to become a firefighter or join the military or police force. I realized I didn't have to change myself to make a difference; I needed to find a career where I would thrive and help others conquer their demons. That is where becoming a Psychologist takes place. I have been unknowingly working towards my goal of becoming a Psychologist since high school by helping my mother overcome her demons. She struggles with self-consciousness, depression, and anxiety; with me being the only family she had near, I helped her find coping mechanisms as well as help her get out of a toxic living situation. I have been doing my therapy sessions with a trusted therapist and have been learning some better ways to help myself and others I wish to support. Education has always been my main goal for my future; however, I have tackled many obstacles to get where I am today. Crawling out of the depths of depression and conquering the thoughts of wanting to take my own life was the main one. I was escaping a toxic household, becoming homeless, living in a basement for seven months, and losing what felt like everything was only the big ones. Whenever I thought I was getting better, the world threw more dirt in my face to blind me, but I could still move forward with my eyes closed. Becoming a Psychologist is what I want to do with my life. I am unsure what field I want to pursue; however, I know I will make a difference in people's mental health no matter how things go. I love helping people, and people say to do what makes you happy. Seeing others control their demons and get over what is haunting them most will be the best job I could ever ask for.

Academic success is one of my main goals to accomplish and succeed in. However, people believe I need to prepare myself for the world after I grow. I believe in setting a set of goals for myself and focusing on accomplishing them before focusing on the world around me. The goals I set for myself reflect what I want for my future. What I want for my future involves a lot of hard work and hours of studying. With academics, I want to graduate with a bachelor's at minimum. If I wish to learn more in the future, I will get as close as possible to a master's. I want to study marine biology and have a job as Aquaculturist or Marine Veterinarian. These jobs are essential to me because so many jobs focus on construction and tearing our world apart, and though that may be good, in some cases, dump waste and garbage into the ocean because people do not want it to ruin the ecosystem. We have not even adequately studied coral reefs and ocean animals, yet they are being contaminated and killed by the waste thrown into the ocean. The jobs I learn to give more hope and security to the sea and help it become healthy again.

Many things fuel my passions in my life. Unfortunately, I can not pick one thing that is the leading cause for my drive to finish what my family started. However, there are multiple things that I am trying to accomplish for myself and my family, so they know that I don't have to rely on anyone to make a living for myself. These are what I want for my future regarding a job and living situation. What I want for my future involves a lot of hard work and hours of studying. If I wish to learn more in the future, I will get as close as possible to a master's. I want to study marine biology and have a job as Aquaculturist or Marine Veterinarian. These jobs are essential because so many jobs focus on construction and tearing our world apart. Though that may be good, in some cases, dump waste and garbage into the ocean because people do not want it to ruin the ecosystem. We have not even adequately studied coral reefs and ocean animals, yet they are being contaminated and killed by the waste thrown into the ocean. The jobs I learn to give more hope and security to the sea and help it become healthy again. Although my dream house and the living situation may not seem ideal to most people, it is what makes me happy to think about. I want to live next to an ocean or harbor that leads to the sea in a small house close to my family for my future. With this house, I will not only be able to study the ocean since it will be connected to my living space, but I will also be able to live in a place where I feel comfortable and happy.

When it comes to people's lives, everyone has something they want to accomplish before their time in this world has run out, whether that be: skydiving, traveling around the world, or simple things like finding love. There are multiple things I wish to accomplish on my bucket list, one being exploring different countries. My whole life, I have lived in America, unable to explore the world because of my age or money; although, the internet showed me that the world has so much more to offer than just the same little world I live in. Not only do I want to see what those countries are like, but I also want to experience the activities and scenery. New Zealand has so many adrenaline-pumping activities that I want to try. During a particular season, the sunrises can be purple instead of the regular orange and yellow I'm used to. Along with traveling being at the top of my bucket lists, I also wish to meet people in those countries and see what they are like compared to people born in America. Sadly I have not achieved anything on my bucket list so far; however, that does not stop my drive for my passion for living my life to the fullest and experiencing it with the people I love.

Different people have different passions, which is common sense to everyone. For example, some people love painting or singing or making them feel like they accomplished something. This passion for me is exploring. The thought of exploring the little corners of the world with friends or family makes me feel happy. When she was younger, my nana had explored the whole world so that she could see the world from another pair of eyes. She wanted to see new things beyond her black and white world when she stayed in America. She tells me stories of when she visited different countries and learned how to speak some of their languages. She even teaches me how to say funny words. Listening to how fun her adventures were made me realize that I don't want to stay in one place my whole life. I research the places that I want to visit in the future and learn what they have to see, I even have the weather of those places set into my phone, so I know what the weather is like during the different seasons. Learning what some countries and states have to offer makes me want to work harder to obtain my goal in life. To be successful and show my family what the world has to offer.

What I want for my future involves a lot of hard work and hours of studying. With academics, I want to graduate with a bachelor's at minimum. If I wish to learn more in the future, I will get as close as I can to a master's. I want to study marine biology and have a job as Aquaculturist or Marine Veterinarian. These jobs are essential to me because so many jobs focus on construction and tearing our world apart, and though that may be good, in some cases, dump waste and garbage into the ocean because people do not want it to ruin the ecosystem. We have not even adequately studied coral reefs and ocean animals, yet they are being contaminated and killed by the waste thrown into the ocean. The jobs I learn give more hope and security to the sea and help it become healthy again. Although my dream house and the living situation may not seem ideal to most people, it is what makes me happy to think about. I want to live next to an ocean or harbor that leads to the sea in a small house close to my family for my future. With this house, I will not only be able to study the ocean since it will be connected to my living space, but I will also be able to live in a place where I feel comfortable and happy.

What tends to make me happy isn't something basic like spending time with family or close friends; although that does make me happy, it isn't something that can turn my bad day into a good one. Instead, what makes me happy are the little things in life that no one seems to pay attention to, which relate to my childhood and how I grew up. I grew up on the East Coast, where it tends to be very cold over half of the year. So during winter, tailpipes of cars would emit smoke since the warmth of the car was coming out through the tube into the cold air. I never realized this was a part of my happiness until I moved to the West Coast, where you don't see plumes of smoke being emitted into the cold air. During my life on the East Coast, glass bottles also held a special place in my heart. It reminded me of the core memories I had with old friends was. For example, after school, we would get together and ride our bikes up to the local pizza restaurant with glass coke bottles, causing water rings to form on the table as we waited for our meal. People take the gifts mother nature gives us for granted, like thunderstorms or sun showers. Both of these things are missed by me because I didn't see the amount of joy they gave me as a child. These days, I would be playing with my friends on my block. Then, we would start to feel tiny raindrops on our heads as a sun shower started, not knowing that later that night, after a long day of having fun, you would get to fall asleep to the sound of rain hitting your roof while thunder cracked.

Persistence is an obstacle that most people struggle to deal with; the continuous pattern of having to do the same thing repeatedly, not feeling motivated to work on an assignment, but the due date is coming up. These are things that cause people to lose motivation to be persistent. I am currently a senior in high school; however, I take college classes to raise my GPA and gain credits for my future college years. This year, I had the burden of dealing with college finals firsthand. My English teacher had assigned our class a ten-page paper as our final writing assignment along with the finals test. Our teacher gave the ten-page report a few months before the actual due date. However, I had been busy with my high school classes on top of the assignments my English teacher was still assigning that I hadn't started my paper until two months before the due date. During those two months, I was very reluctant to keep up with the work I had been given since procrastination is one of my character traits. Regardless, I realized the due date was creeping up on me, and I had to keep a persistent mindset for my essay to be grammatically correct along with submitting it on time. I had completely isolated myself from my friends and family during this time. I had turned all of my time onto writing an essay that would be as good if not better than a regular college essay. This essay was an obstacle that required all of my attention because I had never dealt with college work before this, I realized isolation from people I care about wasn't healthy, but in the end, my final grade ended up being a 99%.

One of the first lessons that your parents teach you is that you must go to college to end up with a successful career, whether a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, or something else you are passionate about pursuing. However, when it comes to having a job, most adults only see two paths you could go down: you do not like your job but ends up making you a good income, or a job you love but does not support you enough. For my future, I see a route that involves both paths. What I want for my future involves a lot of hard work and hours of studying. I want to study marine biology and have a job as Aquaculturist or Marine Veterinarian. These jobs are essential to me because so many jobs focus on construction and tearing our world apart, and though that may be good, in some cases, dump waste and garbage into the ocean because people do not want it to ruin the ecosystem. We have not even adequately studied coral reefs and ocean animals, yet they are being contaminated and killed by the waste thrown into the ocean. The jobs I learn give more hope and security to the sea and help it become healthy again.

What tends to make me happy isn't something basic like spending time with family or close friends; although that does make me happy, it isn't something that can turn my bad day into a good one. Instead, what makes me happy are the little things in life that no one seems to pay attention to, little things which relate to my childhood and how I grew up. I grew up on the East Coast, where it tends to be very cold over half of the year. So during winter, tailpipes of cars would emit smoke since the warmth of the car was coming out through the tube into the cold air. I never realized this was a part of my happiness until I moved to the West Coast, where you don't see plumes of smoke being emitted into the cold air. During my life on the East Coast, glass bottles also held a special place in my heart. It reminded me of the core memories I had with old friends was. After school, we would get together and ride our bikes up to the local pizza restaurant with glass coke bottles, causing water rings to form on the table as we waited for our meal. People take the gifts mother nature gives us for granted, like thunderstorms or sun showers. Both of these things are missed by me because I didn't see the amount of joy they gave me as a child, days where I would be playing with my friends on my block, and we would start to feel tiny raindrops on our heads as a sun shower started not knowing that later that night, after a long day of having fun you would get to fall asleep to the sound of rain hitting your roof while thunder cracked.

I believe a way to live a long and happy life is to do multiple things you love. One of the things that could improve your physical and mental health is to find a job in the field that you love whether that be biology, teaching, engineering, anything that makes you want to get up in the morning and go to work is something that'll improve health in many different ways. Another thing that could help you live a long and healthy life is to not do the same thing every day, it is scientifically proven that if you get out of bed and do the same thing you do every day it will cause your mental health to decrease and you will start to go insane. Instead of doing the same thing every day, you could try and find something new to do instead like: hanging out in a new place with friends, go exploring, or find a new hobby to try. In my opinion, I don't believe that you should worry about what your health is going to be like in the future because if you keep on trying to make your health better so you don't get sick when you're older, you're not going to live life to the fullest. You need to have fun and be reckless, you need to live life the way you want to live it, not the way other people want you to.

Most families never think about situations that could change their whole lives, whether that be: losing a job, a loved one, or having to move to a whole new state or country. For most people, this thought scares them because the worst moment of their lives could be right around the corner. For me, mine was around the corner. For my family and I, our lives had changed within a span of a few hours, a dam had been opened by the military because a storm had filled the dam to much, it was during the middle of the night right up the hill from where I lived; no warning, no signals, nothing to warn us for what was to come. When the water had subsided, our basement, pool, garden, and pool shed were completely destroyed and our house was not safe to live on since the flood has done serious water damage. My mom had decided that this was a sign to get out of that town and start over in my childhood home that I lived in up until a few years ago, this had meant I had to find new friends and a new school; something I was not prepared for at all. Even though my life had been completely changed overnight, I wouldn't have it any other way. If that dam was never opened, I would have never turned into the person I am today, a new start gave me a new home, new friends that I still have to this day, and a new personality. I grew so much since the flood and have found my voice in the world because of my turnaround point, I wouldn't have changed a single thing.