As all of my fellow students and young-adults know, school and planning for the future can be mentally taxing. Whether you are stuck on homework, studying for a test, or job searching, you tend to get stuck in a mental funk. Either you keep coming to the same solution or you get stuck in a self-depreciating loop, and this cycle can be very difficult to break. When I come to the realization that I have caught myself in the endless misery cycle, I either go to the gym or play a puzzle-like game. I find that when I go to the gym, I am so focused on my breathing or how many reps I have done that my mind can rest and reset. I train for endurance so I am always very careful about my walk-run ratio, so I am always cognizant of my timing, but I also have to focus on my posture, and my breathing. My mind is so focused on my body that I cannot focus on work. Therefore when I return to the taxing situation, it is with a fresh mind. When I am weight lifting, or using weight machines, it is a little easier to think about the problem that was giving me issues. However, I still am focused on myself in that I have to count how many reps I have completed and how many sets I have completed. I also typically weight train after running, so my mind has already had a little break, so while I may accidentally refocus on the situation that caused the need for the break, it typically is not as stressful to consider. An additional benefit of giving my mind a break through exercise is that as I am doing something that is beneficial to my physical health, so I do not find myself feeling guilty about the mental rest. This makes it more likely that I will use the gym to break up my day, as I know that even though I am not focused on learning or working, I am still working. However, as I am physically working as opposed to mentally working, it is not time wasted. My other favorite way to give myself a mental break, if I do not have access to a fitness center, is to play a strategy game. This can be a board game, a jigsaw puzzle, or even a video game if that is your preferred game type. I will be so focused on the game, and therefore the completion of the game that I "forget" to think about whatever stressful situation was bothering me in the first place. I find that the best games are the ones where you are always involved, not ones where you have to wait for another player. If I have to wait for another player to complete their move I find that I will still tend to be distracted by my thoughts, this could also be that I do not prefer thinking ten steps ahead of my opponent though. In all, when I find myself stressed or stuck, I distract my mind with something that forces me to think about anything but the stressful situation I found myself in.

Dogs have always been a part of my life, from a large Newfoundland to an itty bitty Toy Poodle. Until college I had always had the opportunity to have a dog curled up to my side, or more often the opportunity to curl up to a dogs side. So it could be said that I love dogs due to their constant presence in my life, but my love for dogs goes far beyond that. Besides any dogs lovable and often fuzzy face, they are an individual just as any human. Each dogs has their own likes and dislikes, and more than that each dogs has its own bizarre habits. For example, my dog Ajax loves treats in his favorite toy: The Log. Every night at approximately 7PM you can bet that Ajax will find The Log and throw it at you until you stuff a treat inside (he is only a little spoiled). Of course Ajax's need for a treat in The Log can get annoying, his absolute persistence until you succumb to his will, but this is just another aspect of dog ownership. I would much rather have the amusement and companionship of a dog with the occasional interruption or accident, than not have a dog at all. I would rather spend hours training and coddling a dog than live in a cold and empty apartment by myself. That's just another example of how dogs positively impact my life as well. I am not an outgoing person, I would much rather stay at home with a blanket and a book than go out to a new exhibit or a club. With Ajax, I have the option of going out with friends or staying home and no matter the choice I wouldn't be alone. As a high energy dog, by spending time at home with Ajax I stay active without much thought. To keep him happy and healthy we often go on walks or play with toys, possible activating the zoomies which are always a highlight of the day. In all, while dogs are a lot of work, the energy and life they bring to an otherwise possible lonely girl far outweighs any consequence. The individuality brings a constant challenge and focus, a puzzle to solve with the endgame being a happy and healthy friend. The warmth, noise, and energy of a dog negates any possible interruption. While a dogs has not performed a miraculous life saving feat, the friendship and companionship is all that is needed.

Many people associate engineers with words such as "know-it-all", "stiff", and "boring". As an engineer myself, I see the creativity it actually takes to constantly innovate and improve technology of specific environments. When there comes a need for our expertise, we watch the world for any modicum of inspiration. We look for movement mechanisms from life, and structures of stability from the body and homes of creatures. We observe the world just as another artist, its just that the two groups of people apply what they know in such different ways. For an engineer to apply what they see takes a special person. To see the hexagons of a beehive and apply is to the inner structure of a planes skeleton is what it means to be creative as an engineer. That is what I have prepared myself for: to observe the world and apply what I see in the attempt to help people. It may not be singing my woes away, or drawing the bow of my cello across four strings to keep my apartment alive, but it is still my own creativity. It is my

We all have inspirational women in our lives, from family members to teachers or mentors. There are also those that we see everyday in the media, politicians, advocates, and celebrities. From all of the women I have been in contact with, or learned about through various platforms, the late Betty White will always be my inspirational leader. Betty White was known and loved by many, and was a constant through out my life, from watching the Golden Girls as a child and Hot in Cleveland just recently. These shows were not why Betty White inspired my though. It was her strong personality, and her willingness to go against all norms and stand for what she believed. Betty White had colored dancers on her show when racism was still running rampant through the country, even when her show was threatened to be cancelled. Betty White did not agree with racist actions and metaphorically spat in the faces of those who did, at the potential cost to her own well being. Betty White stood for what she believed and acted on her beliefs, not letting anyone stops her, and that is an admirable characteristic in anybody. Betty Whites actions speaking for her beliefs was what has inspired me, she never let anyone put her down and she did what she thought right in a world where most stereotypes were against her. This gives confidence to all women that they too can stand against the winds of society and come out strong, and influence the world in an encouraging way, even in male dominated industries. In my career, I plan to rise from an entry level engineering position to a senior design engineer in the medical field. While the biomedical engineering field is more diverse in terms of gender than other STEM fields, current medical device companies are still heavily male dominated. I plan to be influenced by Betty White and stand against gender bias in the workplace, whether the bias appears in the promotional pathway, in responsibility distribution, or in wage gaps.