During the pandemic, seniors in nursing homes were unable to get visits from loved ones. Though this rule was intended to protect their health, it resulted in many of the residents feeling alone. Letters for Rose has over 400 teenager-led chapters all over the world with the common goal of sending letters to nursing homes to reduce loneliness. After learning about this problem and organization, I decided that I wanted to be a part of the solution by joining Letters for Rose. Within the organization, I am a social media manager for the Alpharetta chapter. I collaborate with other managers from Georgia to create posts and inform teens that may be interested in writing letters. Increasing the number of people interested will increase the number of elders that we are able to write to and I think it is so important to continue to spread this message. Even when you know that you are loved, an encouraging message can go far. It is scientifically proven that happiness in older people is linked to a longer life. Not only can a positive message increase happiness, but it can also inspire people to pay it forward. My hope is that these letters make the day of the nursing home residents and show them that people care for them and are thinking of them. I improve the lives of elderly people in my community by offering them friendly, encouraging messages, and recruiting others to do the same.

Like Andy Warhol, I learned that if you want your life to change, you have to change it yourself. So often do people take a backseat in their life. They have all of these hopes and wants for themselves, but it's almost as if they are waiting for someone or something to change for them. Perhaps a moment where everything clicks or they suddenly gain the motivation to get things done. Through trials in my pursuit of education, I have learned that actively pursuing your goals is not a matter of motivation but a matter of discipline. Waiting for a sense of motivation that may never come will constantly fail. It's about having the discipline to do tasks that you need to do regardless of how motivated you feel at the moment. Because it's your own life, it has to be your personal mission to change it. It's only when you decide to change your life, map out the big goals, and actively set things in motion to propel you towards your goal, that things will actually change. Improvement is something that needs to be worked towards every day.