In the future, I see a confident, happy woman with a growing career that she loves. I see a woman that goes to work every day with the sole intention of helping people live their best lives. I see a woman that lives her own life to the fullest and never lets an opportunity slip by. That woman is me. The plans I have for my future center around maintaining personal wellness and finding fulfillment in a rewarding career in the psychology field. My long-term plan is to build a career dedicated to helping others navigate the challenges of mental illness. Within the next five years, my plan is to focus on personal well-being and fully bloom into the person I am meant to be: hard-working, dedicated, knowledgeable, caring, and kind. My goal for the years I will be at college is to grow as a person and learn as much as I can so that I can provide only top-quality services in my profession. With increasing tuition costs, this scholarship will help me focus more on my education and less on working to pay for it. With less of a financial burden, I can focus more on studying and volunteering. Volunteering is one of the best ways to give back to my community and contribute to making it a better place to be. Not only will it be my way of giving back, but it is also a great way for me to learn through experience and grow my skills. Whether it be related to my career or not, the skills I will learn and grow through volunteering with be invaluable to me and I will carry them with me throughout my life. In addition, with less worry about the financial burden, this scholarship will give me more time for myself. Amidst studying, working, and volunteering, it is especially important to set aside time for self-care. A high-effort routine of studying, working, and volunteering isn't sustainable without self-care. It is important to take some time for myself to prevent burnout and to ensure that I am maintaining my wellness so that I can reach my goals. Despite the large financial burden of college and being the first person in my family to attend, I won't let anything hold me back. No challenge or setback is too great. No matter how discouraged I might get or how hard I may have to work, I won't let anything stop me. I applied to college with the goal of getting a degree, and I won't let anything prevent me from walking across that stage in four years.

The books I have read have given me lifetimes of experiences that I would not have had if I did not read. From fantasy to non-fiction to manga. There are lessons to be learned from every book, even if they aren't obvious. Underneath an epic tale of a hero saving their kingdom from tyranny are lessons of integrity and altruism. Behind a story of magical girls protecting Earth from evil are lessons of friendship and kindness. The books I have read have taught me so much, much more than I would have learned without reading. One of the biggest things I have learned from the books I've read is the many different ways of using language. By reading a wide variety of literature, I have been exposed to so many writing styles and uses of language. This has come through in my own writing, contributing to the development of my own writing style and teaching me diverse ways of conveying precisely what I wish to convey. In high school, English teachers knew me for my distinct writing style and advanced use of language. Much of this can be attributed to all the different books I have read. After all, a good writer is one who also reads Further, books have played an integral role in shaping my goals for the future. Through reading, I have been able to learn more about a variety of topics and subjects. This gave me opportunities to learn outside of the classroom and engage in content that was not available to me as a class. This influenced and shaped my goals through providing me with learning and experience with different topics to discover how much I really liked them. For example, after reading "Behave" by Robert Sapolsky, I was even more sure that I wanted to go into the psychology field. Further, it opened my mind to the vast field of psychological research and allowed me to discover my fascination for research. Books have also taught me the importance of local libraries. Books and literature are important to our society. They lessons and value they hold is undeniable. Local libraries are a resource to communities, providing free access to books and often also planning events to promote reading. In the near future, I plan to volunteer at my local library to support its mission to increase literacy rates and bring access to books to everyone.

There are many ways to be a leader. When thinking of a leader, what comes to mind most often is someone who is reliable, dedicated, hard-working, and compassionate. These are the people others look to when in need of guidance or assistance. Others lead in more passive ways. The employee who is always on time and completes their work, maybe even finding time to do extra. The student who is always attentive, frequently has assignments done early, and never misses a deadline. While they may not be standing up to guide others, they are creating an example for others to follow that promotes all the qualities of a leader. All in all, what makes a leader a leader is continued dedication to demonstrating positive qualities and encouraging others to do the same. I wasn't always a leader. Leading wasn't something that came naturally to me. I was far more likely to sit in the back and do my own work, trying not to stand out. I grew to think that I just wasn't cut out to lead, I thought I was meant to be on the sidelines just watching. But during high school, when the importance and impact of my actions and choices became undeniably evident, I realized that I wasn't going to get anywhere by sitting back and blindly following others. I have my own ambitions and dreams and no one is going to lead me there. I have to work for it myself, and that means breaking off from the pack and leading my own way. Finding my own path wasn't easy, and often I felt like quitting. Somehow, what I was doing wasn't working. Accomplishments felt few and far between. That led me to the realization that to lead my own path I was going to have to take control of my life. I was going to have to adjust what I was doing, what I spent my time on, who I was around. To lead my own path and be productive toward my goals, I needed to make that the center of my focus. That meant cultivating my space to empower and encourage me to stay on track. I was careful about who I spent time around, making sure that the people around me weren't trying to drag me down or inhibit my process. Social media, once a distraction, became a carefully cultivated place of positivity and motivation that I used less frequently. Slowly, I let go of old habits that didn't serve me and worked to replace them with better, more productive habits that my future self will thank me for. In leading my own path, I have been an example to others as to the power of taking control of your own life. Part of what makes me a leader now, as I prepare for my first semester of college, is integrity, admitting where I may fall short and have room for improvement. Thus far, I really only have only been a leader from the sidelines. I have led by example, putting in the work to maintain a high grade point average, being a model student, and staying out of trouble. As I go off to college and begin this new chapter of my life, I have set a goal to step out of my comfort zone and engage in being an active leader. In addition to my studies, I plan to get involved and find ways to be a better leader. My goal in college is to utilize the college experience to leave my seat on the sidelines and be a better leader.

Navigating mental health challenges and mental illness is hard, to say the very least. Added on top of that, societal stigma makes it even harder to live and cope with. Psychology is a growing field with a growing demand that will only continue to grow as we tackle and remove barriers that may prevent some people from accessing therapy. On an academic level, psychology is something that I have been passionate about for a long time. I've always loved learning about the brain and the intricacies of its functions. On a more personal level, psychology is something I am passionate about because of my own experience with mental health struggles. I am a terribly anxious person, and I've struggled with dangerously low self-esteem and dangerous ideations that maybe I just don't belong here. My darkest years, during middle and high school, were marked by a fragile sense of self. I had very low self-worth and would hide behind made-up personalities to hide how insecure I really felt. Living like that is not sustainable, and it didn't take long before I grew miserable. I hated myself and felt very little joy. My junior year of high school, things started to change. Low self-esteem is not sustainable. I was miserable and knew I couldn't keep living like that. Intrusive thoughts told me that there was one easy way to make it stop, but I didn't truly want to die. I have my whole life ahead of me and there's so much left for me to experience. I knew it was time for a change, I had to do something. Slowly, I started to work on little things, like correcting negative self-talk. After all, how would I get better if I was continuously putting myself down? I noticed the biggest shift in my self-image during the second semester of my senior year. I was completing the final physical education credit required for graduation in a personal fitness class. I hated it in the beginning and dreaded going to class. But slowly, over time, through the teacher's constant motivation and positive attitude, I started to enjoy it. Along with involvement in my personal health and fitness, my self-esteem grew too. I began to see myself in a different way and found the motivation and the methods to consciously engage in building my self-esteem. While it may not have looked like much to others from the outside, this experience was a pivotal internal transition for me that changed my outlook on life and shifted it toward better things. My journey through struggling with anxiety and building my self-esteem has instilled in me a strong desire to help guide others through similar situations. I am passionate about pursuing a career in therapy because I know what it's like to need help. It is nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to hide. I am passionate about saving lives by providing necessary, life-saving mental health care. I am passionate about helping decrease the mental health professional shortage by dedicating my career to the mental health field.

Disney is notorious for the small details, the easter eggs, and the symbolism they include in their films. From Rapunzel being seen walking into the castle for Elsa's coronation in Frozen, to the hidden Mickeys that can be found everywhere, there are countless easter eggs to be found in so many of Disney's films. Not only do they hide easter eggs, they include so much symbolism in their films to deepen the messages of the stories. In Frozen, Elsa's hair can be seen as a symbol of her control over her fear. In The Greatest Showman, Barnum's hat can be seen as a symbol of being true to yourself. All of their films carry a deeper message, but of them all, "The Greatest Showman" is my favorite. A story about an enduring love, perseverance, stepping out of the box of societal standards, and, most of all, a story about loving and being true to yourself. P.T. Barnum is a family man with ambition. He wants to give his family everything and to do that he starts a circus. Through the financial struggle at the start to the public backlash to his circus, Barnum perseveres through it all. The success of the circus shows that you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it and work hard enough. Further, within the circus, other characters introduce themes of breaking conformity to society and loving yourself as you are. Barnum's partner, Phillip Carlyle, begins his character development during the song "The Other Side." Barnum sees potential is Carlyle and tries to persuade him to join his circus as a partner. He is reluctant at first, saying, "...I quite enjoy this life you say I'm trapped in..." Barnum describes Carlyle's life as a cage that he's in, and offers him to "take the key" and fly free with him and the circus. By the end of the song, Carlyle agrees to join him in the circus as a partner together they say, "Forget the cage 'cause we know how to make the key." This line is super meaningful because it shows that no matter how stuck you may feel, you have the means to get out. In the context of this movie, it means that everyone has the ability to conform to society or can choose to break it and embrace their own free expression. In line with the themes of breaking societal conformity, many of the circus performers stand as symbols of self-love and accepting yourself as you are. This becomes the most obvious during the song "This is Me," when the performers refuse to feel shame for the things about themselves that make them who they are, even though society would label them "freaks." This message gives the film and story an aspect of empowerment. Through an entertaining film inspired by the life of P.T. Barnum, Disney created a story that would tell and audience of all ages that they deserve to love themselves and to be proud of who they are. Despite how others might sneer at it, our differences are what make us each who we are and we should be proud of that. My favorite thing about Disney is the film "The Greatest Showman." Not only is it a cinematic masterpiece that's beautifully produced, it is obvious that the producers put immense effort into making the film an important message that would be relevant to and appeal to all ages. Disney's commitment to spreading positive messages and love keeps me coming back for more, eager to see new releases and to rewatch old releases countless times.

When I was little, my favorite thing to do was be outside. Whether I was kicking around a soccer ball, playing softball, going to the park, or roller skating, it didn't matter to me. I loved to be active and outside. Even on rainy days, I wanted to go out and run through puddles and play in the rain. I was happy and optimistic, outgoing and friendly. My grandmother was my biggest cheerleader, always encouraging me to love and embrace the things that made me who I am. Unique was a word I learned to lovingly identify with. She always told me that my personality was the greatest blessing and to never stop being myself. To this day, I hold great admiration for my grandmother and all the things she did for me. The year 2013 marks a significant change in my life, a before and after. In May of 2013, we lost my grandmother to suicide. It feels as if I changed that day, like part of me is stuck, sealed behind the wall of 2013. As time moved on, I struggled with anxiety and the self-esteem that my grandmother worked so hard to build in me seemed to vanish. Many times, teachers told me they saw potential in me, I just needed to gain a little more confidence to chase after my dreams. I stayed this way, anxious with dangerously low self-esteem, until my junior year of high school. My junior and senior years of high school mark another significant transition for me. In the midst of researching colleges and preparing to enter the adult world, I was also going through an internal transition. During my junior year, I took an IB psychology class. The teacher of that class took notice to my self-deprecating tendencies and slowly worked with me to try to change them. Over that year and the next, there was a significant, noticeable shift in my self-perception. I had always wondered how I lost that little girl that was always optimistic and loved being active, I thought she was gone. But over those two years, I began to realize that she was not gone, I just had to find her again. On an academic level, psychology and the brain have always interested me. The functions and capabilities of the human brain never cease to amaze me. While the path ahead isn't clear, I know, at the very least, that I want to work in the psychology field. My experience with mental health struggles and self-esteem has motivated me to help others with their journey. There are so many options of ways to do this, it's hard to choose. From being a therapist and working with people out-patient, to being a psychiatric nurse and working with people in-patient, there's so much to do in the psychology field. For now, I am beginning an undergraduate degree in psychology to get started and work with career advisors to clear up the rest of the details. But whether I pursue a career as a psychiatric nurse or a licensed therapist, my true career aspirations are to help other people navigate mental health and to work with adolescents like me and help them build self-esteem and confidence.

Health is not a habit, or a choice, or a happenstance. Health is a lifestyle. It is slowly cultivated through dedication to consistently making healthy choices that build into habits, and eventually become your lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle is comprised of many aspects of overall well-being. Physical health is the foundation for a well-balanced life but it is not enough alone. Mental health is also vital to a balanced life. Together, they work to ensure the best physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. A healthy lifestyle is cultivated through a healthy mind and body, and that all begins with the choices you make every day, and the journey toward health is never over. It is a journey that lasts a lifetime of consistency of dedication. When I was little, I was very active. I have countless memories of running around outside, going to the park, playing softball in the backyard, and riding my bike. But as I grew older, my activity level dropped. I found myself more fond of sedentary activities. You were more likely to find me reading a book or playing on my Nintendo 2DS than outside running around. Throughout school, I always hated participating in gym classes. I was no longer that little girl who loved running around and spending her time outdoors. Health is holistic, meaning a healthy lifestyle consists of a healthy body, mind, and spirit. For me personally, a healthy mind and a healthy body go hand in hand. For as long as I can remember, I have been a very anxious and insecure person. Being involved in living a healthy lifestyle, and especially going to the gym has done wonders for my mental health. I used to hate going to the gym, especially when there were weights involved. In the second semester of my senior year, I was required to take a personal fitness class. It was the last gym credit I needed to graduate. I started the class with an apprehensive attitude, I hated going. Nonetheless, I needed the credit, and I wasn't going to let my grade down by not participating. First starting out with weight lifting, I felt weak and discouraged. I felt so embarrassed to be lifting five-pound weights when other people were lifting twenty or more. A million thanks go out to my gym teacher who always maintained a positive, motivating attitude and did everything she possibly could to make her gym a safe place to learn about personal fitness in a motivational, interactive environment. Slowly, week by week, my attitude surrounding the gym shifted. I started finding myself motivated to do better, to try harder. I stopped dreading going to class. I paid more attention to asking questions and correcting my form. Eventually, I found myself wanting to go to the gym. I wanted to learn more about muscle anatomy and exercises, to understand how it all worked. Health is holistic, and my interest and involvement in fitness spread into the rest of my life. Nutrition became a topic of interest; I wanted to make sure that my body was getting everything it needed. This led to me finding one of my new favorite recipes. Overnight oats are a healthy, delicious meal option with so many flavor options, and have become a staple item in my diet. Further, my mental health has seen tremendous benefits. Focusing on health has improved my self-confidence and has helped me manage my anxiety. Previously a chronic pessimist, I have found myself taking more optimistic outlooks. Through dedication to making healthy choices every day, my health journey will continue to grow.

There are countless reasons to pick up and maintain healthy eating habits. From physical health, to mental health, your diet can have immeasurable impacts on every aspect of your life. With one goal in mind, to live long and happy, healthy eating is the basis for making this possible. Simply put, food is fuel for the body, and it is best to fuel the body with only the most nutritious and sustaining ingredients. Many health conditions are related to diet, and can be exacerbated by poor diet. Not only does the food you eat increase or decrease the likelihood of developing some health conditions, but it also impacts your day to day health. Energy levels, motivation, and your day-long sustainability are all reliant upon the foods you choose to eat. A healthy balance of proteins, carbs, and vegetables is key to sustaining your energy through out the day. Physical health is an important part of maintaining mental health. By keeping healthy eating habits and maintaining your physical wellness, there are countless benefits to mental health as well. With the proper nutrients fueling your body, you'll find yourself more alert and aware, with a more sustained attention span, and with more motivation to be productive. For me, nothing feels better than a long productive day fueled by a healthy, balanced breakfast to start it off. In addition, a healthy diet can help in building self-esteem and increase confidence. My personal journey with healthy eating has been bumpy, to say the least. I have always been a picky eater, and have been reluctant to try new foods in the past. But as it turns out, chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese do not make for a sustainable diet. After taking health classes in high school and learning more in depth about nutrition, I felt motivated to make better and healthier eating choices. Slowly, I began trying new foods, and I even found myself starting to enjoy cooking. Since then, I feel so much better in my body. Changing my diet for the better has changed my life in amazing ways. With more energy, I have more motivation to be active. Now, I love to be in the gym doing cardio and strength training. With this change, I feel so much happier and more optimistic than I was before. Healthy eating habits are the basis for a happy, healthy life. After my journey to eating healthy and prioritizing my health, I am motivated to learn more about nutrition and to help guide others to build healthy eating habits and prioritize their health.

From childhood to now, I have probably changed my mind about my future career at least a hundred times. Doctor, teacher, lawyer, police officer, military. At some point, these were all careers I thought I wanted to do for the rest of my life. They may all seem very different, but they all have a common feature. Each of those jobs is centered around the desire to serve others and help others. I may have decided that those are not careers I want to pursue, but I have not wavered on wanting a career built around helping and serving others. I have a long history of mental health struggles. I have had dangerously low self-esteem and tried to find self-worth through academic validation. By my junior year of high school, I was miserable. It was like I had been waiting for someone to come along and fix me. But at that point, I knew that wasn't going to happen. I had to step up and be the person that I needed the most. What I wanted from others I had to be for myself, I couldn't keep hoping for someone to be that for me. It was hard and it was a slow process. During this phase of self-discovery, I was also busy looking at colleges and getting ready to put in my applications. From my experience, I knew that I wanted to build a career in the mental health field. I wanted to help other people learn how to care for their mental health and to help other young people build their self-esteem and confidence. I plan to study psychology the whole way through a master's degree. I want to build an understanding of human psychology so that I can incorporate holistic methods to help teens deal with mental health challenges and build self-esteem. Through college, I want to gain experience in my field of study through volunteering. My goal for college is to get the educational foundation necessary to work in the psychology field. My goal in life is to always help others. The best way for me to help others while I'm in college is to volunteer my time. Not only will I gain experience in my field, but I can work to leave a lasting impact in my community that may even be able to help others long after I graduate and move into my career.

Between going to classes, studying, working, and engaging in social activities, it often feels like I don't have near enough time to do everything. But with careful time management and a healthy dose of self-discipline, I make it a point to still make time for self-care. Undoubtedly, self-care is the most essential part of my day. Maintaining my overall wellness is directly linked to my success as a student. After all, how could I spend energy maintaining grades and studying if I'm not doing well physically or mentally? My favorite and more versatile way to maintain my personal wellness is through exercise. Hitting the gym and getting a mix of cardio, weight training, and stretching is the perfect start to my day. Not only is exercise important to maintaining physical health, but there are also so many other benefits. Going to the gym has built confidence and self-esteem, improved my mental health, and increased my energy levels. There is nowhere that I feel more at peace than in the gym working toward my next goal and seeing daily improvements in my performance. The confidence boost and benefits to my mental health keep me motivated and in the right headspace to give my full effort to my studies. It keeps me in a motivated mindset centered around progress and improvement. This all contributes to my success as a student by keeping my on track, helping me build self-discipline, and maintaining my motivation and momentum. Without going to the gym, my mental health would suffer and it would almost certainly reflect in my academic performance. Outside of the gym and my other commitments, my free time is likely spent reading. Reading has been a love of mine for as long as I can remember. My childhood was filled with devouring book after book, never stopping. Now my days have become much busier than before, but I still make time for myself to sit down and enjoy a book. Reading is a time for me to relax and escape daily stress. It transports me to another world where I can escape the problems of this world and just relax. In addition to loving fiction and fantasy, I also like to read self-help books. One of my favorite reads was Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book taught me how to build successful, productive habits and how to kick old, unuseful habits. This has had a clear, direct link to my success in all aspects of my life. It has helped me hold myself accountable, block out any negativity that might be trying to hold me back, and build the self-discipline necessary to consistently work toward and meet my goals. Reading nonfiction books designed to help build productivity and better lifestyles has helped me understand just how motivation and other factors work so that I can design better, more effective methods for working toward success. My success as a student is directly reliant upon maintaining my wellness through time in the gym and by reading. Without the wellness I cultivate through these methods, my performance and success in academics would suffer. And not only is it important to care for myself so I can maintain my academic performance, but I also owe it to myself to care for myself so that I can live the absolute best that I can.

The one thing about college that excites me the most is the fresh start. In a new place, with new people, and none of my past following me there, college is a chance for a completely fresh start. There are new opportunities to seize and make the most of. College is the place to grow and learn, and, in the new stages of adulthood, to expand and blossom into your full potential. While this is a time to develop and get the most out of your experience, it doesn't come without its challenges. Many of these challenges include navigating independent living, school work deadlines, maintaining a job, and so much more. All of this pressure to perform well and the demand to stay on top of your tasks can take a toll on your overall well-being. In light of this, it is important to find ways to incorporate self-care and wellness into your everyday schedule. In a hierarchy of needs, physical wellness comes first. After all, it's hard to worry about your mental or spiritual well-being if your body isn't taken care of. It is inexpressibly important to take care of your body, as it is the only one you will ever have. Personally, my self-care comes in the form of exercise and meal plans. I like to make time in my everyday schedule to go to the gym, and to make sure that I am eating proper meals, especially a healthy breakfast. Diet is an important part of physical health, and I like to ensure that I am eating enough and getting the proper nutrients to sustain my day-to-day activities. Proper eating is especially important for me, as I like to go to the gym and exercise regularly as self-care. Not only does this enhance my physical wellness, but it also helps me maintain mental wellness. Through exercise, the gym is a great place to work out any stress or negativity that may be impacting my mental well-being. In addition, exercise had proven to be personally effective in building confidence and self-esteem. After I started my weightlifting journey, I slowly began to notice improvements in my self-esteem and my confidence. Because of the benefits of exercise for several aspects of my well-being, this will be a non-negotiable part of my day-to-day activities. On another level, spiritual well-being, care for my soul, comes in a variety of ways. Something that can be fit into several small moments throughout the day, this is much easier to work into my day than exercise. But much like exercise, this cares for both my spiritual well-being and my mental health. Many people care for their soul through religion and prayer, but as I don't align myself with religion, I find my spiritual care through self-reflection and connection with nature. At some point during the day, I like to make it a point to go outside. Often, my outdoor time is spent traveling between places I need to be. Other times, I like to find a spot to sit outside and do an activity, whether that be reading or something else. I feel a deep, personal connection with nature and find spending time outdoors to be refreshing and relaxing. Together, all of these moments in my day make up my overall self-care. Despite the challenges of school, balancing work with classes, staying engaged in the community, and getting involved with student activities, these are important moments in my day to care for myself and ensure that I am taken care of and don't run into premature burnout.

For most of my life, cancer was a tragedy that I thought would never affect me. It was never something I thought would impact my life. During my sophomore year of high school, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. At first it didn't really sink in. I went about my days as normal, and everything was normal. My grandfather had always been a very active person, he never stopped moving. But shortly after the chemo and radiation treatments started, he lost his energy and that's when everything really sank in. It was hard, going to visit him and seeing him tired and without his usual spark of energy. On top of all this, we were in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the cancer and the treatments, my grandfather was super immunocompromised. We had to be super careful about washing our hands and staying healthy. If we had even a hint of a symptom of a cold, we couldn't risk going to visit him. Sometimes when one of us would get a sniffle or a cough, we couldn't visit him for weeks or even over a month. I missed him and his happy, energetic personality. Fast forward many months, his treatments were over and he was going in for follow-up scans. His energy was coming back, and most of the side effects were or already had worn off. Shortly later, we got the results. The cancer was gone, and it hadn't come back. I don't think I've ever received better news in my whole life. The nightmare was over. And to this day, his cancer still hasn't come back, something I can't even express my gratitude for. It was a scary, terrifying time, facing the fact that I might lose my grandfather. It was a time that changed us all, in ways we can't measure. We have always been very family-oriented. The best times of the year are the holidays when we all gather at my grandparent's house and celebrate together. Nothing is more important to us than family. Our grandfather's battle with cancer has only strengthened those values of family. We take every opportunity to spend time together that we can get. Whatever else may need to be done can wait, because we've learned that you never truly know how much time you have left with the people you love. We don't take a moment of it for granted.

My experience with mental health began when I was very young. My parents' relationship was very unstable and I lived mostly with my grandmother. But when I was only eight years old, we lost my grandmother to suicide. After a few months, we moved to a new city for a fresh start. Things went smoothly for a little but quickly spiraled downhill. My mother struggled with bipolar disorder and alcohol addiction. While she was there physically, her struggles made my mother an absent parent. My father wasn't home very much, spending long days at work to support us financially. When he was home, my parents would argue late into the night. Eventually, my mother left. My self-esteem and self-worth took a huge hit. I became dependent on external sources of validation. I would people-please at my own cost and change myself just to make people like me. I wasn't true to myself; I would change myself to reflect whatever I thought the other person would like better. I was like this all through middle school and most of high school. In my last years of high school, I grew to hate myself. I was miserable. By the end of senior year, I had finally had enough. I wanted to heal, to get better. I couldn't live like that anymore. Coincidentally, at that time, I came across WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley. A strong, confident woman, I admired her. She quickly became my idol and inspired me to be the best version of myself that I could be. She was the catalyst that began my journey to healing and growing into my full potential. I analyzed my current situation and planned ways to implement self-care into my daily life. I gave up social media in the morning for meditation and affirmations. I implemented methods to retrain my negative self-talk to be more positive and encouraging. I started working out, to build physical strength to symbolize my internal strength and resilience and to give me the physical strength to be independent. My entire worldview shifted, wholly influenced by my long history of mental health struggles. Most of all, I believe my experience with mental health has made me more empathetic. No matter what someone may be displaying on the outside, I always stop to consider what may be going on in the background that we don't see. My understanding of the world was deepened. There is so much more underneath the surface. Often, what we see is only the polished, refined versions that people want us to see. The raw, unfiltered versions are kept hidden from view. I've gained an appreciation of these versions. When people do express their vulnerable, unfiltered versions, they are frequently criticized or judged. But I feel like that is counter-productive and harsh. I strive to, in my relationships, be the person who is a safe place to be vulnerable and unfiltered. It's an unfair expectation to expect that people are put together and composed at all times. The world needs more authentic, unfiltered moments. My goals come from my experiences. Having experienced mental health struggles, I have a goal to help others experience what I went through. I am pursuing a degree in psychology so that I can practice as a therapist to be the help that I wish to see available. I was unable to have access to therapy that could have helped me, so I wish to be available to people like me who couldn't access it. Not only do I want to build a career helping others, but I also want to advocate for mental health awareness. I want to be an example to younger generations that mental health struggles are nothing to be ashamed of. And though the battle may be hard, there are better things on the other side. It is not impossible to build a better life and heal. The beginning of my healing journey was full of feelings of strength and empowerment. The aren't enough words to describe how amazing that strength and empowerment felt after years of being insecure and questioning my own worth. My goal is to spread that strength and empowerment to everyone because everyone deserves to feel strong and empowered.

Mental health has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother struggled with bipolar disorder and alcohol addiction. When I was eight years old, we lost my grandmother to suicide. And this was all just the beginning. Throughout middle and high school, I struggled with my own mental health. I struggled with low self-worth and self-harm. Social anxiety led me to hide myself beneath layers of assimilation designed to help me fit in and match everyone else. I wasn't true to myself, and the fear of standing out caused me to miss countless opportunities to grow. All of my struggles intensified in high school. All of my friends started dating, but it just didn't come to me like it seemed to come so easily for them. That was the beginning of my struggles with sexuality. It wasn't until three years later at the start of my junior year that I accepted myself and came out as lesbian and non-binary. Coming out was a pivotal moment for me. It was the first time I was able to start being more of my authentic self, but only around my friends. Home was a whole different story. My parents were very open about their anti-LGBTQ+ views, and I was too scared to even hint that I wasn't straight. Over the next year, I listened to my parents' casual anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, slurs casually slung around in school, and increasing debates over queer rights in the news. It all built up, slowly internalizing. I began to wonder if I deserved to live happily being a queer person. I wondered if I should just hide it and hope it went away. Eventually, I began to wonder if I even deserved to exist as a queer person. My mental health was deteriorating, but I picked myself up and leaned into my identity even more. I found strength in the community and found an interest in mental health. I spent my senior year preparing to graduate and setting myself up for college to major in psychology. Mental health struggles stole many opportunities from me, but it created an opportunity for me to help others who are experiencing the same struggles. I am now at a point where I am ready to heal from my past struggles and evolve into someone new. I am no longer going to allow social anxiety to hold me back from taking opportunities, leading the way, and being my authentic self. I know my worth and what I deserve, and I won't let anyone tell me otherwise. I want to build a career helping LGBTQ+ youth navigate mental health challenges and flourish in the face of adversity. I want to be an example to younger generations that everyone belongs and has worth, no matter how they identify.

I have always been very shy and insecure. People have told me that I have low self-esteem. And this, of course, was the truth. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I wasn't always true to myself. I built a mask, a personality that would fit in with everyone else. I didn't want to stand out or draw any attention to myself. I suppressed my true self and hid it under layers of what I thought everyone else would like and what would help me fit in the best. Throughout my last two years of high school, I began to grow unhappy with myself. I hated who I was. I couldn't stand to sit in my own skin. But I knew that wasn't who I truly was. I remembered the little girl, five or six years old, who loved life, was super active, and wasn't ashamed to be herself. I missed that little girl I was. At the beginning of my junior year of high school, I began my journey to evolving into my most authentic self, the person I truly am. At the start of this journey, that meant coming out and accepting who I was. I came out to my friends as lesbian and non-binary, and much to my surprise, I was accepted. Some of my friends even made efforts to learn more about the community and the problems we face and become true allies. This meant so much to me and only encouraged me to continue being myself. Slowly but surely, my own interests and personality began to emerge out from under the layers of assimilation I had built up over the years. I stopped letting the little things slide and started speaking up for what I believed in. I took up new hobbies, like crocheting, cross-stitch, and tabletop games, and was amazed at how much happier I was. The LGBTQ+ community has played such an integral role in my journey to be myself. Finding other people around me who also identify with the community has broadened my experience and created a circle of friends who better understand me and my experience. I have leaned into my identity and found peace and self-acceptance. Further, the community has also played a role in helping me choose my major. Over the past two years, I have seen the huge need for mental health care everywhere, but specifically the need in the LGBTQ+ community. I've always had an interest in mental health and psychology. The brain and the way it works fascinate me. Junior year I took an IB psychology class to expose me to the field. I loved it, and this solidified my decision. I am majoring in psychology because I want a career addressing the need for mental health care in the LGBTQ+ community. According to the Trevor Project, 45% of LGBTQ+ youth considered committing suicide in the last year. This is an alarming percentage, and I want to be part of the solution. Having been through my own journey of self-discovery and acceptance, I know that it's hard. And for some, it's even harder than what I experienced. Without the support of others accepting and encouraging your journey, the challenge is even harder. I want to build a career helping LGBTQ+ youth flourish in self-acceptance and live to see adulthood and beyond. I want to be an example for younger generations that we can and will get past the boundaries and challenges and flourish in the face of adversity.

My dream version of my future self is a confident, empowered, and strong woman who has built a career dedicated to empowering others and building up their confidence in the face of anything.

Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” And this is true on so many fronts. Whether it be fact or fiction, long or short, educational or inspirational. No matter what is on the surface, it always goes much deeper, says much more, does much more. Every story is written with a purpose. A purpose that is carried in the words that make an impact. The power of words is undeniable. And through writing, we use the power of words to express, connect, and represent. That is why writing is so important to me. Every story begins with an expression. Expression of a message, a conflict, an idea. Writing is an expression of something inside the author that cannot be held in. Whether it be shared with the world or kept private, something was expressed in the words that made a difference. Writing comes in so many forms. No matter the form, writing is a record of the author. Whatever was written was done so because the author felt that it was wholly and undeniably important that it be expressed. Sometimes that looks like a private piece of work that made a difference to the author but never enters the world to be shared. Very often that looks like a work shared everywhere so that the author can reach others. Writing is as much an expression of the author as it is a connection to others. An author writes something and it is shared. A reader picks up the work and a connection is made. Over the shared experience contained within the words they read, the reader knows that they are not alone. Someone else has expressed their experience with something that the reader can relate to. The connection created with works of writing is everlasting, for nothing can break the bond that connects two people who have a shared an experience. And if not for writing, the connection may never have been made. Through connection, representation can be found. An author expresses their experience, a connection is made, and a group that formerly may have thought they were individuals is represented. An experience is represented and can be advocated for beginning with writing. Through books, scripts, music, poetry, and every other form of writing an idea is represented and can be elaborated on and continued in more works. A few words can start a wave of advocacy that can be continued in more words. Writing is such an effective method of advocacy and activism through expressing an idea and existing to educate others on the topic. Whether it is fact or a fictional story being told, there is something to learn. And where there is something to learn, there is room to grow. There are many untold stories living inside of me, and without writing I do not know how I would ever express them. My greatest desire in life is to express my stories, read other people’s stories, connect over them, and grow through representation and advocacy. Writing is so important to me because this is how I can express myself and connect with others. Writing is how I can learn more about things I am not familiar with and grow as a person. Writing is how I can live my best life. I may not create elaborate worlds and brand-new magical systems, but I will use writing and the power of words to express myself and my experiences, connect with other people, and represent and advocate for the things I hold closest to me.

I was raised on Disney movies, both new ones and old classics. Bambi, Snow White, Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Fantasia, and so many more. There are so many loveable characters in the extensive world of Disney, but I have loved none more than Elsa. Though I was reluctant to admit it at first, thinking that at eight years old I was too old for Disney princess movies at the time, I’ve absolutely loved Frozen ever since it was released. I loved all of the characters in the movie. But I loved Elsa the most. On the surface, I saw a beautiful princess with amazing icy, snowy powers. As I grew older, my admiration for the movie never faltered, but I grew to love other aspects of the movie. As the focus of my attention shifted from Elsa’s powers, I began to notice the powerful underlying themes of the movie and the tiny details that created them. Underneath the main plotline following Elsa’s struggles with controlling her powers, there’s a tale of a struggle with mental health. Many Disney movies feature a strong feminine lead who eventually falls in love. But this one was different. A feminine lead struggled with her intense anxiety and fear in regard to her uncontrollable powers, and focused on learning to love herself and conquer her fear rather than finding love and relying on someone else to show her worth. Of course, there is still some adorable romance as seen between Anna and Kristoff, but it isn’t the central focus of the movie. Elsa’s mental struggle being the main focus of the movie and the addition of her recovery in Frozen two created a beautiful narrative about finding self-love, overcoming fear, and that showing fear isn’t weakness and isn’t wrong. The subtle metaphor created with Elsa’s hair is one of my favorite parts of the movies. The tight bun she begins with in the first movie is symbolic of her fear’s control over her. The second movie ends with her hair completely unbound and free. This is strongly symbolic of her overcoming her fear and learning to love herself and take control of her life. This is such a strong message to young audiences about being brave enough to face your fears, but also being unafraid to show that you are scared, and is the main reason why Elsa is my favorite Disney character.

Mental health is relevant to everyone, not just those living with mental illness. Mental health is a topic everywhere. From schools to first responders and military, to common civilian jobs. Everyone experiences stress and threats to their mental health, some just more than others. Mental health impacts every aspect of your life, and it is absolutely imperative to maintain good mental health to lead a happy, fulfilling life. While it may seem hard or even like it's out of your control, maintaining your mental wellness is your duty. A little bit of self-care every day can improve your mental health just enough to make an impact in your life. Everyone’s experience with mental health is different, so it’s not only important to understand your own relationship with mental health but other people’s too. Mental illness can make it significantly harder to practice self-care and maintain mental wellness. Therefore, it is important for everyone to understand how to maintain their mental wellness and advocate for others. Mental health is a journey. For some, it may be a hike through the woods, but for others, it might be a climb up Mount Everest. Educating ourselves about mental health and understanding how to help ourselves and others can improve conditions for now and for future generations. Further, mental health can sometimes be a life-or-death situation. Not all the time are the signs obvious. Masking mental health struggles is ingrained into our society. Showing signs of mental struggles is seen as showing weakness, and that is frowned upon. By learning and teaching about mental health, we can fight the stigmas that surround it and become better at recognizing the signs and symptoms associated with suicide risk. We can save so many lives by better educating ourselves and others about the importance of maintaining good mental health. There are many ways to practice self-care and improve mental health. The first step is learning to identify and cope with emotions. It is important to recognize when you are feeling stressed or upset and deal with this accordingly. There are many versatile ways to deal with these emotions. Simple, quick activities include coloring, journaling, going for a walk, cooking a meal, and so much more. To maintain your mental health long-term, self-care should be a set part of every day. While this doesn’t have to look like a strict daily schedule, it is important to stick to it. Yet it is also important to take a break when necessary. This may include taking a day to relax or taking a thirty-minute break from your work to get something to eat and drink some water. Maintaining mental wellness is an around-the-clock job that’s a part of physical wellness as well. This means that self-care includes making sure that you eat, drink plenty of water, take time for basic personal hygiene, and many other things. Basic personal hygiene and self-care can be really hard when you are struggling with mental illness. That is why it is so important to do any little bit of self-care you can because it can make a huge difference. Even just eating a little bit is better than none at all. Self-care, in any way you do it, is essential and vital to maintaining your mental health. A simple five-minute mindfulness meditation can make a difference and change the whole trajectory of your day. Knowing and learning about mental health is the first and most essential step to knowing yourself and living your best life. The second step is to practice and ingrain self-care into your everyday life to make mental health a priority.

The pandemic has been a tragedy overall. Not only did it disrupt everyone’s lives and force us to learn how to live in isolation and find new ways to connect with others remotely, but it also destroyed access to treatment centers. With new social distancing rules, masking, and other precautions put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many treatment facilities put a stop to many normal functions or even shut down altogether. While this may have been an important step in responding to the rapidly-spreading virus, this was several steps backward in regards to meeting the needs of those recovering from substance use disorder. In response to the body’s physiological need for the substance and not having it, there are many adverse side effects and symptoms associated with withdrawal and recovery. Therefore, many times people rely on in-patient treatment and in-person meetings. But in the functioning of the “new normal,” these options were shut down and not allowed per CDC regulations regarding reducing the spread of the virus. This made an already hard journey that much more difficult for people either in the process or looking to begin the journey of recovering. For those who were already in an in-patient facility or those joining one that remained open, family gift drop-offs and visits were suspended and patients were only allowed to connect with their families virtually or over the phone. During recovery, patients are emotionally vulnerable and need the support and care that only their family and loved ones can provide. Therefore, cutting off visitation and isolating patients likely had a large, negative effect on their recovery. There are many co-morbid illnesses, such as depression, that are associated with substance use disorder and recovery. With this in mind, family visitation and activities are an important part of building and maintaining mental health in recovering patients. For many, the use of a substance may have been how they were coping with a pre-existing mental illness, so part of their recovery consists of finding new coping mechanisms. If that were to be exercise, art, or spending time with family, the pandemic made it much harder to access those things and pushed people towards going back to substances. In addition to those who already started their recovery journey before the pandemic hit, some hadn’t been ready. To begin recovery, one must enter a completely vulnerable state, maybe even potentially having hit rock bottom, and admit that there is a problem and they need help. With isolation and distancing, the pandemic made it so much harder for people to reach out. And for those who weren’t ready to reach out, the isolation may have increased their dependency and chances of overdose. And with the limited treatment options during the height of the pandemic, increased the chances of not being able to get help and recover. Overall, the pandemic was a tragedy, especially with regard to substance use disorder treatment availability. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be some good that came out of it. The pandemic forced everyone to shift to a new normal of remote, virtual functioning. We were forced to quickly adapt to staying at home and functioning virtually. If the pandemic did anything good for substance use disorder treatment, it opened our eyes to the insufficiencies of virtual treatment options. Some of the most important aspects of substance use recovery are finding a social support system, creating or finding diversions to cope with cravings, and avoiding certain people, places, or things. Several of these things are worked on and learned in therapy. Therapy can be done online through a virtual video or call format such as Zoom, Google Meets, and many others. In an ideal world with full funding, this can be offered free or at little cost to patients. In addition to regularly scheduled therapy meetings, there will always be at least one licensed therapist on call for any emergencies or a sudden need for support. In regards to finding social support, there can be an always-open online room for video or text chat to speak with other patients (in ways that respect confidentiality and other rules) and a therapist if needed.

I have always been very successful in school, but geography was definitely not my strong suit. Nothing was harder than trying to remember all fifty states and where they are. At least I thought nothing was harder. Even harder was world geography. How are there so many countries? It was a huge shock to me when, in sixth grade, I learned that Cuba is its own country! My whole life up to that point I had thought that Cuba was in Canada. My false idea of where Cuba was had not previously been a topic of conversation as geography had never been a topic that came up. But in my shock and wonder that Cuba was in the complete opposite direction of where I thought it was, I told everyone. I thought everyone made this mistake, but apparently I was the only one. At first it was embarrassing, being laughed at, but now it is a reminder of my childhood innocence and serves as a reminder for myself that I can make mistakes and everything will turn out just fine. When I think back to that, it makes me laugh. It even turned into a very large joke between me and my friends. Because I like heavy metal music, my friend always called me ‘“emo,” even though I am far from it. Combined with my Cuba, Canada mistake, it evolved from there. Messing around during class one day, we drew an emu with a rectangle head named Cuba. Overall, the bird was supposed to be me. A “metal-head” (the rectangle head was a bar of metal) emu (instead of emo). And of course, my disinclination for geography became the inspiration for the bird’s name. The joke continually evolved until Cuba the metal-head emu had many children, all named after states since I could never remember all the states. You would think that with a joke like that it would help me remember the states, but to this day I still struggle to name all fifty in one sitting. I love to think about this memory because it makes me laugh for several reasons. It was such a silly mistake that somehow was left unfixed for so long because I never realized it was wrong. In addition, it also reminds me that it is okay to make mistakes because in the end, they will be fixed and life will go on. It also reminds me of all the fun times I’ve had with my friend. Me and her have done so much together, and our joke of Cuba, Canada and Cuba the metal-head emu makes me laugh very often. It also reminds me that any bad or embarrassing situation can be made better by laughing.

My dream life is bright, full of color, and engaging. My dream life is being excited every morning to see what this new day has to offer. My dream life is full of community service and a career dedicated to helping others. I have a passion for psychology and mental health and want to turn that passion into a career as a therapist. Not only will this career allow me to spend everyday working in a field that I am interested in, but it will allow me to use my interests and talents to help other people. I know what it is like to struggle with mental health and I want to help others who are going through it too. In my dream life, I will have some time every day to dedicate to self care, whether it be through hobbies or relaxation. Material doesn’t matter to me. I dream of a small house filled with pictures of my family and a backyard full of flowers of every color. Birds singing in the trees and rabbits chewing on my vegetable plants. I dream of a small life surrounded by the people I care about and I am willing to put in the hard-work and dedication it will take to get there.

The past few years have been challenging. Through this challenge, I've been given many opportunities to self-reflect and take time to learn about myself. I have found that, no matter what happens, I have a deep passion for learning. I have always enjoyed being in the classroom and expanding my knowledge. Even when the Coronavirus pandemic hit and schools shut down, that didn't stop me. Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, I spent hours each day making sure that I put all of my effort into every online assignment. My commitment and passion for learning give me the motivation to give it my all every day and to make the most of my education. I find value in this quality because it helps me strive to be the best version of myself that I can be. I am always eager to learn more about any topic, even topics that may seem useless to others, to become a more well-rounded person. This has also made me a better person because to be inclusive and accepting, you have to learn. I make a point to learn about everything that I can, and that helps me be more open-minded and accepting. Overall, I believe that one of my most valuable qualities is my passion for learning.

If I were to receive $1,000 right now, I would put it in a bank account and save it. I am currently in my junior year of high school and am planning to pursue higher education. With this in mind, I know that I will have tuition, books, room and board, and other education-related expenses. To me, saving money to be able to afford higher education is more important than a new car other things I want. I also consider it to be a better investment. With a higher level of education, I can get a job in the mental health field. I need a degree in psychology to get the job of my dreams (mental health professional), and with the job of my dreams, I'll be able to afford to buy the things I want. With all of this in mind, I would save $1,000. While it might not come with the instant gratification of buying something I want, I will thank myself later when I have the job of my dreams and an income that can support a comfortable lifestyle of being able to buy the things I want. My current goal is to save as much as I can to support myself through my journey in college and to pay some of my tuition.

To practice self-care, I take at least thirty minutes out of every day to read a book. I have had an intense passion and love for reading since I can remember, so I like to end my day by reading. This is my time to unwind and unpack my day, to let go of all of my responsibilities. No matter how hard my day was, I can always escape into an entirely new world carefully crafted by an author. Making sure to take time for myself every day to read minimizes burn out and always leaves me ready to face another day. in addition, reading has has many positive impacts on my academic career. Reading has provided me with an expanded vocabulary and a greater understanding of different ways to use literary techniques. This has proven useful in advanced English courses and while writing essays. Prioritizing self-care and reading as my preferred method of self-care has made me a more well-rounded person and helped me make sure to spend time doing things I enjoy.