My name is Laine Bennett. I am 18 years old and will be attending Washington State University in the Fall. I am from Dublin, California which is considered the Bay Area. I am lucky enough to have grown up in an area that is very conscious about the well-being of the people that live here. I have been able to learn a lot through my schooling, my community and living near a huge city that is filled with people from all different walks of life. I was raised in a pretty liberal household which I am very grateful for. It has given me the chance to open my eyes to many different things and opportunities I was able to take. I have always been a very passionate, strong-willed, extroverted person and that has been shown more and more as I grow. When COVID-19 reached us around March 2020, I had just turned 15 years old and was finishing my freshman year of high school. I could not believe what was happening and was not expecting the next year and a half of my high school experience to be remote. It was definitely something none of us were prepared for but we made it work. During this time away from school, a lot happened in the rest of the world. With such a deadly disease spreading around the world, the government and politicians had much to say. Unfortunately, COVID-19 wasn't the only issue the US was dealing with. We were faced with riots and protests over things that could be easily avoided. I was angry. Angry at the people in charge of our country for letting innocent people be hurt. Angry that our country was becoming more divided than ever before. At such a young age, my passions grew strong and I knew I needed to have my voice heard one day. I have applied to WSU as undecided to let myself take classes and make sure I am confident in what I choose to do. My passion for having my voice heard is something I have taken into deep consideration. I know that I want to make a change for the better and to do so, I need to study political science as well as the history of our government. I find great interest in political science as Washington State University has a great program for just that. This way, I can find a way for my voice to be heard and make that change. A few more details about myself are that I truly love public speaking. I have been able to public speak fairly well since I was in elementary school because I feel that I can command a crowd. Also, I believe I am a good writer and write in a way that shows great passion. Lastly, I, like Ryan T. Herich, love a good political argument. I have been known, if you were to ask my friends and family, to never back down from an argument I know I am right in. As I have grown up, I have been able to enjoy certain political arguments. I can see both sides to each story and really do my best to understand both. These are three things that I know will help me in my political science journey. I plan to make a difference with this knowledge I receive over the next four years, and the years following, by interning for higher-up people and getting an understanding of what I can do next. I know that I have the power to really and truly make a difference.

Feminism is defined as the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. To me, it is woman empowerment. It should be something that is supported by all; no questioning whether it is good or bad. As a young woman, I want to have freedom and rights as I grow older and continue into the real world. Unfortunately, our society makes that very difficult and scary for us young women. I have many women that I admire and look up to; it is hard not to. Women are simply amazing. They hold a great amount of power without even knowing it because we have been knocked down and silenced for so long. If I had to decide, I would have to say that Marilyn Monroe is extremely inspirational to me as well as millions of others. Marilyn Monroe was an icon. She was stunning and knew it. However, I believe she was born at the wrong time. She was taken advantage of in very inhumane ways because it was the normal thing to do during that time. She was not afraid to be herself and, although she suffered the disgusting side effects of being a woman that, was not only beautiful but elegant and sexy, she pushed through until her last days with the world. It kills me that she had to live through that time in our society but I can honestly say that her story is one that I admire. Marilyn Monroe was the building block and stepping stone for women. She opened up many doors. She impacted my view of feminism by showing me that women look beautiful in all different ways. There is not just one way to be "attractive". Marilyn Monroe had a different body compared to what societal beauty standards expected. She broke that beauty standard and let all future generations be able to be confident in their look. Woman empowerment is real and it is here to stay. Within my community, I am surrounded by young women that think very similarly. We all agree on the same things and want the same for our future. When everything went down with Roe v. Wade in 2022, not 1973, there was a spark of feminism within us all. Having something taken away from you as big as your right to your own body is life-changing. For many women, their health is at risk because of this old generation telling us what we can and cannot do. Luckily, we can fight this and continue spreading these ideas. My dad likes to tell me that my generation is the generation to change it all, and I 100% agree. The change is coming and I am here for it.

My best back to school tip is definitely getting a planner. It is important to write down all the things you need to get done whether that is homework or laundry but that feeling of crossing things off a list make you feel super productive and at peace. Instagram is @_lainebennett

When I was going into middle school at age 11, my sister was headed to college in Washington. I still had my brother but I was going to miss my big sister like crazy. Ever since she left, I could think about was college. She was having the time of her life while learning amazing things. We got her BS in Bio-Chem and is now a nurse. In the midst of all of this, she met her boyfriend in one of her bio classes and they have now been together 3 years. My brother went to college just two years after and that made me even more excited for college. I have been an only child at home for about 5 years now. Both of my siblings did not study abroad and that is something my mom did and talks about all the time. With all that said, to answer the question, I am most excited about the opportunities to travel during school. I would love to go to London for a semester and learn everything I can. I believe that traveling will give me an idea of what I truly want to do and that is very important to me. When I come back to the college I attend, I will be filled with stories and even more excitement to learn about whatever it is I choose to do. Now, how do I maintain a healthy mind, body, etc? To be quite honest, it can be something I struggle with and I imagine millions of others. It is hard to keep yourself motivated during the school year and for my senior year, my main goal is so keep everything about me healthy. Something to keep your body healthy would be to go for a walk or run because exercise is very important... but on those days where you are feeling a little too tired to exercise, simply sitting outside in the sun and relaxing is just as good for your mental health. Another goal is to make sure I am taking time for myself and not letting myself get too stressed over things I cannot control. Taking deep breaths and a step back from everything really helps. Eating healthy, especially in college, can be difficult, but that is what I heard from my siblings. I bet that if you really made it a priority to make your own food or not eat out too much in college, you will feel ever better and probably save some money too!