As a person from a small town in southwest Arkansas, I feel I have been sheltered when it comes to knowing a variety of different careers. From a young age, I have been passionate about my education and anything and everything regarding the medical field. Though I have gone back and forth between career options, Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) is the field for me. In the autumn of 2019, my late grandfather was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Hearing and seeing all of the things he went through, physically and emotionally, gave me a strong desire to help. My goal is to obtain a degree and career in Nuclear Medicine Technology to fulfill my love and wish to help people. I will attend the University of Central Arkansas with a major in NMT, and possibly a minor in health education, to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Nuclear medicine technologists prepare radioactive drugs and administer them to patients for imaging and treatment. They provide support to medical professionals such as doctors who diagnose, care for, and treat patients. NMTs also support researchers who investigate the uses of radioactive drugs. I want to eventually become a traveling Nuclear Medicine Technologist to help people around the nation. I understand that it is my responsibility to hold myself accountable for my educational and career success, and I have done well thus far. Although I am highly committed and excited to undertake the necessary education and preparation to fulfill my goals, the expenses of college could potentially hold me back. A scholarship will certainly strengthen my ability to achieve my educational and career goals and my overall knowledge of medical subjects and necessary life information. In late February of 2022, I received an email from Arkansas Rice congratulating me on my acceptance into the Arkansas Rice Reps program. Arkansas Rice Reps compete in a series of scholarship competitions from April to September to advocate for the importance of agriculture, specifically the rice industry. Apart from social media advertising, volunteering at food banks or commodity organizations was the most competitive contest. At first, I was slightly upset about having to do this, especially during the summer. However, the first time I went to volunteer on April 22, 2022, my entire perspective on life and people changed. I never realized how many members of my community lacked necessities. Though I knew I was privileged, I never knew how much so. To say I was humbled is an understatement. I have learned that even the happiest people could be going through unimaginable circumstances. I have learned to value people for who they are and what they do. I have learned that there are still good people in the world. Most important, I have learned to treat people with kindness, for I never know what they could be going through. Even a simple thing could keep someone from their breaking point. Fortunately, I did receive a scholarship from the Arkansas Rice Rep program, but it has and will not change my perspective. Though the Arkansas Rice Reps contest is over, I will continue volunteering at many events, not just commodities. I have developed relationships with the people of my community and helped those in need. This realization has prepared me to be a leader on the University of Central Arkansas campus as I have grown to be kind to everyone and help those in need, with no expectation of award or praise.

In late February of this year (2022), I received an email from Arkansas Rice congratulating me on my acceptance into the Arkansas Rice Reps program. Arkansas Rice Reps compete in a series of scholarship competitions from April to September to advocate for the importance of agriculture, specifically the rice industry. I was beyond excited about this new experience, especially since I have been part of the agriculture industry for nearly a decade. Apart from advertising and campaigning on social media, volunteering at food banks or commodity organizations was the most competitive contest. At first, I was slightly upset about having to do this, especially during the summer and on weekends. However, the first time I went to volunteer on Friday, April 22, 2022, my entire perspective on life and people changed. I never realized how many members of my community lacked necessities. Though I knew I was privileged, I never knew how much so. To say I was humbled is an understatement. I have learned that even the happiest people could be going through unimaginable circumstances. I have learned to value people for who they are and what they do. I have learned that there are still good people in the world. Most important, I have learned to treat people with kindness, for I never know what they could be going through. Even a simple thing could keep someone from their breaking point. Fortunately, I did receive a scholarship from the Arkansas Rice Rep program, but it has and will not change my perspective. Though the Arkansas Rice Reps contest is over, I will continue volunteering at many events, not just commodities. Surprisingly, I have become a great helper in the organization and distribution group where I volunteer. I truly have so much fun helping in my community. I am so grateful for the experiences I have had and the relationships I have created. I have developed relationships with the people of my community and helped those in need. I have developed great responsibility and social skills that I will forever cherish. I have grown to be kind to everyone and help those in need, with no expectation of award or praise. I know these skills will benefit me for the rest of my life, and I cannot wait to apply them to help make the world a better, happier place. It is incredible how a small act can do great things.

Have you ever wondered how much a single person can affect your community? If you think about it, most communities benefit from the actions of each individual rather than separated groups. Because of this, it is important to do good and act locally. Acting locally can come in many forms. It could be that you pick up trash, volunteer at functions, or simply love and support others. For me, acting locally comes in multiple ways. Helping my community be more positive is beyond important to me. Knowing that positive effects come out of my actions brings me joy. One of the ways I act locally to effect positive change for my community is by helping out at public functions. Another way that I act locally is by shopping small. Shopping small means buying at local (small) businesses rather than large corporations. This helps the community in a variety of ways, one being economic. By doing these few easy tasks, I can help my community in a significant way. A change needed everywhere is acceptance and love. Every day, I see hate and judgment. I see judgment on race, sexuality, religion, and even the clothes someone is wearing. Hate is detrimental to the world. Major tasks are not required to act locally to affect positive change for your communities. Simple actions such as volunteering at local events and small shopping can allow for great changes. It is important to do these things to make your community a more positive place. Always do your best to make the world a better place, starting with your community.

The people we meet and the experiences we have are what shape us into the people we are. A person who helped shape me into the person I am today was my grandfather. My grandfather, or as I called him, “Granddaddy,” was probably one of the greatest people to ever live, but I may be biased. He and I were not close for most of my life. He lived in a small country town in northwestern Louisiana about two hours away from where I live. He was a family man; he loved everyone. He was also an extremely hard worker. In the fall of 2019, everything changed. My grandfather was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. I wondered, “how could this happen to such a sweet man, much less a great family who loved him?” I realized that if I ever wanted a close relationship with him, now was the time. I began going to my grandparents’ house almost every weekend. However, sometimes, or actually a lot of the time, he was gone to M.D. Anderson Center in Houston, Texas. Fortunately, he was able to beat cancer. My family rejoiced for what felt like months. He was finally “back to normal.” The next year, 2020, his health went downhill again. My grandfather's cancer relapsed. It was the same time of year, so it didn’t feel real: almost like a nightmare. Everything after that was a blur. He underwent more surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. He never really overcame the disease, but in the end, he only had a few cancer spots. I was happy that he was finally better. I went down to their house every weekend feeling happier and relieved. I spent time with myself, too. I took time to think about life and how precious it is. I breathed in the crisp air of the country area because the air there really is cleaner. I went on walks to the creek near their house with their dog, Daisy. I began to truly know who I was. These events and emotions allowed me to begin to get closer to my family, God, and myself. Sometime in early 2021, my grandparents contracted COVID-19. Neither ever fully recovered, always coughing or trying to catch their breath. We thought he finally overcame it until he had to be hospitalized. Just when we thought it was over though, he relapsed. I was scared, confused, and sort of angry. All of that time I spent discovering myself seemed like a waste. There was a night when he was doing very, very bad. My dad called my sister and me downstairs and told us that our grandfather wouldn’t make it through the night. As soon as I pulled into the driveway after school the next day, I saw that both of my parents’ cars were home, this couldn’t be good. My grandfather had passed away. A few months after the funeral, I am where I am now. Even with all the frightfulness, confusion, and anger, I seem to be content. I have found myself once again. Because of him, I am a caring person and a hard worker. My family and I still travel to my grandparents’ house to see my grandmother and Daisy. I sometimes look at pictures of my grandfather and me, and I think: “This was my favorite person: the person who allowed me to become who I am today. I’m so grateful for the time we had and the close relationship we built.” Being thankful for my grandfather is an understatement. He truly did have a major impact on shaping me as a person.

The people we meet and the experiences we have are what shape us into the people we are. A person who helped shape me was my grandfather. My grandfather, or as I called him, “Granddaddy,” was probably one of the greatest people to ever live, but I may be biased. He and I were not close for most of my life. It’s not that I didn’t love him; I just didn’t see him much. He lived in the country, he was a man of simplicity. Anytime I was going through hardship, he always knew what to say to help me. He was a family man; he loved everyone. In the fall of 2019, everything changed. My grandfather was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. When he was first diagnosed, I was sort of confused. I didn’t know what to do or what to think. I wondered, “how could this happen to such a sweet man, much less a great family who loved him?” I realized that if I ever wanted a close relationship with him, now was the time. I began going to my grandparents’ house almost every weekend. I was trying to get as much time with him as possible. However, sometimes, or actually a lot of the time, he was gone to M.D. Anderson Center in Houston, Texas for surgeries and meetings. Fortunately, he was able to beat cancer. My family rejoiced for what felt like months. The next year, 2020, his health went downhill. My grandfather was diagnosed with cancer again. It was the same time of year, late August or early September, so it didn’t feel real: almost like a nightmare. I remember finding out very vividly: my mom came home crying. My dad, of course, panicked and asked her what was wrong. She then told us, “Daddy’s cancer came back.” My heart immediately dropped. Everything after that was pretty much a blur; I don’t remember most of that school year except for the livestock shows and wondering when my mom was going to be back from taking him to his doctor. He underwent more surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. This time, it was harder because he had become so weak, but he powered through it. He never really overcame the disease, but in the end, he only had a few cancer spots. I was happy that he was finally better. I continued to go see my grandparents, becoming closer with not only my grandfather, but also my grandmother, or my “Grannie.” I went to their house every weekend feeling happier and relieved. I spent time with myself, too. I took time to think about life and how precious it is. I breathed in the crisp air of the country area because the air there really is cleaner. I went on walks to the creek near their house with their dog, Daisy. I began to truly know who I was. These events and emotions allowed me to begin to get closer to my family, God, and myself. You could look at me and tell that I was genuinely happy. Sometime in early 2021, my grandparents contracted COVID-19. Neither of my grandparents ever fully recovered, always coughing or trying to catch their breath. It was exceptionally detrimental to my grandfather due to the cancer. We thought he finally overcame it though, at least until he had to be hospitalized. He spent a few weeks there before being released. Just when we thought it was over though, he relapsed. I was scared, confused, and sort of angry. I thought I could finally be happy; all of that time I spent discovering myself seemed like a waste. There was a night when he was doing very badly. My mom didn’t get home from the hospital until around two in the morning. My dad called my sister and me downstairs and told us that our grandfather probably wouldn’t make it through the night. My friends tried being supportive at school, but nothing made me feel better. My grandfather soon passed away. A few months after the funeral, I am where I am now. Even with all the emotions, I seem to be content. I know my grandfather is in Heaven watching over me. I have found myself once again. Because of him, I am a caring person and a hard worker. My family and I still travel to my grandparents’ house every weekend to see my grandmother and Daisy. I sometimes look at pictures of my grandfather and me, and I think: “This was my favorite person: the person who allowed me to become who I am today. I’m so grateful for the time we had and the close relationship we built.” Being thankful for my grandfather is an understatement. He truly did have a major impact on shaping me as a person.

Going back to school, no matter your age, is usually not an easy thing to do. From having to eat gross school food to picking out the trendiest sneakers, there is much to worry when it comes to going to school. The biggest tip that I have learned is to not care. And this does not mean to be selfish and rude, it simply means to be carefree: ignore what others think of you. Dress how YOU want, do the makeup YOU think looks good, and do what makes YOU feel good on the inside. Oh, and as always, be kind, it might just end up saving someone's life.

Selflessness has always been important to me. Whether simply smiling at someone or going out of my way to help someone complete a difficult task, I’m always available to help. I enjoy helping everyone, especially the elderly. As a daughter of a home health speech therapist, I am always hearing about how terrible some of my mom’s patients live. Details of who the patient is or where they live are never told. The patient is usually elderly, though. Hearing about how terribly these people live hurts my heart. You’d think their kids or other family members would help take care of them, but this rarely happens. That is when I come in to help. I often make care baskets for my mom’s patients. She will then take them to who needs it most. In the baskets, there is soap, toothbrushes, snacks, and socks. When I ask my mom if they liked their gift, her reply is always “Yes! They loved it.” Hearing this brings me so much joy. I will also sometimes bake brownies or some other treat for the patients. Their reactions are the same. Even without knowing who they are, I am so happy that I can help others. Selfless acts are vital and knowing that I am bringing a little bit of joy into my community gives me happiness. Helping people in need, especially the elderly, is so important. You never know just how beneficial a little bit of kindness can bring to someone. So, be kind. Give back to your community if you can. Always remember, to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Helping and treating others with empathy has always been important to me. Whether simply smiling at someone or going out of my way to help someone complete a difficult task, I’m always available to help. I enjoy helping everyone, especially the elderly. As a daughter of a home health speech therapist, I am always hearing about how terrible some of my mom’s patients live. Details of who the patient is or where they live are never told. The patient is usually elderly, though. Hearing about how terribly these people live hurts my heart. You’d think their kids or other family members would help take care of them, but this rarely happens. That is when I come in to help. I often put together care baskets for my mom’s patients. She will then take them to who needs it most. In the baskets, there is soap, toothbrushes, snacks, and socks. When I ask my mom if they liked their gift, her reply is always “Yes! They loved it.” Hearing this brings me so much joy. I will also sometimes bake brownies or some other treat for the patients. Their reactions are the same. Even without knowing who they are, I am so happy that I can help others. Knowing that I am bringing a little bit of joy into my community gives me happiness. Helping people in need, especially the elderly, is so important. You never know just how beneficial a little bit of kindness can bring to someone. So, be kind. Give back to your community if you can. Always remember, to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

“Hm, tonight isn’t very busy, I doubt anyone else is going to show up,” I thought as I sat waiting for customers. What I meant was “I hope no one shows up as don’t think I’ll be able to properly communicate with them: I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack.” My anxiety was extreme tonight and I wasn't sure if I could manage it for five more hours. Suddenly, a huge group of people began to make their way to the front window. My hands started shaking, my stomach started turning, and I began to chew the inside of my mouth without even realizing it. Making the situation worse, my coworker kept bothering me. I didn’t know what to do or say, so I just froze. When the crowd finally reached the window I knew I had to talk with them to give them their tickets. I had some trouble getting my words out at first, but then, surprisingly, I let out a confident “Hello! How many?” I repeated this statement about ten times as collected money and handed out tickets. I felt good until I began to overthink. Questions such as “did I charge them correctly” or “did I give them the right amount of change?” raced through my mind. I felt fear, anger, and embarrassment. Finally, after working another night of pure terror from my mind, I went home. I lay in my bed to relax my body. My mind, however, never took a break. My last thought before closing my eyes to sleep was “tonight was enough human interaction for the rest of this year, or maybe even forever." Human interaction is not the easiest of tasks when you have anxiety. Growing up, people have always considered me shy, anti-social, and even rude because I didn’t like meeting or talking with new people. I heard these statements so much I began to believe them: I thought I was just a shy person who didn’t like talking to people. These thoughts made me feel like I would never be successful, that I was unlovable, and that I was not a normal person. In fact, I began to lose my faith. I hated these feelings more than anxiety alone. I constantly felt drained and I never wanted to do anything. I never wanted to see anyone, including my closest friends and family. Eventually, though, I began to understand that I had an actual problem or disorder. Ironically, this realization caused more anxiety. I discussed this with my mom and she suggested that I talk with my doctor. So, I did. My doctor has always been a nice woman, but I was still uneasy about talking to a stranger about my problems. I wasn't too sure what to say so I said: "I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't like talking to new people or doing new things. When I do, I get nervous, so much so that the inside of my mouth is nearly completely torn away." The doctor listened carefully, taking notes with a sincere look on her face. She turned to me and said, "Lauren, what you're feeling is severe anxiety. It sounds like you may be experiencing depression as well. Do not worry, though, this can be treated with medicine." I was relieved but also surprised. How long did I go thinking that I was just a rude person who didn't like new people? Also, the depression makes sense because I always feel so drained and down in the dumps. I was thankful that I could finally be treated for the feelings I was having. Now, almost a year later, I am doing much, much better. I still experience anxiety sometimes, but it is not nearly as bad as it used to be. I feel that I can enjoy life as a "normal person." I wish that I did not have to take medicine, but I'm also grateful that I have it. I spend quality time with my family and friends now, as well as spending time with myself. I now know the importance of treating the feelings I experience. I understand that mental health is a real, life-altering thing that needs to be properly managed. I believe everyone should have access to mental health care, even if that means simply talking about their feelings. All in all, mental health issues, no matter how major, should be taken care of. After my experiences, I know the vitality of getting the proper help. Always remember to put yourself first, especially when it comes to your health.

“Hm, tonight isn’t very busy, I doubt anyone else is going to show up,” I thought as I sat waiting for customers. What I meant was “I hope no one shows up as don’t think I’ll be able to properly communicate with them: I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack.” My anxiety was extreme tonight and I wasn't sure if I could manage it for five more hours. Suddenly, a huge group of people began to make their way to the front window. My hands started shaking, my stomach started turning, and I began to chew the inside of my mouth without even realizing it. Making the situation worse, my coworker kept bothering me. I didn’t know what to do or say, so I just froze. When the crowd finally reached the window I knew I had to talk with them to give them their tickets. I had some trouble getting my words out at first, but then, surprisingly, I let out a confident “Hello! How many?” I repeated this statement about ten times as collected money and handed out tickets. I felt good until I began to overthink. Questions such as “did I charge them correctly” or “did I give them the right amount of change?” raced through my mind. I felt fear, anger, and embarrassment. Finally, after working another night of pure terror from my mind, I went home. I lay in my bed to relax my body. My mind, however, never took a break. My last thought before closing my eyes to sleep was “tonight was enough human interaction for the rest of this year, or maybe even forever." Human interaction is not the easiest of tasks when you have anxiety. Growing up, people have always considered me shy, anti-social, and even rude because I didn’t like meeting or talking with new people. I heard these statements so much I began to believe them: I thought I was just a shy person who didn’t like talking to people. These thoughts made me feel like I would never be successful, that I was unlovable, and that I was not a normal person. In fact, I began to lose my faith. I hated these feelings more than anxiety alone. I constantly felt drained and I never wanted to do anything. I never wanted to see anyone, including my closest friends an family. Eventually, though, I began to understand that I had an actual problem or disorder. Ironically, this realization caused more anxiety. I discussed this with my mom and she suggested that I talk with my doctor. So, I did. My doctor has always been a nice woman, but I was still uneasy about talking to a stranger about my problems. I wasn't too sure what to say so I said: "I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't like talking to new people or doing new things. When I do, I get nervous, so much so that the inside of my mouth is nearly completely torn away." The doctor listened carefully, taking notes with a sincere look on her face. She turned to me and said, "Lauren, what you're feeling is severe anxiety. It sounds like you may be experiencing depression as well. Do not worry, though, this can be treated with medicine." I was relieved, but also surprised. How long did I go thinking that I was just a rude person who didn't like new people? Also, the depression makes since because I always feel so drained and down in the dumps. I was thankful that I could finally be treated for the feelings I was having. Now, almost a year later, I am doing much, much better. I still experience anxiety sometimes, but it is not nearly as bad as it used to me. I feel that I can enjoy life as a "normal person." I wish that I did not have to take medicine, but I'm also grateful that I have it. I spend quality time with my family and friends now, as well as spending time with myself. I now know the importance of treating the feelings I experience. I understand that mental health is a real, life altering thing that needs to be properly managed. I believe everyone should have access to mental health care, even if that means to simply talk about their feelings. All in all, mental health issues, no matter how major, should be taken care of. After my experiences, I know the vitality of getting the proper help. Always remember to put yourself first, especially when it comes to your health.

Unfortunately, hope for the future can be difficult. Politics, social injustices, and climate change are only a few causes of this difficulty. However, those with a greater understanding of these issues may be the solution. With the new generations, Gen Z specifically, I believe that there is great hope for the future. As a member of Generation Z, I believe that we are the changemakers. Dissimilar to other generations, we have learned to accept people for who they are, listen to the problems of the world, and have an overall open mind. According to PewResearch, "Members of Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation, and they are on track to be the most well-educated generation yet." Because of how well-educated we are and the more we continue to learn, it can be concluded that we take all information to mind. I feel as if Gen Z cannot be described in a single word. I would like to describe us as ruthless, but that sounds harsh. We are ruthless but in a good way. We know what we want. We stand up for what we believe. An example of this is told on Insider Intelligence. According to the article, "The majority of Gen Z supports social movements such as Black Lives Matter, transgender rights, and feminism." This shows that we stand up for justice and that we embrace how we feel. There is lots more that can be said regarding Generation Z. Because of how educated we are, how determined we are, and our open-mindedness, I believe that Gen Z is the hope for the future. Our generation is far more diverse than others, which allows us to be more inclusive and open-minded. We know what we want. We know the difference between right and wrong. Most importantly, we stand up for our beliefs, especially ethical beliefs. Gen Z is the hope for the future. We are the change.

What does it mean to know your true worth? Finding and knowing your true worth can be difficult. Before you know your entire worth, you must look for the small qualities that shape you. These qualities could be how kind you are, how determined you are, or maybe even your mindset as a whole. Something that I have learned and grown to value about myself is my open mindset. I believe that an open mind is a key to knowing and finding one's true worth. Having an open mind does not mean that you have to listen and go along with everything that you may come across, it simply means that you are open to new ideas. Not too long ago, I was quite a closed-minded person. I listened to and believed everything those around me said and believed. Not only did this cause me to feel vulnerable, but also unhappy. I became self-conscious and confused within myself: I didn't even know what I supposedly knew. Eventually, I decided to form my own beliefs and research the ideas I was taught all of my life. Now, I know the truth and I know that not only is it normal to form our own beliefs but that it is also important to do so. This is what it means to have an open mindset. With this ability to have my own ideas and beliefs, I feel that I truly know and value myself. So, if you feel trapped in the ideas and beliefs of others, do research: learn the truth. It is of absolute importance we learn to form our own beliefs as they can determine our happiness and knowledge of our worth. I believe that an open mindset is a key to knowing your true worth, as well as happiness.

"I'm sorry, baby. He's not going to make it through the night" were the first words of the call that changed my life forever. On the night of February 22, 2021, I received a devastating phone call. My mom, the person I love the most, delivered some of the worst news of my life: my grandfather was dying. I cried, and cried, and cried until I could not physically cry anymore. Deep down, I knew that my grandfather was better off unalive as he was no longer in pain. I felt sadness, anger, and guilt. I blamed myself, I blamed my family, and disgustingly, I blamed God. I missed him so much it made me selfish. I had these feelings for over a month, but I couldn't keep my thoughts and feelings to myself for too long. I decided to tell my mom how I felt and she told me something seemed to make everything better. She said "Losing a loved one never gets easier. Grief never gets easier. But, we have to be strong and look for the good in all things." While the first part of her saying only regards losing a loved one, the last part, "But, we have to be strong and look for the good in all things," speaks volumes. If we cease to see the positive aspects of things, we will fall into deep sadness and potentially anger. The positivity I had to look for when my grandfather passes is that he was no longer in pain. And, later on, I noticed that his passing brought the family closer together, which is worth the world and more. So, no matter what you may be going through, always remember to look for the good.

Over time, our perspectives on life change. This change can be a result of experiences and lessons we learn. In my seventeen years of living, my perspective has changed countless times. The most recent perspective change I had was a result of advice from my youth pastor. The advice he gave is "someone always has it worse." This statement speaks volumes. While this claim can have multiple meanings, the meaning that I have gathered is no matter what hardship you may encounter, someone is going through worse. A more in-depth version of this meaning is as follows: Someone somewhere is dealing with hardship at least ten times as worse as the hardship you have. An instance of this is when I contracted COVID-19. I felt I was going through one of the worst times a human could go through. I was wrong. While having the virus and being in quarantine, I continuously had to remind myself that compared to some people, I have a perfect life. This humbled me and changed my perspective on the world. Our perspectives need to change. If we kept the same mindset our entire life, we would most likely be unhappy. As sad as it may be, remembering that others are facing worse hardship allows for a more humble mind and a better look at the world. So, enjoy the life you have. You only live once.

Helping others has always been important to me. Whether it’s simply smiling at someone or going out of my way to help someone complete a difficult task, I’m always available to help. I enjoy helping everyone, especially the elderly. As a daughter of a home health speech therapist, I am always hearing about how terrible some of my mom’s patients live. Details of who the patient is or where they live are never told. The patient is usually elderly, though. Hearing about how terribly these people live hurts my heart. You’d think their kids or other family members would help take care of them, but this is rarely the case. That is when I come in to help. Every so often, I put together care baskets for my mom’s patients. She takes them to who needs them most. In the baskets, there is soap, toothbrushes, snacks, and socks. When I ask my mom if they liked their gift, her reply is always “Yes! They loved it.” Hearing this brings me so much joy. I will also sometimes bake brownies or some other treat for the patients. Their reactions are the same. Even without knowing who they are, I am so happy that I can out. Knowing that I am bringing a little bit of joy into my community gives me happiness. Helping people in need, especially the elderly, is so important. You never know just how beneficial a little bit of kindness can bring to someone. So, be kind. Give back to your community if you can. Always remember to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Whether they realize it or not, everyone has heard wise words. This may have been a quote, a Bible verse, or maybe even something someone said when they were rambling. Wise words can come from anyone. Teachers, parents, grandparents, and preachers are a few examples. The wisest thing I have ever heard came from a teacher. "Teachers make the world go-'round." That's what I have always heard. I did not quite believe it until I got to high school. I had some great teachers in seventh and eighth grade, but I truly began to believe in this statement my freshman year. Now, I still have amazing teachers and professors, but they do not compare to my ninth-grade Civics teacher. Even though she was an online class teacher, she was the best. She always knew just what to say. My favorite words she ever said, and what continues to be my favorite saying is, "I hope that you laugh and don't take yourself or life too seriously and remember, there is always a second chance in everyone's story because mercy triumphs over judgment." This speaks to me more than anything else. If you take time to think about what these words are saying, you will begin to realize how truthful they are. When you take life too seriously, especially what others say or do, you become unhappy. You never know how much your words may impact someone else's life. Always be kind. Along with saying nice things, listen to what others have to say as they could very well change your perspective on life completely.

What does it mean to be generous? To be generous means to be kind. Generosity has always been and will always be an important factor in my life. I believe that you cannot be happy unless you're willing to bring others joy. You can give others joy from something as simple as wearing a friendly smile when you walk past them. Or, maybe you can do something a bit more "complicated" such as complimenting them or helping them with a difficult task. No matter what you do, you should always try and be kind Being a kind person, especially these days, is crucial. You never know what someone else may be going through. Because of this, it is important to always be nice. From my personal experiences, just because you may be having a bad day doesn't mean that everyone else is. An example is waking up in a good mood, planning to have a good day at school, and someone else who isn't having a good day goes out of their way to ruin yours. This meanness can potentially cause a decline in others' mental health such as depression, which can even cause one to self-harm. So, again, always be kind. Being a nice person is not difficult, and it may even improve your own life. There is great importance in being generous. Your generosity can potentially save someone's life. So, with everything you do, be kind. Always remember the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Being a good mentor to others is an important characteristic to have. Mentorship can be defined as being a person others look up to. A mentor should be a good person who does the right thing. You never know who may be paying attention, so always do the right thing. Through my mentorship of others, I hope that my community will become a better place. Mentorship can come in a variety of ways. A few ways include volunteering in your community, helping others, and simply being kind. Being kind is my favorite way of showing my mentorship. Kindness is one of the easiest yet most influential actions you can take. Knowing how impactful kindness can be, it has become my goal to be the kindest version of myself. A piece of advice that my late grandfather once told me is "You never know what someone may be going through, so always be kind." This statement has stuck with me. By being kind, I hope to change my community, and potentially the world for the better. I hope that when others think of me, they think of kindness. And, with these thoughts, I hope that they too will be kind. Because of this, my mentorship is important to me, and hopefully others. It can be concluded that being a good mentor is vital. While mentorship can come in a variety of ways, my favorite way is being kind. Kindness is easy yet immensely important. So, as my grandfather once said, "You never know what someone may be going through, so always be kind."

Talking about the future, specifically your own future, can be a scary topic. When we were younger, everything seemed more simple. For instance, your parents told you how to dress, they cooked you food and took you to the places you needed to be. Once you grow up, to the age of sixteen or so, you begin to have to make decisions for yourself. And by this, I don't mean what to wear; I mean what you're going to do in life. Between keeping your grades high to deciding what career you want, growing up is exhausting. But, once you "get a hang of things," life becomes much easier. Throughout one's younger years, they typically have big dreams. An example of this is becoming an astronaut or president. Now, this isn't impossible, but the chances of achieving this goal are slim. Over the years, our minds change drastically. We go from having big, wild dreams to something much simpler than that of an astronaut. We begin to want to become a teacher or a nurse. For me, it is to become a certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT). Working in healthcare has always been a dream of mine. I never planned to be a doctor or nurse, though. I specifically want to help to diagnose people. An NMT performs tests like CT scans, MRI's and other similar tests. I plan to complete my basics of college at the University of Central Arkansas and receive my NMT certification at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science. It is important to know your plans for the future. I've had the same career in mind for a few years, so I doubt I will change. It is normal to change, though. Always remember to be true to yourself and do what you love.

Talking about the future can be both frightening and exciting. The topic can be frightening because you are growing up, facing new responsibilities, and much more. The topic can be exciting for the same reasons, though, especially since you're beginning a new chapter in life. For me, the subject of the future has always been exciting. Knowing that I'm becoming closer to achieving my goals brings me joy. The goals I have for my life may seem simple, but they are huge to me. First, I plan to graduate high school. This should be easy as I only have one more year left. Second, I plan to attend college and receive my bachelor's degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology. My top pick for college is the University of Central Arkansas. After college, I want to work at a hospital or clinic as a certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist for two to six years. Following those years, I dream of being a traveling Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Traveling is my favorite thing in the world. I feel that if I could travel and work all at once, I would be at peak happiness. As of now, I do not plan on having children, and marriage has never been a top priority. Because of this, I plan to work and travel most of my life. Most importantly, I want to get the most out of life: I want to have fun and enjoy myself. Finally, I plan to retire around sixty-five or seventy and live somewhere coastal and warm.

Motivation is essential when it comes to success. For some, motivation may come from simply waking up each day. For others, it may be that they are strongly determined to achieve their goals. For me, motivation comes from my family and my faith. The support that family can give you is incomparable. The support can come in ways of physically or verbally helping you. This help depends on the task at hand. An example of this is my parents offering to help pay for my college tuition. This offer motivates me to do well in school and to apply for as many scholarships as possible. As well as my parents paying for my education, they are there for me in every aspect of my life. They encourage me to do my best and to always try my hardest. I can confidently say that I would not be who I am without the endless support from my parents. Along with the support from my parents, I receive most of my motivation from my faith. I am a Christian and I truly believe that God leads us to where we need to be. Knowing that He would never give me any challenges that I can't overcome encourages me more than anything else. I do not believe that I could get through life without Christ and I truly feel that He is the backbone of the world. It is known that motivation is the key to success and can come in a wide variety of ways. Support from my family and my faith are what motivate me the most. Always remember that it is normal to ask for help and that you're never alone. You've got this. Try your best and hardest with everything you do, no matter how simple it may be.

Hobbies come in a wide variety. A few of the endless hobbies are playing sports, drawing or painting, singing, or maybe just laying out under the warm sun. While I have many hobbies, raising and showing pigs is my favorite. The showing process of the animal is the hardest part. The first part of the showing is called showmanship. During this event, the judge is looking at how well the person shows their animal, the behavior of the showman and the animal, and how well the animal looks taken care of. The second part of the show is all about the animal. The judge looks at how well the animal performs, the animal's shape, and the animal's behavior. This can be stressful as you want to do as best as possible. While working with my pigs is fun, it also teaches me important lessons and responsibilities. Knowing that how well I do depends on my dedication to my animal allows for strong determination. The lessons that I have learned from showing pigs will stay with me all my life, and for that I am grateful. The amount of work that comes with showing has allowed me to learn vital responsibility skills. Another reason that I enjoy showing pigs is the relationships that I have created with other people and my family. I will forever cherish the friendships that I have made by showing. I created a stronger bond with my family, especially my dad. For this, I'm beyond thankful for the show business. All in all, hobbies are fun and are important. While hobbies come in a wide variety, my favorite is showing pigs. You can learn many lessons and responsibilities through hobbies. Doing things you enjoy allows for a positive life. Always remember to do what makes you happiest.

Have you ever wondered how much a single person can affect your community? If you think about it, most communities benefit from the actions of each individual rather than separated groups. Because of this, it is important to do good and act locally. Acting locally can come in many forms. It could be that you pick up trash or that you volunteer at functions. For me, acting locally comes in multiple ways. Helping my community be more positive is beyond important to me. Knowing that positive effects come out of my actions brings me joy. One of the ways I act locally to affect positive change for my community is by helping out at public functions. A time I did this was over the summer. I helped with Vacation Bible School at two churches. Both events lasted a week. Doing this helped out both churches immensely, as well as the entire community. Another way that I act locally is by shopping small. Shopping small means buying at local (small) businesses rather than large corporations. This helps the community in a variety of ways, one being economical. By doing these few easy tasks, I can help my community in a great way. Major tasks are not required to act locally to affect positive change for your communities. Taking simple actions such as volunteering at local events and shopping small can allow for great changes. It is important to do these things to make your community a more positive place. Always remember to do your best to make the world a better place, starting with your community.

Taking care of ourselves, both mentally and physically, is absolutely vital. Doing this is more important than ever these days due to the many problems the world is facing. The COVID-19 pandemic, school and work, social media, and many more factors can be major gateways to poor mental health. There are ways of preventing this, though. A few of my favorite ways of relaxing are taking a hot bath, going on a walk, reading a book, driving around, and listening to music or a podcast. There are lots of other ways of relaxation, though. The most effective way of relaxation and taking care of my mental health that I have found is to put away my phone. Social media can be extremely toxic. From comparing ourselves to "influencers" to reading and watching negative material, social media is can be detrimental to us. So, along with relaxing by taking a bath, going on a walk, etcetera, avoiding social media is one of the best ways of taking care of our mental health. It can be concluded that taking care of ourselves is important, now more than ever. Some actions such as taking a bath, going on walks, reading books, and listening to music are the key ways to relaxation. One of the more effective ways to take care of ourselves is to put away our phones and avoid social media. Social media can be detrimental to our mental health. Always remember to put your health first.

"Good books make the world go 'round." A good book can either be good for the soul or absolutely crush you. My favorite book is "Looking for Alaska" by John Green. I have read it twice and I'm currently reading it again. It is an incredible book. It takes you on an adventure that is like no other. In my opinion, all of Green's books are amazing. But out of all of them, "Looking for Alaska" is my favorite. "Looking for Alaska" is my favorite book for numerous reasons. One of the reasons is that I can semi-relate to it. I am around the same age as the characters, so it allows me to feel like I am a part of the book. While I would probably never do any of the crazy activities that happen in the book, it does sound fun. I especially relate to the main character Miles Halter, or his nickname, Pudge. He is the typical shy, unpopular kid who becomes friends with wild, outgoing peers. He becomes friends with "the Colonel," who is his roommate, and Alaska, one of the Colonel's friends. A few of the underlying characters are Lara, Sara, Jake, Takumi, and "the Eagle" (the dean). The group, as well as a few other tag-alongs, are reckless. They pull pranks and simply have fun. The life that they live seems phenomenal. They truly live the "dream life." There are several other books that I love, but they don't compare to "Looking for Alaska." I may be biased, though. I believe that John Green is one of the greatest authors. I love each of his books. Reading books can help shape a person. They can teach valuable, life-long lessons. As Garrison Keiller said, "A book is a gift you can open again and again."

Talking about our future careers and goals can be both frightening and exciting. The topic can be frightening because you are growing up, facing new responsibilities, and much more. The topic can be exciting for the same reasons, though, especially since you're beginning a new chapter in life. For me, the subject of my future career has always been exciting. Knowing that I'm close to achieving my goals brings me joy. The goals I have for my life may seem simple, but they are incredible to me. First, I plan to graduate high school. This should be easy, I only have one more year left. Second, I plan to attend college and receive my bachelor's degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology. My top pick for college is the University of Central Arkansas. After college, I want to work at a hospital or clinic as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist for two to four years. Following those years, I dream of being a traveling Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Traveling is one of my favorite things to do, so if I could travel and work all at once, I am sure I would be one happy person. I do not plan on having children, and marriage has never been a top priority. Because of this, I plan to work and travel most of my life. Most importantly, I want to get the most out of life: I want to have fun. Finally, I plan to retire around sixty-five and live somewhere coastal and warm.

Technology is something I have been interested in since I was young. I enjoy all types of technology, but I am most fascinated by medical technology. Medical technology plays a necessary role in treating and diagnosing hundreds of thousands of people each day. While this branch of technology treats and diagnoses patients of all types, those who have or are suspected to have cancer are the most common patients. As a person who lost a close family member to cancer, I know the importance of finding and fighting cancer as early as possible. Because of this, I would like to pursue a career in medical technology, specifically Nuclear Medicine Technology. Medical Technology saves lives every day, making the world a better place. In simple terms, a Nuclear Medicine Technologist is someone who works with radioactive materials to help doctors diagnose and treat patients. The physician type that I would like to work with is an oncologist. This type of doctor primarily works with cancer patients. To pursue this career, I plan to attend the University of Central Arkansas, majoring in Nuclear Medicine Technology. To earn my certification, I will attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences or Baptist Health College in Little Rock, Arkansas. To pursue this career, I want to attend the University of Central Arkansas, majoring in Nuclear Medicine Technology. To earn my certification, I will attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences or Baptist Health College in Little Rock, Arkansas. After completing my college education, I will work in a hospital or clinic setting. I also hope to become a traveling Nuclear Medicine Technologist sometime further in my career. Fortunately, my parents have offered to pay for my college education. Even with this offer, I would like to earn as much money as possible to help pay for college. If awarded this scholarship, the money will go towards my college tuition, allowing me to be closer to achieving my career goal. So, to whom it may concern, it would mean the absolute world to me to be considered a winner of the "Elevate Women in Technology Scholarship." With hope, Lauren D. Ketchum.

Technology is something I have been interested in since a young age. I enjoy all types of technology, but I am most fascinated by medical technology. Medical technology plays a vital role in treating and diagnosing hundreds of thousands of people each day. While this branch of technology treats and diagnoses patients of all types, those who have or are suspected to have cancer are the most common patients. As a person who lost a close family member to cancer, I know the importance of finding and fighting cancer as early as possible. Because of this, I would like to pursue a career in medical technology, specifically Nuclear Medicine Technology. In simple terms, a Nuclear Medicine Technologist is someone who works with radioactive materials to help physicians properly diagnose and treat patients. The physician type that I would like to work with is an oncologist. This type of doctor primarily works with cancer patients, which is who I would like to treat. Through a Nuclear Medicine Technolgy career, I will help treat and diagnose lots of patients. I feel that this career will allow me to further explore my fascination with technology as well as potentially save lives. To pursue this career, I plan to attend the University of Central Arkansas, majoring in Nuclear Medicine Technology. To earn my certification, I will attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences or Baptist Health College in Little Rock, Arkansas. After graduating college, I will work in a hospital or clinic. I also hope to become a traveling Nuclear Medicine Technologist further in my career. Fortunately, my parents have offered to pay for my college education. Even with this offer, I would like to earn as much money as possible to help pay for college. If awarded this scholarship, the money will go towards my college tuition, allowing me to be closer to achieving my career goal. So, to whom it may concern, it would mean the absolute world to me to be considered a winner of the "Future Leaders in Technology Scholarship." With hope, Lauren D. Ketchum.

Over time, our perspectives on life tend to change. This change can be a result of experiences and lessons we learn. In my seventeen years of living, my perspective has changed countless times. The most recent perspective change I had was a result of advice from my youth pastor. The advice he gave is "someone always has it worse." This statement speaks volumes. While this claim can have multiple meanings, the meaning that I have gathered is no matter what hardship you may encounter, someone is going through worse. A more in-depth version of this meaning is as follows: Someone somewhere is dealing with hardship at least ten times as worse as the hardship you have. An instance of this is when I had COVID-19. I felt I was going through one of the worst times a human could go through. I was wrong. While having the virus and being in quarantine, I continuously had to remind myself that compared to some people, I have a perfect life. This humbled me and changed my perspective on the world. Our perspectives need to change. If we kept the same mindset our entire life, we would most likely be unhappy. As sad as it may be, remembering that others are facing worse hardship allows for a more humble mind and a better look at the world. So, enjoy the life you have. You only live once.

Nearly everyone has a hobby. Hobbies come in a wide variety. A few of the endless hobbies are playing sports, drawing or painting, singing, or maybe just laying out under the warm sun. While I have many hobbies, I would have to say that raising and showing pigs is my favorite. Surprisingly, a lot of people do not know what it means to show pigs, or what it means to show livestock as a whole. Because of this, I feel it is necessary to explain the meaning. First, I buy my pig(s) from a reputable breeder. When buying show animals, it is important to learn about genetics. In other words, you must look at the mother and father of the offspring for a better idea of how well your animal will look and perform. Second, you have to buy the right feed for your animal. The wrong feed may change the looks and behavior of an animal. Third, you must work with your animal often. For pigs, you train them how to walk in a smooth motion with their head high. Fourth, you must take care of their hair and skin. I like to bathe my pig(s) once or twice a week, applying moisturizing shampoo, conditioner, and spray. Finally, it is important to build a healthy relationship with your animal(s). When an animal can trust you and be comfortable with you, the chances of success skyrocket. The showing process of the animal is the hardest part. The first part of showing is called showmanship. During this event, the judge is looking at how well the person shows their animal, the behavior of the showman and the animal, and how well the animal looks taken care of. The second part of the show is all about the animal. The judge looks at how well the animal performs, the animal's shape, and the animal's behavior. This can be stressful as you want to do as best as possible. While working with my pigs is fun, it also teaches me important lessons and responsibilities. Knowing that how well I do depends on my dedication to my animal allows for strong determination. The lessons that I have learned from showing pigs will stay with me all my life, and for that I am grateful. The amount of work that comes with showing has allowed me to learn vital responsibility skills. Another reason that I enjoy showing pigs is the relationships that I have created with other people and my family. I will forever cherish the friendships that I have made by showing. I created a stronger bond with my family, especially my dad. For this, I'm beyond thankful for the show business. All in all, hobbies are fun as well as they are important. While hobbies come in a wide variety, my favorite is showing pigs. You can learn many lessons and responsibilities through hobbies. Doing things that you enjoy allows for a more positive life. Always remember to do what makes you happiest.

Being a mentor to others is an important aspect of life. Mentorship can be defined as being a person others look up to. A mentor should be a good person who does the right things. You never know who may be paying attention, so always do the right thing. Through my mentorship of others, I hope that my community will become a better place. Mentorship can come in a variety of ways. A few ways include volunteering in your community, helping others, and simply being kind. Being kind is my favorite way of showing my mentorship. Kindness is one of the easiest yet most influential actions you can take. Knowing how impactful kindness can be, it has become my goal to be the kindest version of myself. A piece of advice that my late grandfather once told me is "You never know what someone may be going through, so always be kind." This statement has stuck with me. By being kind, I hope to change my community, and potentially the world for the better. I hope that when others think of me, they think of kindness. And, with these thoughts, I hope that they too will be kind. Because of this, my mentorship is important to me, and hopefully others. It can be concluded that being a good mentor is vital. While mentorship can come in a variety of ways, my favorite way is being kind. Kindness is easy yet immensely important. So, as my grandfather once said, "You never know what someone may be going through, so always be kind."

1. I deserve this scholarship because I want it. That's it. That's all. I just want it. Also, my mom said so. Moms are always right, by the way. 2. I would rather sleep as a profession but I can't. Yanno, I would type this out but it would simply take too long and you don't want the right answers. If you really wanna know, it's in my profile. 3. A time I overcame an obstacle is answering these questions. I never knew how hard it would be to answer something incorrectly. But, I guess I'm just used to always being right (just kidding, maybe). Okay, I feel wrong for doing that. However, I would like to be considered for this scholarship. I work hard for everything I do, even this application.

Loving ourselves is more important than ever. Self-love can come in a variety of ways. Some of those ways include taking care of your health and appreciating a feature about yourself. For me, loving myself comes in the way of appreciating the things that make me, me. Some of my favorite traits of myself include my kindness to others, my hard work and determination, and my faith. I try not to focus on the physical aspects as I feel as if they aren't as important as the way I am as a whole. Physical characteristics aren't what shape a person. What shapes a person is how they live and how they treat others. The characteristic I love most about myself is my kindness to others. Being kind to others is what makes me happiest. Seeing the change I can make in someone's life by simply being nice is magical. Being kind to others is one of the easiest yet most influential actions a person can take. Self-love is extremely important. While it can come in many ways, it should not be solely based on physical aspects. Instead, self-love should be based on the way a person is as a whole. Some of these ways can be one's kindness to others or their determination. It is not hard to find something to appreciate about yourself. That being said, love yourself. Love yourself more than anything else, it is the best thing you'll ever do for yourself.

Have you ever wondered how much a single person can affect your community? If you think about it, most communities benefit from the actions of each individual rather than separated groups. Because of this, it is important to do good and act locally. Acting locally can come in many forms. It could be that you pick up trash or that you volunteer at functions. For me, acting locally comes in multiple ways. Helping my community be more positive is beyond important to me. Knowing that positive effects come out of my actions brings me joy. One of the ways I act locally to affect positive change for my community is by helping out at public functions. A time I did this was over the summer. I helped with Vacation Bible School at two churches. Both events lasted a week. Doing this helped out both churches immensely, as well as the entire community. Another way that I act locally is by shopping small. Shopping small means buying at local (small) businesses rather than large corporations. This helps the community in a variety of ways, one being economical. By doing these few easy tasks, I can help my community in a great way. Major tasks are not required to act locally to affect positive change for your communities. Taking simple actions such as volunteering at local events and shopping small can allow for great changes. It is important to do these things to make your community a more positive place. Always remember to do your best to make the world a better place, starting with your community.

The world can be a dark place. However, I feel that this could easily change. If we could all get along and be nice to one another, the world would probably be a much happier place. Because of this, I always try my best to be kind. Being kind is one of the easiest, yet most influential things you can do. Kindness can come in a variety of forms such as smiling at someone, holding the door, or just being there for people. I try to do everything possible that could help make someone's day. For example, when I arrived at school this morning, I noticed that this girl had her hands full. I immediately ran to open the door for her. Not only did this make me feel good, but I could also tell that it made her happy. So, even though I did one small act of kindness, it may have made the girl's day. Kindness is not a difficult task. The simple act of holding the door open for someone can be highly impactful. It is beyond important to be nice, especially since you never know what someone may be going through. For this reason, I believe that being kind will allow for a more positive world. Always treat people with kindness. And finally, treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Having hope for the future can be difficult. Politics, social injustices, and climate change are only a few causes of this difficulty. However, those with a greater understanding of these issues may be the solution. With the new generations, and Gen Z specifically, I believe that there is great hope for the future. As a member of Generation Z, I believe that we are the changemakers. Dissimilar from other generations, we have learned to accept people for who they are, listen to the problems of the world, and have an overall open mind. According to PewResearch, "Members of Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation, and they are on track to be the most well-educated generation yet." Because of how well-educated we are, it can be concluded that we take all information to mind. I feel as if Gen Z cannot be described in a single word. I would like to describe us as ruthless, but that sounds harsh. We are ruthless but in a good way. We know what we want. We stand up for what we believe. An example of this is told on Insider Intelligence. According to the article, "The majority of Gen Z supports social movements such as Black Lives Matter, transgender rights, and feminism." This shows that we stand up for justice and that we embrace how we feel. There is lots more that can be said regarding Generation Z. Because of how educated we are, how determined we are, and our open-mindedness, I believe that Gen Z is the hope for the future. Our generation is far more diverse than others, which allows us to be more inclusive and open-minded. We know what we want. We know the difference between right and wrong. Most importantly, we stand up for our beliefs. Gen Z is the hope for the future. We are the change.

Self-care has always been a top priority. Taking good care of ourselves both physically and mentally is the utmost of importance these days. A few examples of self-care include going on a walk, laying in the warm sun, taking a hot bath, or even cleaning your room. When you don’t do anything to better yourself, you become sad, depressed, anxious, and sometimes angry. As odd as it may seem, simple tasks such as those listed above can improve your life substantially. For me, self-care is as simple as allowing myself an hour each day to relax. Because of school, work, and all of the other responsibilities I have, I often find myself too stressed to even think. By taking just an hour a day to relax, I find myself much happier and focused. I believe that self-care is the key to happiness. All in all, self-care is one of the most important factors in life. Taking care of ourselves should always be our top priority. Rather than focusing on others, we need to focus on ourselves. That being said, go enjoy life. Go for a walk, go lay in the sun, take a nap, or just take a while to relax. Just do something, no matter how simple, to better yourself. Always remember, self-care is the secret to happiness.

Helping others can be done in a wide variety of ways. They can be simple or complex. Helping others should not feel like a chore, it should be something that excites you. My favorite way of helping others is to simply be there for them. Being there for a person is one of the best ways to help. Knowing that you can be relied on is a huge compliment. A few ways you can be there for someone is to always, or mostly always be available to help out. This could be as simple as talking on the phone. Or, it could be a more complex task such as babysitting, house sitting, pet sitting, or helping someone move. No matter what the task is, being there for a person is beyond important. It is not hard to help others on occasion. Even better, sometimes you can help someone by simply being a good friend. Being there for others is of great importance. Also, knowing that people find you reliable is an incredible compliment. Always remember to be kind, you never know what others may be going through.

Motivation is essential when it comes to success. For some, motivation may come from simply waking up each day. For others, it may be that they are strongly determined to achieve their goals. For me, motivation comes from my family and my faith. The support that family can give you is incomparable. The support can come in ways of physically or verbally helping you. This help depends on the task at hand. An example of this is my parents offering to help pay for my college tuition. This offer motivates me to do well in school. As well as my parents paying for my education, they are always there for me in every aspect of my life. They encourage me to do my best and to always try my hardest. I can confidently say that I would not be who I am without the support they give. Along with the support from my parents, I receive a lot of my motivation from my faith. I am a Christian and I truly believe that God leads us to where we need to be. Knowing that He would never give me any challenges that I can't overcome encourages me more than anything else. I do not believe that I could get through life without Christ. It is known that motivation is the key to success. Motivation can come in a wide variety of ways. Support from my family and my faith are what motivates me the most. Always remember that it is OK to ask for help and that you're never alone. You got this. Try your hardest with everything you do, no matter how simple it may be.

Taking care of ourselves, both mentally and physically, is beyond important. Doing this is more important than ever these days due to the many problems the world is facing. The COVID-19 pandemic, school and work, social media, and many more factors can be major gateways to poor mental health. There are ways of preventing this, though. A few of my favorite ways of relaxing are taking a hot bath, going on a walk, reading a book, driving around, and listening to music or a podcast. There are lots of other ways of relaxation, though. The most effective way of relaxation and taking care of my mental health that I have found is to put away my phone. Social media can be extremely toxic. From comparing ourselves to "influencers" to reading and watching negative material, social media is can be detrimental to us. So, along with relaxing by taking a bath, going on a walk, etcetera, avoiding social media is one of the best ways of taking care of our mental health. It can be concluded that taking care of ourselves is important, now more than ever. Some actions such as taking a bath, going on walks, reading books, and listening to music are the key ways to relaxation. One of the more effective ways to take care of ourselves is to put away our phones and avoid social media. The toxicity of social media can be detrimental to our mental health. Always remember to put your health first.

Good books make the world go 'round. A good book can either be good for the soul or absolutely crush you. My favorite book is "Looking for Alaska" by John Green. I have read it twice and I'm currently reading it again. It is an incredible book. It takes you on an adventure that is like no other. In my opinion, all John Green books are amazing. But out of all of them, "Looking for Alaska" is my favorite. "Looking for Alaska" is my favorite book for numerous reasons. One of the reasons is that I can semi-relate to it. I am around the same age as the characters, so it allows me to feel like I am a part of the book. While I would probably never do any of the crazy activities that happen in the book, it does sound fun. I especially relate to the main character Miles Halter, or his nickname, Pudge. He is the typical shy, unpopular kid who becomes friends with wild, outgoing peers. He becomes friends with "the Colonel," who is his roommate, and Alaska, one of the Colonel's friends. A few of the underlying characters are Lara, Sara, Jake, Takumi, and "the Eagle" (the dean). The group, as well as a few other tag-alongs, are reckless. They pull pranks and simply have fun. The life that they live seems phenomenal. They truly live the "dream life." There are several other books that I love, but they don't compare to "Looking for Alaska." I may be biased, though. I believe that John Green is one of the greatest authors. I love each of his books. Reading books can help shape a person. They can teach valuable, life-long lessons. As Garrison Keiller said, "A book is a gift you can open again and again."

A "dream life" should not be focused solely on what your career is, how wealthy you are, or where you live. While these are making components of dream life, some components are much more important. Some of the more important factors are your happiness, the people in your life, and your mindset. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "life is what you make it." If you build your life simply on work and making money, that's what you'll get, and chances are, you won't be very happy. Dissimilar, if you build a life on being happy and open-minded, you'll live more positively. For me, a career is important, but not as important as living a happy, open-minded life. I find myself happiest when I spend time with family and do the things I enjoy. As far as my dream life goes, I want to work, I want to help people, and I want to make the most out of life. In my opinion, working is fun. Working is especially fun when you're able to help people. For this reason, I want to work in the medical field. Specifically, I want to become a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. This job will allow me to work to help diagnose people. Along with this job, I want to travel. After college and working for two to four years, I want to become a traveling nuclear medicine tech. I feel as this will allow me to reach satisfaction. Living a dream life can be easy. All you have to do is live life to the fullest. Happiness is the key to this. Life is what you make it, and you only live once. Because of this, it is important to live right the first time as it is the only time you have.

The future can be a nerve-wracking topic. For me, talking about the future is exciting as well as scary. It can be scary because of the new responsibilities and being alone. It is exciting for the same reasons, as well as knowing I'm getting closer to achieving my goals. After graduating high school, I will attend college to receive my bachelor's degree in nuclear medicine technology. My top pick for college is the University of Central Arkansas. After my college graduation, I will work in a hospital or clinic as a certified nuclear medicine technologist. I plan to work in a hospital or clinic for two to four years. After those few years, I plan to become a traveling nuclear medicine technologist. I plan to retire when I am in my mid to late sixties. After I retire, I want to live in a warm and coastal state such as California, South Carolina, or Florida. I may work at a florist's shop or somewhere similar, but I have yet to decide. All in all, I want to make the most out of life. I want to have fun and also be successful.

Talking about the future can be both frightening and exciting. The topic can be frightening because you are growing up, facing new responsibilities, and much more. The topic can be exciting for the same reasons, though, especially since you're beginning a new chapter in life. For me, the subject of the future has always been exciting. Knowing that I'm close to achieving my goals brings me joy. The goals I have for my life may seem simple, but they are incredible to me. First, I plan to graduate high school. This should be easy, I only have one more year left. Second, I plan to attend college and receive my bachelor's degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology. My top pick for college is the University of Central Arkansas. After college, I want to work at a hospital or clinic as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist for two to four years. Following those years, I dream of being a traveling Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Traveling is one of my favorite things to do, so if I could travel and work all at once, I am sure I would be one happy person. I do not plan on having children, and marriage has never been a top priority. Because of this, I plan to work and travel most of my life. Most importantly, I want to get the most out of life: I want to have fun. Finally, I plan to retire around sixty-five and live somewhere coastal and warm.

Talking about the future, specifically your own future, can be a scary topic. It seems as if when we were younger, everything was more simple. For instance, your parents told you how to dress, they cooked you food and took you to the places you needed to be. Once you grow up, to the age of sixteen or so, you begin to have to make decisions for yourself. And by this, I don't mean what to wear; I mean what you're going to do in life. Between keeping grades up to deciding what career you want to have, growing up is exhausting. But, once you "get a hang" of things, life becomes much easier. Throughout out one's younger years, they typically have big dreams. An example of this is becoming an astronaut. Now, of course, this isn't impossible, but the chances of achieving this goal is slim. Over the years, our minds change drastically. We go from having big, wild dreams to something much simpler than that of an astronaut. We begin to want to become a teacher or a nurse. For me, it is to become a certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT). Working in healthcare has always been a dream of mine. I never plan to be a doctor or nurse, though. I specifically want to help to diagnose people. An NMT performs tests like CT scans, MRI's and other similar procedures. I plan to complete my basics of college at the University of Central Arkansas and receive my NMT certification at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science. It is important to know your plans for the future. I've had the same career in mind for a few years, so I doubt I will change. It is OK to change, though. Always remember to be true to yourself.

What does it mean to be generous? To be generous means to be kind. Generosity has always been and will always be an important factor in my life. I believe that you cannot be happy unless you're willing to bring others joy. You can give others joy from something as simple as wearing a friendly smile when you walk past them. Or, maybe you can do something a bit more "complicated" such as complimenting them or helping them with a difficult task. No matter what you do, you should always try and be nice. Being a kind person, especially these days is crucial. You never know what someone else may be going through. Because of this, it is important to always be nice. From my personal experiences, just because you may be having a bad day doesn't mean that everyone else is. An example is waking up in a good mood, planning to have a good day at school, and someone else who isn't having a good day goes out of their way to ruin yours. This meanness can potentially cause a decline in others' mental health such as depression, which can even cause one to self-harm. Being a nice person is not difficult. It may even improve your own life. There is great importance in being generous. Your generosity can potentially save someone's life. So, with everything you do, be kind. Always remember, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

It is known that the world faces many problems, but which problem is the greatest? From the current COVID-19 pandemic to climate change, our world never seems to not have a problem. Over the past two years, most would probably say the COVID-19 pandemic is the world's greatest problem, especially with the different variants. This pandemic has taken the lives of nearly four and a half million people, and around two-hundred fourteen million have had the virus. While COVID-19 will probably never go away, some actions can be taken to decrease the number of global cases. One of the most known ways of preventing the virus is to wear a mask. Wearing a mask keeps yourself and others safe. Another preventive action is to social distance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from other people, especially if you are at higher risk of getting very sick." You never know who may have the virus, so it is important to keep a reasonable distance from others. A third way to prevent the virus is to get a vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Along with the vaccines are booster shots, these are just as important. Taking these preventive actions is important, especially if we want the chance of "going back to normal." The COVID-19 virus is terrible. It can be concluded that this pandemic is the biggest problem the world is facing. Taking preventive actions such as wearing a mask, social distancing, and taking the vaccine can help lower global cases tremendously. An important factor to note is that you never know who may have contracted the disease, so take precautions. Always remember to do everything possible to create a safer world for yourself and others.

Whether they realize it or not, everyone has heard wise words. This may have been a quote, a Bible verse, or maybe even something someone said when they were rambling. Wise words can come from anyone. Teachers, parents, grandparents, and preachers are a few examples. The wisest thing I have ever heard came from a teacher. "Teachers make the world go-'round." That's what I have always heard. I did not quite believe it until I got to high school. I had some great teachers in seventh and eighth grade. I truly began to believe in this statement my freshman year. Now, I still have amazing teachers and professors, but they do not compare to my ninth-grade civics teacher. Even though she was an online class teacher, she was the best. She always knew just what to say. My favorite words she ever said, and what continues to be my favorite saying is, "I hope that you laugh and don't take yourself or life too seriously and remember, there is always a second chance in everyone's story because mercy triumphs over judgment." This speaks to me more than anything else. If you take time to think about what these words are saying, you will begin to realize how truthful they are. When you take life too seriously, especially what others say or do, you become unhappy. You never know how much your words may impact someone else's life. Always be kind. Along with saying nice things, listen to what others have to say. It could very well change your perspective on life completely.

Helping others has always been important to me. Whether it’s simply smiling at someone or going out of my way to help someone complete a difficult task, I’m always available to help. I enjoy helping everyone, especially the elderly. As a daughter of a home health speech therapist, I am always hearing about how terrible some of my mom’s patients live. Details of who the patient is or where they live are never told. The patient is usually elderly, though. Hearing about how terribly these people live hurts my heart. You’d think their kids or other family members would help take care of them, but this is rarely the case. That is when I come in to help. Every so often, I put together care baskets for my mom’s patients. She will then take them to who needs it most. In the baskets, there is soap, toothbrushes, snacks, and socks. When I ask my mom if they liked their gift, her reply is always “Yes! They loved it.” Hearing this brings me so much joy. I will also sometimes bake brownies or some other treat for the patients. Their reactions are the same. Even without knowing who they are, I am so happy that I can help others. Knowing that I am bringing a little bit of joy into my community gives me happiness. Helping people in need, especially the elderly, is so important. You never know just how beneficial a little bit of kindness can bring to someone. So, be kind. Give back to your community if you can. Always remember, treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Self-care has always been a top priority of mine, and it should be one of yours, too. Taking good care of yourself both physically and mentally is the utmost of importance these days. A few examples of self-care include going on a walk, laying outside in the warm sun, taking a hot bath, or even cleaning your room. When you don’t do anything to better yourself, you become sad, depressed, anxious, and sometimes even angry. As odd as it may seem, simple tasks such as those listed above can improve your life substantially. Life is hard. It’s hard for everyone whether they admit it or not. Between school, work, and simply having to deal with people make life difficult. Believe it or not, ignoring the things that make life difficult can be a form of self-care. In my opinion, this is one of the best forms of self-care. From my own experiences, caring too much can destroy you. And by this, I don’t mean caring by being kind. You should always be kind. Being kind can also be a form of self-care. Caring too much about what people say and what the rest of society does is exhausting. Instead of caring about everyone else, you need to focus on yourself. All in all, self-care should be one of the most important factors in life. Taking care of yourself should always be our top priority. Rather than focusing on others, we need to focus on ourselves. That being said, go enjoy life. Go for a walk, go lay in the sun, or read a book. Just do something, no matter how simple, to better yourself. Always remember, you only live once.

Other than being successful in life, helping others has always been a top priority of mine. Whether it's helping someone complete an assignment they forgot to do, giving advice, or simply smiling at someone to make their day, I'm usually the first in line. Making other people happy makes me happy. Being happy and making others happy can lead to a more successful and more enjoyable life. Being successful can come in a variety of ways. It can be as simple as the fact that you are happy, or it can be something a bit more complicated like graduating college. For me, success is a mindset. Having a good mindset is beneficial to not only you but also to other people. For instance, if you constantly think negatively, you will most likely be upset most of the time. But, if you think positively, you will most likely be happy. Believe it or not, your mindset can affect the people around you. No one wants to be around someone who constantly thinks negatively. On the other hand, those who have a positive mindset are usually fun to be around as they tend to bring light into most situations with their joy and kindness. As previously stated, having a good mindset allows for you and other people to be happier. Part of having a good mindset is being kind to people. The nicer you are, the more people will like you. But, it is important to note that life is not about whether or not people like you, it should be about how you treat others and how you live your life in general. Happy people allow for a happier world. The world can be a very negative place. Things like politics, religion, and other controversial topics are a leading cause for this negativity. Thus, the world will probably never achieve complete peace. As Morgan Freeman once said, "How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time." That being said, even the slightest amount of joy can impact the world. Surprisingly, even the smallest actions are known to impact the world immensely. Different parts of the world may have different ways of being nice and respectful. There is one international way of being nice, though. This global way of being nice and respectful is being kind. Kindness can be expressed by smiling or waving, a compliment, or helping someone with a task. The world will never lack kindness. Kindness and success go hand in hand. Being a kind person can allow one to become successful. Being kind can be an action as simple as smiling at someone. It is not a hard task. Helping others and being a decent human should be a top priority. Not only will this lead to success and an overall happier life, it can also impact the world greatly. Always remember to keep a good mindset and to be kind.