Like many students, on paper, I had gone through several careers before the age of 14. In pre school, I was a princess and pop star. In elementary school, I was an actor and food critic. In middle school, I was an artist and a veterinarian. However, as I had entered high school, unlike my classmates and peers, my educational aspirations seemed to dwindle. I didn’t find myself gravitating towards any field. My best friend wanted to pursue art full time. I just wanted to get a job that I would enjoy working 8 hours a day. I had declared myself an aerospace engineer but then flunked “Engineering 101.” Then, I decided that I could cure cancer. However, I went to get a flu shot and promptly fainted. Those dreams were ultimately “shot” down. It took me almost five years to find a career aspiration, but I have never felt more passionate about a field. Currently, I am pursuing my BA in Psychology. I want to be able to let those who are in that awkward, developing, phase of life where the unknown is the only outcome, to have a safe space to talk to. My main educational goals lie in behavioral health in children and adolescents, trying to provide a healthy environment for mental health within the adolescent world, as well as raising awareness surrounding it. When I was about 16, I attended an out-patient program for 3 months, following the death of my father. Looking back, I was nothing more than a distressed and grief-filled teenager, and the out-patient program seemed like a terrible idea, as all I wanted to do was cry. However, I am forever grateful that I was able to do the program. Not only was I able to engage in conversation in a safe and secure environment, but I was also able to gain support through small groups and empathetic conversations with others going through similar things. During my time there, I was able to see the progression and shift of emotions that these teenagers (and me) went through, just from opening up a couple of times a day. I still talk to some of them even after 3 years. Due to these experiences, I felt a strong sense of determination to help other children and teens through their mental health journeys. In the future, I would like to create affordable mental health care and make sure all people, of all backgrounds, are able to build strong and secure mindsets. Growing up, fortunately, my mom was able to provide me therapy and the help I needed when going through the grieving process. However, this is not the case for everyone. I believe that being mentally healthy is a human right and should be more focused on when discussing universal healthcare. Because of this, I am hoping to provide low-cost care for those in need and provide free seminar sessions for those wanting it. Also, I am constantly spreading the word of the importance of checking in on yourselves, something I neglected for so long when growing up. Children and adolescents should enjoy their youth and feel comfortable within themselves. A healthy mindset is a beautiful one.

Connections Puzzle (inspired by the New York Times) * Very Easy (Yellow), Category: Common Chinese Meats - Duck - Chicken - Pork - Beef Reasoning: Chinese food always has remained a comfort food within my life. As a Chinese American, sometimes it was hard to find good, authentic, cuisine when living in more culturally gentrified areas. However, I was always able to enjoy Chinese food to the fullest. It was always an easy choice. Tricky (Green), Category: Eras of Fashion - Regency - Gothic - Romance - Victorian Reasoning: Fashion has been my safety net for years now. I have always enjoyed fashion in all aspects, as I am able to surround myself with creativity and color. Sometimes, it can seem tricky to figure out your desired fashion sense. However, all humans can harness creativity within them. Developing your sense of style is a fun and relaxing way to allow personality to shine through your external appearance. Difficult (Blue), Category: ____ Love - Self - Platonic - Toxic - Romantic Reasoning: I have experienced all four. Love is simply difficult. There is no textbook that guides humans through love, so we all must experience love through our own lenses. Very Difficult (Purple), Category: Stages of Grief - Denial - Anger - Bargaining - Depression Reasoning: There are 5 stages of grief, all painfully difficult. My dad recently passed away, and I was introduced to the Grief Cycle. I have given four stages of the grief cycle in my Connections puzzle today. "Acceptance," remains as the final stage, as well as the most difficult one to place yourself in. I hope one day to reach that stage and be able to place it as a word in this category. *Edit: Connections Puzzle (inspired by Me)

"Annunciate," a simple word used far too often by my mother. I was a very linguistically impatient person when I was younger, always rushing to complete my sentences and slurring my words. Growing up, I had to forcefully slow down my sentences in order to properly socialize and converse with others. I noticed that I was not only impatient in my speech, but also my outlook on life. Everything needed to get done; today, immediately, within the hour, the minute, the second. This thinking made my mental health recovery feel like torture. I was diagnosed with depression at age 12. I had to find out the hard way that depression was not a quick process; it could not get fixed within the hour. If I could've described depression in a tangible way to somebody, I would've said it's like living in a box with a 3cm hole poking through the top. On a sunny day, light would peek through, fueling desire and hope that recovery would soon be on the horizon. However, on a rainy day, water would drizzle through, in a slow constant stream. I was too impatient to bask in the sunlight and too impatient to allow the water to fill up the box, suffocating me completely. My way of thinking allowed for a painful, slow, recovery of depression, and I had depressive symptoms for 6 years. Throughout those 6 years, I had tried dozens of medications, went through about 10 therapists, several relapses, and visited the hospital once. I kept questioning, why is this taking so long? I had always assumed depression was a quick process, something a small pill could quickly solve. However, it is not. I learned that overcoming depression is a two-way street and personal contribution is essential. I can now confidently and happily say that I am no longer depressed. It was a long six years, indeed, but a recovery period that I needed tremendously. Within those 6 years, I was able to learn how to properly reflect on myself, be in touch with my personal emotions, and be honest with those around me. I was able to learn how to become confident in my personal identity and sexuality, through the help of my friends and family. I went through grief, serving me a perspective on the importance of time and taking care of internal needs. I gained happiness and love, emotions I could only crave a few years back, allowing me to soak in the sunlight and joy that the world offers. I gained empathy, deepening my emotional perspective on others and allowing my career aspirations to grow. Right now, I am a psychology major, focusing on adolescent and developmental psychology. I hope to help young people who struggle with recovery and emphasize the importance of perseverance and self-care. Also, I want to create a safe-space for those around me, as well as myself. Currently, I attend therapy once a week and I am constantly looking for external outlets to allow my happiness to prosper. I have found a new path of life that I can take slowly and serenely, and I can simply enjoy life. I can also confidently now say that I am a patient person.