My family is my rock and one of my major sources of my happiness. The abundance of love they have shown me has pushed me to strive for my dreams of becoming a pediatrician. Ever since I was young I have always thought pediatrics was a beautiful field that I wanted to be a part of. Now, while my family has been supporting me and this dream, the one person who inspired me to go into the medical field was my auntie. When I was a child I was diagnosed with having acid reflux, there would be times where I had acid reflux attacks and the way she cared for me, unphased if I threw up on her or made a mess. She only wanted to make sure I felt okay. Her care inspired me, I too wanted to provide care to others. I remember when my Auntie Bobby would take me out on little fun adventures to the park, or to Sizzler to eat out, which was one of our favorite places to go to, or just babysitting me I enjoyed my time with her no matter what we were doing and I really wished I had more time with her. One of the things that I loved most was her way of making everyone feel safe and comfortable, she just had that warm personality. Unfortunately after my Auntie Bobby passed away from lung cancer I lost one of my number one supporters, one of the only people who could comfort me in times of distress. I reminisce over the times my auntie would expose me to the world by taking me to different parks to play different games, or to our favorite restaurant to try new foods, or when she would share stories about our family’s history. My auntie had such a calming presence, and I loved how warm her personality was, it made me feel so comfortable that I want to reciprocate that to others. Although she is no longer with us, I know her spirit lives inside of me when I think of comforting others, the love she gave me is everlasting and I seek to heed her example of a loving genuine person. Our relationship has given me the courage to take on challenges and to never give up even when sometimes it feels like I’m on the losing side. She also taught me to always be grateful and have patience. I took what she taught me and applied it to my work ethic. I started to become more serious in my studies, becoming a better student. I volunteer at women shelters and my former preschool. Having patience has brought me to be better with kids just as how my auntie was with me. There were so many times where I was frustrated and wanted to give up because of grades, or if my family was going through a hard time but I remember how my aunt was so patient with me when she had to look after me. Her passing also played into why I want to be in the medical field now. Being able to make a difference in children's lives, just like how she made a difference in my life when I was growing up is really inspiring. While my greatest supporter might not be here anymore I know she is cheering me on from heaven. Family plays such a big part in my life because without them I would really be lost.

Resilience has consistently been a cornerstone of my character. Raised by an immigrant parent, I absorbed the notion early on that the real world might not offer much external support, necessitating a self-reliant approach to navigating life. This inherent trait proved invaluable in confronting the challenges posed by the pandemic. Those challenges caused by the pandemic, including the loss of opportunities to forge meaningful friendships and engage in a traditional learning environment, significantly impacted my mental well-being. This made such an impact on my mental health because I wasn’t able to depend on anybody nor did I feel like a had a strong support system. Although I prevailed with 4.0 gpa, I felt like I had no one to talk to due to not wanting to let my parents down, especially my father because I didn’t want him to see me as weak. So this led me into a depressive state and closed myself off during the summer. I realized that closing myself off caused me to slowly lose my friendships with people I’ve known for years. When I started to distance myself from my family and friends the following academic year, I would often cry, losing sleep causing a dip in my academics. I realized that I needed to get help, as a result I decided to discuss with my parents about how I was feeling mentally and they got me the help that I needed by going to a therapist. Taking this step marked a significant leap in my resilience journey, as it allowed me to embrace the mindset that seeking help is not a sign of weakness or shame but rather a demonstration of resilience. While my academic achievements underscore my excellence in character, my commitment to continual self-improvement is evident in my proactive efforts to enhance both my mental and physical well-being. The affirmation received through the lessons learned in therapy spared a new interest in psychology. Psychology plays such an important role in our day to day life and it's interesting how people might use it in their daily lives; People may not realize it but evening observing each other when having conversations with one another or checking to see people’s body language all plays into psychology. But it also plays into how one sees themselves or their mental health. The mind is a powerful tool and it shapes how a person can see their life or the world which is why when I was feeling depressed at one point in my life, I felt like the world was against me but that was honestly me just being my own enemy. I was so in my head about my struggles that I didn’t see it was also affecting my relationship with my family. I saw how helpful it was to seek help with a therapist and realized it was honestly important.

I remember when my Auntie Bobby would take me out on little fun adventures to the park, or to Sizzler to eat out, which was one of our favorite places to go to, or just babysitting me I enjoyed my time with her no matter what we were doing and I really wished I had more time with her. One of the things that I loved most was her way of making everyone feel safe and comfortable, she just had that warm personality. Unfortunately after my Auntie Bobby passed away from lung cancer I lost one of my number one supporters, one of the only people who could comfort me in times of distress. I reminisce over the times my auntie would expose me to the world by taking me to different parks to play different games, or to our favorite restaurant to try new foods, or when she would share stories about our family’s history. My auntie had such a calming presence, and I loved how warm her personality was, it made me feel so comfortable that I want to reciprocate that to others. Although she is no longer with us, I know her spirit lives inside of me when I think of comforting others, the love she gave me is everlasting and I seek to heed her example of a loving genuine person. Our relationship has given me the courage to take on challenges and to never give up even when sometimes it feels like I’m on the losing side. She also taught me to always be grateful and have patience. I took what she taught me and applied it to my work ethic. I started to become more serious in my studies, becoming a better student. I volunteer at women shelters and my former preschool. Having patience has brought me to be better with kids just as how my auntie was with me. There were so many times where I was frustrated and wanted to give up because of grades, or if my family was going through a hard time but I remember how my aunt was so patient with me when she had to look after me. Her passing also played into why I want to be in the medical field now. Being able to make a difference in children's lives, just like how she made a difference in my life when I was growing up is really inspiring. While my greatest supporter might not be here anymore I know she is cheering me on from heaven. Family plays such a big part in my life because without them I would really be lost. The abundance of love my family has shown me has pushed me to strive for my dreams of becoming a pediatrician. Ever since I was young I have always thought pediatrics was a beautiful field that I wanted to be a part of. Now, while my family has been supporting me and this dream, the one person who inspired me to go into the medical field was my auntie. When I was a child I was diagnosed with having acid reflux, there would be times where I had acid reflux attacks and the way she cared for me, unphased if I threw up on her or made a mess. She only wanted to make sure I felt okay. Her care inspired me, I too wanted to provide care to others.

Resilience has consistently been a cornerstone of my character. Raised by an immigrant parent, I absorbed the notion early on that the real world might not offer much external support, necessitating a self-reliant approach to navigating life. This inherent trait proved invaluable in confronting the challenges posed by the pandemic. Those challenges caused by the pandemic, including the loss of opportunities to forge meaningful friendships and engage in a traditional learning environment, significantly impacted my mental well-being. This made such an impact on my mental health because I wasn’t able to depend on anybody nor did I feel like a had a strong support system. Although I prevailed with 4.0 gpa, I felt like I had no one to talk to due to not wanting to let my parents down, especially my father because I didn’t want him to see me as weak. So this led me into a depressive state and closed myself off during the summer. I realized that closing myself off caused me to slowly lose my friendships with people I’ve known for years. When I started to distance myself from my family and friends the following academic year, I would often cry, losing sleep causing a dip in my academics. I realized that I needed to get help, as a result I decided to discuss with my parents about how I was feeling mentally and they got me the help that I needed by going to a therapist. Taking this step marked a significant leap in my resilience journey, as it allowed me to embrace the mindset that seeking help is not a sign of weakness or shame but rather a demonstration of resilience. While my academic achievements underscore my excellence in character, my commitment to continual self-improvement is evident in my proactive efforts to enhance both my mental and physical well-being. The affirmation received through the lessons learned in therapy spared a new interest in psychology. Psychology plays such an important role in our day to day life and it's interesting how people might use it in their daily lives; People may not realize it but evening observing each other when having conversations with one another or checking to see people’s body language all plays into psychology. But it also plays into how one sees themselves or their mental health. The mind is a powerful tool and it shapes how a person can see their life or the world which is why when I was feeling depressed at one point in my life, I felt like the world was against me but that was honestly me just being my own enemy. I was so in my head about my struggles that I didn’t see it was also affecting my relationship with my family. I saw how helpful it was to seek help with therapist and realized it honestly important.

Resilience has consistently been a cornerstone of my character. Raised by an immigrant parent, I absorbed the notion early on that the real world might not offer much external support, necessitating a self-reliant approach to navigating life. This inherent trait proved invaluable in confronting the challenges posed by the pandemic. Those challenges caused by the pandemic, including the loss of opportunities to forge meaningful friendships and engage in a traditional learning environment, significantly impacted my mental well-being. This made such an impact on my mental health because I wasn’t able to depend on anybody nor did I feel like a had a strong support system. Although I prevailed with 4.0 GPA, I felt like I had no one to talk to due to not wanting to let my parents down, especially my father because I didn’t want him to see me as weak. So this led me into a depressive state and closed myself off during the summer. I realized that closing myself off caused me to slowly lose my friendships with people I’ve known for years. When I started to distance myself from my family and friends the following academic year, I would often cry, losing sleep causing a dip in my academics. I realized that I needed to get help, as a result I decided to discuss with my parents about how I was feeling mentally and they got me the help that I needed by going to a therapist. Taking this step marked a significant leap in my resilience journey, as it allowed me to embrace the mindset that seeking help is not a sign of weakness or shame but rather a demonstration of resilience. While my academic achievements underscore my excellence in character, my commitment to continual self-improvement is evident in my proactive efforts to enhance both my mental and physical well-being. The affirmation received through the lessons learned in therapy spared a new interest in psychology. Psychology plays such an important role in our day to day life and it's interesting how people might use it in their daily lives; People may not realize it but evening observing each other when having conversations with one another or checking to see people’s body language all plays into psychology. But it also plays into how one sees themselves or their mental health. The mind is a powerful tool and it shapes how a person can see their life or the world which is why when I was feeling depressed at one point in my life, I felt like the world was against me but that was honestly me just being my own enemy. I was so in my head about my struggles that I didn’t see it was also affecting my relationship with my family. I saw how helpful it was to seek help with therapist and realized it honestly important.

Leadership is being a role model for others when they need guidance and support. My mother is a prime example of a leader; she has guided me in times when I felt lost, going through a tough time with my mental health, and feeling as though I wasn’t good enough for my family or friends, which made me go into a loop of depression. I was able to get through this because she gave me a tremendous amount of courage and emotional support. As someone who aspires to be a pediatrician, I was able to gain more experience in leadership. I was allowed to be a counselor at Tumbleweed Day Camp for a diverse group of 2nd graders over the summer. I was glad to experience this because it helped me get one step closer to gaining the experience of what pediatricians face every day. I was faced with many challenges at the beginning of being a counselor; for instance, there was a time when a white camp participant was having a hard time getting on the bus to head to camp because they didn’t want to leave their mom, so I had to convince her that camp was going to be fun and exciting to get her more comfortable with leaving her mom. I convinced her to get on the bus, and I sat with her, playing games the whole bus ride to camp. I checked in with her at the end of camp, and she said she had a great time. She had much fun throughout her camp experience and told me on her last day that she was glad I had convinced her to get on the bus that day. This inspired me even more to become a pediatrician because being able to be a help to kids who are still trying to figure life out and give them that helping hand when they require one is something I aspire to be. I tell this experience because with this it shows that by becoming a pediatrician I will be able to give my community someone to trust in this healthcare system and will treat them the the exact kindness and empathy they deserve.

Resilience has consistently been a cornerstone of my character. Raised by an immigrant parent, I absorbed the notion early on that the real world might not offer much external support, necessitating a self-reliant approach to navigating life. This inherent trait proved invaluable in confronting the challenges posed by the pandemic. Those challenges caused by the pandemic, including the loss of opportunities to forge meaningful friendships and engage in a traditional learning environment, significantly impacted my mental well-being. This made such an impact on my mental health because I wasn’t able to depend on anybody nor did I feel like a had a strong support system. Although I prevailed with 4.0 gpa I felt like I had no one to talk to due to not wanting to let my parents down, especially my father because I didn’t want him to see me as weak. So this led me into a depressive state and closed myself off during the summer. I realized that closing myself off caused me to slowly lose my friendships with people I’ve known for years. When I started to distance myself from my family and friends the following academic year, I would often cry, losing sleep causing a dip in my academics. I realized that I needed to get help, as a result I decided to discuss with my parents about how I was feeling mentally and they got me the help that I needed by going to a therapist. Taking this step marked a significant leap in my resilience journey, as it allowed me to embrace the mindset that seeking help is not a sign of weakness or shame but rather a demonstration of resilience. While my academic achievements underscore my excellence in character, my commitment to continual self-improvement is evident in my proactive efforts to enhance both my mental and physical well-being. The affirmation received through the lessons learned in therapy spared a new interest in psychology. Psychology plays such an important role in our day to day life and it's interesting how people might use it in their daily lives; People may not realize it but evening observing each other when having conversations with one another or checking to see people’s body language all plays into psychology. But it also plays into how one sees themselves or their mental health. The mind is a powerful tool and it shapes how a person can see their life or the world which is why when I was feeling depressed at one point in my life, I felt like the world was against me but that was honestly me just being my own enemy. I was so in my head about my struggles that I didn’t see it was also affecting my relationship with my family. I saw how helpful it was to seek help with therapist and realized it honestly important. With the education I will receive through college and medical school I want to create a positive change in the medical especially for the black community. In the black community it has always been seen s a sign of weakness when one needs help mentally and I want to change that conceived notion that the black community has of therapy.