As a transfer student from Texas to Boston University I've faced many challenges from adapting to a new environment and trying to maintain my mental health. The switch from being at home where I was most comfortable to the bustling city life in Boston has been overwhelming. With my friends and family being so far away I struggled to cope with my depression and anxiety, especially during lonely moments where I was eating lunch or walking back to my dorm at night from a late class. The weight of these emotions often felt suffocating, especially in such a vibrant city where I constantly felt like I was out of my element. I realized that to succeed in college, I was going to have to find ways to cope with my mental health. I knew that I needed to be involved in more group-centered activities so that I wouldn't feel alone in such a big city. My first step was joining a Pilates/Yoga class offered by the University. Not only was I able to practice techniques on how to relax my mind and focus on healing my body, but they also gave me a space to connect with others who were also struggling. Knowing that I wasn't alone with my mental health issues made me feel less alienated. The class provided a calm and accepting environment where I could destress, and felt comfortable voicing my struggles among others who shared similar experiences. In addition to yoga, I pushed myself to attend club meetings focused on my interests, such as art and LGBTQ+ rights. The first time I attended an art club meeting, I was nervous, but everyone there was welcoming and I found someone who I'm now close friends with. Drawing allows me to focus on a singular task that I enjoy while giving my mind a much-needed break from the harsh workload at BU. The LGBTQ+ Activism club allowed me to give back to the community and gave me a sense of purpose. Being in these clubs has given me a creative outlet and made connecting with others easier. As I move forward I plan to take more steps to improve my depression and anxiety, such as going for runs around campus, exploring the city with friends, and speaking to a professional for help when needed. Life can be challenging and I’ve learned it's important to treat myself with grace and compassion when my depression gets bad. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given to receive this education and I’m excited to grow as a person.

I believe art is essential to the human spirit. Everyone has the desire to create something in this world whether it's expressed through painting, music, politics, or science. I want to create films and books about LGBTQ+ stories without the taboo surrounding the narrative. Songs like "I Kissed a Girl" reinforced the idea that kissing a girl was wrong and something to be enjoyed but not taken seriously. This is exactly what I did when I was younger and for a long time I identified as straight despite my conflicting emotions. One reason behind this was because of my religious family and even now I still struggle with accepting who I am. However, anytime I feel down I think of the first time I heard Chappell's song "Good Luck Babe". I was scrolling through TikTok when I came across an edit of two characters from Nana. The anime depicts two girls who are incredibly close to one another to the point where one character, Hachi, calls their relationship "a happy first love." Fitting to the theme of the song, neither character acknowledges their feelings for the other and the lyrics "make a new excuse, another stupid reason" sing out. The lyrics reminded me of moments in the past when I would dismiss or downplay my attraction towards women. I kept making stupid excuses for my feelings, the stupidest one being that if men could watch girls kissing girls and still be considered straight then so could I. Needless to say, I was in denial as well as confused. Living in a conservative southern state, I didn't have any guidance toward my queerness. Now, I'm more open with my feelings, and after seeing someone like Chappell Roan expresses herself in a way that, though may disturb some people, is true to who she is. I feel less afraid of writing stories that are true to who I am. Her music inspires me to work hard towards my goals. I'm not joking when I say I cleaned my mom's entire apartment at 3 a.m. while listening to 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess' on repeat. This isn't to say that I support her simply because she helped me clean, but to say that she truly lifts people in a way that makes them feel important. She gives a highlight to local drag queens wherever she gives her tour so that her spotlight can help shine on those who also deserve the light. Art can be expressed in different modes such as singer or drag queen. Differences in art can spark inspiration for some and hope in those who thought no one else was like them. I am proud to call myself a Chappell Roan fan and I hope to one day see her in concert so I can show my support and sing my heart out with the rest of the fans.

Growing up I never liked coffee, I had heard that caffeine stunts your growth, and as someone who aspired to be above 5'4, I could not risk caffeine. However, my freshman year of college found me stuck at 5'2 and sleep-deprived. I was pulling all-nighters to finish my essays and ensure they were edited to perfection before submission. One morning, my sister came back with a delicious-smelling drink from Starbucks that had me pausing in my editing craze to turn to her and ask what she was drinking. She held up her drink and in her hand was a venti cup filled with a rich dark brown coffee topped with a thick foam that trickled down in whisps. The drink looked magical in the way the foam blended with the coffee. "It's the pumpkin cream cold brew," She said and started rummaging through her Starbucks bag (which I didn't notice until that point) to pull out a ham and cheese croissant. I watched as she set the cup down next to me to start munching on her croissant. Since she was so focused on the croissant I figured she wouldn't mind if I had a taste of the drink. After all, I had always enjoyed the smell of coffee but the taste had never been my favorite. Even if the taste turned out to be a disappointment at least I'd have some caffeine in my blood to keep me going for the next 24 hours. "Can I taste some of your coffee?" I asked her. "Sure," she said through a mouthful of croissant (she had no idea what was being unleashed). I took a sip and I knew this was about to be an addiction, the drink was absolutely delicious. I was hit with the sweet pumpkin creaminess of the cold foam which was then followed by the dark rich flavors of the cold brew. I'm not a huge fan of sweets so I enjoyed the venti coffee-to-cold foam ratio and it would soon become a regular of mine. I turned to my sister to tell her how much I liked the coffee and her being the sweet older sister that she was said I could have it. This of course was followed by me agreeing to do whatever she wanted and us going to get her another cold brew. From then on I passed all my classes with the power of the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew on my side. If I was pulling an all-nighter there was a Venti cold brew next to my computer. I even started going to Starbucks with my sister more often so we could share the drink as we blasted Micheal Jackson's song Thriller in the car. As classes started to ease up I started lessening my cold brew intakes and began savoring them more as treats. However, I'll forever remember my freshman first semester for the many cold brews I consumed and the all-nighters that helped me learn to prioritize a proper schedule so I could finally get some sleep.

As a kid, visiting my abuelos (grandparents)who lived three hours away was never my ideal weekend trip. Especially when communication between us would require constant translation from my parents who neglected to teach their children Spanish. Communication wasn't impossible, I knew a couple of Spanish phrases and words but neither my siblings nor my abuelos were fluent in the other's preferred language. This meant the children always kept to themselves while the adults talked as loudly as they wanted in the kitchen in their "secret language." This was the usual routine until one Christmas, my cousin Junior, got Mario Kart Wii. All the kids were excited to play and have a turn. My uncles set up the game and all the kids gathered around on the floor to watch the TV. When it was my turn to play, my Abuela wandered over to the living room and said to my uncles "Qué es." When they explained the game to her she seemed intrigued and sat down behind us on the couch. A few rounds later I managed to beat my cousin, who turned to my Abuela and asked "Abuela, quieres turn" (he wasn't the best Spanish speaker either) and waved the controller for emphasis. To my surprise, she nodded her head and said "Sí, damelo" and held out her hand. My uncle Everardo came over to teach her in Spanish how to use the controls and once he was done the match began! Even at eight years old I was competitive, so I wasn't about to go easy on my Abuela who didn't seem to mind. She quickly got the hang of things and after a while her "Ays!" quickly turned to "Dale!" and several banana peals later she won the match. By the end of it, everyone was laughing and my Abuelo had come over during the rounds and wanted to play too. This was now Abuelo vs. Abuela! For the match, my Abuela had picked Princess Peach, per my sister's recommendation and my cousin told my Abuelo to pick Bowser. We became divided over the Abuelos and I of course chose my Abuela for the win. The first few rounds were nothing extreme but by the end, everyone was on the edge of their seat. The living room was filled with chaos as my family cheered and shouted at the TV. The last round would be the tie-breaker and it seemed my Abuelo would score the win when he hit Abuela with a green shell but just when all hope was lost, she managed to get a golden mushroom! She passed up Abuelo and I hugged my Abuela as everyone cheered. Being a kid, it's already hard to find things to do with Abuelos, especially when you struggle to talk about things. Luckily, Nintendo made things easier for everyone to sit down together and bond as a family. Going over on the weekends became something to look forward to instead of dread. Since then, I've started taking Spanish lessons to help with communication between us. Though we still have the Nintendo games for fun. Video games are more than just something to pass time with, they're for creating memories and forming bonds with the people you love. That's why whenever I'm with family or friends, I'll always have Mario Kart ready to create even more memories and moments like that day.