I’m someone who needs to create. I draw, I sing, I write. I love bouncing between different forms of expression. Sometimes that happens to be drawing or animating at 3 am and tweaking my CSS for websites (Yes, web development can be creative). However, depression has a funny way of stripping me from what I love – slowly eating away at my will to eat, sleep, and create. People who struggle with mental health often feel broken, wrong, or too different for others to understand. I didn’t know why I was in so much pain or why I couldn’t just “be normal” like everyone seemed to expect from me. Music became one of my escapes. When I was feeling overwhelmed, I’d go to my closet, put my headphones on, and let the music envelope me. This wasn’t a cure, but it was comfort—proof that someone, somewhere, understood. This was how I discovered TXT. Looking for an escape, I went down a rabbit hole on the internet where people online were talking about The Star Seekers. Their lore about boys with horns, wings, and other traits that made them outcasts, who find solace only when they come together. As someone who lives for music with worldbuilding and narrative, I was drawn in before I even heard a note of their music. It wasn’t just their music that got to me. It was the way they openly talk about their struggles when so many people—especially in cultures like mine—still see expressing emotion as weakness. Each member’s openness about self-doubt, growth, and loneliness felt like someone validating the struggles I’d tried so hard to push down. In Soobin’s speech for TXT’s mental health campaign, he said, “expressing emotion is a sign of strength,” and I felt like everything I carried within didn’t have to be hidden. For so long, I just wanted to run away from my past, the pain I endured. I went to a University out of state, but I was still held hostage by depression. In the +U storyline, each member carries something unique that isolates them – Yeonjun’s horns, Huening Kai’s wings, Taehyun’s eye, Soonbin’s ears, and Beomgyu’s spikes. When alone, these traits hurt them. Together, they find comfort, and their pain becomes their connection. This story is a reflection of real life: we’re all going to have struggles navigating this labyrinth that is life, but finding community turns that isolation into belonging. I’ve been able to find connections in art clubs, friends, and MOA. This fandom is more than streaming music or collecting albums. It’s because of TXT’s strong foundation that MOA has been able to thrive as an uplifting community that supports each other. This scholarship, for example, is going to help many college students who are struggling with financial issues. So, I just want to say thank you so much for this opportunity and for giving back to people. Now I want to help create safe spaces for people to be seen through. I am majoring in communications and studying web development. I want to continue creating stories and online spaces that celebrate people’s differences without shame or limitation. I hope to write and design projects that bring comfort to others, the same way I found it in TXT’s music and lore. I fund my education through a combination of financial aid and student loans. While recent changes in government policy have made this support less certain, I am determined to continue. Scholarships like this one help me stay focused on building a future where I can use my skills and creativity to give back, just as TXT has given to me. Art is about having the freedom to create and express yourself. To find liberation in creating or experiencing art. TXT is art. They have taught me and so many others that art can carry people through their darkest moments, that shared pain can become strength. I am going to continue my education so that I can create spaces where others are seen. I want to help remind people that even when all hope feels lost, we’ll hold on and face tomorrow together.

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.