Art begs us to empathize with every emotion the artist expresses. It catches our attention and asks us to consider and reflect. Influential speakers employ pathos, activists rely on compassion, and art creates empathy. Art can surpass prejudice and show people the reality of other people’s lives. Since I was young, I have experimented with different forms of art to help me feel heard and understood. I have become friends with people from different backgrounds through our connection in art. In elementary school, I loved drawing. In middle school, I started playing viola, writing, and sculpting. In high school, I learned bass and guitar and experimented with film. I created a film that won the THEA scholarship for directing in my senior year. Now that I am in college, I have been taking all of the skills I have learned to write music with my band. We start writing songs with a riff that one of us came up with and we gradually add on. I write all of the lyrics, most of the bass parts, and some of the guitar parts. Though we have not released any music yet, we have two songs almost complete and eleven others that are being drafted. My dream is to be able to support myself through my music, so I want to learn how to best market and sell my music. I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business. I believe this degree will give me the skills and information I need to manage my band and help me have a successful music career. I believe that the more ideas are shared about a cause, the easier it is for people to become empathetic towards each other. Because of this, I tend to write about social causes that are important to me, as well as my own mental health. Even though I took a semester off from my studies to focus on improving my mental health, I am excited to go back in the fall. This scholarship would help me learn how to lead my band to success and be able to share our ideas with the world. I am uploading the lyrics to three of my songs and a link to my band’s Instagram so you can see our progress. I hope you enjoy them, and I hope you will hear their finished versions in a year or two when we release our first album.

The work of burnout does not change societies. Taking care of your own mental health is the first way you can take care of your community and make an impact on society. Helping and advocating for others takes a lot of mental energy, and without taking care of your mental health, it is hard to have enough energy for that. For example, when I was in middle school I had very little interest in volunteering, helping others, or participating in clubs. I had undiagnosed depression and anxiety. Towards the end of my middle school education, I had a panic attack in front of my mom. We decided that it was for the best that I started seeing a therapist. Over the next couple of years, and after a lot of working on my mental health, my interest in music and helping people grew. Without spending that time to focus on my mental health, I would not be able to help others. I want to make a difference in my world by showing the people around me my journey with my mental health. I write songs to share with people about my struggles, and I listen to local musicians so we know we are not alone. I maintain my mental health in many ways. Connection is one of the most beneficial. I enjoy talking with my friends and sharing my music to connect with others. I also spend a lot of time with my cat. She keeps me on a routine and helps me get sunlight. Most cats are not willing to walk on a leash, but mine prefers to be walked multiple times a week. Without her, I probably would not go outside or get as much exercise as I do. I think the most important thing I have done to improve and maintain my mental health is meeting with my therapist and psychiatrist. My therapist helps me work through my feelings by providing a neutral space to talk about them. She also provides insight and teaches me about different coping mechanisms and ways to talk about my emotions and problems with others. My psychiatrist has helped me by identifying the reasons I feel the way I do and treating them. She has helped me by diagnosing and allowing me to try different medications for my mental illnesses. Because of her support, accomplishing my goals now seems within my reach.