Until three years ago, I lived in an emotionally and mentally abusive household. It left me almost completely isolated and with concerning poor mental health and harmful habits that strained my physical wellbeing. I would stay up at night, sometimes until light started to come through my window, on my phone or tablet as an escape from my life. I hardly ever left my room, so I was more often than not sedentary; I never exercised. My diet consisted of toaster oven pizzas from the freezer or cans of Chef Boyardee. Without fully realizing it, my health was in shambles and only spiraling as I repeated the same toxic habits daily. Moving to Tennessee not only took me away from the environment that was contributing to my desolation and deterioration, but it also saved my life. I had to spend the first two years of my new life adjusting to returning to in-person school and receiving crucial therapy so I could confidently conclude my last years of high school and start my journey as a functioning, happy adult. Now, I have the strength and knowledge to make learned, healthy choices for myself. I realized that I was taking excellent steps for my mental and emotional wellbeing, but my physical health was not receiving the attention it needed. Three months ago, I began setting clear goals for myself and following them: eat as little sugar and bread as possible, always try to have something green on my plate, stretch at least every twenty minutes, drink more water, and stick to a sleep routine. Within less than a week, I began to notice changes in how I felt both physically and emotionally, and I did not feel as tired as I used to. I learned that change is possible as long as I put in the effort, and that eating better and taking better care of my body is worth it, even if it is difficult. Now that I have made these changes and plan to adjust them gradually as I improve with physical activity, I consider all of my plans and how they could impact the healthy choices I am making for myself. For example: "Will this event keep me from having the time I need to exercise and get enough rest for school tomorrow?", or, "If I have a long day at work, what can I bring to eat that will be healthy but also give me enough energy to last the day?" Additionally, my college has a gym that is freely available to all students, so I am ensuring my weekly schedule has enough room for frequent visits to the center. By prioritizing my physical well-being after first working on and reaching a healthy point with my mental health, I learned that positive changes are possible and well worth it. My choices in life, work, school, and for my future all now reflect my desire to better myself and make it a habit. I understand that in order to obtain a longer, happier life, I need to prioritize my health, and there is no better time to start than right now.

In my pursuit of the arts, a journey I have taken my entire life, I often asked myself what my "why" was. No matter if I found myself stuck for months or without inspiration, I always found my way back to creative forms of expression. Creativity is my outlet, my passion, and, more often than not, how I manage to express myself and my feelings when words fail me. I originally thought: "It must be for the pursuit of happiness", but while that is a major factor of my drive to create, it is not my motivation. One night, as I was painting, I was wiping my tears quickly before they could reach the canvas. I felt truly alone, isolated, and without consideration. Amidst the pandemic, I held suspicion towards those I considered my friends and decided to go quiet, not text first, and see what would happen. A day passed, then a week, and before I knew it, three months. No one had reached out. No one had attempted to check on me, to see if I was okay, despite the incredibly unusual silence I suddenly possessed. I mourned the connection I thought I had. I found myself spiraling, trying to paint the slew of emotions. And, as I painted, one thought constantly rebounded through my mess of thoughts: "I just want to be understood." My why-- what drives me-- is to share myself with others, be understood, and help unify people through that common ground. I don't just want myself to have that peace of mind and genuine joy that comes from being understood. I desire it for all. I want to create murals large enough to draw the eyes of hundreds and show them that their next best friend could be behind them in line at the grocery store, that people are not just one moment of emotion, and that everyone has something in common. I want to create pieces for individuals that show them they are thought of, cared for, and worthy of the patience that comes with taking the time to get to know someone. If I can change just one person's mind about making assumptions and harboring hatred, I can consider my lifelong goal achieved. Because that person, just by developing a new mindset of compassion, can spread it to others. One good action multiplies, and through my art and creativity, I hope to begin a chain reaction of understanding that will put the world in a better place.

"An Unfortunately Tragic Story about Jam and a Thief" Over the hill and to the sea, I took some jam not meant for me. Blueberry, fig, and apple, too. What was a hungry boy to do? So sitting crossed I ate my fill and slept until the morning willed. Then, ready for another round, I sought myself a jelly pound. But, a turned jar, to my surprise revealed: "The Jam of Your Demise" and soon as those sad words, I read, I found myself keeled over, dead. Over my corpse I loomed above: A pale blue ghost, my curse: a love for jam, sticky and bittersweet. A dish I can no longer eat. From then I spent my days in gloom. For jam, my love, became my tomb.

The movie that has had the greatest impact on my life is "A Silent Voice," a film adapted from the manga by Yoshitoki Ōima. After its release in 2016 across several platforms, including Netflix, the film quickly gained widespread attention and acclaim for its stunning visuals and animation, touching story, and relatable, well-developed characters. Despite this, because the film was made in Japan and has an anime style-- factors that are clouded by many stereotypes-- some people prematurely, and incorrectly, dismiss the movie as unworthy of being watched or weird and unusual. Yet, the film harbors deep important messages everyone could learn from. In the film "A Silent Voice," a girl with a hearing impairment experiences intense bullying from her peers and ultimately has to transfer schools. Years later, one of the boys who served as her tormentor, struggling with the weight of his actions against her as well as many others, meets her again and attempts to make amends. The movie covers their time together and how his and the world's treatment towards the girl has massively impacted her life. Without directly talking about it, the movie expresses the consequences of bullying and what life is like for both the bully and the victim. Extremely complex issues associated with depression, anxiety, and both the intricate hopeful and despairing emotions felt by the characters are literally and figurately illustrated in a relatable, captivating way. Where stories usually only cover what victims of bullying experience and how they suffer, "A Silent Voice" shows you what both parties experience and how bullying can almost destroy someone's life just as severely as being bullied can. This movie helped me realize the complexity and reality of situations such as these. Until I watched this movie, because of mass media and what I was taught as a child, I only ever saw bullying, harassment, abuse, and other serious problems as black and white. "A Silent Voice" showed me that nothing in life is ever as simple as it seems; there is always more to the story, and the more you communicate and work to figure out the truth, the better off you are. This movie showed me how impactful your actions towards others are, how they come back to you in one way or another, and that if you earnestly want to be better, make amends, and are willing to put in the work-- redemption is possible. Every day, I carry and apply the many lessons I learned from this movie. Thanks in part to the film, I always strive to understand people and situations to the best of my ability and work to be a better person. I know that if I ever make a mistake or do wrong by someone, and I honestly wish to make things right, people will see that, appreciate that, and work with me to improve our relationship and, by extension, our lives. "A Silent Voice" is a beautiful film in myriad ways, full of meaningful lessons and touching stories that have changed my life for the better.