I can’t lie, I’m definitely the mom friend. During high school, I supplied my peers with anything from cough drops to glasses cleaner. In my tote bag, I carry Band-Aids for those heels that cause blisters and stickers for those rainy day blues. Essentially, I carry everything but the kitchen sink. I value my ability to be prepared for most situations. Of course, I try to be ready for more than just paper cuts and annoying colds. My passion to be a social worker has led me to be prepared with resources at any given time. During the fall of 2021, I had a friend who was struggling badly with their mental health. They found themselves in toxic environments with even more toxic people. The once sunny person I knew was drained of their usual passion-filled and joyful demeanor. As much as I provided comfort, it was clear that my words alone would not suffice. So, I went through valid resources with her that may help. As I had dealt with similar situations before, I happen to have a google document and physical file full of resources. Searching through hotlines, local and online counseling centers, and support groups, I found several resources that matched her situation. I supplied them to her, feeling relieved to know she had more help on her side. With that groundwork set, I was able to provide further help and comfort to her. If I hadn’t been prepared with my resources, I would have been lost in that situation. However, my ability to prepare allowed me to better help my friend. In that situation, I did not need to worry about researching anything. Instead, I jumped right into helping her. I appreciate this quality a lot now, and I know that I will even more in the future. As I plan to be a social worker, I will need to be prepared for all clients that walk through the doors. Those who venture in may feel they are at the end of the line, lost on where to go next. It will be my job to be ready to assist them. I can provide them with small comforts, like having stress-relieving fidget toys for them to use when they get into my office. On a larger scale, I can have lists of government resources for those financially struggling, updated and proven therapy types that I can conduct, and knowledge from my years of studying for counseling situations. Going forth into life, I feel strongly about being prepared. From the small things in life, like carrying extra supplies in my tote bag, to the heavier situations, like helping a friend in serious need, I know that I’ll be fine as long as I am prepared.

They always encourage students to seek out interesting classes that might not be required, but enhance learning and bring excitement to an otherwise boring class schedule. Why not learn a new language? Perhaps you could invest your time into learning tap dancing. They forget, however, that college tuition isn’t cheap. If the class isn’t required or an elective, then many don’t have the chance to take it. I’m in a similar boat. I see so many fun classes, from a Yellowstone exploration class to a class all about board games, and I get envious. I’m only in electives that come with scholarships, like Honors Seminar and Speech and Debate. If I were given $1,000, I would continue to take an extra class that I planned on but have fallen short on funds for. That is American Sign Language 3, and the lab that comes with it. I was originally in these previous ASL classes thanks to a scholarship I was recommended for by my ASL professor. I was excited to be able to take the class, as learning ASL has been a passion of mine since middle school. Now, as I schedule my classes and prepare for fall, I simply don’t see a future with that class in it. With $1,000, I’d easily be able to pay the $560 to take the class. I’d enroll in the ASL class, buy my ASL workbook, and save the rest for possibly taking ASL 4 in the fall.

You’re not the first person to hold that pop can. Many others have popped that tab and drank from it. Don’t worry, there are no germs. The can have been heated up to the melting point, removing all germs and, even better, allowing itself to be reused. This is what makes aluminum cans to special. They can be reused over and over with no loss in their quality, making them completely renewable. To keep such precious materials out of the landfill, I have dedicated myself to recycling all cans that I use. I learned this lesson in elementary school, in which the week of earth day was a weeklong sustainable celebration. Each student would bring all their cans to school, pitching in to help their class gather the most pounds of cans. This created a sensation of households saving cans all year to help their students win the contest. We would win a pizza party or ice cream party as a prize, but to me, I earned something deeper. I have been made into a lifelong believer in recycling all cans. At my house, we still save cans for elementary kids to collect during earth day weeks. During my days at college, I never threw a can away. Instead, I sought out the nearest recycling bin. Even if I have to carry it all day around with me, I make sure that can find its proper space where it can soon be reused as another can. If my friends try to throw one away, I offer to take it and recycle it later. I may be only one person with a passion for recycling. However, I can still make an impact, one can at a time.

It can be said that I don’t take life all too seriously. I don’t care much for media that takes itself too seriously. This also applies to the art I make and appreciate. That is why I’m such a fan of the works of Vanessa Stockard’s work, particularly her piece “Candy Stripped Kevin”. In this piece, you see Kevin the cat, based on Stockard’s real cat, sitting on a red and white chair. This piece is one I appreciate for composition and aesthetic reasons. There is a lot to appreciate about the composition. The way Stockard used the size of objects to bring focus is brilliant. Stockard always makes Kevin tiny, and she does this by using the size of the massive chair he sits on to make him much smaller. It is a comedic look, to see an itsy-bitsy cat on a massive chair. She also paints in dark backgrounds to highlight the focus. It also serves to make Kevin look even smaller, as it looks like he is in an infinite abyss. One can’t deny how adorable Kevin is. He is a wide-eyed, black cat who always adorns a white ruff. This cat draws the focus of one’s eye, despite taking up so little of the canvas. He stands there, looking cute and clueless. I adore Stockard’s piece because it isn’t trying to convey a complicated, serious message. Simply, it was produced to bring forth something lighthearted and fun. When we are surrounded by so much heartache and hurt, it’s nice to have art in the world that exists to be cheery. A piece that isn’t doom and gloom. It brings happiness to my heart to see such a tiny cat, chilling on a chair. I hope to others, that this painting sparks joy as well.

We’ve all been there. The point where we’ve tried anything to improve our mental health. Yoga? Check. Jogging? Check. Going outside? Check. These all have benefits, but many do not target the symptoms people experience. When all you want to do is feel less anxiety or have more hope for life, being told to go outside more feels like a silly suggestion. As I’ve studied my social work and psychology textbooks and attended my lectures, I have come up with a suggestion that is better than empty tips for those struggling. My solution for helping more people with mental health struggles is education as a preventive measure. Many people struggling with mental health concerns often go through feelings of being alone. They feel that no one else knows how they feel. They may also not understand what they are suffering from. The sudden feelings of paranoia, hopelessness, worry, and many other symptoms appear with no understanding of how they came about. Without education about disorders, it is possible to not reach a diagnosis for the anxiety and depression they may suffer from. This is why I suggest education as a preventive measure. If we taught students about mental health at an early yet appropriate age, they would not feel alone or confused. They could see that others feel the same and have found happiness in their lives despite their struggles. We can reduce confusion by teaching about disorders, symptoms, and ways to get help. A lesson in health class could help the next generation avoid the pains those before them have felt. For those who may not struggle with their mental health, this can be a way to build understanding and empathy with their peers. All around, we can create a population of people who understand mental health struggles.

Without Alan Turing, you would not be reading this application right now. You would not have the phone in your pocket, or the electronic tablet on your coffee table. The computers that litter offices, schools, and homes worldwide are thanks to Alan Turing. We have him to thank for his efforts in World War II, creating the Bombe, a device that cracked the Enigma Code and led to the invention of the computer. I admire him so much because of more than his innovation. He is someone who showed me I could be successful as a queer person. While math and technology are not my strong suits, I still have a fierce admiration for the technology Turing advanced. I appreciate it as I see how it has changed society for the better. His genius abilities with math and technology led him to the war effort, as the Second World War raged on around him. Lending his skills to the forces, he cracked the important Enigma Code and paved the way for modern computers and similar technology. He showed the preservice and intelligence that I strive to have in the pursuit of my goals. His dedication to his crafts is one I try to replicate as I approach my crafts. Besides the technology, he serves as a role model for queer people like me. At the time of the war, society still learned toward a straight narrative. If you wanted to succeed, you had to be, or make yourself seem to be, a straight person. Alan Turing, despite the unjust consequences he faced for being queer, showed everyone that you can be successful and queer. That just because people are working against us, we still can make great achievements and change the world.

The best financial piece of advice I’ve ever hear was from Twitter, of all places. On a random tweet, forever lost on my feed, I recall some words of wisdom. You can’t afford something unless you could buy it twice. When it comes to finances, many struggle with poor choices. Until I reached college and experienced my first struggle meal including sleep for breakfast and sleep for dinner, I did not take my finances seriously. After I received a wakeup call, I’ve been searching for ways to keep my money in order. This piece of advice saves me from making poor choices with my money. As I’ve been making bigger purchases, ones that require more thinking than just a candy bar in a checkout line, I’ve had to consider whether or not it is a smart purchase. If one can buy something twice, it means there is plenty of other funds to fall back on if life takes a turn. This ensures that one isn’t wasting money on this purchase, as they are financially solid. This relates to bigger purchases especially, because if you can’t buy two of a $1000 dollar laptop, than you really ought to be saving it in case you need it. For example, I am currently saving up for another laptop to replace my old one. As I look at the better quality, more expensive ones, I have to consider if I could actually buy it twice. If so, then I consider it in my options. If not, then I skip past it. I don’t want to use too much of my funds on one object, as then I’ll be left with a barren account when I really need to use money on something.

If you would have asked me my favorite books years ago, I would have struggled with the answer. “There’s just too many, how could I pick one?” Now, my answer is easy. Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames (yes wild is spelt like that on the cover). I’m a self-described user of the comedy coping mechanism, so when I’m sad (read: way too often), I like to indulge in comedic media. This book is the perfect example of that. I love this book because it had my hollering with laughter every chapter. The jokes landed, and were never off beat. Eames is constant with the tone of these jokes, so they never felt awkward or forced. The plot of the book was amazing. It takes us through the journey of mercenaries, in a group call the Kings of the Wyld, who are well passed their exploring days out on the search for one of their daughters, Bloody Rose. She has gotten trapped in a castle with her crew, completely surrounded by DND style monsters. This plot provides so much heart, as we can see the lengths our characters will go to just for the chance to save Rose. Every step of the journey is a dangerous one, with action that left me flipping through the pages well into the night. I’d like to touch on my favorite part; Moog. He is a silly wizard character, with so much heart. He experiences struggles with a fantastical analogy HIV/Aids, which takes us through a side arc of his life and losses with the disease. This part was of the book brings strong emotions on, offsetting the comedic parts. Overall, I love this book to pieces and I doubt it’ll lose its spot as my favorite.