My father figure is my dad, who is currently reading over my shoulder while I'm writing this. I'm not going to lie, I feel like a first-grader writing a tiny sentence like "My daddy is special because he's amazing." But it's true. I don't say it often enough, but my dad is one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. He climbed his way out of poverty, has a master's degree in nuclear engineering (and frankly should have his Ph.D.), and works for Microsoft. He's brilliant! Recently, I found out that he helped build the security doors in airports shortly after 9/11 happened. I don't know why I never knew it before, but it makes me even prouder to call him my dad. Although he pushes my buttons sometimes, he always knows how to make me laugh, even if I'm crying. In fact, he will sit there and make me laugh, but I'll still be angry at him so I'll bite my tongue and start crying even more just to cover it up. Dad always knows how to cheer me up, whether it be a good laugh, going out to do something like golf or fishing, or even just sitting on the couch at home and playing video games. The thing that I love the most about him is that while he's a sweet, caring, family man, he also pushes me to be the best version of me I can be. And that sounds super cheesy, but it's the truth. For my 18th birthday, we went and got matching tattoos of his favorite saying on our arms in each other's handwriting, so that no matter how near or far we may be from each other, we can look down at our muscles and know that we are still pushing each other to be amazing. I love my dad with all my heart, and I know that he'll always be with me when I need a kick in the butt at college. All I have to do is look at my arm and envision my dad standing in front of me saying, "You can and you will."

The most inspiring story I’ve ever read is After the Fire written by Will Hill. It is based loosely on the Texas Waco Siege. The story follows 17 year old Moonbeam, a girl trapped in a religious cult lead by Father John, a self-proclaimed prophet of the lord. He manipulates his followers into believing that “The Lord” claims that the government will seize their home for no reason other than to oppress and kill them all. Father John embeds the kill or be killed mindset into his followers and fight the government. Moonbeam becomes suspicious of Father John after a handsome undercover FBI agent joins the legion, and mysteriously disappears without a trace one night. After, her mother is banned from the camp, which pushes Moonbeam over the edge to find out what exactly Father John is hiding. This book will forever be my favorite to read and re-read a thousand times over. This emotional story is about finding independence from loved ones, something I still struggle with. I relate to Moonbeam because she breaks free from a religion she’s been in since she was young. Now I am in no way calling my previous religion a cult, it’s just that I don’t agree with their values anymore and am trying to break free, but am being held back by family. Moonbeam is a reminder to me that it’s okay to stray from normal behaviors that others around you act out. After The Fire (Will Hill) is a compelling story that breaks the standard arc of storytelling by switching between past and present storylines. The style of the book combined with the main characters will to be independent inspire sme everyday to be my own person and make my own decisions, regardless what the people I love say or do.

Mental health has become a priority of mine only recently. Just last November, I tried to take my own life, but thankfully I was able to snap myself out of my episode and tell my parents before it was too late. Through that experience. I've learned that it's totally okay to ask for help when you need it. These coping tools and tips are not things I have come up with on my own, by no means, but they are some of my favorite and most helpful when it comes to pulling me out of an episode or just helping me relax after an exhausting or frustrating day. 1.) Find something to ground yourself - Whether it's a physical object or something as simple as a mantra, using grounding techniques is incredibly helpful and can clear your mind! My personal favorite techniques range from listening to music or lighting a candle/incense. Certain scents can actually be very calming and actually bring back certain memories, which is why nostalgic scents are better to have! 2.) What's your love language? - Humans by nature are social creatures, and just as much as we should give love, we also need to receive it. Take a quiz or simply take a guess as to what your love language may be. Carve out time in your schedule to either visit or call a friend and have a good conversation. For me, I love coming home after a rough day and asking my mom for a hug, and I'm very excited to go to college, meet new friends, learn their love languages, and then give them the love they need and ask fr the love that I need, too. 3.) Role models - This is one of my favorite tips that I use on the daily. Sometimes, I find it hard to relate to people in the real world in my everyday life, either I find flaws in them that I can't agree with or my social battery just drains after a while. What I like to do is go on youtube and watch my favorite YouTubers or find a podcast that I really enjoy. Finding a role model on social media is actually incredibly helpful and can be considered a grounding tool, but I like to put it in it'sown category. It's just an incredibly helpful tool in a way that I can't exactly describe!