Growing up Queer in a Southern state is hard. Really, really hard. In school, I was told I wasn't allowed to be my true self, and almost wasn't allowed to walk the stage because of my identity. I struggled mentally because of this severely. Coupled with never, ever seeing representation of LGBTQ+ people in media, I didn't believe I had a place in this world. It wasn't until I began college that I found a community and was able to truly be myself. Despite this, however, there was still a lack of representation in media for LGBTQ+ artists, something that desperately bothered and upset me. Despite having community, I believed that there wouldn't be a place for me and that community in the larger world. After all, many people outside of my immediate community didn't know anything regarding the LGBTQ+ community outside of stereotypes and the many negative stories in the news. Then, as if out of the settling dust of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being passed in the south, she appeared. Seeing someone like Chappell Roan be openly apart of the community, while touring Southern states, has been life changing. Because of her representation, I strongly believe the world will change. Not only because it can, but because it must. It's because of Chappell Roan and her music that I believe the world can, and will, be accepting of the community at large. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but someday. I hope that by going out into the world and making a difference like Chappell Roan, that that someday will be soon.

They say that in order to help others, you must first help yourself. That is to say, in order to make a difference in another person's life, you must first be in a place to be able to help others. I am a 23 year old currently pursuing a degree in Social Work. Growing up, I was incredibly underprivileged, my family facing housing issues, financial hardships, and mental health struggles. Things became a bit better with time, but now that I live alone, I struggle to support myself financially. Despite this, however, I still want to make a difference in the world for the better, I want to embody the people who have come before me as much as possible when it comes to being a good person. Throughout high-school, I volunteered regularly within the school with the younger grades, was a teacher's assistant, helped put together packages containing food and basic toiletries for the homeless population near my school, and tutored other students who were struggling in classes. I upheld a 4.0GPA, the highest my school offered, while doing so. In 2020, when COVID-19 shut down the world, I became incredibly sick. Because of this, I had to leave my college in order to heal physically while avoiding becoming sick again. Because of this, I "fell off the wagon" academically so to speak. It wasn't until 2023 that I was truly ready to begin schooling again, although I did try sooner, and struggled with the coursework due to my then-poor health. Thankfully, I am finally in a place physically and mentally where I can thrive in schooling again, and have a medical team closely monitoring my health so that should things begin to go downhill again, I will not only be prepared but will also be able to lessen any damage. Now, it is my goal to help underprivileged individuals, especially those who grew up in rural areas similar to myself. I want to help make education more accessible, especially to those in rural areas. I want to help connect people to the resources needed in order to not only survive, but to thrive in life. Examples of this are food resources, help financially with bills, and social support. It is my belief that humans are here to help each other, and that we should always offer a helping hand whenever we are able to.

Growing up being home-schooled was rough. There was little-to-no structure, little-to-no proper education. The social structure was just as bad, if not worse due to having grown up on a farm in rural Indiana. Because of the aforementioned struggles with home-schooling that my family had, I didn’t receive much of an education for years. Thankfully, this changed when I was 12, and I began going to a private institution on scholarship due to financial hardship. Little did I know this schooling would flip everything I knew on it’s head. Suddenly, I had structure. I had an education. I had social support. It was during my time at this private school that I decided something: I wanted to help others. While at this school, I volunteered regularly with the younger grades, was a teacher’s assistant, helped tutor other students, and helped put together food and basic toiletries for homeless people. While doing these things, I received a 4.0GPA, the highest offered at my school at the time. It was thanks to the kindness of the people on the school-board who gave me the scholarship that my life had done a full 180 degree turn. Suddenly, instead of being on a path with no clear destination, I was suddenly steering directly towards college. Despite my success however, I made the mistake of only applying to two universities, both of which I got into. I decided to go to the smaller university that was slightly closer, as I didn’t want to be too far from my family. I received high marks during my time there, was admitted into the Honors program, and had a strong support system my first semester. For all intents and purposes, I should have continued to succeed. However, in March of 2020 it was announced across the school, across the state, across the nation, that things would be closing down. Originally, it was going to be two short weeks, then I could go back to classes. Back to my structure. Back home. This, however, was not what ended up happening. During this time, I became very sick, both mentally and physically. The doctor I spoke with didn’t know what was going on physically, and my therapist diagnosed me with Bipolar I, depression, and with severe anxiety. I felt like my world was ending. I didn’t have the structure or the support system from school any longer due to COVID-19, and it felt as though my mind and body were failing me. For the next three years, I struggled physically and mentally. My care team tacked on an autism diagnosis, as well as diagnosed me with something called Gastroparesis, the partial-to-full paralyzation of the stomach. Throughout all of this, my anxiety was ever-present, whispering in the back of my mind that if I tried to go back to school, I would fail. Honestly? For a long time I believed that little voice. Then something in me changed mentally. I made the decision to push past that anxiety, and go online to community college, as I was no longer eligible for the scholarships I previously had at the university as I was no longer a first-time student. I was encouraged by my coworkers to attend schooling again. They could see my passion for helping others when I worked with the clients, and the clients could tell I care deeply. They encouraged me to go back as well. Having that encouragement is what helped me tremendously to push past that anxiety to attend schooling again. I decided instead of doing Biology, what I was originally enrolled for, I would go into Social Work. I am currently working towards obtaining my associate’s degree, at which point I will transfer once again to a college or university. My goal is to get my Bachelors, as well as my Masters degree. My goals for after I get my Bachelors and while getting my Masters degree is to work for a school or non-profit organization, with a focus on mental health and connecting people to resources. I want to focus on these things because I want to make a difference in someone’s life in similar ways to how I’ve been helped repeatedly. Some of the changes I hope to bring to my field include resources for rural areas, as well as better support, structure, and standards for those who choose to home-school their children. I may not be able to change how I was raised for those first 12, crucial years of my life, but what I can do is help support those in need in the future. I believe there needs to be a standard, a level of care, for those who home-school and those who are struggling in rural areas, especially for those that are in the intersection of rural home-schooling, that is not there currently. By connecting those people to resources they may need, such as food supplies, financial help, and social support, those people, and their children, can go from simply surviving to thriving. I am willing to do whatever needs to be done in order to accomplish this. I am more than willing to foster children, to put together organizations from the ground up if they are not already established. I want to help people reach their goals and be safe and supported while doing so.

My journey with anxiety has been life-long. Throughout my life, I have suffered with severe generalized and social anxiety. Because of this, I didn't have many friends growing up. Coupled with my autism, I didn't have any friends I would've considered "best friends" until college, and even then, due to my anxiety, I have lost many of those people from my life. Because of my anxiety and other mental health struggles, I didn't believe that college would be an amazing fit, up until I realized that it could help me to overcome said mental health struggles. By going to college, I am pushing myself to become a better person. In order to do this, I have had to put myself into many anxiety-inducing situations that should have, and sometimes did, stop me due to the anxiety I felt. Pursuing a college degree is incredibly important to me for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that I want to be able to help others overcome their anxiety and other mental health struggles in order to be the person they want to be, to achieve the things they want to set their minds to but struggle to do so because of the anxiety that plagues them in the same way I have been plagued. Another reason why pursuing a college degree is important to me is because I will be the first in my family to achieve a college degree. I refuse to allow myself to fail because of my anxiety. A third, and possibly the most important reason to myself as to why pursuing a college degree is important to me is as proof to myself that I can do what I set my mind to. In the past, my anxiety has stopped me from doing many things, from visiting family, to doing school work, to going to my job. However, I refuse to let anxiety control my life any longer. I want to be able to, and will be able to, leave my apartment without worry. Every day I work towards that, and many other goals. Because of my struggles with mental health, I have decided to pursue a degree in Social Work, so that I can connect people to the resources they need, including mental health resources. I want to help others overcome the struggles and hurdles that I am currently overcoming, and I know for a fact that I have the capabilities to do so.

Growing up, I had many ambitions: Dancing, writing and poetry, biology, cooking. Most important above all others, I had and still have a passion for helping others. However, since I was home-schooled in a rural area for a majority of my childhood education, I didn’t believe in myself and my ability to one day make an impactful difference in other people’s lives. I genuinely believed I would have stayed on that farm forever. It wasn’t until I began private school, only thanks to the scholarships I had been awarded, that I began to believe I could make something of myself. I volunteered with the school regularly, helping the younger grades, working as a teacher’s assistant, and putting together meals for the homeless. I loved getting to help other people. However, I didn’t know things would quickly change in late 2019 to early 2020, when my immune system suddenly began going sharply downhill, along with my mental health, during my first year of college. During this time, due to lack of proper insurance, I didn’t receive much, let alone enough, medical help. Because of this, I was unable to leave my apartment much. Then, through my pro-bono therapy sessions, I was connected with a case manager who helped me to secure health insurance and work during the pandemic. It was this case manager that made me realize something: no matter what my circumstances with my health, I still had and still have the opportunity to help people. Over the course of the next three and a half years, my immune system gradually improved, as did my mental health. About a year ago, I was presented with an amazing opportunity to work for a mental health and substance abuse non-profit company as a cook. It was my coworkers at this position who encouraged me to go back to college to achieve my dreams of helping others via social work. I am now pursuing a degree in Social Work. Once I obtain my Bachelor's degree, I will be working while I pursue a Master’s degree. My passion that I am working towards is helping to connect people to resources such as housing, insurance, food stamps, other food resources if needed, jobs, and mental health help. My two biggest hurdles to overcome are my own fear of failure, because I know and believe I can succeed, and financial insecurity relating to affording schooling.

As a college student interested in mental health, what actions can you take to create a positive impact? People always say you can’t pour from an empty cup. My journey with mental health began at a very young age, but didn’t take flight until my teenage years when I finally began much needed therapy. It wasn’t until I began therapy that I started to understand not only that I couldn’t pour from an empty cup, but also how to refill my own cup. Growing up, I struggled with my mental health immensely, as did many people in my family. Many of my mental health conditions are likely in my genes, as well as exacerbated by situational happenings. It was during my formative years that I began to have an interest in mental health. It was in my late teens that I began to understand that I had the option of pouring into someone else’s cup. It wasn't until my mid-to-late teens that I had the resources needed to help myself. I did not have access to the resources sooner not only due to financial hurdles, but also due to living in an extremely rural area. Despite starting therapy in my teens, and having a strong interest in helping people, I didn’t believe in myself to be able to make a difference until I turned 20. It was only after many years of therapy did I gain self-confidence in my ability to one day make a change. This came partially from seeing how much I was improving, and wanting to make that difference in someone else’s life. Now, I am dedicated to making a change, not only in someone’s ability to handle their mental health, but also in changing the system that deals with mental health. Due to my current work position, I’ve seen the ways in which access to mental health resources, often guarded by financial hurdles, can impact someone’s ability to cope and even change their outlook on their mental health. I’ve seen this time and time again not only in my workplace but also within the LGBTQ+ community, of which I am a part of. Part of my current work in helping others comes in the form of food. I am a cook for a psychiatric and substance abuse nonprofit, which helps people of all backgrounds to gain access to the mental health help they need, especially in rural areas. Many of the people who come through our doors do not have financial or food security, and while I cannot currently help connect them to resources for financial security, I can at least provide them with a warm meal. My dedication to helping others comes not only from my personal experiences with mine and my family’s mental health struggles, but also from seeing how access to resources can change someone. I believe to my core that if someone is able to access resources, regardless of their financial standing, that they will be able to improve not only within themselves, but also within society. After all, a society of empty cups must be sustained by learning how to fill themselves, not only to help others, but to help themselves.

While I was physically quiet, my mind was racing. Slowly, I picked up my anxiety medication. I knew from experience that if I took more than two, the thoughts speeding through my mind would slow down. I knew I would feel peaceful. It wouldn't hurt, right? That's where I knew, deep down, that I was wrong. At this point, I had been regularly taking more than twice my dosage of half my medications, mixing them with alcohol on top of painkillers. I knew it was dangerous, but it felt like I couldn't stop. Then, as clear as day, I heard myself speak, only it wasn't verbally. "What am I doing to myself?" Carefully, I put down the bottle. I immediately messaged my therapist, requesting an emergency session. The next day, I sat across from my therapist. I could tell by the look on his face that he knew something was wrong if only based on the fact that I requested an emergency session, something I never do. "The floor is yours," he said. With that, I broke down. I told him everything I had been doing with my medications, with the alcohol, with the painkillers. I told him the truth: I didn't know why I was doing it, but I felt as though I couldn't stop. I was scared, both of what might happen if I didn't stop and the possible damage that had already been done. My therapist was quiet for a moment, simply observing me. I couldn't tell what was going through his mind, and to this day I'm still unsure. But at that moment, I knew my life was about to change. After that day, I was not allowed to have control over my medications, including the painkillers, for a long time. I gave them to my roommate, who would give me the proper daily dosage at a scheduled time. We got rid of the alcohol, pouring it down the drain. The smell still haunts me some days. I started attending therapy more often, talking about why I felt the need to abuse my medications, about why I felt so out of control with my life that I needed to do something like that. This continued for many months. One day, my therapist said something I never thought he'd say. "I think you're ready to handle your medications again." I'll be honest, I cried. I cried in relief but also cried for my past self. I cried because even though we had been working so hard in therapy, I was terrified I would start abusing again. But my therapist had always believed in me, and that was the push I needed to start taking control of my life. It's for these reasons that I want to work with teens and young adults who have experienced substance abuse. I know what it's like to be on that end, to know the feeling of being so overwhelmed in life that it feels as though there's no way out. I want to be able to help those people understand that there is a light at the end of the tunnel that is substance abuse, and that it may be closer than they believe.

My career goals are primarily composed of one large goal: helping others. Specifically, my major is in psychology, with a focus on childhood development and autism. It is my goal to help children flourish in ways I was unable to, that is, by helping them develop a strong sense of social-emotional well-being. I, unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to develop that sense until later in life, which has drastically affected my place in the world. This, in turn, has caused me to struggle to express my intellectual needs in the past. Had my emotional-social well-being been better developed, I would have been able to better express those needs, which in turn would have led to a better academic life. That is part of why it’s my goal to help children learn to express their needs effectively. Part of how I will achieve my career goal of helping gifted children foster social-emotional well-being is by pursuing a degree in psychology, with my focus being on childhood development and autism. This will help me to better understand the needs of gifted children on a scientific level, as I already have a large amount of experience otherwise with gifted children. Autism, ADHD, and Down syndrome all run in my family. Additionally, I went to a school for gifted children, meaning I grew up around those who often struggled with their social-emotional well-being due to a lack of understanding from those around them. Both of these things are another part of what is driving me to pursue this career path. I want to be able to help gifted children who are struggling. The way I will help gifted children meet their intellectual needs is by helping them to improve their social-emotional well-being, which will in turn allow them to flourish academically. In my personal experience, when I am doing well socially and emotionally, I can more effectively focus on my studies. This allows me to do amazingly academically. I witnessed this in my peers during school as well. By having the means to communicate in the social-emotional sense, gifted children will then be able to communicate their intellectual needs with more ease. Overall, I believe that by understanding gifted children’s development not only on a scientific level but a personal level as well, I will be able to help foster better social-emotional well-being, thus allowing them to flourish academically, and supporting their intellectual needs on an individual level.

Pages after pages turned before my eyes. Despite the words at times seemingly floating off the pages, or words rearranging themselves, I pushed on. I was determined, and that made up for anything I was missing when it came to finishing this book: The Primal Teen, by Barbara Strauch. A look into the teenage brain, the changes it undergoes, and how, across many species, it’s normal for adolescents to act out. At only 12, I was fascinated with science of any kind, but especially psychology. My 8th-grade teacher had given me the book to read, stating that it might be a difficult read, but that it would be worth it. He was right; this book permanently changed how I would view myself throughout my teen years, and helped to firmly establish psychology in my everyday life. Little did I know that 6, 7, 8, 9 years later I would still be affected by this book. The book itself, the very contents, was something that most people didn’t care to learn about: the teenage brain and why teens do the things they do, from 12-13 well into their 20s. It’s all about brain development, and how the rewiring of the brain during adolescence causes outbursts that give teens the label of “crazy” or “unhinged.” It was this book that made me understand that what I was going through, both physically and mentally, was okay, normal even. The impulsive thoughts, the want to go against the grain I had been following my entire life, all of it, was entirely normal. It continues to be expected for my age. This book helped me to understand not only myself but my classmates and their behavior as well, even when their words and actions baffled others. The Primal Teen permanently altered how I view adolescents, so much so that in my first year of college I permanently changed my life’s direction to help others, especially the teens themselves, understand the changes they’re going through. At 21, I never expected a book to have such a profound impact on the course of my life, but looking back that is exactly what The Primal Teen did. I believe The Primal Teen had such a strong impact on me due to my life circumstances at the time. I had just started at a new school after having been homeschooled for 12 years, my parents were freshly divorced, and I had moved away from the only friends I had ever known. I was quiet-spoken, something that still remains the same, and driven to learn. I was later told by my 8th-grade teacher that I was the most driven person he ever had the pleasure of teaching. He told me later as well that he knew that despite my struggles with reading due to the words themselves seeming to change before my eyes, he knew I would enjoy The Primal Teen. Little did he know, it’s a book that I still read and think about 9 years later.

In the last year, I have arrived back on campus, after fleeing an abusive relationship. I have raised my GPA, which fell during online classes. I have met amazing people, and fostered friendships I know will last a lifetime. I have overall become a much healthier, well-rounded person. I have been able to apply myself in a way that is allowing me to achieve my goals. I’ve changed in so many ways, but primarily I have begun to prioritize my mental health and my education, which has changed my life drastically. However, despite all the changes, I’ve stayed the same compassionate, loving person that I have always been. This leads me to what inspired this change. It was during my first year of college that I was hospitalized for the first time. My mental health had taken a sharp downward spiral after having to go home for the holidays. I missed my campus, my friends, and my found family. I couldn’t think ahead to when I would be back on campus. This wouldn’t be my first or my last attempt, but it was certainly the one that still sticks with me the most. “What brings you in today?” That was the question that made me realize the gravity of my situation. The question that every mental health patient fears; explaining exactly how suicidal you are to another person is very scary. Would they take me to the classic padded room, bundled up in a straight jacket? Would I be turned away? Those were my fears, anyway. “I’d like to admit myself, please.” Now, it was time to be whisked away. Question after question was asked in the privacy of that white room. Those questions made me realize how poorly I felt toward myself. There was little physical comfort to be had in that room, let alone the hospital; little did I know how my life would change in the short amount of time I was there, as a result of some of the kindest hospital staff I would ever have the pleasure of meeting. Upon arriving back on campus after my hospitalization, I switched my major to psychology, understanding that I would be changing my entire life path. But I had made my decision: I wanted to help others in a similar way that I had been helped, more than anything. And so began my journey. Unfortunately, COVID-19 quickly brought that journey to a grinding halt. I had to move off campus, and my mental health spiraled quickly once more, but thankfully due to the resources given to me by the hospital, it was all much more manageable. I tried online classes, but I couldn’t focus enough to learn. I quickly made it my goal to make it back on campus, the one place in the world I felt at home enough to not only survive but thrive once again. These traumas, as well as these victories, have all shaped me into who I am today, and have taught me so many things. Because of this, I have dedicated myself to helping others via therapy and volunteer work. I have learned that my mental health is important, as, without a healthy mindset, I will be unable to help others effectively. I’ve learned how important it is to help yourself when you’re in danger and in an unhealthy situation, and by extension, how important it is to help others. I have learned how to prioritize myself when needed, and when to put others first. But most of all, I have learned to love and respect myself.

My career goals are primarily composed of one large goal: helping others. Specifically, my major is in psychology, with a focus on childhood development and autism. It is my goal to help children flourish in ways I was unable to, that is, by helping them develop a strong sense of social-emotional well-being. I, unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to develop that sense until later in life, which has drastically affected my place in the world. This, in turn, has caused me to struggle to express my intellectual needs in the past. Had my emotional-social well-being been better developed, I would have been able to better express those needs, which in turn would have led to a better academic life. That is part of why it’s my goal to help children learn to express their needs effectively. Part of how I will achieve my career goal of helping gifted children foster social-emotional well-being is by pursuing a degree in psychology, with my focus being on childhood development and autism. This will help me to better understand the needs of gifted children on a scientific level, as I already have a large amount of experience otherwise with gifted children. Autism, ADHD, and Down syndrome all run in my family. Additionally, I went to a school for gifted children, meaning I grew up around those who often struggled with their social-emotional well-being due to a lack of understanding from those around them. Both of these things are another part of what is driving me to pursue this career path. I want to be able to help gifted children who are struggling. The way I will help gifted children meet their intellectual needs is by helping them to improve their social-emotional well-being, which will in turn allow them to flourish academically. In my personal experience, when I am doing well socially and emotionally, I am able to more effectively focus on my studies. This allows me to do amazingly academically. I witnessed this in my peers during school as well. By having the means to communicate in the social-emotional sense, gifted children will then be able to communicate their intellectual needs with more ease. Overall, I believe that by understanding gifted children’s development not only on a scientific level but a personal level as well, I will be able to help foster better social-emotional well-being, thus allowing them to flourish academically, and supporting their intellectual needs on an individual level.

I grew up on Minecraft servers with chat options and watched my brother and father play video games with voice-chat features. For years, I have frequented gaming forums for some of my favorite games. As a direct result of these situations, I know the dangers, as well as the benefits, of chat options and forums within and for video games. One of the most common situations that I witnessed growing up and to this day is that of people discarding common decency in exchange for using chat and forum options as a way to channel their anger and frustration with everyday life. I’ve witnessed people use slurs and other language they wouldn’t dare to use in day-to-day life, due to the repercussions they would face. However, something about the perceived anonymity of the internet leads to these people using discriminatory language. These people often do not realize that they have a digital footprint and that it is relatively easy to pull up what is often referred to as “receipts.” This term is often used to describe someone’s digital history, whether it’s through text, or in many cases, forum posts of some variety. Examples of discriminatory language used include slurs relating to race, sexuality, and gender. This is most often directed toward people of color, non-heterosexual people, as well as gender-non-conforming people of any variety, regardless of if they are members of the LGBTQ community. While there is discriminatory language directed towards white, heterosexual, gender-conforming individuals, it is by far in the minority of discriminatory language used. Another aspect of commonly discarded social normalities on gaming forums is that of political discourse. In gaming forums, again due to the perceived anonymity of the internet, politics is brought up in the form of insults and rebuttals. People who are seen as having more left-wing opinions are referred to almost exclusively as “liberals,” regardless of if they identify as such or not. In the opposite direction, being seen as right-wing is not as “taboo” as it is with being seen as left-wing. An additional term that is commonly used as a politically-seen insult includes “the intolerant left,” which refers to the fact that people who align themselves with left-wing ideology are commonly seen as being very accepting of other people until it comes to those who hold drastically different values. This is another example of terms that are almost exclusively used in online forums. Any sort of hateful language, regardless of who it is directed towards, should not have a place in gaming forums. This is for many reasons, including the fact that children can find the previously mentioned hateful language, but overall boils down to the basic principle that gaming forums should be used for just that: discussions relating to gaming.

Mental health is one of the most overlooked parts of healthcare. Growing up, mental health was not seen as being a high priority, whereas physical health was. Because of this, my mental health went unchecked for years, causing a range of physical issues, and eventually leading to me becoming hospitalized multiple times. During this time, I met some of the most wonderful staff members. Before I was hospitalized, I was pursuing a degree in biology. Post-hospitalization, I decided to switch my major to psychology immediately. The reasoning behind my choice? The staff members I met. The hospital staff members allowed me to experience the positive difference that healthcare workers can make. It was during my time in the hospital that I decided I wanted to make a difference in the world by helping people: helping them to see past the darkness in their lives, and to see that mental health is equally as important as physical health. The problem with mental versus physical health is that many people assume that one must be more important than the other when in reality, both are equally as important. They each feed into the other: poor mental health can cause one’s physical health to decline, whereas poor physical health can cause one’s mental health to decline. They are Yin and Yang, constantly balancing the other out, the light and the dark in one’s life. The way that I hope to help treat mental illnesses, and therefore by extension some physical illnesses, is by starting early. I want to become a therapist or counselor for teenagers and pre-teens, to catch mental illnesses and disorders to prevent as much damage, both mental and physical, as possible. Eating disorders, for example, are mental illnesses that often have severe physical repercussions. Tearing of the esophagus lining, rotting of the teeth, irritation of the stomach lining, and drastic fluctuations in weight are all examples of physical health issues that result from eating disorders. Another way I hope to help prevent physical health issues by managing mental health is in relation to stress. Stress can have many negative physical repercussions, such as headaches, stomach aches which can lead to nausea, body pains, weight loss/fluctuations, and even hair loss, all of which can then cause more stress, causing a cruel cycle that is difficult to break without physical and mental health care. By pursuing a career in the mental health field, I hope to change the world’s outlook on mental health in a positive way, as well as help prevent long-term physical issues by catching mental issues early. To do this, I will continue my schooling and continue to make professional connections. After graduation, I will become a middle or high school therapist to help students navigate the stress of school life while keeping an eye out for potential concerns that could impact physical health. Some of the things I will be looking out for include the aforementioned eating disorders and chronic stress, as well as things such as abuse, which can cause PTSD-related chronic stress. Other things I will be on the lookout for include anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. These can all have many comorbidities, some of which can branch out into physical health issues.

Growing up poor, mental health management was not a priority. However, to an extent, this was mitigated by growing up in my element; with the freedom to learn and prosper academically. Growing up homeschooled had its disadvantages, of course. Lack of structure, lack of social development, and lack of proper education. Still, something I will always advocate for will be the fact that I had the freedom to learn whatever I wanted, at academic levels beyond my age. This is what sowed the seeds for my love of learning. When I did eventually go to a private school at 12 years old, I was set up for success in life even further by being allowed to choose what I wanted my homework to entail to an extent. If I wanted to learn about anything from honeybees to the economic system of the revolution, I was free to do so. This, naturally, further propagated the seeds of learning that had been placed earlier in my life. I was able to achieve a 4.0 GPA in high school. During my first year of college on campus, I thrived. I had a 3.0 GPA, I was making amazing connections that would benefit me in life, was on the honor roll, and had a network of friends. Then, due to COVID-19, I had to move to online learning, at which point my grades suffered greatly. My GPA declined sharply, I had to drop from the honors program, was unable to attend classes in person, and lost my in-person support system of friends. My mental health throughout all of this unfortunately suffered greatly. Despite being in a better economic standing during my early teens, my family refused to get me the help I desperately needed. When I was 15, I was formally diagnosed by a counselor with depression and anxiety, and at 18, I was diagnosed by my therapist and psychiatrist with PTSD stemming from my childhood, as well as Bipolar type I, in addition to the anxiety and depression. These mental illnesses and handicaps were furthered by not seeing myself represented in the media, thus causing me to feel isolated from the world. Being a young, disabled, and queer person, I have gone through and watched others go through struggles that are not for the faint of heart. I’ve experienced and witnessed things happen to myself and my friends that I wouldn’t wish upon even my worse enemy. Despite these experiences, I persist, and I advocate. I advocate for not only myself but for others as well. These experiences, combined with the experiences of receiving help, and of getting to see the good in the world, have led me to realize what I want to do with my life. I want to help others in the way I’ve been helped, primarily through mental health help via the hospitals I’ve been in, the therapists I’ve seen, and the psychiatrists who’ve treated me. I want to be a part of the good in the world, to be one of the destroyers of the silent serial killer of the world, poor mental health.

The room was yellow. One of my favorite shades, So happy, So cheerful. It is full of light, And love, And laughter. The room was yellow. The color of summer, Of how I felt when I looked at her, Watching as she purred. The room was yellow. She had pushed herself close, Scared, But able to find comfort In my arms. The room was yellow. Like her fur, And her eyes, Always watching but never judging. The room was yellow. The color of my blankets, Of the sun, So bright and warm, Like her, When she would push close to me. The room was yellow. So why, In all that brightness and warmth, Did I feel Both freezing to the touch, And sweating to the bone? The room was yellow. Slowly, her purring stopped that day. Slowly, she rested her head once Upon my hand. I knew then That she wouldn't rise again. The room was yellow.

Throughout my life, dogs have been a huge factor. I grew up around dogs, and am thankful to have a 9-year-old German Shepard, Nicki, in my life. I'm thankful for her for many reasons, but the primary one is due to my trauma surrounding large dogs. There have been two occasions on which I was attacked by large dogs. The first, I was about 14 years old. I was walking Nicki, who was only about 2 years old at the time. We were almost home when five dogs bigger than Nicki broke out of their house and charged her. For reference, I'm 5'4, and their shoulders easily came up to my hips. Immediately, chaos ensued. The neighbors who were out on their front porch began screaming. The reason? They had witnessed these particular dogs attack many people and animals, children included. They knew the damage that could be done, especially with dogs of their size. Instinctively, I dropped the leash, gave the "go home" command to Nicki, and began to run. I knew I couldn't get the door open in time to get us both to safety. Thankfully, we did have a large, fenced-in backyard with a simple latch mechanism. Nicki knew this too; as soon as I gave the "go home" command, Nicki ran with me the whole way home, about half a block worth of sprinting, refusing to leave even with the other dogs at our heels. I was not an athletic person, mind you, and not very fast. With how far the dogs were when they broke out of their house, we had only seconds after getting into the backyard for me to close the gate and allow the latch to fall into place. As soon as it did latch, it felt like chaos broke loose all over again. I finally felt the adrenaline leave my body. I collapsed, unable to hold my body up any longer. I was distantly aware of people screaming, and of the cops being called by my neighbors. I found I couldn't focus on anything, except for Nicki. As soon as I had collapsed, she immediately pressed herself against me, licking my arms and hands. She continued to do that until I was able to come back to my body enough to pet her. I had screamed and sobbed into her fur until my dad came out of the house, and after checking me over to make sure I was okay, attempted to call Nicki over to check her over as well. She refused to leave my side, knowing exactly how much I needed her at that moment. Thankfully, she was unharmed. There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for her. I truly believe she changed my life that day; without her by my side, running and refusing to leave me afterward, I genuinely believe I would have been scarred for life. With her help, however, I have been able to overcome my fears, and am now largely unaffected by my trauma. Nicki, you saved me that day, and continue to every day.

Maintaining my health in a holistic way is incredibly important to me. Especially while in college, where the idea that health can take a back burner while working on assignments runs rampant. Growing up, I was not shown how important health is to one's way of life; mental health wasn't important, physical health was only important if you couldn't function, and nutritional health was only important as far as getting the bare minimum. Over the years, I've learned how this effected me negatively, and have been repairing my relationship with my mind and body as a result. To start, my mental health has recently been a priority for me. In the past, my mental health was put on the back burner for schooling, resulting in my grades dropping. I have since learned how important it is for me to continue to nurture my mental health through social support, therapy, medication, and support groups on campus. My physical health recently has taken a severe nose dive. I've ended up in countless doctors appointments and ER visits this semester, but not for a lack of trying to keep things balanced. One of the ways I try to keep things balanced is by going for at least one walk a day, even if I don't have classes that day. I've found that doing this also helps my mental health. Another way I keep up with my physical health is by maintaining my mental and nutritional health. They are all interconnected, each one affecting the others. For nutritional health, I make sure to take advantage of the school's healthy options in the dining hall. They offer numerous options, from salads to chicken to fresh fruit to vegetarian options. I try to keep my diet diverse, as to make sure I'm getting the nutrients that I need. The third way I keep my physical health in tip-top condition is by attending my doctor's appointments. This has been incredibly important over the last year as my disabilities have become more pronounced. My doctor's aren't quite sure what's going on yet, but both them and I are determined to find out so that I can live my best possible life. I've found that by maintaining one area of my health, it improves the other areas. For instance, by maintaining my physical health by keeping hygiene practices in check, it makes me feel good physically. The same goes for when I eat healthily. This, in turns, greatly improves my mental health, creating a cycle where I want to continue to do these things in order to keep feeling good.

My entire life has been the perfect storm. Throughout my life, volunteering and helping others has always been a priority of mine. Growing up, I frequently volunteered with my family to help others; passing out supplies at food banks and the local homeless communities, helping with the wreckage of natural disasters, volunteering to help children with schoolwork and chaperoning, and collecting donations are some examples. That being said, the biggest inspiration for helping others has come from how others have helped me. My family grew up in poverty, living on a farm for years as a way to sustain ourselves. We grew, made, and raised our food, traded for things we couldn't, and extreme-couponing for what was left. As a result of living in poverty, education fell to the sidelines. It wasn't until I was 12 and living full-time with my grandparents that I received a scholarship that allowed me to attend a private school. There, I was able to go from surviving to thriving, absorbing any information I was given like a sponge. After years of struggling, I was finally flourishing academically, and it was only because of the help of others that I was able to do so. When I was 15, after struggling with my mental health for years, I was granted the ability to begin seeking help. Not seeing myself in media or my community as a young LGBT community member took had long since taken its toll. Since then, I have regularly been receiving help, a majority of it being pro-bono or low-cost. Without it, I wouldn't be here today. Part of what is propelling me in life to help others is the impact I've seen that I can have. Since coming out at 15, I've seen 4 of my family members come out, stating they only dared to do so after watching me have the bravery to be the first. Despite the backlash, I've seen countless others come out at my old private school, following the pathway I burned by being the first openly LGBT person at said school. Because of the events of my life, I have made it my mission to be able to provide low-cost and pro-bono therapy and counseling for those in the world who grew up the way I did. I aim to help others in the ways I have been helped. My primary focus group is young LGBT community members, who are among some of the most vulnerable in our society and some of the most susceptible to poor or untreated mental health. Having been a young queer person with limited access to resources, I will be able to relate to children and teens in a way that those outside of the community would not be able to.

Don't. Stress. Out. YET. It's important to remember that going back to school can be stressful. It's also important to both know and remember that there are two types of stress: healthy manageable stress, and unhealthy overwhelming stress. The difference between the two is this: Healthy stress can motivate you, and keep the ball of life rolling, while not being debilitating. It is something that causes you to want to change what's happening in your life in a productive way, such as doing homework, picking up those clothes off the floor, or finally talking to that friend. Unhealthy stress, however, is something that holds you back from fulfilling your potential. It's something that quite frankly, makes it difficult to live day-to-day. Unhealthy stress can cause physical issues, like an upset stomach, headaches, body aches, and much more. Managing stress, both healthy and unhealthy, will be the number one key to making sure you can be successful, not only in school but in life as well. Meditation, hanging out with friends, keeping caught up on schoolwork, and eating healthily are some of the best things to do to manage stress. You got this! @smpm06

Higher education is important to me for many reasons. A more comprehensive selection of careers, furthering my ever-growing desire for education and knowledge, but arguably the most prominent reason is to be able to help others. Helping others has always been something I’ve been passionate about. When I was younger, my family would volunteer with things such as cleaning up wreckage during tornados and handing out supplies and food to those affected. We would raise food on our farm and donate it to neighbors we knew were in need and churches and food pantries. When I was in my early teens, my mother would collect food items from places such as Panera, and we would go and distribute as much of it as possible to local shelters, those living out on the streets, and local churches. When I got to high school, I would volunteer each year to help the younger grades. When I was old enough, I would volunteer with the kindergarten classes as a teacher’s assistant and participate in food drives and money-raising activities for the school to help those in need. When I was 18, it was my turn to accept help. I admitted myself to the hospital and was immediately put on suicide watch. Accepting help for this was scary, but necessary to keep me alive. During my time in the hospital, I saw as well as experienced a different kind of help; one that was just as valuable as the help I had been giving my entire life. It was then that I realized what I wanted to do with my life: I wanted to continue helping others in a slightly different way than I had been. When I got out, I immediately changed my major in college from biology to psychology. Then, COVID-19 brought everything to a screeching halt. I was suddenly no longer on campus, the one place in my life I had thrived and felt at home. Despite my attempts, online learning has not been effective for me. On campus, I'm able to keep a schedule, attend classes on time, and receive resources I wouldn't otherwise have to help continue to grow. Off-campus, my mental health spiraled. It suddenly felt as though I would never achieve my goal of being able to help people with their mental health. Without higher education, I felt as though there was no way I would be able to help others in the way I had planned. That’s a large part of why higher education is so important to me; it gives me a way in life to help others, improve people’s lives, and change their trajectory for the better. By achieving higher education, I will be able to continue helping people. Higher education is important to me because it gives me a reason to be alive.

My favorite Disney character is Eeyore. As a child, and even to this day, I heavily relate to him. He's seems to always been in a gloomy mood, always seeing the negative or what could go wrong, and is generally regarding as a very sad character. The reason I related and continue to relate to Eeyore is that I have been chronically depressed since my childhood. For me, Eeyore represents those negative thoughts and emotions. My depression has always been like having an Eeyore on my shoulder, constantly telling me what could go wrong, finding the negative in everything I do. That being said, I feel it's important to highlight how the other characters in Winnie the Pooh treated Eeyore. They were respectful of him and his boundaries, and even on his worst of days, they continued to be there for him, continued to let him know that he was loved and cared for. The other characters, despite occasional criticisms of him, always loved Eeyore for who he was. For me, that's parallel to what I've been living. I'm lucky in that at all points of my life from middle-school onwards, I've had people who, despite my depression, my "Eeyore," trying desperately to push them away, have always been there for me. These people have all made a lasting impact in who I am today, and their impact will radiate throughout the rest of my life.