As a child, I was always stuck in the middle. Was neither an outcast nor a popular kid. As I got older, I found myself lost and surviving day to day, losing the joy in life. I struggled with mental health, identity, and responsibilities in life. I didn't know who I was and didn't have any goals or dreams. I was spiraling and trying to run and hide from the world around me. Worst of all, I felt alone. I couldn't find people to look up to as a mentor or go to for help. I looked around and only found examples of what I didn't want my life to be. After my first year in college, I rediscovered who I am, what I want in life, what I enjoy, and the people I feel at home with. College has been my key to the possibilities in life: a chance to explore anything and everything. It is my freedom to be who I have wanted to be but never could be in my environment. It has offered me opportunities to grow, network, and experience life. I never would have been able to experience so much without going to college. Having this education is more than classroom knowledge. In a society where everything we want to know is at our fingertips, a college education is more than the professors and lectures, it is the learning process along the way. Learning ourselves, about others, and about the world. College is the key to the world outside of our upbringing and to the future. As a first-generation college student, it is already a challenge to navigate since you don't have guidance from your parents and have to resort to being self-sufficient. When you add entering college as a sophomore on top, it leads to rushed decisions and more stress. Being a first-year sophomore was difficult since I was once again stuck in between. I was not a freshman but I was not a sophomore either. Throughout the year I learned how to understand this identity and was able to seek guidance from those around me. However, I spent a lot of time and money trying to find an academic program for me which meant my "headstart" hurt more than helped me. This struggle helped to teach me lessons in perseverance, self-respect, self-understanding, and determination towards what I know of myself and what I know I want and can be. Now going into my second year, I hope to further my growth and experiences while supporting others in their journeys as well. Faced with financial insecurity and uncertainty, I hope this year’s challenges help me to evolve further into a better person I can be proud of seeing in the mirror. College has started me down a path for my desired future, my only hope is that I can continue it.

A female, Bisexual, LGBTQ+ Community Ally. All of these are me and yet they do not define me wholly. Being a woman and a part of the LGBTQ+ Community is like being a part of a huge family. We may be different or quirky or even strange to some. But that is where we are strong. Stronger together no matter who we are. Twitter: @mc_multi130503 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.clifford.522066 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MultiFandomer130503.

My mother has owned a small business for the past nine years. I have grown up alongside it. We always love to hear when she made a sale, especially when we sell internationally. Small businesses are a way for the world to share the charms of their community with others. The joy these businesses generate for the shopper looking for that one special trinket and the seller to make a sale off of something they created. It's like nothing else. Whenever I can I love to shop at small businesses, they feel like a home. These stores care about their customers more than any retailer ever could dream to. My hope is to one day continue this tradition and joy of small businesses with a business of my own. A place where everyone is welcome and wants to come back. A career not focused on making money, but instead focused on creating memories and happiness. What better goal is that? It will mean so much more to people knowing you bought a unique gift than the latest trend from a factory. Supporting small businesses is supporting your community, your friends, your neighbors, and some of the kindest people around. That's why shopping locally is so crucial; it helps those that need it. If you want to help the world, help your neighbors first.