When I was in high school, my cross country season was abruptly ended by lingering shin splints. Desperate to move but unable to run, I turned to weightlifting at the gym. I discovered that as I strengthened my body, my shin pain disappeared. This is when fell in love with strength training. I realized how empowering exercising could be, and I wanted to share that passion with others. Fast forward to my freshman year of college where I started my education as a Health and Exercise Science major. As I am developing my knowledge of this field, I am exploring careers within the realm of fitness. I have been working as a personal trainer since I received my Certified Personal Trainer certification in July 2021 before my first semester at college. I previously worked at the YMCA as a personal trainer and am currently working as a personal trainer at the recreational center at my university and F45 Training. In these jobs, I work with clients to help them achieve their fitness goals. Some clients may be trying to acquire an extra competitive edge while others may be returning to fitness after a pregnancy. I love to be able to walk (or run) alongside my clients as they pursue their individual goals to better their well-being. It is extremely rewarding to see the look of joy on a client’s face when they can complete an exercise that used to seem impossible. The work of a personal trainer is fulfilling as I have the privilege of helping make someone’s life better. For example, one of my clients said he now has the ability to do housework without worrying about feeling back pain. Another client told me that she feels clarity of mind and relief from some stressful events that are occurring in her life. Other clients find that they feel stronger and more confident in who they are. Exercise is not just some fad or trend. It is a life-changing and fulfilling experience. As I have learned from my job as a personal trainer, I feel content with my work. I awake each day excited to talk to my clients, hear how they are doing, and push them to excel to new levels. At the end of the day, I know I made a difference in my clients’ lives whether they have the capability of achieving a difficult task or feel less anxious. I love helping promote healthy habits for others, and I yearn to continue in this field of work. As Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently stated, “Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others.” I wholeheartedly agree with this statement as I have found fulfillment in being the cheerleader for my clients. By instilling self-efficacy and autonomy in my clients, I have found joy. The act of helping others obtain health and freedom is beyond rewarding, and I am excited to persist in this work.

I used to believe that wellness was all about exercising and eating well. While both of these are crucial aspects of wellness, the other dimensions of wellness are intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental. When I learned this in my health and wellness class, I realized that I was neglecting certain areas of my personal wellness. I now strive to incorporate activities that cover all dimensions of wellness. First off, as a Health and Exercise Student, I enjoy employing ways to promote my physical wellness. Whether I am lifting weights, participating in a yoga class, or cooking a nourishing grain bowl, I find forms of movement and food to cultivate physical health. This is the extent of wellness I used to pursue, but now I recognize that well-being is more expansive. I also work to develop my intellectual wellness by reading educational articles or non-fiction books. Sometimes those articles will cover topics relating to finances to help improve my financial wellness. I also utilize a budget and limit my spending on unessential items to further support my financial situation. To promote my emotional and social wellness, I meet with a counselor, discuss my feelings with my family, and spend time with friends. The pandemic caused a plethora of people to suffer in their social wellness and made me realize how much I depend on having social interactions and enjoy being around others. I believe it is important to schedule outings with friends and converse with others about life stressors. We were not meant to go through life alone. Moreover, I attend church every week and am involved in meaningful interactions with others while also working on my spiritual wellness. Further, I read spiritual books to deepen my faith and understanding of my purpose. This wellness has been crucial to assisting me in finding my purpose on this earth and persevering throughout trials. By uncovering my sense of purpose, I promote my vocational wellness by working as a personal trainer and studying Health and Exercise Science. I know that my passion for health and fitness will lead me to a vocation in which I can aid others in discovering how to advance aspects of their well-being. Lastly, I endeavor to elevate my environmental wellness by crafting comfortable surroundings in my home and choosing friends who will support my growth. Without all of these dimensions, I would not be able to function optimally. I realize each feature is important to my well-being. For example, if I did not have financial wellness and budget outings with my friends, I would damage my social wellness. If I did not have time with friends, I would have stress that could cause me to lose sleep and have a poor workout. By prioritizing my personal wellness, I feel well-rested and energized to launch me into success in my classes. I can possess a healthy mindset to be prepared to focus on my schoolwork and plan homework times instead of procrastinating. By having proper emotional and social wellness, I can release negative emotions to be able to experience wholesome and productive interactions with my classmates and professors. Lastly, by having adequate financial wellness, I have the opportunity to focus on my studies rather than the costs of school. I now have the understanding that every single one of the dimensions of wellness is interwoven and is crucial to my success as a student and my pursuits in helping others procure wellness.

We were made to move. From the early years of hunters and gatherers to the pioneers who farmed, people were made to be active beings. Over the years, society has become more sedentary and has found fewer ways to move. This is why I chose to study Health and Exercise Science. I am passionate about helping others find what movement makes them feel their best and how to promote healthy habits in the lives of those around me. Personally, I have attempted many different fitness trends to recognize that the key to health is listening to my body and providing what it needs at that moment. Discovering my love for lifting weights, doing yoga, and hiking rather than doing long cardio workouts has greatly benefited my energy and mood. Further, I enjoy crafting nutritious and balanced meals as well as trying new foods. I believe in the importance of properly fueling your body and listening to your hunger cues and cravings. Because of my passion and my expanding knowledge in the field of Health and Exercise Science, I want to aid others in obtaining healthy patterns for life rather than utilizing toxic diets or endless workouts. Often, people view Exercise Science as a fake degree and assume we just workout in class. That is far from the truth as it incorporates a lot of science and there are a lot of microscopic physiological processes occurring during and after exercising. There are a lot of considerations that are involved with prescribing a certain exercise program for someone, important physiological adaptations to consider, and scientific explanations for why exercise can protect against diseases. The fitness field has come a long way from where it used to be when females could not even step foot into a gym. However, we still have a long way to go. There is still body shaming on numerous fitness platforms as only extremely thin or muscular bodies are promoted as healthy. People are always trying to lose weight and no one talks about the opposite end of the spectrum of being severely underweight. Females still feel timid to step foot into a weight room. I hope to help bridge this gap by promoting strength training for females and exercise for everyone no matter what body type they may have. I want to rid the fitness industry of the stereotypical massive males in the gym. I hope to help others by breaking down these complex concepts into ways that are easy to implement for the average person. I want to aid others in realizing how to promote their own health. There is no one size fits all in achieving health. This is what fascinates me about STEAM. There are so many unique sciences, technological advancements, designs, art pieces, and ways to solve problems. If we attempted to approach any of these aspects of STEAM with a singular approach, we would undoubtedly fail. They each require consideration to be properly executed. Those who are in STEAM-related fields have the aptitude to create life-changing advancements. Whether we are creating a technology that can allow a blind person to walk through crowded streets, diving into sciences to help promote healthier lives and better social interactions, designing new infrastructures to support population growth, creating breathtaking artwork to communicate ideas about the world, or using mathematics to send the next astronaut to space, STEAM students have the privilege of being able to change the world for the better and reach new heights. This is why I love STEAM. We are the future.

We live in a society that glorifies recognition. The more followers you have on social media, the more important you seem. Your life must look glamorous and no one can know about the mess ups. People crave more views, followers, and likes, but only for a false sense of worth. However, I recognize that those pursuits are not worth the stress. The recognition from people you do not even know is not worth striving for. I would rather have a few meaningful relationships than millions of followers. I would rather live my life without social media and risk missing out on seeing the highlight reels of others’ lives. The decision to not have social media makes me unique. The looks of shock that I receive from people when I tell them I do not have Snapchat or Instagram would cause you to think I told them I was from outer space. Among people my age, it is foreign to not have any type of social media. However, I am happy with the decision I made. I do not feel the need to impress others or place on a false persona. I am not saying that everyone who has social media does this or that social media itself is completely negative. I have chosen, though, to live uniquely by filling my time with other activities rather than scrolling. I enjoy health-promoting hobbies such as cooking, exercising, or being outside. I find pleasure in looking after myself and creating healthy habits. My lifestyle has also caused me to have more distinctive attributes. For example, college-aged individuals often spend their weekends partying. I prefer to devote my weekends to watching a movie or playing games with a few friends. I understand that I feel better by entertaining a relaxing evening rather than filling my body with toxic substances. By partaking in quality time with friends and not placing myself in a situation where I drink until I feel sick, I can promote my well-being. As I have found contentment in being authentic and confident in who I am, I want to help others find that freedom in who they are as well. I hope to give back to my community in my future career as a dietitian and personal trainer. Many people worry about dieting or trying to look a certain way, but I want to teach others to listen to their bodies and nourish them well. I hate the toxicity of the diet culture and fads that force people to believe they must restrict themselves to be healthy. Health can come in all shapes and sizes, and I want to promote health for everyone whatever that may look like for them. Additionally, I desire to utilize exercise as a way to aid others in growing their confidence in their abilities. Exercise can help develop one’s self-esteem as one can recognize their strength and potential in completing tasks that once felt impossible. Additionally, exercise can serve as a way to release mental stress and improve someone’s mood. By employing my knowledge and degree in Health and Exercise Science, I want to serve my community. We need to combat the societal expectations that say people only matter if they have a large following. I yearn to show people that they matter regardless of how many likes they received on a post. People should love themselves and their bodies by moving and fueling them well. It is time for people to find their confidence in their individuality, and I hope to be influential in creating this trend.

I have been in dark, hopeless places. I have been in a room performing endless crunches and push-ups to combat the meals I had eaten. I have been on the scale more than any 11-year-old should with the hope of seeing the number plummet. I have been in restrictive places. I have been all alone in a never-ending time warp where all I can contemplate is food. My every moment was consumed by this desire to have control and to limit every bite I took. I have been found, though. I have been in a home with loving parents who desperately tried to help restore me to health. I have been in an eating disorder recovery program to learn to shut off those voices in my mind that say I am ugly and I cannot relinquish control. I have been accepted by new friends who helped me to emerge from my lonely world. I have been on a track team that allowed me to find freedom in eating again as I discovered my body’s need for fuel. However, I have been shattered yet again by shin splints that ended my cross-country season. I have been to multiple orthopedic doctors and physical therapists to find no relief for my leg pain. I have been forced to shut the door on one dream only to find another. I have been the new gym-goer who had no idea what she was doing. I have been relieved of my leg pain from learning to train at my own pace and functionally. I have been changed by the community and the mental release of attending the gym. I have been to hell and back, but my past struggles are worth something. I am commencing a journey to use these experiences to help others. I am hoping to graduate in a year with my bachelor’s in Health and Exercise Science and continue on to attain a master’s in Nutrition. With these degrees, I yearn to enter into a career as a personal trainer and dietitian to help the lost find themselves. I want others to uncover freedom and relief by properly fueling their bodies and exercising them to move better rather than as punishment. I have been the person who uses food and exercise for all of the wrong reasons. Now, from my experiences, I know that there is abundant joy in nourishing one’s body with food and movement. I have come to live for health and not for appearance. I am determined to share this belief and freedom with others. I am hoping to change lives for the better and help others to not commit the same mistakes I did.

Growing up, sports were always on the television in my home. Whether it was football in the fall, college basketball in March, or baseball in the summer, my family would be watching. Sports have always been something that my family bonds over as we cheer for our favorite teams and have heated discussions about who we think can win it all. I cannot imagine my life without sports. They provide an outlet and something to find excitement in when everything else may seem hopeless. The Cinderella stories in sports allow people to feel as if anything is possible. We can gawk in amazement as tremendously athletic players engineer a play for the ages. All of these are reasons I love sports, but I did not realize how important sports and athletics were in my life until they saved my life. In August 2014, my family moved to Uganda for my dad’s mission work. Feeling lost in a new country and confused as to why I had to move away from everything I knew, I grasped at the one aspect of my life I felt I could control: eating. I quickly spiraled into a timeless warp in which food was all that I thought about. I planned out every bite I would take and felt an extreme sense of guilt and panic if my plan was not perfectly executed. My weight drastically plummeted, but I did not relinquish my control. After only 9 months overseas, my parents knew I needed professional help and moved our family back to the United States. I was enrolled in an intensive eating disorder clinic. While my body was restored to its normal weight and I began to eat more regularly, I often continued to struggle with the voice inside of my head that would tell me I was fat. However, hope was on the horizon. During my 8th grade year, in the spring of 2017, I decided to join the track team. I had never been on a sports team other than the small soccer teams I had been on when I was younger. I joined the team to create new friendships, but I did not realize I would gain much more than relationships. As I began to run, I discovered the desire to eat more to recover and perform better. I found that as I ate, there were improvements in my performance and my mood. I was able to feel rejuvenated and energized. I began to learn about my body and how vital food was. I slowly began to heal and shatter the voices inside of my head. Sports saved me from my lonely world. They taught me to respect my body. My experience with sports has impassioned me with a yearning to help other athletes love their bodies. Our bodies are capable of amazing feats but we need to nurture them. This recognition has led me to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science and a master’s in Nutrition. I want to become a sports dietitian to be able to aid athletes in properly fueling their bodies for performance. Eating disorders are extremely common in athletes, and I want to help combat this occurrence. Our world needs sports, but we need healthy athletes to be able to compete. I will strive to ensure that we can keep our athletes healthy to continue the tradition of sports.

Each morning I roll out of bed before the sun rises. I am not an early riser by nature, and it has not been easy to teach my body to awaken in darkness, but it has been worth it. I do it because I love my job. I have been a personal trainer for a little over a year now as I continue my undergraduate studies in Health and Exercise Science. Health and fitness have been a passion of mine for quite some time. I strive each day to move my body, take care of my mind, and fuel my body with nutritious foods. My zeal for healthy living inspired me to become a personal trainer to encourage others to prioritize their health. This is why I rise early each morning. I train clients at the student recreation center at Colorado State University. I receive so much joy from seeing my clients find gratification in engaging in exercise. My clients share how they have more energy during the day, have noticed improvements in their strength, or feel more confident in themselves. To see people finding freedom and joy from exercise is so rewarding.  As a student in Health and Exercise Science, I want to continue to share my knowledge about the benefits of exercise for disease prevention and improvements in one’s quality of life. However, this is not my end goal. I want to pursue a career in the field of dietetics by acquiring a master’s in nutrition and becoming a registered dietitian. Exercise and proper nutrition are vital to one’s well-being. There is a plethora of misinformation surrounding diets and nutrition, and I yearn to be a reliable source of information. I want to help people who have struggled with nutrition to learn how to properly fuel their bodies and attain balance. When I was younger, I was deceived by some of the misinformation surrounding nutrition. Out of fear, I limited my food intake which led to the development of anorexia nervosa. During my struggle with an eating disorder, I felt alone, and I treated my body so poorly. After months of counseling, an eating disorder recovery program, and learning how to eat again, I slowly healed. When I started running track, I realized the importance of fueling my body and finally felt freedom around food again. Because of my experiences and my love for health promotion, I desire to aid others in discovering a healthy lifestyle. I believe implementing healthy habits surrounding eating and moving one’s body can support an improved quality of life and inhibit the risks of chronic diseases. I love serving others, and I cannot wait to venture into my career as a dietitian to care for the health of those around me.

“Yes! Sixty-one pounds,” I thought as my emaciated body stood on the scale. I was within my desired range. I would allow myself to eat a small snack to satisfy my grumbling stomach. Every night, I repeated this routine. I would check my weight after dinner to see if I was less than sixty-three pounds. If I was, I would be able to have a small handful of almonds and raisins. If I was over this number, no snack for tonight. I quickly checked behind my shoulder as I stepped off the scale to make sure my parents weren’t around. I couldn’t let them see me because I had told them I was fine. I had no issues with my weight or food anxiety. I tip-toed my thin body with the skin down to the bone out of my parents’ room to retrieve my snack. I believed this snack would hold me over. That was a lie. It never did. My ghost-like figure needed more but if I dared to embrace my hunger cues, the guilt would never cease. My mind was a prison. I was not free to eat what I wanted. I was constantly consumed by thoughts of what I had eaten that day, what I was going to eat, and what exercise I needed to do to compensate for my ill choices. I knew this wasn’t normal, but I wouldn’t give in to common sense. I had to maintain control. My eating disorder started when I took a nutrition course a few months before my family moved to Uganda. The teacher of the course placed foods into categories of bad and good and warned us of how certain foods could give us cancer. Fear consumed me, and my desire to eat healthily turned into an unhealthy obsession. Not to mention the timing of the class was poor. As my family prepared to move to a foreign country for my dad’s work, I grasped at the opportunity to control something in my life that was turning upside down. My parents knew this was getting out of hand and would talk to me every week about how I needed to stop being afraid of food. It was ok to eat ice cream or French fries. They meant well but they didn’t realize that it wasn’t that simple. I had a mental disease. I was trapped. I couldn’t just indulge in food and get over this eating disorder. As the months went by and my body weakened, my parents knew we had to go back to the U.S. to receive professional help. After my time in an intensive eating disorder recovery program, I was back at a normal weight. There was still the struggle of fear of certain foods or eating too much. I was constantly in my head. One program doesn’t completely cure an illness. My relationships suffered as I was afraid to go out with friends and eat something unhealthy. I was distant when talking to people as I was always cycling through in my mind how many calories I had eaten. There was still tension between my parents and me as they knew I wasn’t fully recovered. When was I going to heal? Then, in my eighth-grade year, I decided to join the track team. As I embarked on long runs and difficult practices, I began to feel extremely hungry. In response to my hunger, I started to feed myself more. I recognized how my increase in food intake translated well into my performance in practice and races. I also started to feel happier and be able to focus better as I wasn’t starving all day. First hand, I was seeing why food was important. My coaches stressed the importance of fueling our bodies with nutritious foods as well as encouraging us to enjoy other foods as well after meets. I was finally feeling free. My experience is not an uncommon one. Countless people suffer from eating disorders and other mental health disorders. Although, I missed out on fun memories because of my fear, my experience taught me valuable lessons and showed me how to approach others with mental health struggles. You can never expect someone to just snap out of it or get over whatever they are dealing with. Healing is a long process and relapse is anticipated. Additionally, one needs to want to change for themself. My parents pushed me to recover which I’m glad they did. Without them forcing me to, I wouldn’t have gained back the weight and would have died of malnutrition. However, my full recovery didn’t come until I began to see for myself the importance of food and have the desire to improve my life. As someone who loves sports and exercising now, I see the crucial role of food. I aspire to work with athletes as a registered dietitian to teach them about the necessity of food and to help them navigate the pressures of looking a certain way for their sports. Athletes deal with a tremendous amount of societal expectations, and eating disorders are extremely common in athletes. I want to provide athletes with reliable resources, show them that our bodies are amazing creations, and display how they need to be respected and fueled. I believe that when we look at our bodies in a way that recognizes their abilities rather than looking at them as objects and judging them by their appearance, we can better provide them with the tools they need to succeed. When I stopped trying to restrain what I ate to look a certain way and have a false sense of control, I found how much joy there was in living. My relationships with others are life-giving. I can give all of my attention to others and not be afraid to eat with friends. Food is now enjoyable rather than an evil substance. I want others to know that, and to feel the same freedom I do.

As I sat in the church pew next to my sister, tears rolled down my face. One touching story after another was told. I was finally finding out who my grandmother was. She was an outgoing, caring, and thoughtful friend to many. She was the life of the party and someone everyone loved dearly. For the first time, I had a vivid picture of who my grandmother was without Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately, I didn’t personally get the chance to know her before Alzheimer’s conquered her body and robbed her of her memories and her ability to function. At this moment, though, none of that seemed to matter. Sitting in the pew at her funeral, I heard stories of how she hosted an open-house party on Christmas night for all of her neighbors and friends, how she made people laugh, how she took her nieces and nephews on fun outings, how she could command the attention of a room, and how she led a bible study in her home. One beautiful story about her bible study was shared by someone who said they could see the joy of a relationship with Jesus by looking at the glimmer in my grandmother’s eyes when she talked about Him. My grandmother had a strong relationship with Jesus which led her to love those in her community. Whether she was hosting parties, walking alongside her friends as they went through a divorce, or making someone feel loved by evoking laughter, she always put those around her first. She is the reason I strive to impact those in my community. Her example has inspired me to reach out to those around me with love. Because of her impact, I have taken on several roles to influence change in my community. First, I serve every month at my church with the kids’ ministry where I help teach a lesson to children and play games with them. With the ever-increasing rates of depression and suicide among youth, I endeavor to provide a safe space for children, show them how much they are valued, and display Christ’s love to them. I believe it is crucial to develop a support system for children and provide them with the truth about their importance. Another way I work to aid others is as a Resident Assistant (RA). As an RA in the residence hall at my school, I try to cultivate an encouraging and welcoming community by facilitating roommate conversations, mitigating conflicts, organizing floor events, and being a resource for my residents. I seek to be present for my residents and meet with each of them each semester to check in on them. College can be a difficult time with all of the transitions in addition to trying to get along with people who are different from you. I want my residents to feel respected and comfortable being themselves. I desire to have the community around me be one of support and fellowship rather than hostile or closed off. By making resources readily available, holding residents to certain standards, and providing opportunities to gather, my floor has become an enjoyable and dependable community. As I learned from my grandmother, changing one’s community doesn’t have to be difficult. All it takes is love and genuine concern for others. Being a friend, giving of yourself, and opening your door can go a long way in having a lasting impact on your community.

“It’s nearly impossible to eat healthy as a college student.” I often hear this statement from many of my friends and peers at college. As a Health and Exercise Science major, it disappoints me to see this mentality of healthy living as something that is not feasible. People say they will eat healthier when they have more money or when they are adults. However, I believe one can eat healthily at any stage of life. Additionally, it is crucial to begin developing healthy eating habits during one’s childhood and college years. I have heard before that the habits people cultivate in college will likely be the habits they carry through the rest of their lives. I agree with this statement as most people who don’t eat well or exercise in college will continue to live that way into adulthood. Therefore, it’s important to have healthy eating habits now. As I have learned in a plethora of my classes, what one consumes is crucial to their health. Processed foods and additives are associated with a higher risk of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Our bodies reflect what we eat. When we don’t fuel our bodies with nutritious foods, we may feel sluggish or have trouble concentrating. Foods high in vitamins and minerals provide the antioxidants our bodies need to fight off cancer and other chronic diseases. With benefits like these and the disheartening incidents of cancer and cardiovascular disease deaths, more people should yearn to develop better eating habits. However, many don't because they think it's difficult or isn’t satisfactory. From my own experience, I know that it doesn’t have to be bland or complex. Eating healthy can be as simple as going back to the basics. An abundance of whole foods can be bought for cheap such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, chicken, beans, and oats. I know that when I eat whole foods and arrange my plate with colorful veggies and variety, I feel vibrant. I have more energy to interact with people and the mental clarity to focus on my classes. I have improved sessions at the gym. I have peace of mind knowing I am fueling my body with what it demands. In comparison, when I eat processed foods, I feel lethargic and do not perform as well. My digestion is off and my skin breaks out. Embracing the simple step of choosing healthier foods can orchestrate wonders. Again, it’s not rocket science, and it food preparation doesn’t need to be prolonged. What I would tell my friends and peers is that it’s not impossible to eat well. It’s not implausible to make a remarkable impact on your health by choosing the natural foods of this world. Our bodies utilize vitamins and minerals to fight off viruses. Our bodies require whole grains, quality sources of fats, and proteins to feel fully energized. Healthy eating habits are important because they are what our bodies crave.

The mental health crisis is at an all-time high. With the impacts of COVID on people’s social welfare and the increasing influence of social media on people’s perceptions of themselves and others, mental health is a pressing social issue. The pandemic has left individuals feeling lonely and has made the return to social outings difficult for some. Social media provides a place for people to have a false feeling of inclusion. Additionally, social media causes an internal war as comparison and jealousy leave viewers feeling worthless. Wishing they could have someone else’s experiences or body, many users of social media find themselves mentally struggling with feelings of inadequacy. That is why deleted all social media from my phone. I never gained anything from it but only lost myself in feelings of jealousy. It pains me, though, to see others seclude themselves from social gatherings and find themselves doubting their significance. This issue is important to me and has caused me to take on several roles to encourage others to embrace themselves and to guide them into social events to heal their mental battles. One role that I have been involved with for several years is helping at my church with the kids’ ministry. I work once a month on Sunday mornings with the children in Sunday school. I plan activities for the kids and play with them, showing them kindness to encourage them to see their value. I want the children to know God’s love for them and not let the lies on social media tell them where to find their worth. They are important and beautiful and do not have to look a certain way to gain approval. I also want them to feel comfortable in social situations as a lot of them had months without in-person school during the pandemic. I want them to be able to enjoy the company of their classmates and feel empowered to speak up and be themselves. I believe it is crucial to start intervening in the lives of kids before their views can be skewed by social media and unrealistic expectations from society. Another role I have taken on to promote community is my Resident Assistant (RA) job at Colorado State University (CSU). I live in the residence hall with thirty-three freshmen at CSU as I desire to help them ease into the numerous social situations and new events that they encounter in their first year at college. I plan events for my hall to foster community and a sense of belonging. There is a diverse group of students on my floor, and I want them to all feel that they matter and deserve to be here. With the plethora of unique experiences and the stresses of college, I know mental health can decline for college students. I find my RA responsibilities to be critical for aiding students in maintaining their mental health. I reach out to my residents regularly and make it a point to meet with each one individually to check in on them. I desire to help them each find success in whatever way that may look for them. I want every one of them to know that they are significant and can make an impact on the world. I work hard to create a safe environment and a community where they all feel supported and know they are not alone. In these roles, I work to address the social issue of mental health that arises from social media, the post-pandemic world, and life’s transitions. We need to intercede early for the sake of our nation's mental health.

People believe that to give back to a community means you need to impact a large number of lives in a tremendous way. I disagree. Let me explain. In November of 2021 during my freshman year of college at Colorado State University (CSU), I was stressed as finals were right around the corner, and my plate was slowly starting to fill up. I knew that the CSU Recreational Center had yoga classes, so I decided I would sign up for one to try to relieve some of my stress. Unsure of what to expect in the class, I walked up the stairs of the recreational center to the yoga studio. The room was sunny as windows lined the front wall, but the brightest thing in the room was the smile of the woman at the front of the room. “Hi! My name is Theresa. What’s your name?” The woman enthusiastically exclaimed. “Hi. Nice to meet you. My name is Maya,” I replied. Theresa was a short woman with short hair and a smile that welcomed everyone. As other students entered the studio, Theresa began to talk about how while some complained about the weather being cold and snowy, she saw it as a way to help hydrate the dry Colorado climate to ward off wildfires. I thought to myself how I was typically that person to complain about the cold, but Theresa was so optimistic. After that yoga class, I felt so relieved of my stress but not how I had expected. Of course, the yoga class did help, but Theresa’s outlook on life was more influential. In the spring semester of 2022, I continued to attend Theresa’s classes every week. Theresa by now knew my name and greeted me with a smile every time I entered the studio. She continued to speak wisdom and change my outlook on many aspects of life. For example, Theresa shared with the class how she used to want to live in a big house and be rich, but now she does the job she loves and feels fulfilled without lots of money. She also told us that she used to find security in her appearance and long hair. However, she shaved her head to free herself from the false security she found in her appearance. Theresa may not have been volunteering, raising tons of money for people, or touching hundreds of lives each week, but she had a significant impact on the college students who attended her classes. She served her community throughout her career. This is what community service means to me. It means serving those around you in your work and everyday life. It means impacting others through your work. Theresa did not volunteer out of obligation for hours to impact others. She went to her place of work every day and shared her optimism, joy, and wisdom with stressed-out, self-conscious students. In my career, I want to do the same. As someone who wants to be a personal trainer, I can impact others. I have the opportunity to interact with people and be a positive light in their life. I can show them their worth and help them achieve their health goals by showing up to work every day with a positive attitude. Giving back to my community means loving others. It means remembering their name and greeting them with a smile. I want to give back to those in my community by impacting the few or the many I come into contact with by starting with a smile just as Theresa did.

We live in a world with lots of disagreement. People are constantly fighting as they try to promote their viewpoints. Out of anger for horrific events, people blame another political party for their beliefs as being the culprit for an atrocious act. Blame and hatred rule many interactions, and love and forgiveness are absent. The world needs to hear about Corrie Ten Boom. In her inspirational autobiography, The Hiding Place, Ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker, risked her life as she and her family chose to hide Jews in their home during WWII. Ten Boom recounts the fear that accompanied her family’s bold decision to conceal Jews. The Ten Booms could have easily left the Jews to fend for themselves. However, the Ten Booms decided to display love rather than fear. Unfortunately, the Ten Booms' courageous act was discovered by Nazis leading to the Ten Booms' placement in concentration camps. Ten Boom shares that she would speak messages of hope and restoration to those who were imprisoned with her. Ten Boom did not let her dire circumstances drive her into desperation. She loved those around her and spurred them on. Even when Ten Boom’s beloved sister died, Ten Boom continued to fight. Upon the end of the war, Ten Boom was freed. She was the only member of her family remaining. Years later, Ten Boom had the opportunity to confront one of the Nazi soldiers who was responsible for the death of her sister. When Ten Boom came face-to-face with the man, she delivered an improbable response. She forgave him. Ten Boom could have been bitter and let built-up anger unleash upon this man. Instead, she showed love and forgiveness. This man had made her life horrendous and had robbed her of her loved ones, but Ten Boom decided to let that all go. She saw another human in front of her and loved them. We all need to read this book and learn from Ten Boom that hope, forgiveness, and love should surpass blame and hatred. We do not need to add to the anger and frustration in the world. We need to treat one another as humans. Political views are not as important as relationships. It is time to come to terms with and be loving towards one another, and there is no better person to teach us than Ten Boom.

He emerged from the water soaked but grinning from ear to ear. I shook my head in amazement. My grandfather, Pop-pop, had turned eighty-four that spring and was still riding the waves that summer. “How was the water?” I asked Pop-pop as he approached me. “A little rough but great for riding waves,” he replied with a smile. That was Pop-pop: eighty-four was just another number to him and would not cause his childlike spirit to dissipate. He was the first one in the ocean and the last one out. His age did not stop him from skiing that past winter either. When my mom and her siblings warned him to take it easy, he simply brushed them off and said he was fine. I truly admired Pop-pop for his boldness and sense of adventure. Most people his age were spending their days watching The Price is Right and eating lots of junk. Pop-pop, however, was riding waves at the beach and eating some fresh fruit and a nice sandwich he had prepared. My own passion for looking after my health partly comes from watching Pop-pop take care of his body. I always loved when he would flex his biceps for me forming a little bubble. He taught me the importance of exercise and keeping your body in shape, but he also showed me the importance of shaping your mind. Now, at the age of eighty-five, my grandfather continues to master 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles, outsmart sudoku puzzles, and study a plethora of books. His eighty-five year old mine is extremely sharp, so that he never forgets a birthday or any other special occasions. Pop-pop impresses me with his ability to attend to himself, living alone since my grandmother’s death. He remains optimistic about each day despite the loss of my grandmother. I have never heard Pop-pop utter a single complaint. Watching Pop-pop enjoy every moment, regardless of his age and his wife’s death, has taught me to live each day to the fullest. I search for the little aspects of life that present joy. There will be punishing days, but Pop-pop has revealed to me that I cannot let those tough days dictate my life or demolish my spirit. Pop-pop could have decided to cease undertaking adventurous activities. He could have relented cooking himself wonderful meals every night since it was just him eating them. He could have determined that he would halt looking after his health since he was all alone without my grandmother. He has not stopped, though, because he sees the beauty and opportunity in each day. Glorifying God for another day to live, Pop-pop continues to care for and love those around him with all that he possesses. I strive to resemble my grandfather’s personality. The role model he has been to me has tremendously impacted my life. When I suffered an injury at the beginning of my cross country season and was unable compete, I chose to greet the opportunity rather than complain about it. The summer before the season, I had set a goal for my season: to become closer with my teammates and improve. So I had a season-ending injury? That did not mean everyone else’s season was over and that I could not find other ways to better myself. I proceeded to wake up early every Saturday morning that season to attend the meets to cheer on my teammates. I became the team cheerleader, when I could not run alongside my teammates. Laboring diligently and forcefully in physical therapy and the gym, I strengthened my body and defeated my injury. I developed a passion for the gym and weight lifting because of my injury. If I had not gotten injured, maybe I would not have found this other passion. Thanks to the lessons Pop-pop taught me, I was capable of still achieving my goal of enhancing relationships with my teammates, and I progressed in the gym and physical therapy. Pop-pop provided me with a valuable outlook on life: you cannot let any hardships or any boundaries stop you from living out your life with joy. I am driven to embrace the lessons I have learned from my grandfather, to exemplify them, and to pay them forward. I desire for people to experience how rewarding life can be, when you do not let your struggles slow you down. To live my life half-heartedly, would be to disappoint Pop-pop. In thanks for all he has demonstrated to me, I yearn to smile through my struggles and accept them as a chance to cultivate. If everyone’s lives were perfect every day, there would be no special moments in life or events to grow excited about. Hardships cause me to further appreciate the joys of existence.