To preface, I am committed to attending the College of Arts and Sciences at NYU next year to study economics and psychology. I cannot emphasize enough how thrilling it is to be attending college in a city filled with endless opportunities, but it is certainly overwhelming. The prospect of exploring diverse cultures, meeting new people, and gaining exposure to different industries fills me with excitement and anticipation. Being able to immerse oneself in the vibrant social scene and various extracurricular activities is invaluable for personal growth and development. Moreover, having access to esteemed academics and professionals in the area heightens my academic aspirations, as I am eager to learn from the best minds in my field of study. That being said, it will not be an 'easy' four years, especially in the classroom... I have developed strategies for stress, such as consistently hitting the gym (4-5x per week) or practicing daily meditation, which are proven methods for managing some of life's most overwhelming pressures. These activities provide a healthy outlet for emotional regulation and promote physical well-being. In particular, exercise is extremely effective in reducing stress hormones like cortisol while releasing mood-boosting chemicals like beta-endorphins. On the other hand, meditation encourages mindfulness and relaxation techniques that can help regulate my breathing and heart rate. Just like any skill, building up these practices has taken time and discipline, but making them a habit has had long-term benefits. In addition to the basic meditation I practice, I studied a variety of Buddhist practices such as visualization, Samantha meditation (calm), and Mettabhavana meditation (gratitude/love for all things). During this study, I attempted to implement all of these variations of meditation into my life. Visualization has had the greatest impact as I have used it to envision success in athletics, the classroom, and at home. Also, all of these practices have been shown to increase focus, lower anxiety, and can lead to increased levels of happiness, fulfillment, and success in all areas of life. In the future, I hope to continue meditation, visualization, and consistently working out. I am planning to join a Mind, Body, Self themed community at NYU and hope to not just develop my experience with these methods but develop my resistance to overwhelming stress. This, along with my aspirations to study psychology and possibly become a clinical therapist, are just a few of the many ways I demonstrate current and future expertise in the area of self-care.

I am extremely passionate about baseball and am actually committed to continuing my athletic pursuit in college. This passion is demonstrated by my dedication and constant focus on improvement. Being a backup JV player my freshman year to becoming the ace of the pitching staff my junior year is just a small testament to the improvements I have made. As an avid fan, I study every aspect of this sport: from player statistics to game strategies. I can spend hours discussing different pitching techniques or analyzing team formations. Baseball is more than just a game, it's a way of life for me. It's where I find solace when life gets tough, and where I turn to celebrate life's victories. Baseball teaches valuable life lessons such as teamwork, determination, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Baseball has also been a driving force in my physical journey toward becoming stronger and more resilient. The sport demands strength, speed, and explosiveness, which has pushed me to lift weights regularly and build muscle. By committing myself seriously to lifting - not only did I become a better player – but more importantly I developed a stronger mindset and increased confidence both on the field and in life outside of it. Now that I have addressed how baseball has impacted my life, I will give some insight into how I have used baseball to positively impact my community. I am proud to state that I successfully raised over $5,000 to support underprivileged athletes. As a firm believer in the impact of sports on one's physical and mental health, I felt it was my duty to help those who lack the resources to pursue their passion. During this fundraising period, I also volunteered as a coach at the local little league. This was a great opportunity to give back to the community as I always had excited and insightful coaches in my youth. Coaching youth baseball was far more impactful than I could have ever imagined. Witnessing their growth year after year, game after game truly made me appreciate patience and dedication in helping others succeed. The experience has been nothing short of transformative as I learned that winning isn't everything and it's always about helping kids develop their skills and character. Overall, being accountable for these young athletes was both challenging and rewarding because it provided me with the opportunity to impact someone's life positively while pushing myself to grow and learn along the way. Through the combination of these actions, I was able to exponentially share my passion for the sport with my community.

Both of the majors that I am interested in pursuing at the College of Arts and Sciences at NYU next year fall under the STEM bubble (economics and psychology). For psychology, the mental health crisis has sparked my interest. In a society that is experiencing unprecedented levels of mental health cases, I have learned that passionate and young members of society need to take initiative. In my college essay, I talked about how I studied a plethora of Buddhist practices (meditation, visualization, breathing, etc.) to help me overcome the worst bouts of my anxiety. This experience was enlightening and inspired me to help others find some sort of solution for their struggles. It is also extremely relevant to mental health and becoming a psychologist. Not only did I gain an appreciation for the additions that every culture has in our society, but I was also even able to apply some of these techniques to improve my Judaic practices. Breathing practice is something I have implemented whenever I am at synagogue. Breathing helps to calm me and properly intake the wise stories of the Torah. Unfortunately, not everybody is able to find a technique that works for them as these habits worked for me. With my experience and this continuously growing issue, I know I am a strong fit for this industry and that there is an overwhelming amount of people who need somebody. In addition, this industry has an extremely high level of change and creation. There are constant updates to the way certain diagnoses be made and then treated. Whether it's the medication and the new application of hallucinogens or the technology created to analyze the cerebrum, the field of psychology has endless possibilities and room to improve. My interest in economics is a lot less emotionally inspired and has greater relation to academic passion. In my sophomore year of high school, I decided to challenge myself by taking AP Macro and Microeconomics typically recommended for upperclassmen. I found it extremely intuitive and did not face the challenges that had been aforementioned by countless advisors. It also intrigued me as I would take time out of my day to learn about economic trends and strategies for promoting economic growth. It had daily applicability, and obvious yet extraordinary insights, and was fun to apply all of the math I had taken to a real-world subject. After finding this passion, I immediately applied to the local community college to take level 100 courses in marketing, business, and economics. By developing my prerequisites, I was able to confirm my interest in this area of study and hopefully place out of introductory courses. This will help with my internship pursuits in New York as I will have greater availability and strong knowledge to help me develop my expertise. Deciding between these two fields of study will be extremely difficult when I go to apply for a job, but wherever I end up, it is certain that I will have some relation to STEM. Thank you for reading over this!