As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure to. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times i just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure to. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me . I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure to. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times i just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure to. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth.. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.” I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Here's where my anger and resentment formed towards my family. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. This ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. This ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. This ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Here's where my anger and resentment formed towards my family. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. . I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. For a while I was scared of being true to myself. Kids at my early grade school levels would always pick in or hate in queer kids. Showing my tire colors always made me scared to face bullying or harassment. However, God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson I would take from this is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning.. Soon months became years in my prison I called home, and being stuck without anyone to talk to about this situation took a toll on my mental causing some suicidal and unhealthy concerns. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me reconsider my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. The main lesson to help other teens get over this is to constantly talk with their parents about anything. So you can know their reaction a head of time so irrational decision aren’t made. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

As a rising freshman in college, I've noticed an intriguing pattern with students falling under mental health struggles and developing signs of depression. Unfortunately for me I didn't have the chance to reach college before my rise in mental health struggles came to be. Choosing to tell my life story has always been difficult for me. Telling someone else about who I am and what makes up "Nassir Ali" isn't always a good feeling. Reliving my days of discomfort in my family household still breaks my soul and with the daunting pressure of High School and extracurriculars, it didn't get any better. My life truly began around my freshman year in high school. I realized that I wasn't like other guys I tried being around, it felt like an odd one's out situation. I never liked anything the media portrayed as masculine, and I could never hold a conversation with my male friends. Talking to girls was always a breeze because I felt more relatable in terms of standards and things, I found pleasure too. This soon came to my realization that I was Queer and as a God-fearing person, I felt confused. The battle between my faith and my morals was a struggle but thanks to my friends I was able to see my truth and come to the realization of my same sex attraction. My immediate reaction to this was how my parents would view me. Letting my parents see the real me version of me, what I should do with my life, and who I should be with haunted me for a plethora of months. I let this feeling of self-doubt and pity consume me. At times I just wanted to explain to my parents that this is who I was, and nothing could take that away from me. It wasn't until my sophomore year where I finally got the courage to confess to my parents the truth. Of course, being of extreme faith they didn't take it very well. My mother took her own version as what she would deem as "Precautions." With the help of my sister and my unruly aunt, they stripped me from classmates, peers, and any form of outside contact. I was pulled out of my in-person school and put into virtual learning. After about a year and a half I returned to my former life. However, I didn't return with the same attitude as before. My parents have tried to become more accepting of who I am and what I aspire to grow into. Some days I think about what I could have done differently to erase this situation from happening, but at the same time, I'm happy I told them. I am a firm believer in all things that are meant to happen. God always has a plan for us and only He knows what our future holds. In my head I thank my parents for putting me in this situation. It ultimately made me stronger and reconsidered my future career choices. I feel like I've grown from this situation tremendously and my mental health has been slowly getting better. After the torment I went through virtually, suicidal thoughts and anguish with my parents, I came back as a stronger person. I want to take this opportunity by sharing my experiences to further explore my career opportunities in therapy. By helping young teens and kids who had similar experiences as I did, I want to let them know that the myriad of obstacles they face won't be their final mark in life.

Embracing Diversity in Mental Health: My Journey to Becoming a Therapist at Howard University As I embark on the path to becoming a therapist, my aspirations are intricately woven with the rich tapestry of experiences and cultural diversity that Howard University embodies. This esteemed institution, with its profound commitment to fostering a sense of community and empowering students, stands as the ideal crucible for my journey towards becoming a mental health professional. My desire to pursue a career as a therapist stems from a profound appreciation for the transformative impact mental health professionals can have on individuals and communities. Growing up in a multicultural environment, I have witnessed the unique challenges individuals face due to cultural nuances, stigma, and systemic barriers. These experiences have fueled my passion to address mental health disparities and advocate for inclusive therapeutic practices that cater to the diverse needs of individuals. Howard University's legacy of cultivating leaders who are committed to social justice aligns seamlessly with my aspirations. By attending Howard, I aim to immerse myself in an environment that prioritizes the intersectionality of identities and recognizes the importance of cultural competence in mental health care. This institution's emphasis on serving underserved populations aligns with my vision of making mental health services more accessible and tailored to the unique needs of various communities. Moreover, Howard's comprehensive curriculum and esteemed faculty members will provide me with a solid foundation in both theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential for a successful career in therapy. The university's commitment to experiential learning opportunities, community engagement, and research will equip me with the tools needed to address the multifaceted aspects of mental health challenges. Beyond the academic realm, Howard University offers a vibrant and dynamic community that fosters personal growth and leadership. Engaging with diverse peers and participating in various extracurricular activities will enhance my cultural competency, interpersonal skills, and ability to collaborate effectively. These attributes are paramount for a therapist, as they facilitate a deeper understanding of clients' backgrounds and contribute to the development of trust and rapport in therapeutic relationships. In addition to its academic prowess, Howard's location in the heart of Washington, D.C., provides unique opportunities for hands-on experiences and exposure to diverse perspectives. The city's multicultural landscape and rich history offer an ideal backdrop for honing my skills as a therapist who appreciates and respects the uniqueness of every individual. In conclusion, my journey to becoming a therapist at Howard University is not merely an academic pursuit but a transformative experience that aligns with my commitment to advancing mental health equity and cultural inclusivity. I am confident that Howard's nurturing environment, commitment to social justice, and emphasis on diversity will mold me into a compassionate and competent therapist capable of making a meaningful impact in the lives of those I serve. With gratitude and anticipation, I eagerly look forward to contributing to the legacy of excellence that Howard University has established in the field of mental health.

As someone who grew up playing Nintendo 64 with my dad, I always knew Nintendo was the gaming company for me. As I got older and started discovering more handheld console games one really peaked my interest. “Splatoon” Splatoon has slays been my go to game when either being by myself or playing with friends. I knew from The moment I customized my character and started to obsess over the games functionality that this was the game for me. At the age of 11 I had no idea what I was getting into. Playing on my WII U Gamepad was a struggle at first but after a while I got used to it. The more I got into the game the more the lord spoke to me. I play games for the gameplay and lord and splatoon definitely has the best mix of that. I liked when I felt like a completionist completing the game to its 1000 percent standard. Most importantly Splatoon’s multiplayer is the best. Nominated has game of the year for 2022, it has surely helped me blossom into making more online friends and stepping out of my comfort zone. When Splatoon 2 came out for Nintendo Switch I played it non stop with my Neighbor. We played and battled against each other non stop pushing ourselves to be the best players we could be. Without my neighbor I probably wouldn’t even know the joys Splatoon could bring to a gamer. Eventually myNeighbor did grow out of it but Splatoon stuck for me. I now have all three copies of the game and the DLC to go along with them. I never knew how much I would enjoy a game like this but it made me feel like a kid again. I still play Splatoon til this day. The most recent copy being Splatoon 3 updated tons of improvements to the game. I couldn’t keep all of this excitement for myself so I had to get others in on the action. Due to Splatoon 3’s new tournament mode playing with friends became even more exhilarating. I put together a few teams with friends and played in tournaments against other teams before. It’s an absolute joy to see my friends get together to fight for a common goal and the goal being to beat another team in Splatoon was the cherry on top. From this moment forward I realized that this game had so much to offer from a single player point of view to a multiplayer standpoint. As I write this essay now, I can guarantee that Splatoon is my go to game and most definitely makes me say, “YEP this is THE game!”