The dream version of my future self is that I want to be a well-known Graphic designer.

My mental health got low at one point and everything hit me like a truck, I gave up some things and tried to get myself back to my usual self. It still comes and goes but I find the best and newest ways to cope with it. There are so many positive and negative experiences with it that can affect you and the people around you. The negatives outweighed the positives for me most of the time like not eating or sleeping most of the day away because I would be up all night just thinking about how bad life turned out. How I used to cope with my mental health was going to sleep. This helped me with just running from my problems as I was getting too deep into giving up everything. I figured out that this isn't the right to solve or cope with my problems so I started writing out how I feel in a journal. This helped get a lot of weight off my shoulders when I was in school or when I just felt overwhelmed at home. I still sleep but it's out of tiredness with me just in my head all the time. But sitting down listening to calming music and writing helps me feel like I'm one step closer to being okay. I still have a hard time coping and helping myself through hard times and it's even harder talking to someone about my problems because when I was younger I had no voice to speak up or I would always get shut down. Some goals shortly are to be mentally stable and have enough money to build my business. It's one of my biggest goals to accomplish but if it's not that then I want to get into my dream school to pursue graphic design to help me along the way. Setting this goal helped me to do more research on the ins and outs of the majors in college as well as having my own business in college or after I leave college. I hope to achieve having my own business and to be my boss. I want to minor in entrepreneurship so I will learn how it is to have my own business even though some failures might come with achieving this we learn from our mistakes and this helps us push forward and know what works and what doesn't work.

Some people think I want to attend an HBCU because I am black but that isn't the case. There is much more behind an HBCU than just being a specific race. There is the culture and bonding with new people and more. The reason why I chose an HBCU is that I think that it would benefit me more in the future. It will give me more opportunities to be outgoing and see what is out there for me. As I do more research on different colleges they don't seem to fit the person that I really am. I want to be in a place where I feel safe and comfortable around everyone and not feel left out. I'm not saying that I want to fit in with everyone or with a crowd but I just want to be in an environment where nothing matters and you can just be you. This is the biggest mindset that I have because it makes me a clearer mind on the things that I wanna do in life. I believe that in the end, this is going to help gain recognition from other people because I believe that people in HBCUs have more connections than people in PWIs.Overall this is going to help me out with the business and major I want to pursue.

A Path We Create We seek to have everything, Without going through anything Something we crave so dearly But have to work for it nearly falling off course. We seek to not have to change When we know it’s for the greater good but will it be the same if we are misunderstood To follow a path that only we create. Is it for us? or for the people beneath us Is it for change? because nothing ever stays the same Is it for power? we know we want it because it’s everlasting greed Is it for the future? destined to change us to our better form. We seek the change for the better and for the worse To get us through the pain and the hurt Something we don't feel until the end But something we evolve from to make amends. A path doesn’t define you but we still seek it A path is something behind you and in front of you A path you built to stay on course A path we create, to help us with our choice.

My mental health was the biggest problem since I was in 8th grade seeing as how I am still struggling with it not. It got low and everything hit me like a truck, I gave up some things and tried to get myself back to my usual self. It was hard to do at first but even when I try hard it is still never enough to go back to my old self. No amount of staying by myself or talking to someone can help me or so I thought. The healing process is harder than anything and even have suicidal thoughts that set me back each and every time but I found a way to keep pushing through and that's through graphic design. How I used to cope with my mental health was going to sleep. This helped me with just running from my problems as I was getting too deep into giving up everything. I figured out that this isn't the right to solve or cope with my problems so I started writing out how I feel in a journal. This helped get a lot of weight off my shoulders when I was in school or when I just felt overwhelmed at home. I still sleep but it's out of tiredness with me just in my head all the time. But sitting down listening to calming music and writing helps me feel like I'm one step closer to being okay. I still have a hard time coping and helping myself through hard times and it's even harder talking to someone about my problems because when I was younger I had no voice to speak up or I would always get shut down. Some goals in the near future are to be mentally stable and have enough money to build my business. It's one of my biggest goals to accomplish but if it's not that then I want to get into my dream school to pursue graphic design to help me along the way. Setting this goal helped me to do more research on the ins and outs of the majors in college as well as having my own business in college or after I leave college. I hope to achieve having my own business and to be my own boss. I want to minor in entrepreneurship so I will learn how it is to have my own business even though some failures might come with achieving this we learn from our mistakes and this helps us push forward and know what works and what doesn't work.

A Path We Create We seek to have everything, Without going through anything Something we crave so dearly But have to work for it nearly falling off course. We seek to not have to change When we know it’s for the greater good but will it be the same if we are misunderstood To follow a path that only we create. Is it for us? or for the people beneath us Is it for change? because nothing ever stays the same Is it for power? we know we want it because it’s everlasting greed Is it for the future? destined to change us to our better form. A path doesn’t define you but we still seek it A path is something behind you and in front of you A path you built to stay on course A path we create, to help us with our choice.

My biggest problem is trying to start my own business while in high school. This is one problem that I'm still solving because I don't know where to really start. I had a brand name but I didn't like it so I went to go find a new one. This still was the hardest thing ever because once I found the new one I had no supplies to even start making example shirts. My plan to solve this problem was in motion when I had a job a Walmart but since I was in school my mom only had me working weekends so I wasn't making that much money to even buy supplies for one shirt. I already have the circuit machine but without any supplies to make the shirt itself was harder than I expected. So I decided to ask my mom can I change my schedule around and that plan was in motion till it wasn't anymore. The plan to start my own clothing line business was getting harder and harder each day and I didn't want to go on asking people for money because even still it wouldn't be enough. I ended up sitting down a brainstorming about my life and how I wanted things to go when it came down to putting money aside for certain things. One of my friends that went to school with me ended up texting me and asking me if I wanted to collab so from there I knew that I had to make a new solid plan for this. At the time I didn't have a job and I know that I wanted to do my part so for the moment we just did sketches and rough drafts until I got a job. Now I have a job and I have a plan and that plan is to put at least $100 aside to start making the shirts because I know that's gonna get me somewhere. I will start off with examples of shirts and if people want to order them then they can pick which design they wanted best. Hoping that this plan works because I worked hard to get how far I came now I would hate to give up now. Planning starts with one simple thing and that's brainstorming without that we won't even have a path to what we want to do in life we have to set goals and boundaries to achieve or reach that goal.

Impacting a community takes time it doesn't happen overnight. People have to realize that things change daily and we don't see that so we bypass it with our own eyes when it's right in front of us. I can say I impacted many people throughout my school because I made friends with many underclassmen to help them understand high school better I know it was a rough time when I started. I'm usually the type of person not to make new friends with anybody because I am anti-social and meeting new people makes me nervous but when it came down to the underclassmen in JROTC I wanted to make sure they felt welcome into the class. During our first semester of this class, I was a class leader with 1. Me being a senior and 2. I was a flight sergeant so I had things that I needed to do to keep this job. So this taught me how to take a leadership role and to use it to the best of my ability, I couldn't be shy I had to teach the underclassmen not to let the teachers get under your skin or to tell them that "this is the easiest class so failing is not an option." When it came down to our uniform inspections I made sure that the underclassmen's uniform was nice and even better looking than mine because of course they just got them but to show them how to wear it with pride and honor being in ROTC. Being in that class now as a senior I get a lot of " I'm going to miss you when you graduate high school" from the underclassmen and it makes me want to stay because it shows that I made an impact in their life whether it be they made a new friend they can trust or even just someone they can come and talk to from time and time to get their problems out. It puts a smile on my face because I know they are going to be in my shoes once and do exactly what I did for them and that helps someone in need or befriend someone that looks like they are nervous for their first day. It doesn't take a lot for someone to have an impact on someone's life but you having to be willing to make a change for the better too.

My biggest role model would be my brother, even when we were little kids I always looked up to him but now I look up to him even more. We both have done some not-so-good things in life but in the end, we would always be next to each other to tell ourselves that it would be okay. Now that we are older it's like everything has changed and everything he does I want to accomplish too just without the same major. I wanna go to college just like him and graduate with honors just like him and even when it feels like I can't do it he is always there to tell me that I can. He knows my limits and tells me that try not to be like him and be my own person because I always like to compare myself to him. I struggle with my mental health a lot and it took me a while to find someone to talk to about it for real. but my brother came to me with open arms even though I felt like if I talked to him about it he was going to look at me differently but he didn't. He stood by my side through all of it he understood that it's okay to feel the way you do but make sure I got back on my own two feet and start to feel okay again.p He taught me a lot growing up and the main thing that stuck with me was to be my own person. Don't let anyone try to ruin who I am just because they don't like it. This taught me not to live up to anyone's expectations but my own. sometimes my brother helps me and he doesn't know it because just a simple text from him can make my day since he is in college and he rarely has time to do anything but school work so I look for those texts anytime he is free or I call him anytime he isn't doing anything. He helps me with my work even when he is in college and helps me practice for the ACT and SAT so saying that he is the biggest role model in my life right now would be correct. He is the one that taught me most of the things I know right now besides my mom and he help me get through so many things that I cannot count on one hand.

The main African American person that Influenced my field of study was Charles C. Dawson. He was an artist and a designer back in the 1900s. He created all sorts of things that are still shown in the world today. Looking at his background made me realize that everyone makes mistakes in art and you just have to learn from them. Everyone isn't a perfectionist but you can always become perfect at what you do. The main reason he Influences me to become a designer is because of his art. When I look at them, I believe they have good meaning to them even if they might be a poster for a movie. It helps me see from different perspectives at a time and if I look closely enough it helps me look at every detail that was incorporated into the piece of art. His pieces can include different background stories in them, one was one that he created in 1934 for the Urban League Exhibit and he named the Negro Migration: The Exodus. This helps me realize that if you put your mind towards anything thing you can achieve it. Art can come in any form of creation because art itself isn't perfect, especially abstract. I think of art as the complications in our life because most of it is based on our emotions to escape reality. We use art as a peace of mind and a way to heal what has been broken or what we think isn't perfect and try to fix our flaws. Art makes my mind work non-stop but in a good way and pursuing something like art can help a lot of people in the business industry who need posters or anything help I can do for them. Going to college for this field of study will help me learn what Charles learned and I hope to be as good as him. I will take new steps toward the Graphic Design process and it will help me out in the long run with my life and also with my business. This is like taking a chance in doing what you want to do in life and doing what you want to do even when it feels like you are going down the wrong path because if you are passionate about something you really want to do then all the mistakes you make shouldn't stop you from pursuing your dreams.

Health Journeys can be anything you think of, it's either keeping your mind, soul, or body healthy but whatever helps you then you work on that the most. My health journey is starting off with my mind. I have trouble with not getting irritated quickly or letting things get to me because I have a short fuse and it's hard for people to understand me because I never talk my feelings out. Talking something out has always been one of my problems because I never think that anyone is listening to me or my feelings always get invalidated so it's easier to keep it to myself. I have come to terms that everyone needs to heal from something and that the healing process can take a long time or that you can be okay in a matter of days but I doubt that people heal that fast. I knew that I needed to change my state of mind to a more positive one and stop letting the negative ones get to me as much. It's harder said than done but I know that if I think about that is for the better I will get. I start to write out my feelings now instead of holding them in, I kind of started being open more but there's still a small part of me that wants to hide in my shell. I like to listen to music more often to get my mind off of things when I know I am getting mad or irritated. I never like blowing up on people because I know that it's not them and it's me I just don't have control over my emotions like that. I feel like when I do that people look at me differently I revert to listening to music to calm down first and then explain my reason. This is a big part of becoming a healthy person and even getting my body in shape and having a set time to wake up and making sure I have a routine instead of hopping on my phone first thing in the morning and staying on it for hours I have to stay productive. I learn that I have to stay on top of things to live a healthy lifestyle to make sure that I go after everything I want even when there are obstacles in the way. This made me realize that I needed a change of scenery in my life to make sure I'm a better me.

My name is Natia Taylor and I have always been into art, It was like therapy to me when I felt like life was beating on me. Art wasn't the only thing that I did there were many more creative ways I help take my mind off of things or if I was bored in the house. But drawing, painting, and any digital art I was always into. It helped me understand art better throughout the years. throughout those years I have gotten better but I'm slowly letting art go. But I know it will always be my favorite. The reason I am choosing to pursue my education in arts is that, in the near future, I want to start my own business. I want to do it sooner than later but as of right now I still have no clue about all the things I need to know about digital art or even graphic design. I just feel like going to college and learning about the more in-depth part of graphic design will help in the future when I start my own business. It will help me understand how I am my own boss and that sometimes I can do things on my own time and sometimes they need to be made quickly. This will help me continue to grow my business and to know who can help me and who cant help. I plan to create a lot in the digital art space, from posters to just simple T-shirts, or anything big someone wants. There is a lot that you can create in this space so it can range from something small to something big in a matter of days when you are in the lab or digital space. I really want to design shirts or just clothing, in general, to get a headstart on my business. It is one step closer to having more knowledge about my own career. Anything that I learn about or create in the digital space is putting me on the right path to achieving my goal. Achieving this goal is the number one goal I am worried about right now because once I achieve this goal the others will be easier to get done. The other goal is to understand more about each topic I learn in college. To help me push through all my limits and know that anything is possible when someone teaches you this knowledge.

When you hear about college, you hear a lot going from parties to having trouble with work and even some people dropping out because it's hard. I think the one thing about college that excites me the most is the freedom. Being away from home and being on your own seems scary at first but wanting to be free takes away that fear. I wouldn't say that I don't want to be away from home but the thought of freedom takes over my mind because I want to be my own person with no rules or anyone I have to listen to. You set your own rules and everything you do is on you it is going into adulthood. Everything you do is held accountable to you. When you think about maintaining a healthy mindset, body, and soul you think about no one controlling you. I think about it as us controlling ourselves, I think of it as a responsibility to make sure that we are okay every day because, at the end of the day, nobody can know you better than yourself. Maintaining a healthy mind is harder said than done because people continuously put you down or put things in your head to make you think life is harder than it is. To block out all these things you have to move at your own pace and listen to your own head. Maintaining a good body can be hard seeing as how when people go to college their depression gets worse and when depression gets people either eat a lot or don't eat a all. So this makes people gain weight but also lose weight so maintaining a healthy body in college is mostly important to not things get too hard on you where your body changes drastically. This means you should also make sure you eat or pace yourself when you are eating too much so you are not stressed eating. Finally, with maintaining your soul this also being said be at peace with your mind. I think that the mind and the soul are connected so if you maintain your peace of mind you can have a good soul and not have bad energy around you. The soul is also connected to the body, having a negative soul can affect your body to gain or lose weight. College can have a negative effect if you don't choose the right people to be friends with or just the environment in general.

I want to have a well-known clothing brand and even though this seems harder said than done I believe I can do it. Ever since I was little being creative came naturally I wanted to do all sorts of things but came to the conclusion that I could do one thing. So I'm sticking to making a name for myself and making a big clothing brand. This was even harder when my mental health got low and everything hit me like a truck, I gave up some things and tried to get myself back to my usual self. How I used to cope with my mental health was going to sleep. This helped me with just running from my problems as I was getting too deep into giving up everything. I figured out that this isn't the right to solve or cope with my problems so I started writing out how I feel in a journal. This helped get a lot of weight off my shoulders when I was in school or when I just felt overwhelmed at home. I still sleep but it's out of tiredness with me just in my head all the time. But sitting down listening to calming music and writing helps me feel like I'm one step closer to being okay. I still have a hard time coping and helping myself through hard times and it's even harder talking to someone about my problems because when I was younger I had no voice to speak up or I would always get shut down. Some goals in the near future are to be mentally stable and have enough money to build my business. It's one of my biggest goals to accomplish but if it's not that then I want to get into my dream school to pursue in graphic design to help me along the way. Setting this goal helped me to do more research on the ins and outs of the majors in college as well as having my own business in college or after I leave college. I hope to achieve having my own business and to be my own boss. I want to minor in entrepreneurship so I will learn how it is to have my own business even though some failures might come with achieving this we learn from our mistakes and this helps us push forward and know what works and what doesn't work.

My name is Natia Taylor, I am a senior at Dutchtown High school and am hoping to start my own clothing line business in the next few months. Impacting the world seems hard because people usually don't like to listen. It goes through one in and out the other so to make a change you have to show them instead of tell them. I plan on making a positive impact on the world by showing them that it only takes a little help to get someone back on their feet. One thing I hate seeing is homeless people, and not in a bad way. I hate how their life was once good and it change in a matter of seconds for them either because they got kicked out, they lost their job or something that seems inevitable. So I want to help them see that there is always hope to restart a new life and find a new path. People have many talents and they don't show them often. Some of their talents can help them but most of all they need a boost, encouraging words to help them see that their life can change for the better. My clothing line business would support homeless people who don't even have a tent to live under or something over their had on a stormy night. As the years come the days are getting colder in the fall and winter and they are also getting hotter in the spring and summer. I would go around finding places where homeless people can stay even if it's for a few nights but something is better than nothing. I don't think people ever realize that homeless people are very generous for anything, they just want a simple home to live in, money to buy their food, and even things to get them through the day. Now I'm not saying that people who give encouraging words to the homeless don't help out but sometimes they just need a little more and I'm pretty sure the people walking past them every day have something that they can offer. If you think about it you would want someone to help you if you were in need right? So what's so different from them? Is it because you think they arent good enough or didn't work hard enough? Everyone has their own problem but they always deserve a second chance.

Everyone loves a good movie day in school right? Most of the movies we watched were educational and we didn't want that until we finally watched them. The movie that had the greatest impact on my life was Hidden Figures. My first thought of the movie was "oh my gosh this is going to be boring" I wasn't really into educational movies until I came across this one and now I rewatch it every chance I get. Hidden Figures is one of those movies that gives information on Historical Black Women that made a change in the past years. The reason why Hidden Figures had the greatest impact on my life was that it helped me understand that as black women in America, we shouldn't be underestimated. It showed that we can do the same as everyone else in the workforce but they choose not to see it. They choose to disregard the fact that I as the same human being that they are can do what they can do but I just have a darker skin tone than them. Hidden Figures showed me to keep moving forward even when there is a big obstacle in front of me because something like not being the same color as a person shouldn't stop me from wanting to pursue a certain career. I know there will be a lot of negative comments thrown at me when I grow up because of my skin color or because I'm darker than someone or just simply because I am ugly to them. But that negativity shouldn't stop me from being the best I can be for me. It shouldn't stop me from making myself known in the world as those women did in that movie. They made a name for themselves and showed the world that anything is possible and it's not about race it's about the knowledge that you have. In my opinion, people lack knowledge when they bring negativity to a race into the mixture. When someone is doing no harm toward them they make it their mission to disrupt them. As a collective whole we shouldn't think thats okay or just ignore something like that. We should help or speak up for them, I've heard this saying so many times that it's embedded into my brain "We all bleed the same color blood, so why care about the color on the outside?" This movie helped me see the world in a new light and it makes me want to help people see that light too.

Are books extraordinary for gaining knowledge from or having a good laugh you know? The book I would get everyone to read is called Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan. This book is for suspense and to read just for the fun of it. The plot, characters, and setting are the best I have ever read and I think that everyone will enjoy this book. As a person who at first didn't like to read I got into more suspenseful books that have me wondering where it would lead at the end of every chapter. It kept me hooked the entire time I was reading and I didn't even want to stop reading because I was afraid that I wouldn't remember the cliffhanger that I was left with at the end of the chapter I would want everyone to read this book because it shows that there is always an author out there that will help get you into reading. From beginning to end the book was amazing and it felt like I was a part of the book itself. It kept me on my toes the entire time and I felt like the whole thing was a mystery. There was really no beginning and end to the book as it seems like it always keeps going. Sometimes it will keep you up at night wondering what will happen next. It is a good way to keep the mind going without having your phone in your face the entire time. It is also a good break from life and living in a different reality that you don't want to escape.

When you think about the universe, what do you think of? stars, constellations, or other galaxies? What if I say it's way deeper than that? The universe is its own state of mind and many people don't believe in it. They say things like "It never listens" or "It's just a myth the universe doesn't hear you." But isn't that the same way when someone believes in a god? We are quick to jump to conclusions when we do the same thing. The universe is one big mindset that you just have to understand and believe in. To understand it you have to understand yourself. I think it's important to understand the nature of our universe because it's like an endless hole that continues to grow. So as we grow our mind grows into something that we have to get used to. Change is an ongoing occurrence, we can't escape it we just have to adapt to it. Change is the nature of the universe to understand it we have to change to be the best person we can be possible. That's through the ups and downs, the bad days and the good days, and even the thick and thin. We have to adapt to things that we think are doing nothing but tearing us down but in reality, it's making us stronger. There are a lot of things someone can do to help others understand something. People might show them but when it comes to the universe it's unpredictable, you don't know when that change is going to come so instead of showing you have to tell them or inform them. Give them knowledge and background information on how the universe works and how it's going to make you feel miserable and ready to give up but through it all, it makes you a better person. Knowledge holds a lot and is the most powerful thing in the world because if you have the right knowledge you can do anything that you put your mind to "no pun intended." But still, knowledge works in many different ways and all you have to do is believe. Believe that there is something out there that can help you through those rough days, believe that not everything in the world is against you and that the universe is not listening, believe that with knowledge you can do anything even if it means changing for the better.

Life comes with changes, but are you ready to change yourself? My name is Natia Taylor I am 17 years old and a senior in High School. Throughout high school, I had a mindset of "it will be fun with no worries" well that was a lie. High school comes with the most challenges you will ever face and will learn to adapt to so you are set and stone for the real world. Since 9th grade, I have been suffering from depression or will have depressive episodes that made me cave in and stop functioning at times, in school that wasn't as greatest. I would stop doing work, stop talking to my friends and family, and would cry every night in hopes everything would get better. Knowing that laying in bed every day wouldn't make a change in my mental health so I had to change it for the better. That was the biggest challenge of all but I know I had to overcome it. I started journaling talking to my brother and would find any way to help myself exceed in life. This helped a lot actually and whenever I felt that everything become hard or overwhelming again I would reset, and take things one step at a time. I have learned that not everything is going to be better the next day it takes time to be okay and fully yourself again. I started reading to let the days pass and would have set times when I needed to take a break. I started to make progress and change, I needed to make more changes so I rearranged things and put them for my life to be better. The biggest battle I would overcome is me vs. me. I learned I will have to face this challenge everywhere I go no matter what. Learning these simple things could help others too. If they need someone to talk to then I will help them find that person, it doesn't have to be just me it can be anybody a teacher, friend, sibling, or even just a pet. Talking your problems out is the most efficient way to overcome your challenges. You have to realize that you are not okay to be okay again and not be blinded by just trying to convince yourself that you are okay because in the long run, it won't help and it's a toxic coping mechanism. Finding help or even helping yourself by finding hobbies or talking to someone can help you know that you aren't alone in this world and that there is someone else out there going through the same as you.

Ever heard of the phrase "smile through it all?" Well, that's how it felt, had to smile through every rough patch and every high and low. Living in a single-parent household can be hectic especially when there are three kids in the house. My mom came from strict parenting so she tries to ease up on the way she does things or change it but sometimes I take it to heart. I don't always like my mom parenting skills but I soon realized that she is going easy on me, well kind of haven't realized it yet. But I know my mom has been through a lot trying to help us stay on the right path in life cause she has seen many go down the wrong one. As the educator, she is she always taught me to keep my grades up no matter what, but it's a battle when your mental health is low and your mom always believes the teacher over you cause she is one. This taught me so much growing up and I'm not talking about all the lows that we have in this house but to see a better future. We might not like how they are treating us or how they use a certain technique to build us but in the end, I know it's always going to be alright and that it's for the better. I learned to take the things she's being strict about with a grain of salt because she's not trying to hurt my feelings or bring me down because I know she is not that type of parent. My mom knows me better than anyone so everything she is trying to do is for the best. This also taught me to be my own person and how to not let anything get to me, it makes me stronger and stronger every day and I make a mental note to thank my mom one day. There are many ways to give back to the community but the most important way is knowledge. My mom gave me knowledge on how to get through life so I'm going to share it with other people. I always have been one to help someone out whether it's in or out of school. Helping people stay on the right path is something basic that everyone can do. It doesn't take money but it sure does takes time and even though it feels like we don't have all the time in the world you do have enough time to change someone for the better and one day they will thank you for it.

My name is Natia Taylor and I am a Senior at Dutchtown Highschool in Georgia. I give back to my community by sharing knowledge, the mind is the most powerful thing in the world that's what I like to think. But sharing knowledge throughout high school and even in college can get someone a long way in life they just have to use it at the right time. Showing and telling people that the world isn't fair and that you are going to have to go through the bad to get to the good is the best advice someone could ever tell you. So I'm here to help people understand that more so it won't go over their heads. I plan to major in Graphic Design because as a kid I was always creative and I knew the ends and outs of anything possible, I know how to crochet, knit, sew, do origami, etc. I think that graphic design can help me see the world differently and more vibrant than ever. I want to pursue in starting my own clothing line business or just having a business where I can just make custom shirts to help people out or have a local location so people won't have to go out of state. This can go a long way for me seeing as how the world needs more Graphic Designers to help with basic everyday objects or ads, such as billboards or posters and more. This can help a lot of people out who just need basic editing done to their pictures or help with printing out shirts. In my opinion, you can only change the world one step at a time, but some would rather take 2 steps forward but end up taking 4 steps back. Some people don't realize that you don't have to rush your accomplishments they are meant to come to you not for you to just find them in one day. I can change the world by doing many things if anything I want to help the homeless, some don't have enough clothes for them to last the night so I could crochet or sew new clothes for them free of charge. Even if I do make shirts for customers and other people and they don't sell I can always donate them to a community for kids or just donate them to people who need them more than me. I think people are too worried about trying to put a price on everything instead of helping people for free, we as people are too quick to judge people instead of helping them. I would also want to help homeless people find homes or be put in a safe environment so they can stay out of harm's way.

Have you ever thought about what your country has done for you? or does the bad outweigh the good? serving this country will make me proud along with everyone else that lives in it. We don't get to walk around for free, so serving this country would be a benefit. It's not for the recognition from others or the attention it's me doing something right once in my life. I think that serving this country will come with a lot of benefits, some are in for the money, others are in it cause of family, and then some are in it because they just want to do it. How many of us can say that we are willing to serve the United States? Without thinking "oh this country does nothing for us" when in reality this country does a lot. Now is it the government that's doing a lot for us? well to me no but it's the people, the United States is more than just the Government it's full of Civilians so I would serve the USA for them. When you think about it Civilians do more than the government should and that's not okay. "We" as the people should step up and help our fellow citizens in gaining certain rights or even just find a way to help them or to change what the government is doing. We all know the government can't just give out money to the poor but they sure can build more homes or buildings for the homeless to sleep at night. The government always says they going to change this and change that but never follows through with it. But we as the people can, we can change it for them we can speak up for them, and we can do much more but choose not to. We might work for the government but at the end of the day, we are protecting the citizens. The government spends so much money on equipment like guns, vehicles, tanks and more but we never go to war, that's a waste of money that can be going toward businesses, homes, and more. So this is why I want to serve the USA not for the money or the benefits but for the people, to make a change when no one else is doing it. It only takes one leader until everyone follows and helps out when needed.

Teenage kids splurge when they get money, it could be on anything like shoes, clothes, or anything they want but is it a need? As a kid, we would want a lot of stuff no matter what it is but we never tend to our needs. In high school they don't set you up with financial advice unless you sign up for the class but why should we have to sign up for one specific class? Every class should teach and give financial advice to help teenagers in the long run but they don't. I have heard multiple financial advice coming from one person to another or like from my mom, a teacher, or anybody, but one stuck with me. In JROTC we have guest speakers come in whether it's the Army, Navy, Air Force, etc. They talk to us about the benefits of joining but it was one specific branch that talked about being financially stable. The guest speaker started with what we need now as teenagers who drive we need multiple things and necessities. So like in a household you have to pay bills so as an example they gave us $500 and with that, we have to see what we need and the basics of living in a house. So mortgage/rent, light bill, water bill, groceries, and more. They taught us that we have to organize our money to fit our needs and if we have a little left over then we can use it for our wants. They taught us that the big thing with money is also saving. You have to save for a lot of things like for a car or to pay your senior fees and sometimes for gas. I learned that we can't just go around spending money like we have all the money in the world because one day that money is going to run out and we are going to start asking for money and who wants to start asking for money from other people? Sometimes those people will help you out and sometimes they won't. So saving money is a big part of being financially stable. As a person who wants to start their own business, I think that financial advice is something that will stick with me forever. Because in college you have so much to worry bout like dorm fees, book fees, meal plans, tuition, and more I would like to think. So starting a business in college and trying to keep up with money while trying to pay for all these college expenses and all that money might go down the drain and you don't have anything to use for your business. This is why you should set money aside and stack up scholarships to be able to do both and also make sure you have time for both. Having scholarships would put you in the spot where you don't have to use your own money to pay for none of those expenses and you can use your own money to keep your business running. Even with still having your own money you can't just go splurge on whatever you want you still have to maintain some type of organization to start a business you can't just use all your money on supplies because what if nobody buys your product not saying that they won't, but at the end of the day you have to have some type of organization with having spending money and saving money just in case. Using financial advice in college is most likely going to be your best friend. Even if you don't want to hear anything that person is saying but they may be right and help put you on the right path. Because at the end of the day, everything you learn and use is only going to benefit you. Like yeah, that person that gave you the advice knows a little something or a whole lot about financial stability but overall it's helping and affecting you and many other students around you. So if you hear financial advice from one person you might think to pass it on to someone else and that person will pass it on it's like a domino effect. If one thing happens or ends up changing you have to end up adapting to it and get back on the right path.

Ever thought about the multiple possibilities of being creative? I have been creative since I was young, so me being creative I have started a lot of projects or just hobbies I thought that was cool. I got into painting or drawing and also crocheting. I stopped crocheting and got into designing shirts and other things. I have started crocheting again and realized that I could use this skill to help people who need beanies or any other clothes to stay warm throughout the cold. Crocheting can even be fashionable in a sense. This could help a lot of people if we as a community come together and help out making items for people that are in need then we can do it. All it takes is a leader to make the right choice and encourage others to help along with them. I also took up knitting, knitting is the same as crocheting but with a different technique. You can also show others have to paint, this can encourage young artists that know how to draw or paint and all they need is a little encouragement and someone to inspire them to help them know that they can do anything in the world and still make a profit off of it. I also started making T-Shirts or any hoodies that you could think of. I wanted to start my own business and still pursuing that dream, I have also started making custom shirts. That can be taught throughout other communities too. It is a simple easy task that can help create a mindset that anything is possible if you make it possible for yourself. This can teach people how to use the creative side of their minds even if you think you aren't creative. It's something to connect with other people and to help out others that really need it. Even though it seems hard to start something or get into something all you have to do is put in an effort and you will get what goal you are reaching for. It can start small and end up big for you if you work hard enough and put your mind to it. These projects will help to go from one person to the next when taught right. Something as small as making a few shirts can go into becoming your own brand or even just starting your own business.

Mental Illness is a hard thing to overcome but I think that if you try hard enough you can break it.From 9th grade till the end of my first semester my senior year I was depressed, I would say I had it in 8th grade but it was mild.But the second semester of my 9th grade year it had gotten worse and I kept it all to myself I didn’t like talking to nobody I thought i could fix it but in the end I was digging a deeper hole.The stress that work brought upon it and the stress of teachers and living in a household where it felt like I couldn’t talk my feelings out was hard. I didn’t like going to a counselor because at the end of the day the would tell my mom and having a sit down chat with her wasn’t something I wanted to do.So I found friends, those friends stuck beside me when I was done or would barely talk or eat because my depression was to overwhelming to even think about.I would sit in my room hours on end just doing nothing but cry and sleep to past the days away.My friends would often check up on me to make sure I was okay and I would tell them I was when I really wasn’t. My 10th grade year it wasn’t as bad seeing as how we were online but even still I would sleep my day away during class because I wasn’t feeling like myself.The house I was in felt overbearing and overwhelming that I didn’t want to come out my room or talk.My 11th grade year it got so bad that I resulted to self-harm because I didn’t want to see another day but I spoke up about it to my chemistry teacher, she was understanding on where I was coming from and help me see from my moms point of view on why it’s even hard for her as a parent.So instead of self-harming I would talk to my teacher. My 12th grade year it started to get overwhelming again but I couldn’t talk to my chemistry teacher so I went to one of my JROTC instructors who I look up to at first it was challenging to talk about my problems because I would feel uncomfortable on speaking on the topic since I felt like I was never heard when I was younger.He help me understand that he will always be there to listen and brought me out of my depression state because he was like a father figure to me.He help me understand that life will get hard and sometimes we have to overcome obstacles to get what we want. I chose this degree because I don’t want nobody to feel like they can never speak to anyone or that they don’t have a voice.There is always someone who is willing to listen to our stories and help us change who we are for the better.

The quality characteristic I value the most in myself is being creative. Ever since I was young I would always find something to do whether it was drawing, painting, origami, or crocheting. Just to name a few, it felt like it came naturally to me and that I always had a creative mindset. I value this characteristic the most because eventually, it’s going to help me out in the real world even if I just take them on as regular hobbies. After all, regular hobbies can turn into me starting my own business. It’s something that I look forward to in life is starting my own business because I don’t want to work for someone my whole life. So being creative comes with many opportunities that I would like to take. I got into graphic design and that was one of the best decisions I ever made because my other creative hobbies can stay hobbies. Graphic Design helps you see the world in many different ways or colors that you haven’t seen before. It opens your eyes and mind to many different opportunities. I took a graphic design course in my 11th-grade year and That teacher basically taught me the ins and outs of the graphic design world and that even if you still work for yourself, you can always work with a partner. It doesn’t even have to be a partner your work with you can create designs for other people. So knowing that I help people out from my business would bring a smile to my face. I think about taking on photography too which is another creative thing that I have learned. I mostly take pictures of sunsets or sunrises, rain, and flowers especially if they have raindrops on them, or even dark clouds. Rain is a calming thing to take pictures of and I always try to catch a lightning strike through the sky because it’s a beautiful scene. When I think about my creative characteristic helping in the long run or on my life journey it seems like a difficult task because there are multiple things I can do. But the two main things I want to take on in college are graphic design and photography. I want to start my own business with both because those are the two things that are gonna have good outcomes for me if I keep following my dreams. Starting my own business seems hard but I know I have the right mindset to keep doing both in the future.

My Goal for the future is to pursue a clothing line business. I have always wanted to start my own business and I have found my match. I started on the logo and some designs earlier in 2021 but never completed or followed through with that design. This year in 2022 I’ve started to look at more inspirations and come up with more designs dealing with something we are all too familiar with, which is mental health problems. Living in a single-parent household makes it even harder. I had a mindset that I wanted to help my mom out in every way I can because she always provided for me. So I had to find some way to do it. I started brainstorming for the future and set my Goals right then and there. But Goals always change when you start doing good and you want to be better than your past self. Starting a business had its Highs and Lows, but I always looked at my goals as something to reach in the near future. The hardest part of following through with a business is to make sure you have enough money to get it up and running. I would say set some money aside to help you in the beginning as a starter. This is the easiest way to start with small items of clothing or anything that you are starting your business with and show it off day by day. Then people will start to notice. All you have to do is have patience within your business because being impatient will get you nowhere. Even though I haven’t started college yet I think I would have a hard time keeping up with schoolwork and still having a business. My brother is in college and he tells me all the ins and outs and the difficulty of it. College isn’t like highschool so we need to have a changed mindset when going into college with a business. I would have to make time for my business and school and any other extracurricular activities I want to get involved in. I even might experience wanting to give up because it’s too much. It’s okay to take a break at times. Sometimes I also have to fail before I accomplish something.But overall setting a schedule and making sure I put school first, is what I think will help me get through my college year.