It is a commonly known fact that most people naturally resist change, even if they don’t mean to. However, sometimes change is forced upon us, and our only option is to welcome it with open arms. I thought I was going to change in 8th grade. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and join the student council. I wanted to make a splash, and make a splash I did. On a whim, I decided to run for vice president. Did I have experience? No. Was I qualified? No. But I did have confidence and beat out a half dozen other candidates. I took my place as vice president, and the first order of business was announcing the school dance. It was the dance that would rock everyone’s world, but not in a good way. It was a Friday I will never forget. At exactly 3:00, the president and I intended to make our dance announcement to the whole school. We walked to the room and waited for our Student Council sponsor. Once she arrived, we went into the room to get situated, but in the blink of an eye everything turned sour. By the time I turned around, our sponsor was lying on the ground unresponsive. Two thirteen year old girls were left to deal with a tragedy alone. Nothing can ever prepare you for a life or death situation and as I was whisked away to the counselor's office, the ambulance came. I couldn’t process anything. There were many phone calls that night. None were what I wanted to hear. I just wanted to know she was alright. That was when the phone rang. She didn’t make it. She died and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. There was shock, anger, helplessness and a bit of depression. I didn’t know it then, but those feelings would continue to linger for a long time. Slowly, I put the pieces of myself back together. I went back to being the funny and sarcastic one of our friend group. I started baking again. I helped Student Council sell sunshine remembrance pins because she was the sunshine of our school. Most importantly, I could get through the day without thinking about “what ifs.” I felt changed, not just by tragedy, but by relationships. Through this process, I really got to know my other sponsor. She and I talked about her love for teaching and why she loved to teach so much, for the close bonds and relationships you can make. That was when it hit me. I could be a teacher. I have always excelled in school. I enjoy the setting. I appreciated the structure. I’d always considered the profession, but the more that I listened to her the more I actually thought I could do it. It takes more to be a teacher than to stand in front of a board and list facts. To really make an impact, you have to go beyond the content and truly connect with students, and I know I have a drive to do that. That is my goal, and I will do everything in my power to reach that goal. I learned a lot from this traumatic experience that I have carried with me to this day. My course was changed that day, but I was not at the helm of the ship. Sometimes you choose change, but sometimes change chooses you. I am happy where my journey has brought me, and can confidently say that it has made me a better person. I want to carry my experiences with me while teaching. You have no clue the things the students in your classroom have been through. You have to hope for the best but be prepared for the worst and treat everyone with compassion and understanding.

I have always had an interest in reading, but with the rise of #BookTok, I have found a platform that has led me to some of my favorite books. When considering which books would be in my ideal bookshelf, only three #BookTok books are all that I need. Those include "It Ends with Us," "The Spanish Love Deception," and "Icebreaker." They are some of my favorite books of all time and I would be content rereading them forever. The reason behind that is the love interests. They are all swoon-worthy, cringe, laughable, and loveable at the same time. By connecting with these #BookTok men I have created memories, introduced others to reading, and brought joy into my own life. The first #BookTok book that I read was "It Ends with Us" by Colleen Hoover. I loved the story of Lily Bloom and her friend-turned-lover Atlas Corrigan. It was touching to see Lily find her way back to someone who meant so much to her at one of the darkest times of her life. Details like "just keep swimming" and Atlas baking cookies made me gush so much that I shared all the details about my latest book boyfriend with my best friend. We shared some laughs and memories when I proved that you can read a book in a day when I convinced my friend Sarah to read it and she finished in 24 hours. One of Atlas' main character traits is his dependability in a very unstable world and that was exactly the role he played in my life and the lives of others. When I finished "It Ends with Us" I never thought I'd find a #BookTok book quite like it. That thought quickly disappeared when I read "The Spanish Love Deception" by Elena Armas. The story follows Catalina Martin as she is forced to take her rival Aaron Blackford to a wedding as her date. The playful banter between Aaron and Lina and Aaron's overall brooding and thoughtful personality has led to "The Spanish Love Deception" being my number one recommended book. I have bought numerous copies for gifts and can confidently say Aaron Blackford is everyone's favorite book boyfriend. One of the most infamous #BookTok books is "Icebreaker" by Hannah Grace and when I saw how much everyone online loved it, I rushed to get my hands on a copy. My best friend and I ran to Barnes and Noble and searched everywhere just to have to beg the worker to scavenge the back room to see if there was one last copy. Nate Hawkins is the perfect combination of both Atlas and Aaron. His charisma, thoughtfulness, respect, and dependability won both myself and the main character, Anastasia Allen, over in the end. I mean who wouldn't fall for a man who dressed up as Gru from Despicable Me for Halloween? Plenty of inside jokes and laughs were had at the expense of Nate Hawkins. Each of these books will forever hold a special place in my heart and my bookshelf. Atlas, Aaron, and Nate are not perfect men but they each have qualities that people deserve to have in a partner and set the standard for how I want to be treated in my life. I want someone to bake me cookies just because. I want someone to drive hours to support me. If these fictional characters have done this for myself and my loved ones I can only imagine what they have done for the #BookTok community as a whole.

Higher education is important to me for many reasons. The biggest reason being that I am a first generation college student. During the whole college process I have felt very alone. Not many people these days understand the struggles of a first generation college student. They don't have anyone to ask questions to. If they have someone to ask, then they don't know what questions to ask. When they do know what questions to ask, they don't understand what the answers mean. It is an ongoing cycle of mental anguish and anxiety. Not just because of the confusion it involves, but because everyone is depending on you to do this amazing feat that you can't afford to fail. I have had a lot of pressure to go to college and accomplish the things that my parents couldn't. But the thing is, I realized that I'm not doing it for them. I am doing it for myself. I want to continue down the education path. I want to be proud of myself and what I know I can accomplish. I want to prove it to myself, my parents, my teachers, and all the people that have helped me along the way that I can go to college and excel in it. My teachers have given me so much through my years of school. They have provided me support and have inspired me to be who I want to become. They have also helped me realize that I want to be that someone to somebody else. I want to be a teacher and for that I have to go to college. I want to be the person that finally helps a kid that is struggling to multiply fractions. I want to see the light bulb go off in their head and be the person they come to when they get a 100% on the quiz that they thought they were going to fail. I want to make a difference and I think a college degree and stable career is the first step in the path to do that. It is a way to open up more doors and opportunities in my future. In a way, college is the key that will unlock my career and my future and I am ready to go to that next phase of my life.

When I was little I never really heard words like "depression" or "therapy." It never really dawned on me until I was about to start high school. I had a traumatic experience in 8th grade where a teacher died in front of me and one other student and I were the only ones there to call for help. Obviously that is a lot for a thirteen/fourteen year old to process, but I was taught to be strong for others so they don't worry about me. I carried on and stayed strong. As I look back on it now, I think that I definitely needed some form of therapy for at least a little bit and I was a bit of an emotional wreck for a while. Not only that, but just as I felt the pressure lift and change happen, the pandemic happened. We were stuck at home for what seemed like forever. Again I didn't notice the mental health issues until it was too late. I could no longer recognize myself and my habits. High school is about discovering myself. My mental health was so compromised that this seemingly inevitable period of self discovery only confused and made me spiral more. How was I supposed to get myself back to where I was if I didn't know what that was? This time in my life forced a lot of things on me. Some of these things were from society, some were from my family, and some were from myself. That is how I learned that the only voice that matters in my mental health is my own. I'm not going to stay in a club that I hate just for college. Why would I spend a year in a club that I hate for a couple words on a transcript just because someone says it would look good? You know what looks good? Being happy everyday when I walk into school. I believe mental health is important because I saw, first hand, the effects of bad mental health. I don't feel that I have returned to 100%, but will I ever? What is 100%? I take time out for myself and step away when I feel something will compromise my mental health. I take time to do the things that I enjoy like reading or taking baths. I am a very introverted person so having a period of time to myself during the day is crucial. I learned so much about my mental health in recent years. It is hard to teach the difference between stress and anxiety in a classroom. Sure there are dictionary definitions, but you can't fully grasp it until you live and feel it. That is the only way that you can then learn to manage it. Every person is different, has different struggles, and different solutions to those struggles and that is something we need to normalize in society. Seeking help isn't weak. Pride stops us from admitting that we need help. People aren't born with that mindset, they learn it. When babies need help they cry and receive it. If society stops teaching this prideful, tough exterior mindset, we can all be better in touch with our emotions and create a more accepting society. If society can work together to end stereotypes surrounding asking for help, depression, and therapy, then people will have better relationships with their mental health.

It is a commonly known fact that most people naturally resist change, even if they don’t mean to. However, sometimes change is forced upon us and our only option is to welcome it with open arms. I thought I was going to change in 8th grade. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and join the student council. I wanted to make a splash, and make a splash I did. On a whim, I decided to run for Vice President. Did I have experience? No. Was I qualified? No. But I did have confidence and beat out a half dozen other candidates. I took my place as Vice President. The first order of business was announcing the school dance. It was the dance that would rock everyone’s world, mine included, but not in a good way. It was Friday. A Friday I never will forget. At exactly 3:00, the President and I would make our dance announcement for the whole school. We walked to the room and waited for our Student Council sponsor. Once she arrived, we went into the room to get situated, but in a blink of an eye, everything turned sour. By the time I turned around, our sponsor was unresponsive on the ground. Two 13-year-old girls were left to deal with tragedy alone. Nobody can ever prepare you for a life-or-death situation and as I was whisked away to the counselor's office, the ambulance came. I couldn’t process anything. There were many phone calls that night. None were what I wanted to hear. I wanted to know she was alright. That was when the phone rang. She didn’t make it. She died and there was absolutely nothing that I could do about it. There was shock, anger, helplessness and a bit of depression. I didn’t know it then, but those feelings would go on to linger for a while. Slowly, I put the pieces of myself back together. I helped Student Council sell sunshine remembrance pins because she was the sunshine of our school. Finally, I could get through the day without thinking about “what ifs.” I felt changed, not just by tragedy, but by people. Through this process, I got to know my other sponsor. She and I talked about her love for teaching and why she loved to teach so much, for the close bonds and relationships you could make. That was when it hit me. I could be a teacher. I have always excelled in school. I enjoy the setting. I appreciated the structure. I’d always considered the profession, but the more that I listened to her the more I thought I could do it. It takes more to be a teacher than to stand in front of a board and list facts. To make an impact, you have to go beyond the content and truly connect with students, and I know I can do that. I have the drive to do that. That is my goal and I will do everything in my power to reach that goal. I could go on for another dozen paragraphs listing details about what I learned that day. I took a lot from this traumatic experience that has carried me to this day. My course was changed that day, but I was not at the helm of the ship. Sometimes you choose to change, but sometimes change chooses you. I am happy where I am and can confidently say that it has made me a better person. I am kinder, more aware, and ultimately more mature than I ever was before.

Higher education is important to me for many reasons. The biggest reason being that I am a first generation college student. During the whole college process I have felt very alone. Not many people these days understand the struggles of a first generation college student. They don't have anyone to ask questions to. If they have someone to ask, then they don't know what questions to ask. When they do know what questions to ask, they don't understand what the answers mean. It is an ongoing cycle of mental anguish and anxiety. Not just because of the confusion it involves, but because everyone is depending on you to do this amazing feat that you can't afford to fail. I have had a lot of pressure to go to college and accomplish the things that my parents couldn't. But the thing is, I realized that I'm not doing it for them. I am doing it for myself. I have always done well in school and it has always come natural to me to study and work hard. I want to continue down the education path. I want to be proud of myself and what I know I can accomplish. I want to prove it to myself, my parents, my teachers, and all the people that have helped me along the way that I can go to college and excel in it. My teachers have given me so much through my years of school. They have provided me support and have inspired me to be who I want to become. They have also helped me realize that I want to be that someone to somebody else. I want to be a teacher and for that I have to go to college. I want to be the person that finally helps a kid that is struggling to multiply fractions. I want to see the light bulb go off in their head and be the person they come to when they get a 100% on the quiz that they thought they were going to fail. I want to make a difference and I think a college degree and stable career is the first step in the path to do that. It is a way to open up more doors and opportunities in my future. In a way, college is the key that will unlock my career and my future and I am ready to go to that next phase of my life. This scholarship will obviously help me finance this college dream, but it's more than just that. It will help take away some of the stress of worrying about student loan payments and with that time I can study and work towards getting my degree. After that, hopefully I will go on to become a teacher and be able to support first generation students like myself and give them the support I wished I had.

A degree is important to me for many reasons. The biggest reason being that I am a first generation college student. I have always had a lot of pressure to go to college and accomplish the things that my parents couldn't. But the thing is, I'm not doing it for them. I am doing it for myself. I have always done well in school and it has always come natural to me to study and work hard. I want to continue down the education path. I have had struggles mentally with school during my high school career that I have overcome. I want to someday look and see that degree and know that my struggles weren't for nothing. That my hard work eventually led to something bigger. That I was able to not only get accepted into college but able to pass with flying colors. I want to be proud of myself and what I know I can accomplish. I want to prove it to myself, my parents, my teachers, and all the people that have helped me along the way that I can go to college and excel in it. My teachers have given me so much through my years of school. They have provided me support and have inspired me to be who I want to become. They have also helped me realize that I want to be that someone to somebody else. I want to be a teacher and for that I have to have a degree. I want to be the person that finally helps a kid that is struggling to multiply fractions. I want to see the light bulb go off in their head and be the person they come to when they get a 100% on the quiz that they thought they were going to fail. I want to make a difference and I think a college degree and stable career is the first step in the path to do that. It is a way to open up more doors and opportunities in my future. In a way, college is the key that will unlock my career and my future and I am ready to go to that next phase of my life.

Higher education is important to me for many reasons. The biggest reason being that I am a first generation college student. I have always had a lot of pressure to go to college and accomplish the things that my parents couldn't. But the thing is, I'm not doing it for them. I am doing it for myself. I have always done well in school and it has always come natural to me to study and work hard. I want to continue down the education path. I want to be proud of myself and what I know I can accomplish. I want to prove it to myself, my parents, my teachers, and all the people that have helped me along the way that I can go to college and excel in it. My teachers have given me so much through my years of school. They have provided me support and have inspired me to be who I want to become. They have also helped me realize that I want to be that someone to somebody else. I want to be a teacher and for that I have to go to college. I want to be the person that finally helps a kid that is struggling to multiply fractions. I want to see the light bulb go off in their head and be the person they come to when they get a 100% on the quiz that they thought they were going to fail. I want to make a difference and I think a college degree and stable career is the first step in the path to do that. It is a way to open up more doors and opportunities in my future. In a way, college is the key that will unlock my career and my future and I am ready to go to that next phase of my life. A common misconception is that learning ends after graduation. I believe this is false. To me the words higher education isn't just college but all of the things you learn after that. I have always been a great student and that is because I look for the bigger picture and the lesson behind whoever or whatever is trying to teach me something. By going to college, I will be able to further hone in on those skills and better prepare myself for the learning that will happen after graduation in the real world.

Higher education is important to me for many reasons. The biggest reason being that I am a first generation college student. I have always had a lot of pressure to go to college and accomplish the things that my parents couldn't. But the thing is, I'm not doing it for them. I am doing it for myself. I have always done well in school and it has always come natural to me to study and work hard. I want to continue down the education path. I want to be proud of myself and what I know I can accomplish. I want to prove it to myself, my parents, my teachers, and all the people that have helped me along the way that I can go to college and excel in it. My teachers have given me so much through my years of school. They have provided me support and have inspired me to be who I want to become. They have also helped me realize that I want to be that someone to somebody else. I want to be a teacher and for that I have to go to college. I want to be the person that finally helps a kid that is struggling to multiply fractions. I want to see the light bulb go off in their head and be the person they come to when they get a 100% on the quiz that they thought they were going to fail. I want to make a difference and I think a college degree and stable career is the first step in the path to do that. It is a way to open up more doors and opportunities in my future. Learning doesn't stop when you graduate from college. Life is a learning lesson. You learn when you get married, you learn when you buy a house, you learn when you become a parent, and you learn in every aspect of life. I truly believe that you learn something new everyday. It might not be mind altering or a revolutionary discovery, but you do indeed learn something, and the important discoveries stay with you. I plan to help myself learn above and beyond in my life by communicating with others. What better way to learn than to listen to others struggles, problems, and see how they are solving them. Doing this not only helps you develop problem solving skills, but helps you better develop socially. Society and culture is constantly changing and learning how to adapt with it is a must. Learning to do those things brings new perspectives and opportunities to your life. For example, my grandma never wanted to learn how to use the dvd player. The only time she would watch movies was when I would come over and put one on for her. She could have had a whole new world of opportunities when she was stuck at home all day if she would have learned that simple skill. She could have gotten movies from the library or other dvd rental services instead of relying on live television. My point is learning is important, no matter how small or trivial the knowledge may be. College is the next step in my journey to education. Beyond that, I know life will teach me lessons. Everything is a learning experience if you know how to look for the lesson. I know to look for lessons and that is what makes me a valuable student and a lifelong learner.

When I was little I never really heard words like "depression" or "therapy." It never really dawned on me until I was about to start high school. I had a traumatic experience in 8th grade where a teacher died in front of me and one other student and I were the only ones there to call for help. Obviously that is a lot for a thirteen/fourteen year old to process, but I was taught to be strong for others so they don't worry about me. I carried on and stayed strong. As I look back on it now I think that I definitely needed some form of therapy for at least a little bit and I was a bit of an emotional wreck for a while. Not only that, but just as I felt the pressure lift and change happen, the pandemic happened. We were stuck at home for what seemed like forever. Again I didn't notice the mental health issues until it was too late. I could no longer recognize myself and my habits. High school is about discovering myself. My mental health was so compromised that this seemingly inevitable period of self discovery only confused and made me spiral more. How was I supposed to get myself back to where I was if I didn't know what that was? This time in my life forced a lot of things on me. Some of these things were from society, some were from my family, and some were from myself. That is how I learned that the only voice that matters in my mental health is my own. I'm not going to stay in a club that I hate just for college. Why would I spend a year in a club that I hate for a couple words on a transcript just because someone says it would look good? You know what looks good? Being happy everyday when I walk into school. I believe mental health is important because I saw, first hand, the effects of bad mental health. I don't feel that I have returned to 100%, but will I ever? What is 100%? I take time out for myself and step away when I feel something will compromise my mental health. i take time to do the things that i enjoy like reading or taking baths. I am a very introverted person so having a period of time to myself during the day is crucial. I learned so much about my mental health in recent years. It is hard to teach the difference between stress and anxiety in a classroom. Sure there are dictionary definitions, but you can't fully grasp it until you live and feel it. That is the only way that you can then learn to manage it. Every person is different, has different struggles, and different solutions to those struggles and that is something we need to normalize in society. Seeking help isn't weak. Pride stops us from admitting that we need help. People aren't born with that mindset, they learn it. When babies need help they cry and receive it. If society stops teaching this prideful, tough exterior mindset, we can all be better in touch with our emotions and create a more accepting society.

In the process of applying for scholarships, I have learned many things. The most obvious being where to look for scholarships. I have searched high and low for a variety of scholarships, written countless drafts of essays and had many meetings with councilors, all to fall short and lose when the winner is revealed. It has been frustrating. As an honors student with a high GPA one would expect to win all kinds of scholarships, but unfortunately that has yet to happen. I had to get creative. I've learned where to find more quirky scholarships like the Disney Character Scholarship. I've learned how to write stronger essays quickly and more importantly how to better talk with my councilors. I have always been that kid that never wanted to meet with their councilor because I thought there was nothing they could do to help me. I have forced myself into a situation where I've had to rely on my teachers and councilors to ask questions to, review essays, and receive advice from because I am at a loss on what to do with going about college and how to pay for it.

When I think of my favorite books, I have a whole list. I fell in love with popular classics like The Hunger Games and lesser known books like The Paper Girl of Paris as well. But there is something else I look at when I think about what I took away from reading a book, and that is how it made me feel. I love emotional books. Not just books that make you cry from a depressing letter or a proclamation of love, but true genuine sadness because of how attached you are to the characters and the ending. One book that checks all of these boxes is the book by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars. No, I didn't just watch the movie, I read the story, book in hand and tears streaming down my face, and I loved every second of it, no matter how painful it was. That was how I fell in love with the characters, and I was devastated when Gus died. No matter how many times Green foreshadowed what was to come, I was in denial and couldn't accept it. The emotion and the uniqueness of this book has forever changed not only the way that I read and write, but other aspects of my life too. Originally I picked up The Fault in Our Stars because it was one of those young adult books everyone talks about. I also read Green's other book, Paper Towns, and absolutely loved it, so I figured I'd give it a chance. But when I started reading it I instantly fell in love. It wasn't basic, bland characters in a basic, bland love story. Aspects like flowers were changed to make it unique. Instead of generic red roses for a date, Gus got Hazel orange tulips. It was this uniqueness that drew me into the book and changed me. I no longer have a desire to write about ordinary characters with cookie cutter plots. I want to write about characters like Gus, who are philosophical, distinctive, and interesting. In the words of Augustus, "My thoughts are stars that I cannot fathom into constellations." It is the complexity of characters like Augustus that provide endless food for thought. Gus and Hazel have inspired me to become a better writer and a more skilled reader, which in turn, have made me enjoy reading and writing more. It wasn’t just my actions that this book affected, it affected my ways of thinking too. Throughout the book, Gus encourages Hazel to be optimistic and to see the good things in life even when things aren’t ideal. I have applied his optimism and encouragement to my own life. This has helped me to be more optimistic through my life when going through hardships. If two terminal cancer patients can find joy in life even through their most miserable days, so can I. They give me hope that things will always get worse, but they will also get better. This book has made me a more optimistic person. I have found joy in things that I had previously not seen.

When I think of Disney I instantly think of nostalgia. I get flashbacks of my childhood, excitedly searching through the pile of VHS tapes looking for a movie to watch (yes, we still had VHS tapes because my parents didn't want to let go of the good old days). If you would have asked my five year old self what her favorite Disney character was, the immediate answer would have been Ariel. It wasn't until one fateful day in 2010 that I fell in love with the brand new motion picture, Tangled. At last I saw the light! I fell in love with Rapunzel, the music, the lanterns, and the humor. Ariel was out the door and everything that I owned had to be Tangled themed. From birthday parties to Halloween costumes to toys, everything was Rapunzel. I still remember the magical day that I got to meet her at Disney World. I waited over 2 hours to say "hi" and take a picture with her and Flynn Rider. That's a long time considering I was 6 years old. But it wasn't a phase like everyone said it would be. Rapunzel is still my favorite Disney character today and I love the Tangled movie as much as I did then. I don't wear Rapunzel t-shirts anymore, but now that I have matured I can see how similar I am to Rapunzel and probably why I gravitated to her so much as a kid. There is surface level stuff like how much I love art, how we had the same hair and eye color or how I was always singing as a kid, but it goes into more depth than that. I have always had issues with my mom and so did Rapunzel with Mother Gothel. Did my little 5 and a half year old self realize something bigger subconsciously or did she just gravitate towards the pretty princess that looked like her? I don't know. What I do know is that I can relate to her now and Tangled will forever be my favorite Disney movie and Rapunzel my favorite character. I mean, who doesn't like the frying pan fight between Maximus and Flynn? Frying pans, who knew right?

Imagine you have a huge presentation due tomorrow, you are waiting on your partner to send their work for a research paper, you have to read 3 chapters of To Kill A Mockingbird, and have to get everything done in three hours in order to get enough sleep to function for school the next day. My back to school tip can help with that! My best back to school tip would be to make a to do list every day. Break up big projects or tasks into smaller manageable ones on the list. That way as you go through your day you know exactly how much you have to do, what was accomplished, and you will feel rewarded when you cross off another item on your list. It will motivate you to actually get work done instead of procrastinating. It helps you stay organized so you never miss an assignment and it takes stress and breaks it into manageable quantities. Instagram handle: @nicolebresnik