Life is a journey filled with ups and downs, and adversity is an inevitable part of this journey. Whether from personal challenges, setbacks, or unforeseen circumstances, adversity tests our resilience and character. How we handle adversity determines our ability to grow, learn, and thrive. In this essay, we will explore some strategies I use to effectively deal with adversity and emerge stronger on the other side. A resilient mindset forms the foundation for navigating adversity. Embrace the belief that setbacks are temporary and opportunities for growth. View challenges as learning experiences that can build character and provide valuable insights. Cultivate a positive attitude, self-belief, and the determination to persevere in adversity. It is crucial to acknowledge and accept the emotions that arise when faced with adversity. Allow yourself to feel sadness, frustration, or disappointment. Suppressing or denying these emotions can hinder the healing process. Give yourself permission to grieve or vent your feelings, but avoid dwelling on negativity. Use these emotions as fuel for personal growth and motivation. During challenging times, it is critical to lean on the support of others. Contact trusted friends, family, or mentors who can provide encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear. Sharing your struggles can help alleviate the burden and offer new perspectives. Additionally, consider joining support groups or seeking professional help if necessary. Remember, you are not alone in your journey. Speaking of which, I hope to give advice to people in my community who might be dealing with adversities they might not be well equipped to deal with themselves. I am already a part of on campus orgs like the black student union, where we can educate people on common issues. Some examples are: how to deal with workplace passive aggression as a person of color or as a woman. We could also hold informational about job searching, how to pick your major. Also, I hope in the future to work hand in hand with nonprofits for academic tutoring and mentoring. Remember, adversity is integral to life's journey, but how we respond to it defines our resilience and growth. We can effectively navigate through adversity by cultivating a resilient mindset, accepting our emotions, seeking support, reframing challenges, practicing self-care, and taking action. Remember, in every setback lies an opportunity for personal development and the potential for a brighter future. Embrace adversity as a catalyst for growth, and you will emerge stronger, wiser, and more resilient than before.

As someone who is studying accounting in finance at Rutgers University, there is a multitude of ways I want to educate my community on financial literacy. The first idea is to increase access to Access to financial resources: Ensure that community members have access to financial resources, such as books, online resources, and financial management tools, in libraries, community centers, and other public spaces. Provide information about local financial institutions, credit counseling services, and other relevant resources to help individuals make informed financial decisions. Financial literacy events: Organize financial literacy events, such as panel discussions, seminars, or webinars, with local financial experts, financial institutions, and community leaders to provide valuable insights and guidance on personal finance topics. Then we could hold financial literacy competitions such as quizzes or games, in schools or community events to make learning about personal finance fun and engaging for community members, particularly young people. Increase access. Ensure that community members have access to financial resources, such as books, online resources, and financial management tools, in libraries, community centers, and other public spaces. Provide information about local financial institutions, credit counseling services, and other relevant resources to help individuals make informed financial decisions. Host more financial literacy events and partnerships. Organize financial literacy events, such as panel discussions, seminars, or webinars, with local financial experts, financial institutions, and community leaders to provide valuable insights and guidance on personal finance topics. Build partnerships with local financial institutions, non-profit organizations, and community leaders to collectively promote financial literacy and provide resources and support to the community. This could include co-hosting financial literacy events, sponsoring workshops, and developing joint initiatives to increase financial literacy awareness and education in the community. In conclusion, increasing financial literacy in the Jersey City community requires a multi-faceted approach that involves collaboration among various stakeholders. By partnering with local schools, educational institutions, community organizations, and financial institutions, and leveraging resources such as workshops, campaigns, coaching programs, and events, the community can work together to raise awareness about the importance of financial literacy and provide accessible resources for learning. Empowering individuals with financial knowledge and skills can lead to improved financial decision-making, increased financial stability, and better economic outcomes for the entire community. With concerted efforts and sustained initiatives, Jersey City can take significant steps towards enhancing financial literacy and equipping its residents with the tools to make informed financial choices for a brighter financial future.

What defines growth? For one to grow, a person has to change. To me, change is not only when a person grows but when they can look back and acknowledge their work. This past year, I was faced with an unforeseeable challenge. Unbeknownst to me, there were some financial aid issues due to my school thinking I was an out-of-state student. Whoever was in charge of the financial assistance mistook a part of my tax return and assumed I was a Texas resident, not a New Jersey one. After going back and forth with the financial aid office at Rutgers and the state of New Jersey, they told me I could not have the previous aid reinstated, putting a financial hold on my account. Even though I provided proof I am a New Jersey Resident, the delay in retrieving my required documents caused me to miss the deadline, in addition to the fact that I was never notified by my school or the state til 15 days after the deadline. I found myself devastated because I had no way of getting $7000 in 3 weeks. Thanks to this new financial hold, I could not register for spring semester classes. In my anger, I neglected my classes and took a leave of absence. It was through prayer and discernment that I saw an ad about aid for community college students, so I registered at my local community college. At that school, I picked myself back up and focused hard on my studies so my GPA could be the best it could be when I began the transfer process to a four-year college. I met a fabulous lineup of staff, especially my family, at EOF. In the spring, students were introduced to the director Mr. Lowe, who welcomed me with open arms and a bright, infectious smile. Then I was brought to my advisor, the wonderful Kyara Martin, who immediately empathized with my situation and gave me great life advice and academic support. Over the summer, I met the second in command, Ms. Tejal, who, calling her a ball of sunshine, would underestimate her infectious positive energy. These people and everyone else behind the scenes brought me back to life and helped me grow as a person. They were the fertilizer of this plant. I can reflect on how I was a year ago and see how devastated and defeated I was, reflect and now move on to conquer university again.

Legacy, the definition of such a word according to dictionary.com, is "a thing handed down by a predecessor." Anything and anyone can be a legacy, but this word has a deeper meaning to me. What the word 'legacy' means to me is: merely passing one person's passion in another, fufiling that dream and exceeding the predecessor's expectations. That other person does not have to be your child or family but someone who has adopted your ideals and motivations. Like an apprentice, if you will. I feel like my upbringing shifted my views on the word legacy from the textbook definition to the one I have now. All my life, I have been blessed with meeting beautiful mentors in all fields like academics, athletics, and even my own spiritual life. Back in my middle and high school days, I had teachers who took out time to gist and talk with me on the side, sharing their personal lives and offering advice on life. Looking back, I've had teachers stay back and wait with me anytime my parent was late in picking me up. They did not have to do that. In turn, I'd do the same thing while working with kids during summer break. During my volleyball days in high school, id has older teammates who'd cheer for me when I got subbed in, give me high fives and smiles of encouragement when they noticed I was nervous. Some even pulled me to the side and gave me corrections, away from the rest of the team to make sure I did not feel embarrassed. And of course, we have my parents who regularly teach me their religious views but do not force me to view Christianity the way they do. Because of that, I learned how not to move people to believe things the way I do, and I can function enough in society, having an open mind and befriending people of different beliefs, customs, and traditions. Thanks to all these people, I took on their knowledge and kindness, which formed today's person. In doing so, I plan to continue positively impacting the lives of those around me. I hope to offer my support to the younger generation regarding academics and athletic programs, especially those offered in my hometown, Jersey City. Finally, I aim to foster the same open-mindedness my parents instilled in my kids. Hopefully, enabling a cycle of loving people for generations to come.

Being a child of two immigrant parents, my life was not always easy. Life in Nigeria was very different from life here in America. Both my parents always made sure to reiterate that fact. Over there, everyone from the age they learn how to walk is taught how to hustle for money. Whether it was to help out with the family business or how to monetize your hobbies, the Nigerian way of life is that no one spends their time idly. Even if you're rich, your expected to contribute to the family. In many ways, this has affected my outlook on life. In class, during group projects, I make sure I am contributing. In church, I try to contribute. Whenever I work a job during the summer, I make sure to do my job the best way possible. I adopted this attitude from my parents. They worked hard as poor people in Nigeria, working as children and adults, and in both instances, they stayed in school and aimed to get the best grades in class. My mother nearly succeeded in the academic side of things. She studied hard while helping her mother at her restaurant, landing in the second-best high school in the whole country back in her day. My father worked on the farm, helped serve food, and worked as a clerk at a Northern Nigeria. What my parents taught me is that your situation does not matter, keep it moving. At the same time, a person uses to complain they can use to come up with solutions and if that does not work, come up with something else. I personally want to go on to medical school or go on for my master's in Public Health. Even though finances are not great and pre-med courses are challenging, primarily due to the pandemic keeping everyone at home, I still utilize the resources available. I worked some small jobs in the summer, made wigs, and worked as a virtual assistant. I did this to afford a laptop that I use to look up tutorials on how to work out problems to grasp the concept yet. Whenever I cannot understand still, I contact classmates and work hard on the issues until I can get the idea, and I pass this knowledge to my peers. The work ethic I learned from my parents drives me and will continue to guide me as I take more rigorous courses in the future and even in my future career as a physician.