My dog, Mac, is truly this (wo)man's best friend. We took him home in 2009 when he was just a pup, and while he loves peanut butter and napping more than anything, he is a sweet and caring dog who is a core member of my small family. Whether he's begging for countertop scraps (picture 1) or catching his breath after fetch, he never wants to be alone! Caption for Image 1: Is that peanut butter? Caption for Image 2: Look, Mom! I FINALLY caught the squirrel!

As said by the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 4 verse 11, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Countless individuals in American society believe that wealth, status, and physical items will bring them everlasting joy, but time proves otherwise. Chasing happiness on a material level will consistently result in greediness and disappointment, with the hunger for “more” never satiated, and for this reason I find my joy in the simple things. Pure joy to me is a kind text from my best friend on a hard day, seeing my laundry already folded in my room, or bringing coffee to my overworked mother. I am a gift-loving person, both in receiving and in giving, and I honestly believe that the value of a gift is the thought behind it. I am equally thrilled to receive diamond earrings as I am a wilted flower from my boyfriend, because I am content just knowing he wanted to demonstrate his love for me. Not all circumstances in life feel pleasant, and I am currently in a season of change, difficulty, and high stress, but in choosing to be joyful despite the weight of the world and focusing on the many small blessings I receive from those around me shifts my perspective entirely. The gift may simply be the presence of a loved one, but I find my greatest joy and contentment in the bright moments and thoughtful gifts I share with those I hold dearly.

As said by the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 4 verse 11, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Countless individuals in American society believe that wealth, status, and physical items will bring them everlasting joy, but time proves otherwise. Chasing happiness on a material level will consistently result in greediness and disappointment, with the hunger for “more” never satiated, and for this reason I find my joy in the simple things. Pure joy to me is a kind text from my best friend on a hard day, seeing my laundry already folded in my room, or bringing coffee to my overworked mother. I am a gift-loving person, both in receiving and in giving, and I honestly believe that the value of a gift is the thought behind it. I am equally thrilled to receive diamond earrings as I am a wilted flower from my boyfriend, because I am content just knowing he wanted to demonstrate his love for me. Not all circumstances in life feel pleasant, and I am currently in a season of change, difficulty, and high stress, but in choosing to be joyful despite the weight of the world and focusing on the many small blessings I receive from those around me shifts my perspective entirely. The gift may simply be the presence of a loved one, but I find my greatest joy and contentment in the bright moments and thoughtful gifts I share with those I hold dearly.

Most everything I have in this life has been given to me, whether indirectly or explicitly, and I am always looking to return the favor. The sacrifices my family has made to educate, care for, and celebrate with me are invaluable, and I will never have the words nor money to repay them for such memories. Ever since I was little I treasured giving gifts to show others my care and affection, to the point of preparing Christmas gifts for my family as early as April. Without the generosity of my family I truly don’t know where I would be, and the impact they have had on my life and the lives of others is something I aspire to reproduce in my future family and current social circles. I still love seeing the joy on people’s faces when they receive a thoughtful gift or handwritten card during the holidays, and money is of no object when it comes to gift giving. Whether it’s venmo-ing a friend a few dollars for a coffee during a hard week or volunteering my time at church, I feel fulfilled knowing that my efforts can bless others just as my family has done for me. It’s my passion to go into a legal field where I can give foreign families the gift of not navigating the immigration system of the United States alone, and even if I only change the life of one, that is enough for me. I give not so I can feel better about myself or look like a good citizen on my tax returns, but because I firmly believe that through generosity and the blessing of others I can develop character and inspire others to follow suit.

I have always been an impulsive saver. Raised in a frugal family, I spent hours cutting coupons from the magazines my mother would collect, excited to organize her folders of coupons in preparation for the next grocery run. Because of this, my parents ingrained in me an instinct to spend marginally and think twice before any purchase. While neither of my parents worked in high-income industries and our family has done an excellent job of living within our means, there was never excess money lying around. They taught me to be grateful for the blessings I have, and to responsibly manage my resources so I can give generously toward others. The reason I am committed to building a successful career is not for my own wealth, but to provide my future family with the gift of never worrying about finances. As a college student I feel like a heavy burden on my parents who are graciously assisting me with tuition and fees for my first year, but I would love to release them from such a draining commitment. While I cannot do much in the way of reducing this in my current state, I have taken on a small subsidized loan from the University of Oregon that I plan to pay off with the dividends from my investments at the end of my undergraduate education. However, none of this would be possible had I not been instructed on how to comprehend and work with finances independently. My father has done an incredible job educating me in financial wellness, assisted me in opening my first credit card and stock account weeks after my eighteenth birthday, and showed me how to properly budget and save for taxes with my currently small income. As a very young adult and a woman, I consider myself extremely lucky to have someone wiser than me to explain these essential elements of becoming a financially independent individual. So few of my peers have this knowledge, and likely will struggle to attain it in the future, but I am committed and passionate about managing my income and expenses well to become financially independent from my family. I plan to achieve full financial independence by the year 2025. This is a steep goal and I know it will require much of me, but I am an extremely self-motivated individual and I am convinced that I am capable of doing so. My current assets at the end of this year will have reached around a 40% increase compared to last year, and with my consistent investments I expect them to continue on an upward slope. While my current job is part-time, I am actively supplementing this income with independent contractor work through DoorDash, and am looking for a more consistent and reliable alternative this summer. I plan to work full-time over the next two summers as I complete my undergraduate degree, hope to gain a paid entry-level job in a law firm for a year post-undergrad, and then continue on to law school at George Washington University. I have managed to continue profiting and having a net income during my first term of college, and with my instinctive saving habits and active engagement in financial wellness education I am confident that when the time comes for law school I will be able to cover the financial aspect independently. Saving for the future of my family is my long-term financial goal, but with my healthy habits I believe that I can become financially independent by 2025 if I stick to my budget and seek out work opportunities every chance I get.

Living with depression and anxiety is “totally normal”. It’s walking through a lovely sunny day, with nothing out of the ordinary, but there's a little raincloud following you around everywhere you go. Everyone else is smiling, absorbing the beautiful sunshine- but even though you’re there with them you're surrounded by your own mini rainstorm. You don’t know why the raincloud chose you or how to get rid of it. You don’t know why it’s there or why you can’t seem to ignore a little cloudiness. All you can see is fog and rain and how you’re missing out on all the fun everyone else is having. 'No big deal' you think, ‘it’s just a rough day, a hard week. Things will start looking up’. But they don't. If there's anything I've learned over the past five years is that anxiety, depression, insomnia, and many other mental health disorders won't just 'go away'. The battle with mental health is a broken leg that no one sees, validates, or sometimes even believes is there. Most will just say to think of happier things, focus on positivity, or try a new hobby-but cannot see the splintered emotional bones inside that need healing and rest. During high school I lost the majority of my friends due to my intense depression and anxiety, and many of them made fun of me or called me 'broken' for being the way that I was. There was no grace in their hearts; no sympathy for a hurting friend. Just an inconvenient obstacle who didn't smile enough to improve their social image. In retrospect, those people were incredibly shallow, but at the time it crushed me to feel outcast because of something I couldn't control. As I've stepped out from the social bubble of high school and into real-world work experience and volunteerism I've made deep connections with people who have realistic and powerful life stories. For the past 2 years I've worked for Michelle Watson, PhD, and she is a eating disorder and mental health specialist who has been a professional counselor for over 25 years. Being her assistant has drawn me into adult circles full of inspiring individuals who have overcome so much, and it continually gives me hope for my future and bettering my mental health. In fact, I would not have met my best friend and current fiancee Matthew if not for our mental health struggles, as we connected during my Junior year of high school discussing our sleep problems, anxiety breathing techniques, and talking each other down when we felt hopeless. Both him and I have grown as people and together because we both have felt the weight of the 'raincloud' only we can see, and as a result we both want to go into public service careers. For me, I want to use my talent with words and language to become a bilingual lawyer, supporting those who don't have the hope and confidence to stand up for themselves, as no one deserves to be without hope. I went through a period of time where I strongly desired to be a therapist, but with the knowledge of my strong and talkative personality, I feel I would best serve my community by speaking for those who cannot represent themselves rather than trying to listen and advise. Wherever my life takes me-career or otherwise-the work I have done in my own life to cope with anxiety, depression, and insomnia will be widely applicable to anyone under high levels of stress or those without hope. My raincloud will never leave me, but the ways in which I know to look for the rays of sun peeking through will hopefully bleed out onto those in proximity to me for as long as I live.

Being born into a family of musicians was the laughingstock of my Sunday school classmates. My parents studied music at Biola University, my dad was on our church staff and played piano every Sunday morning, and my two siblings and I each studied an instrument and sang frequently for events. I was constantly humiliated by the talent or ‘giftedness’ our adult friends noted in us, and I wanted to assimilate into a ‘regular’ family who simply attended services more than anything. Despite their best efforts, I never took to classical violin study like my older sister, and my parents were often frustrated with my general attitude and approach toward music. All throughout middle and high school I appeased them by teaching piano lessons to local children and volunteering as a worship leader in our large church, but I never truly invested myself in leading worship nor teaching. Music was going through the motions, practicing the scales, knowing the theory - until my health took a downward turn around age 16. I was so heavily bogged down by depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts, reaching a breaking point as discussing my struggles no longer helped. In those days I turned back toward my music, and began writing songs or just playing guitar or piano to soothe myself. It was a slow return, but as I approached my music from a soulful, Spirit-led perspective I began to understand the beautiful freedom making music can bring. While I never plan to release my original pieces, allowing music to be my therapy rather than my enemy has been such a healing and rejuvenating thing for my soul, and it wasn't long until I jumped back into ministry with an urge to lead worship. As I enter college as a freshman I am now torn at the thought of leaving my church and the community I have as a worship leader, and I deeply regret every Sunday I missed this year. I believe that God used my mental health struggle to show me that he can renew that which I have deemed irredeemable. He dissipated the hatred and embarrassment in my heart surrounding music, and instead replaced it with a passion for expressing myself and guiding others into His presence. Whatever he has in store for me this year at the University of Oregon is unknown, but I am dedicated to using my creative talents and trusting Him to use me for his purpose - musical or not.

Living with depression and anxiety is “totally normal”. It’s walking through a lovely sunny day, with nothing out of the ordinary, but there's a little raincloud following you around everywhere you go. Everyone else is smiling, absorbing the beautiful sunshine- but even though you’re there with them only you surrounded by your own mini rainstorm. You don’t know why the raincloud chose you or how to get rid of it. You don’t know why it’s there or why you can’t seem to ignore a little cloudiness. All you can see is fog and rain and how you’re missing out on all the fun everyone else is having. 'No big deal' you think, ‘it’s just a rough day, a hard week. Things will start looking up’. But they don't. If there's anything I've learned over the past five years is that anxiety, depression, insomnia, and many other mental health disorders won't just 'go away'. The battle with mental health is a broken leg that no one sees, validates, or sometimes even believes is there. Most will just say to think of happier things, focus on positivity, or try a new hobby-but cannot see the splintered emotional bones inside that need healing and rest. During high school I lost the majority of my friends due to my intense depression and anxiety, and many of them made fun of me or called me 'broken' for being the way that I was. There was no grace in their hearts; no sympathy for a hurting friend. Just an inconvenient obstacle who didn't smile enough to improve their social image. In retrospect, those people were incredibly shallow, but at the time it crushed me to feel outcast because of something I couldn't control. As I've stepped out from the social bubble of high school and into real-world work experience and volunteerism I've made deep connections with people who have realistic and powerful life stories. For the past 2 years I've worked for Michelle Watson, PhD, and she is a eating disorder and mental health specialist who has been a professional counselor for over 25 years. Being her assistant has drawn me into adult circles full of inspiring individuals who have overcome so much, and it continually gives me hope for my future and bettering my mental health. In fact, I would not have met my best friend and current partner Matthew if not for mental health, as we connected during my Junior year of high school discussing our sleep problems, anxiety breathing techniques, and talking each other down when we felt hopeless. Both him and I have grown as people and together because we both have felt the weight of the 'raincloud' only we can see, and as a result we both want to go into public service careers. For me, I want to use my talent with words and language to become a bilingual lawyer, supporting those who don't have the hope and confidence to stand up for themselves, as no one deserves to be without hope. I went through a period of time where I strongly desired to be a therapist, but with the knowledge of my strong and talkative personality, I feel I would best serve my community by speaking for those who cannot represent themselves rather than trying to listen and advise. Wherever my life takes me-career or otherwise-the work I have done in my own life to cope with anxiety, depression, and insomnia will be widely applicable to anyone under high levels of stress or those without hope. My raincloud will never leave me, but the ways in which I know to look for the rays of sun peeking through will hopefully bleed out onto those in proximity to me for as long as I live.

Intentions are never to be assumed, but actions expose true colors. I was raised in the Christian community, filled with hope for the future and surrounded by those who believed in me...until I exhibited qualities of leadership, strength, and fearlessness. Ignoring sexist comments from an insecure classmate was tolerable, but hearing adults I admired shame women for being who they were was earth-shattering. I began wondering at a young age if there was something wrong with me, yet now I see the problem was elsewhere. Though anti-feminist groups exist internationally, I found myself oppressed ‘in the name of Jesus’ in my own home town both openly and behind closed doors. Soon I realized eliminating these misogynistic behaviors was impossible, but leveling the playing field might be the answer. In my life, this came through an incredible therapist, attending women's conferences covering their experiences, and solidifying the truth of who I am: a unique, gifted woman called to lead others well and advocate for the underprivileged. In more volatile and openly oppressive parts of the world the fight for women’s rights is a matter of life and death, and I strongly believe countries like the United States can and should donate assistive financial and educational resources. While the struggles women face in more “equal” societies are still valid, acknowledging the persecution our sisters in foreign nations endure makes me grateful for the major freedoms I do have. That said, we are still a ways away from achieving true equality - if not equity - so that women can decide without fear of judgment or harassment. Implementation of minimum female employment percentages in male-dominated careers such as athletics, law enforcement, and STEM is a new and effective way of empowering women in such fields, as seen through Nike’s recent regulations surrounding employee demographics. Furthermore, I would be thrilled to see more female professionals be respected outside of the executive world, such as on social media, rather than see disapproving men sexualize them or defame their hard-earned reputations. As we cannot control the actions of others, I propose setting up free, private areas for women to nurse their newborns, receive menstrual products, and access pregnancy resources. The physical and emotional struggle our bodies go through as part of our natural cycle should not be something held against us, and policies such as the “Pink Tax” on menstrual products have no legal grounds on which to stand. Creating an empowering environment for women is not about giving unfair advantage or “freebies”, but rather mending that which has been broken, neglected, and abused by the majority in power. Having witnessed the hate toward nursing mothers in public, read the thoughtless comment sections of influencers, and felt the stare of creepy old men as I walked by, I am reminded daily of the many ways women are still considered ‘lesser’. I know of few women who would turn down free financial advising, information on reproductive health, or maternity support from their place of work, yet few feel comfortable asking for it. Why have we not offered such things sooner? Why are we only beginning to realize the flaws in the system? It’s time to give women a fair shot, because not only are we as capable as a man, but we bring to the table what no man could. Whatever the path a woman takes, she deserves full freedom and support to pursue her goals, and I am dedicated to breaking down the centuries of walls built against us. We are strong, and no one deserves the chance to tell us otherwise.

Despite the hardship surrounding education these past two years, moving forward with my pursuit of a law degree is still my greatest passion. Working toward my undergraduate degree in Spanish and Latin Culture is the first step of many toward becoming a lawyer, but I am confident that my efforts will not go to waste. Financials have also been a struggle for my family in regards to post-high school education, but as I have worked three jobs, learned how to invest, and saved rigorously over the summer to afford school. I’m proud of myself for overcoming mental health and situational challenges this year and hope to continue pressing against adversity as I strive toward higher education.

Living with depression and anxiety is “totally normal”. It’s walking through a lovely sunny day, with nothing out of the ordinary, but there's a little raincloud following you around everywhere you go. Everyone else is smiling, absorbing the beautiful sunshine- but even though you’re there with them only you surrounded by your own mini rainstorm. You don’t know why the raincloud chose you or how to get rid of it. You don’t know why it’s there or why you can’t seem to ignore a little cloudiness. All you can see is fog and rain and how you’re missing out on all the fun everyone else is having. 'No big deal' you think, ‘it’s just a rough day, a hard week. Things will start looking up’. But they don't. If there's anything I've learned over the past five years is that anxiety, depression, insomnia, and many other mental health disorders won't just 'go away'. The battle with mental health is a broken leg that no one sees, validates, or sometimes even believes is there. Most will just say to think of happier things, focus on positivity, or try a new hobby-but cannot see the splintered emotional bones inside that need healing and rest. During high school I lost the majority of my friends due to my intense depression and anxiety, and many of them made fun of me or called me 'broken' for being the way that I was. There was no grace in their hearts; no sympathy for a hurting friend. Just an inconvenient obstacle who didn't smile enough to improve their social image. In retrospect, those people were incredibly shallow, but at the time it crushed me to feel outcast because of something I couldn't control. As I've stepped out from the social bubble of high school and into real-world work experience and volunteerism I've made deep connections with people who have realistic and powerful life stories. For the past 2 years I've worked for Michelle Watson, PhD, and she is a eating disorder and mental health specialist who has been a professional counselor for over 25 years. Being her assistant has drawn me into adult circles full of inspiring individuals who have overcome so much, and it continually gives me hope for my future and bettering my mental health. In fact, I would not have met my best friend and current partner Matthew if not for mental health, as we connected during my Junior year of high school discussing our sleep problems, anxiety breathing techniques, and talking each other down when we felt hopeless. Both him and I have grown as people and together because we both have felt the weight of the 'raincloud' only we can see, and as a result we both want to go into public service careers. For me, I want to use my talent with words and language to become a bilingual lawyer, supporting those who don't have the hope and confidence to stand up for themselves, as no one deserves to be without hope. I went through a period of time where I strongly desired to be a therapist, but with the knowledge of my strong and talkative personality, I feel I would best serve my community by speaking for those who cannot represent themselves rather than trying to listen and advise. Wherever my life takes me-career or otherwise-the work I have done in my own life to cope with anxiety, depression, and insomnia will be widely applicable to anyone under high levels of stress or those without hope. My raincloud will never leave me, but the ways in which I know to look for the rays of sun peeking through will hopefully bleed out onto those in proximity to me for as long as I live.

Living with depression and anxiety is “totally normal”. It’s walking through a lovely sunny day, with nothing out of the ordinary, but there's a little raincloud following you around everywhere you go. Everyone else is smiling, absorbing the beautiful sunshine- but even though you’re there with them only you surrounded by your own mini rainstorm. You don’t know why the raincloud chose you or how to get rid of it. You don’t know why it’s there or why you can’t seem to ignore a little cloudiness. All you can see is fog and rain and how you’re missing out on all the fun everyone else is having. 'No big deal' you think, ‘it’s just a rough day, a hard week. Things will start looking up’. But they don't. If there's anything I've learned over the past five years is that anxiety, depression, insomnia, and many other mental health disorders won't just 'go away'. The battle with mental health is a broken leg that no one sees, validates, or sometimes even believes is there. Most will just say to think of happier things, focus on positivity, or try a new hobby-but cannot see the splintered emotional bones inside that need healing and rest. During high school I lost the majority of my friends due to my intense depression and anxiety, and many of them made fun of me or called me 'broken' for being the way that I was. There was no grace in their hearts; no sympathy for a hurting friend. Just an inconvenient obstacle who didn't smile enough to improve their social image. In retrospect, those people were incredibly shallow, but at the time it crushed me to feel outcast because of something I couldn't control. As I've stepped out from the social bubble of high school and into real-world work experience and volunteerism I've made deep connections with people who have realistic and powerful life stories. For the past 2 years I've worked for Michelle Watson, PhD, and she is a eating disorder and mental health specialist who has been a professional counselor for over 25 years. Being her assistant has drawn me into adult circles full of inspiring individuals who have overcome so much, and it continually gives me hope for my future and bettering of my mental health. In fact, I would not have met my best friend and current partner Matthew if not for mental health, as we connected during my Junior year of high school discussing our sleep problems, anxiety breathing techniques, and talking each other down when we felt hopeless. Both him and I have grown as people and together because we both have felt the weight of the 'raincloud' only we can see, and as a result we both want to go into public service careers. For me, I want to use my talent with words and language to become a bilingual lawyer, supporting those who don't have the hope and confidence to stand up for themselves, as no one deserves to be without hope. I went through a period of time where I strongly desired to be a therapist, but with the knowledge of my strong and talkative personality, I feel I would best serve my community by speaking for those who cannot represent themselves rather than trying to listen and advise. Wherever my life takes me-career or otherwise-the work I have done in my own life to cope with anxiety, depression, and insomnia will be widely applicable to anyone under high levels of stress or those without hope. My raincloud will never leave me, but the ways in which I know to look for the rays of sun peeking through will hopefully bleed out onto those in proximity to me for as long as I live.