I was born in Pune, India on October of 2006. Everyone on both sides of my family have only ever lived in India, until my dad took my mom and I to the U.K. due to his new job. There I did pre kindergarten as my family lived in the U.K. for three years. When I was four, we returned to Delhi, India, where my dad grew up. I had a slight British accent and an inability to speak in Hindi. That changed very quickly when I became best friends with a girl named Teesha who lived in the same building as me and she taught me words like chhajja (balcony). I soon started school with a half British accent and half a sense of Hindi words. And, after three years, I was fully fluent in Hindi and completely submerged in Indian culture. On my seventh birthday we went back to Pune where I got to see where I was born and the place we used to live. I didn't know at the time, but that was the last time I was fully living in India. Because soon after, we moved to Kansas, U.S. By now I held my Indian side very close to my heart, only to come to a new country that didn't have my extended family or Teesha. Starting school there, I made a few friends in community who taught me the basic customs, like saying Mr. or Mrs. rather than "Ma'am." But educationally, I struggled, a lot. The concept of there not being a take home textbook for every subject was understandable and learning that Americans meant Native Americans when they said Indians and not Indians from India was very confusing for an Indian seven year old. But, I eventually got the hang of it, my grades turned around, and I was back to being the straight A student that I was. Even if some aspect still don't make sense to me (it should be colour not color), I managed to adjust to the new land and grew a purpose as to what I want to pursue professionally. Now, I am on my third and final year at UMD as a pre-law student with a 3.8 GPA and still very connected to my culture, roots, and thankfully still fluent in Hindi! My current financial situation is that I cannot legally be compensated for work. Even with being in American for twelve years, I am still under a H-4 visa status with which I cannot receive federal aid or legally get a job. I have received two scholarships, both of which were utilized during my first year at UMD. Receiving this scholarship for me means holding some autonomy for my education. It means feeling independent even when the system is against me. I would be very grateful to receive this scholarship because I want to defy the barrier put upon me the best and only way I can: by applying to scholarships and focusing on my education.

My mom always used to tell me to eat smaller bites of my food and to chew from both sides of my mouth rather than stuffing the food only on one side. She also used to try to get me to wear certain sweaters or stockings that I simply refused to wear, no matter how cold it was. She repeatedly told me not to pick at the sides of my fingers or twiddle with my hair strand. These are just three things that I physically did that were a projection of my OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is a type of anxiety disorder where a person has excessive (obsessive) thoughts that lead to recurring (compulsive) behaviors. I was only five years old and had no way to explain to my mom that I had to chew my food to a certain amount which required bigger bites. I had no way to explain that chewing from both sides causes a disproportionate amount of food on each side and it doesn’t hit the “spot” I needed it to. I had no way to explain how the sweaters and stockings she was making me wear would destroy my focus by causing a sensory overload or that a cracked finger would cause an unstoppable urge to pick. Lastly, I had no way to tell her how twiddling with my hair strands calmed my anxiety down and helped me focus. I couldn’t explain any of this because I didn’t understand it myself until I was sixteen years old. I always said my memory began at five, but I now realize my OCD did too. I remember doing repeated actions, like touching any object until it felt “right” or ensuring everything was done in odd numbers. These were just some of my behaviors that took up a lot of mental space, but people have different manifestations of OCD, it's not all just compulsive hand washing. What I wish people understood is that stopping these behaviors isn’t as simple as it seems. It takes immense mental strength to resist the obsessive thoughts and the compulsions they drive. I desperately wanted to walk without thinking about patterns, but my brain wouldn’t allow it. Overcoming OCD isn’t about “getting over it”; it’s about rewiring deeply ingrained thought patterns. How I began to manage my OCD though, is by recognizing my patterns and taking small steps to overcome them. For example, when I was eight, I was exhausted by my sensory issues. So, I started by repeatedly telling myself affirmations like “I am ok” or “Nothing bad will happen” to offset compulsive urges. It became a mental game, but over time I gradually gained control over many of my symptoms. Today, therapy plays a significant role in helping me manage OCD. I’ve learned to identify my triggers and adopt healthier coping strategies. For instance, when I feel the urge to pick at my nails during stressful moments, I use bandaids or distract myself with an activity. It takes a lot of self-awareness and persistence to manage OCD and everyone’s journey is unique. Through my lived experience, I’ve made it a mission to educate others about OCD and reduce the stigma surrounding it. It’s important to highlight that OCD is not just about being organized, as the media portrays it. By sharing my story, I hope to help others better understand the disorder and to heal the part of me that once felt misunderstood. Most importantly, I aim to explain to my mom why I didn’t always listen to her and how those early struggles shaped the person I am today.

Without progress, any subject, any matter, or any issue, can never be solved or improved. That's a philosophy that personally drives me and has made me ambitious regarding political science. Let me introduce myself first; my name is Pragati Gautam. I was born in India, and immigrated to America exactly ten years ago. A fun fact about me is that my name, in my mother tongue Hindi, means progress. When I was born, my parents said that was the tipping point in their life, bringing them a lot of progress. Though, I would like to say that my interest in political science was built and not destined, I can't help but think some things are just meant to be. My drive for political science revolves around the idea of progress. I believe that as times change, so should people's mindsets and receptiveness. We are living in a world where people are not open to new ideas or discussions, and that is starting to send us backwards more than ever. That is not progress; the political field is not progressing for the better, it is instead reverting to the worse. For example, when we get the notification on our phone for an update, we do it to improve our phone. Just like that, we should update our minds to improve the quality of our and other people's lives. As I get older, and hopefully wiser, I want to learn political science and update the hard drive of my mind to progress. The political science field is so important to give an in-depth view on the political and legal system to truly understand it and carry it out in the best possible way as time goes on. And as time changes, people will change, and I am sure laws will too. The problem that usually arises is when these laws don't progress with the time they are in, which is what I don't agree with. My plan isn't to make or change the laws, it's to provide assistance to people who might be negatively impacted by such laws. I aspire to be an immigration lawyer and use my knowledge of political science to understand the world and the people in it on a deeper and on a interpersonal level. My ambitions don't rely on completely changing the world, but on helping to progress it on any scale I can. As someone with immigration experience and has firsthand seen the struggles and determination of immigrant families, I wish to use my political science knowledge to both, carry out the legal system by upholding the law, while also protecting immigrant families the best I can. I am deeply passionate about the law and progressing the law, but when law isn't progressing, I want to be part of the legal field to make sure I can uphold the law to the best standard while helping people through their challenges with the law.

Balance is crucial for life, but the scales of my life have always tipped against me. At the age of two, I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. An untreatable, life-threatening genetic lung condition. As a kid, I knew nothing of a "normal life." My normalcy consisted of struggles with medications, hospital stays, IV drips, difficulty breathing, and relentless coughing. I never knew any other life; I knew only of my life. At the age of twelve, however, everything changed. I found a girl my age on YouTube who had a life very much like mine. She also had cystic fibrosis and was showing her morning routine, which, to my surprise, was exactly like my own. Right then, the realization hit me. Discovering a part of myself was thrilling, but that feeling was short-lived when I started to research my illness thoroughly. With research, I was enlightened about the weight of my illness. I felt a pang of sorrow and a troubling sadness when I realized that my illness would further tip the scales of my already short life. No one around me understood the weight of emotions I felt at such a young age and how difficult it was to cope with them. To question your mortality, your very existence, due to something you had no control over. I had been blissfully ignorant of my life’s severe challenges before then, but now I knew better and wished I didn’t. At age thirteen, I took up writing. I wrote about all my thoughts, poems, short stories, songs- anything and everything. Writing became my passion. Talking helps, but for me, writing was different; it gave me a sense of control and normalcy I so hopelessly wished for. At age fourteen, a new medication arrived, and a life-changing transformation occurred: I got "normal." I wasn't underweight anymore; I started breathing better, coughing less, and sleeping peacefully at night. I had never been better, and with that, my motivation to continue writing grew.  At age fifteen, I started writing for our local library blog page. I wrote poems, observations, and literature reviews. By doing so, I took my first step toward publishing my skills, which, little did I know then, was my turning page for yet another self-discovery. When junior year arrived, I initiated rebuilding the Newspaper Club at my school. The school Newspaper, The Owl, had been shut down for 15 years before my co-editor and I brought it back to life. I became not just the co-founder but also the co-editor of the newspaper, now rebranded by us as The Owl Gazette. Being the co-editor has honed my writing, editing, managing, networking, and advocating skills. I started the newspaper to bring something new to our school. Writing was my way of expressing myself initially, but now I wanted to widen my goals and upscale my passion. I am determined to do journalism because, in my childhood experience, I felt hidden and underrepresented. That’s why I am crafting this newspaper to be inclusive to all students with various talents so students can stay informed, present their writing skills, and be recognized as a part of our school. My passion for writing has completely changed my perspective on life and my part in it. I refuse to hide in the shadows from myself or others. The scales of life have always been unbalanced, but I have learned that if I want that vital essence of balance, I must balance them myself. Though I was unaware, I have always possessed that control, and with that realization, I am tipping the scale to equilibrium.

Growing up, I never felt seen. I never met anyone like me, so I assumed I was alone. See, I have a chronic lung disease called cystic fibrosis, it's a genetic condition where thick mucus grows and clogs up my lungs, which makes it very difficult for me to breathe. One day, I saw a video of a morning routine of a girl like me, and lo behold, she was doing the exact same medications as me. That's when I started researching my condition intensely, and soon I found a book. The book is 5 Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, and Tobias Iaconis, which I believe everyone should read. When I found 5 Feet Apart, I was in a tough place mentally, because I realized how dangerous my condition really is. For me, the life I knew was normal, so taking pills morning and night, doing vests and nebulizers, and coughing harshly were all the same old. I became really aware of myself during this time and felt more alone than I had ever had so far. I felt so isolated and anxious. So, as soon as I found out about the book 5 Feet Apart, I ran to get it. I was so emotional throughout the book, I laughed, I cried and man did I heavily connect myself to this book. I want people to read this book so that awareness can be spread. The book I feel does an excellent job at talking about the stuff cystic fibrosis patients do, like the treatments and all the stuff they have to handle. But most importantly, I loved how well the book explained the inner thoughts of patients like me. About wanting a normal life, wanting to feel normal, wanting to feel so less alone. I feel like these are also the thoughts of other people that are nonpatients who could benefit from this book so they could also feel not alone. I want people to read this book because it has a great plot, it's sweet yet complicated in the best way and it really tugs at your heartstrings. I also want there to be awareness about cystic fibrosis, so people like me can feel seen and understood when we talk about our struggles and not be taken lightly. Overall I hope reading this book spreads more awareness about cystic fibrosis and helps everyone feel less alone.

I don't know about you... but I am still living in my Wildest Dreams. Wildest Dreams is the top-tier most nostalgic song on Taylor Swift's 1989 album. It's my favorite song on the album for simply two reasons, it's nostalgic and it speaks to a girl's thoughts. I remember vividly listening to this song on the radio, not fully understanding what the song meant, but still being able to connect to it and visualize it and imagine this great romantic scene. Now, as a teenage girl myself, that song takes me back to simpler times, when the lyrics didn't attach themselves to me as much as they do now. Somewhere between innocent daydreaming to sobbing the song late at night in bed, we all grew up. I was 8 years old when Wildest Dreams was released, and I fell in love with the song. I had recently moved to America, and just by hearing this song on the radio for the first time, Taylor Swift became the first artist I listened to and my favorite. Not being able to relate to the lyrics itself, but hearing the song and just feeling its soft feminine energy was enough. It brought this sense of freeness inside of me, as the little girl I imagined overlooking a beautiful sunset, standing on a cliff in a white flowy dress with rosy lips. Every girl's dream. This song felt like such a soft love song at the time, so pure and innocent. Now the meaning has changed but the feeling lives on. See, being a teenage girl now, the song's lyrics contradict the image I had created in my mind. Taylor describes this longing she has for a guy who she knows is going to leave her already and that all she wants is for him at the end of the day to remember her. The song really tugs at my heartstrings now that I hear it because I can relate to it. To want to be remembered by someone who is not going to be around to stay. The special thing about this song is that it's so nostalgic for me because that little girl that had a romanticized view of this song is still in me, but this girl now can actually relate to the song and be able to connect it to my life. However, this is not to say I have a negative viewpoint on the song. Even though I am able to connect this song to myself on a personal level, it doesn't mean the song is ruined. It's nice to be able to have a song that makes you feel less alone and comforts you. That's the beauty of songs, they don't have to be ruined just because you relate to them, they can simply make the situation a bit easier to cope with. It made the old me very happy and bubbly listening to this song back when it came out and it makes now me feel the same but in a different more comforting-I am not alone way. Because I am not alone, and I know that I will one day get to have a chance to live my happier Wildest Dreams, the kind that the same little me thought was being said. There's always something to enjoy about the past, and always something to look forward to, I am glad there is a song that connects that bridge for me.

Staying involved in the community is just as important as participating in school. My school offers various clubs and activities for students to participate in and I have taken the initiative to be involved as much as possible. Along with that, however, I also make sure to take part in activities in my community. I am involved in clubs in my school such as our Owl's Food Pantry, Philosophy Club and Ethics Bowl, and Newspaper Club which is a club that I implemented myself. I also participate in nonprofit organizations like Together We Own It, and Writer's Block from the Carroll County public library and tutor at the Bal Vihar program at the Great Baltimore Temple. These various activities are all connected to me personally which is why I take a part in them. In my school, the activities given are fun and resourceful. Along with the clubs, I am in various honor societies, like NHS, NHES, and Rho Kappa, I am not saying this to be boastful, but instead, I was to list out why I choose the activities I take part in. For me, clubs are a way to branch out and be able to make connections with teachers and students. Being part of the Philosophy Club, and Food Pantry gives me an outlet to express my ideas and see the different perspectives of other students. I frequently change the clubs I am involved in at my school, last year I was part of Key Club, which allowed me to participate in school and volunteer in the community. I believe school clubs are the perfect way for a student to grow out of their shell and learn new things about their environment, their peers or themselves. That's also why I started the Newspaper Club, all the activities I have been given so far show two things, my passion for writing and networking. Being the co-editor of the Newspaper has been refreshing, to be able to start Junior year with an initiation of my own has been very rewarding due to how it has driven me to work harder and continue my passion for writing. I participate in these activities and clubs so that my writing and my actions hopefully leave a mark in my community, I don't need/want to be seen or remembered, I just hope the goodwill I sent out is felt. The participation I have done in my school has been beneficial, the school has been my greatest outlet, however, there are few things I do in my community. I participate in nonprofit organizations, like Bello Machre, and Together We Own It, and other activities like writing for the public library in my community. I also tutor with my father at the Hindu temple, teaching 5-6-year-old kids Hindi I. These activities help me participate in my community and be rooted in my culture. For me the other activities are seasonal, or when given the opportunity but being involved in the temple is dear to my heart. I have grown up being bilingual, and I see many American-Indian kids struggle with knowing their language, so being able to help them is the greatest gift for me. I want them to accept and love their culture and be able to communicate freely. I struggled with accepting my culture, and I wouldn't want the same for any other children. This is why I participate, so that they won't have to struggle to love and accept themselves.