"I'll leave right now, don't worry." Heavy footsteps walked across the room as I woke up that early morning. The sound of crying and screaming from downstairs didn't seem to stop. I didn't know what had happened, yet I woke up with a heavy heart and a flipping stomach. I got out of bed and walked out slowly. I'll never forget the gloomy energy in the air that day. My dad rushed by me in a panic as he was talking on the phone. My aunt had taken her own life... I was clueless as to what that meant as a 7 year old, I just grieved and knew that she had left us. However, the older I get the more I question what made her take that step. The older I get the more I want to talk about her. The older I get the more I wish I could have helped her. The older I get the more I miss her. I always think of her when the topic of mental health comes up. I don't want anyone else in my family to internally struggle with mental health like my aunt did. Therefore, I convinced my family to start yoga with me. I've been a part of an organization for the past year and it helps people connect their mind with their body through several traditional activities. It has brought us immense benefits and helped us take care of our mental health. It has helped me wake up early in the morning which then contributes to the rest of my day going well. It has helped me walk into school with a peaceful mind and energy. Additionally, it has helped me regulate my menstrual-cycle, therefore I truly appreciate and enjoy doing yoga with my family. I have always had the desire to help others and I have always looked up to doctors and therapists because they spend so much of their time and money just to learn so much about human brain and body. They dedicate their own life to learn enough so that they can help others in the future. I aspire to be a doctor in the future as well and take care of others as well my own health. Although I am uncertain about which field to enter, I am certainly willing to dedicate my life to helping people with their mental health.

"I'll leave right now, don't worry." Heavy footsteps walked across the room as I woke up that early morning. The sound of crying and screaming from downstairs didn't seem to stop. I didn't know what had happened, yet I woke up with a heavy heart and a flipping stomach. I got out of bed and walked out slowly. I'll never forget the gloomy energy in the air that day. My dad rushed by me in a panic as he was talking on the phone. My aunt had taken her own life... I was clueless as to what that meant as a 7 year old, I just grieved and knew that she had left us. However, the older I get the more I question what made her take that step. The older I get the more I want to talk about her. The older I get the more I wish I could have helped her. The older I get the more I miss her. I always think of her when the topic of mental health comes up. I don't want anyone else in my family to internally struggle with mental health like my aunt did. Therefore, I convinced my family to start yoga with me. I've been a part of an organization for the past year and it helps people connect their mind with their body through several traditional activities. It has brought us immense benefits and helped us take care of our mental health. It has helped me wake up early in the morning which then contributes to the rest of my day going well. It has helped me walk into school with a peaceful mind/energy. Additionally, it has helped me regulate my menstrual-cycle, therefore I truly appreciate and enjoy doing yoga with my family. Thank you for this prompt.

With gratitude, I am happy that I have the opportunity to further continue my education, however affordability is my biggest worry at the moment. My parents have given up everything merely for the benefit of my better future and education. I don't want to be an unbearable burden on my parents and for that I will at least need to try my hardest to win scholarships with my academic abilities. I currently have a 4.49 weighted GPA, am a part of the top 10% of my class, am the Vice President of tutoring services and taking college level classes in high school. I have done everything that I, as a student, could possibly do in the past 4 years to make my parents proud. However, sadly, I have yet to receive full financial aid from any school in order to take that worry away from my parents. Although I am waiting for a few more schools, I would really be deeply thankful for the amount that I am going to contribute to my further studies.

“1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4…” I mumbled while trying to catch my breath. Dance was a hobby I picked up during the time we had virtual school. It became the one thing I was willing to wake up early for. Living in a brown household, one barely gets any alone time and mine was in the mornings. Every morning I headed to my garage with my new shoes, and continued learning choreographies. I ran back and forth to pause and replay the dance tutorials. It brought me so much joy as I figured out how to move effortlessly like the bodies on the screen. Dance has surprised me with the kinds of lessons I learned that related to my lifestyle. It taught me how to manage my time, what consistency can do, and the facility to learn something if you have genuine passion for it. My lazy mornings slowly minimized and became productive as I was more attentive of the time I had in my day. I began managing my time trying to fit in dance practices in my day. Along with time management, dance helped with dedication as well. I would do wrong moves so frequently and the frustration would get to me; however, that taught me the power of consistency because the more I did it the more freely my body moved. Another inspiration I got from dance was to create an obsession for passion. I woke up as early as 6AM everyday to dance, yet I didn’t have to push myself off the bed even once. I always knew that if someone is passionate about something, excitement naturally comes to them. However, genuinely experiencing that in real life really feels different and motivating.

I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. Another goal I have is to help people, especially kids, improve their smile. I aspire to be a pediatric dentist, and I'm aware that dentists have great positive impacts in their patient's lives in general. They go through numerous difficult years in school to study dentistry, so that they can keep their patients healthy. I will surely be doing the same, however I, simultaneously, want to make a positive impact in my patients lives through communication. Communication is extremely important when it comes to building relationships, therefore I want to have strong relationships with my patients and make a positive impact in their lives. A common fear among children and teens is going to the dentist. I want children to come to my office with excitement and joy. I want to create such an environment where they are comfortable to talk to their dentist and I truly believe that such a relationship with my patients will be a memorable part of their life when they are grown. One way to do it is by listening. Kids often live and talk about their imaginary life in their head. I think this is such an innovative part of life and it is often ignored by teachers and parents. I want to show interest in their imagination and be creative with them. I want to start such conversations where my patients are engaged and entertained while I take care of their dental health. I think this way I will be able to make a great positive impact in my patients' mental and dental health. Smile…

My favorite way to help others is by listening. I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. Listening doesn't always mean advice or opinion is needed as a response, sometimes you only have to sit there and... listen.

Did I wear the correct uniform? Did I bring my ID card? Is my hair well-presented? The sound of heels clicking drew closer. My legs had started cramping, but as the teacher got near, she made strong eye contact with me. I met her gaze. Her eyeballs slowly went down, then up, and she said, “okay.” The deep breath I was holding in escaped me after hearing just that one word. I was relieved knowing that I didn't have to go back home or get scolded by a teacher. I waited quietly until my line could head to our first class of the day. It was another day of school in Nepal. I was 8 years old. Later in class, I accidentally pulled my friend's braided hair. As I was done with all my work, I helped her re-braid her hair. The dean walked in and saw me braiding instead of working. He walked across the room, and slapped me across the face. My ears rang as I slowly sat back down. My tears wet the workbook and smudged the writing on the pages. Going to school in Nepal, I got to experience the strict academic environment and the ruthless society there. Everything changed when I moved to America in 4th grade: the food, dress codes, teachers and their behaviors, and especially the "punishments." In America, I never had bruised hands from getting hit in my palms when I got an answer wrong. In fact, the teacher explained it to me 3 times until I understood. Scars that I carried from Nepal had faded here. I frequently draw parallels between my life here and in Nepal. There are so many differences that I hadn't anticipated or even considered. Here I could wear whatever I wanted. I could do my hair however I wanted. I could paint my nails or even put one of those temporary tattoos, if I wanted. Here I'd have the chance to prioritize my education rather than my looks and "disciplines." I once used to dream of doing these things, but the fact that I was able to now was astonishing for me. That braiding anecdote runs through my thoughts every time I'm asked if I prefer schools here or back home. My response is always, “I think I prefer it here.” The freedom I've been given here offers me along with many opportunities. Here, you don't get hurt for being wrong, you are built up to become better. Now, every night, pages flip in my journal as I write to thank God for the chances and the choices I have received knowing that I wouldn’t have it in Nepal. This not only allowed me to better acknowledge the opportunities I now have in front of me, but it also opened my eyes toward the value of education. I could now take the experiences from the past, and move on toward a more gratitude-filled future. With this gratitude, I'm happy that I have the opportunity to further continue my education. My parents have given up everything merely for the benefit of my better future and education. I currently have a 4.5 weighted GPA, am a part of the top 10% of my class, am the Vice President of tutoring services and taking college level classes in high school. I have done everything that I, as a student, could possibly do in the past 4 years to make my parents proud and that will continue to be my main motivation to chase after success in college as well. To me, getting a college education means exploring and learning further into your interest. I think it's an amazing opportunity (also an expensive one) to grow into adulthood while gaining more knowledge in one's interested area. Prior to starting college there are countless steps you are required to take as well: application essays, financial aid, college visits, etc. As a first generation going to college, I didn't receive as much help from family as I would have wanted, however, it was adventurous journey and I'm proud of having earned the ability to help my brother with numerous steps henceforth. This has mainly led me to realize the stronger independent woman I'm forming into. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to further continue my education, however affordability is my biggest worry at the moment. Therefore, other than excessively searching and applying for scholarships, my typical day after-school consists of tutoring students from all grade-levels. I’m the Vice-President of the EHK tutoring fundraiser where we select qualified high-school students to tutor other students from grades K-12 in any subject. I've been involved since my freshman year and it has been such an honor to be able to give back to our community. All the collected money is donated to a variety of causes: fundraisers for Afghanistan refugees, covid relief, families in need, bus driver appreciation, food for the homeless, and gifts/school supplies for kids who need it. Through EHK I have felt the warmth and fulfillness after giving to others and encourages me to continue these acts. Throughout my years of high-school, I have always been curious student. Well, that's kind of a lie. I haven't always had a curious mind. I have, however, wanted to be more curious about things and am working toward it. I like the mental process that I go through when a question appears in my thoughts and I've to go outside of my comfort zone to answer that question, such as asking a stranger, or spending hours researching something. I have realized, through several mentors from YouTube, that curiosity opens doors to new ideas, inventions, and knowledge. Therefore, in my junior/senior year I've willfully spent more time searching for educational content on social media, since that is where I spent most of my time. I started watching videos about investing in stocks and real estates during the time we had online school because my parents often brought the topic and I wanted to learn as well.

Listening doesn't always mean that advice or opinion is needed as a response, sometimes you only have to sit there and... listen. A social issue in our society is toxic masculinity. I believe that there are such unreachable expectations for the men in our society and that damage is directly correlated to the societal inequality for women. Men are expected to have such tough bodies and tough mindsets that makes one forget that they are humans too. Men are made fun of when they cry, told to "suck it up" during hard times, and rarely ever asked how they are doing mentally. If they say they are doing fine, they must be fine mentally and emotionally right? Wrong wrong wrong. Most of the time men are suffering in silent, hence the unbelievable statistics of a higher suicide rate for men than women. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however, I disagree because it's possible to invalidate their feelings. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotions, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. Many men don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: getting called as "gay", toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others, especially the men in my lives: my friends, brothers, cousins, and nephews. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I want to listen and acknowledge their feelings. I want to let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. I would also like to bring more awareness to this issue globally through social media and technology. I think a large majority of Tik Tok trends lie in toxic masculinity as well. I really think this needs to change because as time passes, the majority of our generation is spending a large amount of time on social media. Therefore, I think it is extremely important to bring such awareness to social media, so that our future boys (and girls) don't have to be victims of toxic masculinity. That being said, there are several other issues swirling in social media such as: bullying, negative comments, unrealistic expectations for young boys and girls, peer pressure and so much more. I think we as a community need to create more content that brings awareness to this and help make social media a safe space for our future generation. Alongside, I think that if the message of reducing toxic masculinity is spread across and brought attention of parents, it would make massive improvements because they would treat their sons and daughters the same as far as equal emotional and mental support.

I want people to remember me for my kindness and how I always willing to listen to people. Listening doesn't always mean advice or opinion is needed as a response, sometimes you only have to sit there and... listen. I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I want to listen and acknowledge their feelings. I want to let them know that I'm there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. So, if there is anything that I can be remembered for, it's for all the times I have sat and listened.

Listening doesn't always mean an advice or opinion is needed as a response, sometimes you only have to sit there and... listen. I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I want to listen and acknowledge their feelings. I want to let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. So, if there is anything that I can share with others it would be to just sit and listen and hug someone and only provide opinion/advice when asked for.

“1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4…” I mumbled while trying to catch my breath. Dance was a hobby I picked up during the time we had virtual school. It became the one thing I was willing to wake up early for. Living in a brown household, one barely gets any alone time and mine was in the mornings. Every morning I headed to my garage with my new shoes, and continued learning choreographies. I ran back and forth to pause and replay the dance tutorials. It brought me so much joy as I figured out how to move effortlessly like the bodies on the screen. Dance has surprised me with the kinds of lessons I learned that related to my lifestyle. It taught me how to manage my time, what consistency can do, and the facility to learn something if you have genuine passion for it. My lazy mornings slowly minimized and became productive as I was more attentive of the time I had in my day. I began managing my time trying to fit in dance practices in my day. Along with time management, dance helped with dedication as well. I would do wrong moves so frequently and the frustration would get to me; however, that taught me the power of consistency because the more I did it the more freely my body moved. Another inspiration I got from dance was to create an obsession for passion. I woke up as early as 6AM everyday to dance, yet I didn’t have to push myself off the bed even once. I always knew that if someone is passionate about something, excitement naturally comes to them. However, genuinely experiencing that in real life really feels different and motivating.

I deserve this scholarship because I follow you on TikTok. Well, that and because my parents have given up everything merely for the benefit of my future. I can't be an unbearable burden on them and for that I'll try my hardest to win scholarships with my academic abilities. I'm in the top 10% of my class, leader of clubs, taking college level classes in high-school and have a 4.5GPA. My academic and career goal overall is just to not go broke. I wish that was my creative wrong answer, but it's not. I want to learn how to be financially responsible because I have learned that it truly is easier said than done. Alongside, I want to do my research and apply to as many scholarship/ financial aid as possible to lessen the load of college debt. At 9, I came here from Nepal without knowing how to read/write/speak in English. I was in ESOL, but soon was removed because I had just improved on speaking. Subsequently, I didn't have anyone to practice reading/writing with me, so my reading/writing skills had become worse. I self-taught myself everything. It was difficult because I had to discipline myself, however, soon I became confident enough to take Honors, AP and DE English.

Hello! I'm a high-school senior trying my hardest to win scholarships to attend a university. I came here from Nepal and have adjusted to the new life here. I'm happy that I have the opportunity to further my education, however affordability is my biggest worry. My parents have given up everything merely for the benefit of my future. I currently have a 4.5 GPA, am in top 10% of my class, am the Vice President of tutoring services and more. I have done everything that I, as a student, could possibly do in the past 4 years to make my parents proud and hopefully will continue to do so.

Having immigrant parents can be a blessing, but extremely difficult. They are new to this land and have to learn all the rules and manners. I’m the oldest child and I have seen the way my parents struggled to make a living here. It all makes sense now, but the 11 year old me couldn’t understand why my parents never spent time with us. I would complain to my brother “bro, Lucy's dad took them to Hawaii last weekend, why are our parent’s boring?” *sad face* It wasn’t a sudden realization, but I slowly noticed that I sounded pathetic complaining about that. To solve this “issue,” I started helping my parents around the house. Not cooking and cleaning, but translating documents, talking to customer service, and making doctor appointments for my family. I supported them in all the tasks that they struggled with due to their deficient English. I always said “yes” to everything my dad asked me to do, even if I had no clue how to do it because it was easier for me to figure it out rather than have them do it. I did these “adult things,” just to spend a little more time with my parents. However, as a senior, I realize that this is actually a blessing in disguise. Having these responsibilities at such a young age only prepared me for my own future. Instead of complaining, I started doing these tasks with interest because I know that I will be graduating high school knowing how to write checks, pay bills, traffic-tickets, apply for jobs and so much more. I take pride in not only being able to help my family, but preparing myself to be more independent.

I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. Another goal I have is to help people, especially kids, improve their smile. I aspire to be a pediatric dentist, and I'm aware that dentists have great positive impacts in their patient's lives in general. They go through numerous difficult years in school to study dentistry, so that they can keep their patients healthy. I will surely be doing the same, however I, simultaneously, want to make a positive impact in my patients lives through communication. Communication is extremely important when it comes to building relationships, therefore I want to have strong relationships with my patients and make a positive impact in their lives. A common fear among children and teens is going to the dentist. I want children to come to my office with excitement and joy. I want to create such an environment where they are comfortable to talk to their dentist and I truly believe that such a relationship with my patients will be a memorable part of their life when they are grown. One way to do it is by listening. Kids often live and talk about their imaginary life in their head. I think this is such an innovative part of life and it is often ignored by teachers and parents. I want to show interest in their imagination and be creative with them. I want to start such conversations where my patients are engaged and entertained while I take care of their dental health. I think this way I will be able to make a great positive impact in my patients' mental and dental health. Smile…

As weird as it may sound, my hobby is to listen to others. I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. Another goal I have is to help people, especially kids, improve their smile. I aspire to be a pediatric dentist, and I'm aware that dentists have great positive impacts in their patient's lives in general. They go through numerous difficult years in school to study dentistry, so that they can keep their patients healthy. I will surely be doing the same, however I, simultaneously, want to make a positive impact in my patients lives through communication. Communication is extremely important when it comes to building relationships, therefore I want to have strong relationships with my patients and make a positive impact in their lives. A common fear among children and teens is going to the dentist. I want children to come to my office with excitement and joy. I want to create such an environment where they are comfortable to talk to their dentist and I truly believe that such a relationship with my patients will be a memorable part of their life when they are grown. One way to do it is by listening. Kids often live and talk about their imaginary life in their head. I think this is such an innovative part of life and it is often ignored by teachers and parents. I want to show interest in their imagination and be creative with them. I want to start such conversations where my patients are engaged and entertained while I take care of their dental health. I think this way I will be able to make a great positive impact in my patients' mental and dental health. Smile…

Having immigrant parents can be a blessing, but extremely difficult. They are new to this land and have to learn all the rules and manners. I’m the oldest child and I have seen the way my parents struggled to make a living here. It all makes sense now, but the 11 year old me couldn’t understand why my parents never spent time with us. I would complain to my brother “bro, Lucy's dad took them to Hawaii last weekend, why are our parent’s boring?” *sad face* It wasn’t a sudden realization, but I slowly noticed that I sounded pathetic complaining about that. To solve this “issue,” I started helping my parents around the house. Not cooking and cleaning, but translating documents, talking to customer service, and making doctor appointments for my family. I supported them in all the tasks that they struggled with due to their deficient English. I always said “yes” to everything my dad asked me to do, even if I had no clue how to do it because it was easier for me to figure it out rather than have them do it. I did these “adult things,” just to spend a little more time with my parents. However, as a senior, I realize that this is actually a blessing in disguise. Having these responsibilities at such a young age only prepared me for my own future. Instead of complaining, I started doing these tasks with interest because I know that I will be graduating high school knowing how to write checks, pay bills, traffic-tickets, apply for jobs and so much more. I take pride in not only being able to help my family, but preparing myself to be more independent.

Did I wear the correct uniform? Are my shoes polished? Did I bring my ID card? Is my hair well-presented? The sound of heels clicking drew closer and closer. My legs had started cramping, but as the teacher got near, she made strong eye contact with me. I met her gaze. Her eyeballs slowly went down, then up, and then she said, “okay.” The deep breath I was holding in escaped me after hearing just that one word. I was relieved knowing that I didn't have to go back home or get scolded by a teacher. I waited quietly until my line could head to our first class of the day. It was another day of school in Nepal. I was 8 years old. Later in class, I accidentally pulled my friend's braided hair and it fell apart. As I was done with all my work, I helped her re-braid her hair. The dean walked in and saw me braiding instead of working. He walked across the room, told me to stand up, and slapped me across the face. My ears rang as I slowly sat back down. My tears wet the workbook and smudged the writing on the pages. Going to school in Nepal, I got to experience the strict academic environment and the ruthless society there. Everything changed when I moved to America in 4th grade: the food, dress codes, teachers and their behaviors, and especially the "punishments." The audacity of students in America who could look a teacher straight in the eye, raise their voice and talk back, shocked me. The fact that they only ended up getting a timeout in the corner of the room was what stunned me more because in Nepal, they would be walking out of school with a swollen behind. In America, I never had bruised hands from getting hit in my palms when I got an answer wrong. In fact, the teacher explained it to me 3 times until I understood. Scars that I carried from Nepal had faded here. I frequently draw parallels between my life here and in Nepal. There are so many differences that I hadn't anticipated or even considered. Here I could wear whatever I wanted. I could do my hair however I wanted. I could paint my nails or even put one of those temporary tattoos, if I wanted. I once used to dream of doing these things, but the fact that I was able to now was astonishing for me. That braiding anecdote runs through my thoughts every time I'm asked if I prefer schools here or back home. My response is always, “I think I prefer it here.” The freedom I've been given here offers me along with many opportunities. Here, you don't get hurt for being wrong, you are built up to become better. Now, every night, pages flip in my journal as I write to thank God for the chances and the choices I have received knowing that I wouldn’t have it in Nepal. I grew as a person as I felt true gratitude with this satisfied feeling that emerged in me even with small things in life. This not only allowed me to better acknowledge the opportunities I now have in front of me, but it also opened my eyes toward the value of certain things: buying new shirts or colored shoes, talking to a teacher, or being able to braid my friends' hair whenever. I could now take the experiences from the past, and move on toward a more gratitude-filled future.

Hello! Firstly I want to introduce myself. My name is Rashmi Bhatta. I am a high school senior dealing with the process of college application and trying my hardest to win scholarships to attend a university. I came to the United States from Nepal and have adjusted to the new life here. I began my life in a new education system here with immigrant parents while figuring out the important factors in my life that brought me happiness. At 9, I entered the United States with no knowledge of how to read, write or speak in English. To help, I was placed in ESOL, but soon was removed because I improved on speaking by watching cartoons. Subsequently, I didn't have anyone to practice reading and writing with me anymore, thus my reading and writing skills had yet to enhance. As I was older, I realized that I needed to work on the skills on my own. I started reading tons of books and practiced by writing essays from random prompts. It was difficult at times because I had to discipline myself for it, however, soon I became confident enough to take Honors and eventually AP and DE English. One of the biggest challenges in my life has been because of the new life here in the US. Having immigrant parents can be a blessing yet extremely difficult. Being the oldest child with a younger brother indirectly signifies that you’re their third parent. Looking at progress reports, checking/helping with homework, and emailing teachers are a few of the tasks that I've been doing for my brother because my parents struggle with understanding the school system here. I help my parents set up payments for bills, remind them with due dates, fill their job application whenever needed, aid with their work problems, cook dinner when they are not home, and so much more. I also ensure that my brother is doing well in school physically and mentally, which is why he looks up to me as a role model. This was very challenging for me while growing up, however, I never really "overcame" it. I simply started looking at this situation through a different point of view. I started taking this as a blessing in a way because I already knew so much while entering adult life. It has also helped me gain self-confidence as I begin preparing for college. I always said “yes” to everything my dad asked me to do, even if I had no clue how to do it because it was easier for me to figure it out rather than have them do it. However, as a senior, I realize that this is actually a blessing in disguise. Having these responsibilities at such a young age only prepared me for my own future. Instead of complaining, I started doing these tasks with interest because I know that I will be graduating high school knowing how to write checks, pay bills, traffic-tickets, apply for jobs and so much more. Additionally, as a first generation going to college, I'm proud of being able to help my brother with numerous steps henceforth. This has also led me to realize that I’m forming into a stronger independent woman. I take pride in not only being able to help my family, but preparing myself to be more independent. To conclude, I have faced struggles mainly due to having to settle in a new country, however I am also beyond grateful to have the opportunity to do so.

Hello! Firstly I want to introduce myself. My name is Rashmi Bhatta. I am a high school senior dealing with the process of college application and trying my hardest to win scholarships to attend a university. I came to the United States from Nepal and have adjusted to the new life here. I began my life in a new education system here with immigrant parents while figuring out the important factors in my life that brought me happiness. At 9, I entered the United States with no knowledge of how to read, write or speak in English. To help, I was placed in ESOL, but soon was removed because I improved on speaking by watching cartoons. Subsequently, I didn't have anyone to practice reading and writing with me anymore, thus my reading and writing skills had yet to enhance. As I was older, I realized that I needed to work on the skills on my own. I started reading tons of books and practiced by writing essays from random prompts. It was difficult at times because I had to discipline myself for it, however, soon I became confident enough to take Honors and eventually AP and DE English. Having immigrant parents can be a blessing yet extremely difficult. Being the oldest child with a younger brother indirectly signifies that you’re their third parent. Looking at progress reports, checking/helping with homework, and emailing teachers are a few of the tasks that I've been doing for my brother because my parents struggle with understanding the school system here. I ensure that my brother is doing well in school physically and mentally, which is why he looks up to me as a role model. Additionally, as a first generation going to college, I'm proud of being able to help my brother with numerous steps henceforth. This has also led me to realize that I’m forming into a stronger independent woman. With gratitude, I am happy that I have the opportunity to further continue my education, however affordability is my biggest worry at the moment. My parents have given up everything merely for the benefit of my better future and education. I don't want to be an unbearable burden on my parents and for that I will at least need to try my hardest to win scholarships with my academic abilities. I currently have a 4.5 weighted GPA, am a part of the top 10% of my class, am the Vice President of tutoring services and taking college level classes in high school. I have done everything that I, as a student, could possibly do in the past 4 years to make my parents proud. However, sadly, I have yet to receive full financial aid from any school in order to take that worry away from my parents. Although I am waiting for a few more schools, I would really be deeply thankful for the amount that I am going to contribute to my further studies. Thank you for taking your time to read my story.

The critical thinking and the challenges is what I find the most exciting about Informational Technology. I would love to use my creativity to create and explore new advancements in technology. Although there are countless benefits of technology in our current world, there are several damages that follow as well. Humans have become more addicted than ever to their devices and social media. This is incredibly harmful for our future generations, so therefore I would like to contribute to bringing more awareness and popularity to humane technology. I would like to work on inventions that would take us steps closer to undoing the harm of technology. While I understand, it may be extremely difficult to do so, I think it is absolutely possible. The people who have worked behind these big tech companies know the damage and they protect their kids from it, however those who don't know should be educated. I want to have a career in Information Technology, so that I can reduce the damages of technology without it affecting any of the benefits. One way to pass time during quarantine was to read. I had yet to find a book that I wanted to read over and over again until Lilly Singh’s book “How to be a Bawse,” and it left me in awe. Every chapter I read, compelled me to reflect on myself and brainstorm how to apply those lessons to my personal life. I learned that it’s possible to train our minds for success. It’s all about self control to give our brains the break it deserves. Sometimes, overworking our brain is the reason we don’t reach success because your thoughts are raveled up into unnecessary things. When I reflected on myself, I realized that I put so much stress on myself on exam days that I never fully relaxed my mind for the exam. First it’s the stress about not knowing the content, then about finishing on time and then score. If I’d given myself enough time to relax as a reward for studying before the exam, I could’ve avoided the unnecessary stress and possibly done better on the exams without deep anxiety. Although I managed to get all A’s in my classes, I know that the way I prepared myself for exams wasn’t healthy and I know that it’s not going to work in college. This book has inspired me to take care of myself and my mind so that I can prepare for success. Therefore, I look forward to using this lesson in college with the hectic schedule I’m going to have. Not only in college, but when I start my dream career, a project manager, this lesson will help me drive toward success with insane schedules and loads of stress. I will remember the importance of training our minds for success forever.

“1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4…” I mumbled while trying to catch my breath. Dance was a hobby I picked up during the time we had virtual school. It became the one thing I was willing to wake up early for. Living in a brown household, one barely gets any alone time and mine was in the mornings. Every morning I headed to my garage with my new shoes, and continued learning choreographies. I ran back and forth to pause and replay the dance tutorials. It brought me so much joy as I figured out how to move effortlessly like the bodies on the screen. Dance has surprised me with the kinds of lessons I learned that related to my lifestyle. It taught me how to manage my time, what consistency can do, and the facility to learn something if you have genuine passion for it. My lazy mornings slowly minimized and became productive as I was more attentive of the time I had in my day. I began managing my time trying to fit in dance practices in my day. Along with time management, dance helped with dedication as well. I would do wrong moves so frequently and the frustration would get to me; however, that taught me the power of consistency because the more I did it the more freely my body moved. Another inspiration I got from dance was to create an obsession for passion. I woke up as early as 6AM everyday to dance, yet I didn’t have to push myself off the bed even once. I always knew that if someone is passionate about something, excitement naturally comes to them. However, genuinely experiencing that in real life really feels different and motivating.

One way to pass time during quarantine was to read. I had yet to find a book that I wanted to read over and over again until Lilly Singh’s book “How to be a Bawse,” and it left me in awe. Every chapter I read, compelled me to reflect on myself and brainstorm how to apply those lessons to my personal life. I learned that it’s possible to train our minds for success. It’s all about self control to give our brains the break it deserves. Sometimes, overworking our brain is the reason we don’t reach success because your thoughts are raveled up into unnecessary things. When I reflected on myself, I realized that I put so much stress on myself on exam days that I never fully relaxed my mind for the exam. First it’s the stress about not knowing the content, then about finishing on time and then score. If I’d given myself enough time to relax as a reward for studying before the exam, I could’ve avoided the unnecessary stress and possibly done better on the exams without deep anxiety. Although I managed to get all A’s in my classes, I know that the way I prepared myself for exams wasn’t healthy and I know that it’s not going to work in college. This book has inspired me to take care of myself and my mind so that I can prepare for success. Therefore, I look forward to using this lesson in college with the hectic schedule I’m going to have. Not only in college, but when I start my dream career, a project manager, this lesson will help me drive toward success with insane schedules and loads of stress. I will remember the importance of training our minds for success forever.

"Did I wear the correct uniform? Are my shoes polished? Did I bring my ID card? Is my hair well-presented?" The sound of heels clicking drew closer and closer. My legs had started cramping, but as the teacher got near, she made strong eye contact with me. I met her gaze. Her eyeballs slowly went down, then up, and then she said, “okay.” The deep breath I was holding in escaped me after hearing just that one word. I was relieved knowing that I didn't have to go back home or get scolded by a teacher. I waited quietly until my line could head to our first class of the day. It was another day of school in Nepal. I was 8 years old. Later in class, I accidentally pulled my friend's braided hair and it fell apart. As I was done with all my work, I helped her re-braid her hair. The dean walked in and saw me braiding instead of working. He walked across the room, told me to stand up, and slapped me across the face. My ears rang as I slowly sat back down. My tears wet the workbook and smudged the writing on the pages. Going to school in Nepal, I got to experience the strict academic environment and the ruthless society there. Everything changed when I moved to America in 4th grade: the food, dress codes, teachers and their behaviors, and especially the "punishments." The audacity of students in America who could look a teacher straight in the eye, raise their voice and talk back, shocked me. The fact that they only ended up getting a timeout in the corner of the room was what stunned me more because in Nepal, they would be walking out of school with a swollen behind. In America, I never had bruised hands from getting hit in my palms when I got an answer wrong. In fact, the teacher explained it to me 3 times until I understood. Scars that I carried from Nepal had faded here. I frequently draw parallels between my life here and in Nepal. There are so many differences that I hadn't anticipated or even considered. Here I could wear whatever I wanted. I could do my hair however I wanted. I could paint my nails or even put one of those temporary tattoos, if I wanted. I once used to dream of doing these things, but the fact that I was able to now was astonishing for me. That braiding anecdote runs through my thoughts every time I'm asked if I prefer schools here or back home. My response is always, “I think I prefer it here.” The freedom I've been given here offers me along with many opportunities. Here, you don't get hurt for being wrong, you are built up to become better. Now, every night, pages flip in my journal as I write to thank God for the chances and the choices I have received knowing that I wouldn’t have it in Nepal. I grew as a person as I felt true gratitude with this satisfied feeling that emerged in me even with small things in life. This not only allowed me to better acknowledge the opportunities I now have in front of me, but it also opened my eyes toward the value of certain things: buying new shirts or colored shoes, talking to a teacher, or being able to braid my friends' hair whenever. I could now take the experiences from the past, and move on toward a more gratitude-filled future.

I accidentally pulled my friend's braided hair and it fell apart. As I was done with all my work, I helped her re-braid her hair. The dean walked in and saw me braiding instead of working. He walked across the room, told me to stand up, and slapped me across the face. My ears rang as I slowly sat back down. My tears wet the workbook and smudged the writing on the pages. Going to school in Nepal, I got to experience the strict academic environment and the ruthless society there. Everything changed when I moved to America in 4th grade: the food, dress codes, teachers and their behaviors, and especially the "punishments." I frequently draw parallels between my life here and in Nepal. There are so many differences that I hadn't anticipated or even considered. Here I could wear whatever I wanted. I could do my hair however I wanted. I could paint my nails or even put one of those temporary tattoos, if I wanted. I once used to dream of doing these things, but the fact that I was able to now was astonishing for me. That braiding anecdote runs through my thoughts every time I'm asked if I prefer schools here or back home. My response is always, “I think I prefer it here.” The freedom I've been given here offers me along with many opportunities. Here, you don't get hurt for being wrong, you are built up to become better. Now, every night, pages flip in my journal as I write to thank God for the chances and the choices I have received knowing that I wouldn’t have it in Nepal. I grew as a person as I felt true gratitude with this satisfied feeling that emerged in me even with small things in life. This not only allowed me to better acknowledge the opportunities I now have in front of me, but it also opened my eyes toward the value of certain things: buying new shirts or colored shoes, talking to a teacher, or being able to braid my friends' hair whenever. I could now take the experiences from the past, and move on toward a more gratitude-filled future. With this gratitude, I am happy that I have the opportunity to further continue my education, however affordability is my biggest worry at the moment. My parents have given up everything merely for the benefit of my better future and education. I don't want to be an unbearable burden on my parents and for that I will at least need to try my hardest to win scholarships with my academic abilities. I currently have a 4.5 weighted GPA, am a part of the top 10% of my class, am the Vice President of tutoring services and taking college level classes in high school. I have done everything that I, as a student, could possibly do in the past 4 years to make my parents proud. However, sadly, I have yet to receive full financial aid from any school in order to take that worry away from my parents. Although I am waiting for a few more schools, I would really be deeply thankful for the amount that I am going to contribute to my further studies. Thank you for taking your time to read my story.

I stood up straight in the school assembly line as I saw two friends in front of me getting yelled at to go back home. Why? Because their shoes were dirty and their shirts were all wrinkled. I stood still as the sun hit my face, waiting for my inspection as a bunch of questions sprinted through my head. Did I wear the correct uniform? Are my shoes polished? Did I bring my ID card? Is my hair well-presented? The sound of heels clicking drew closer and closer. My legs had started cramping, but as the teacher got near, she made strong eye contact with me. I met her gaze. Her eyeballs slowly went down, then up, and then she said, “okay.” The deep breath I was holding in escaped me after hearing just that one word. I was relieved knowing that I didn't have to go back home or get scolded by a teacher. I waited quietly until my line could head to our first class of the day. It was another day of school in Nepal. I was 8 years old. Later in class, I accidentally pulled my friend's braided hair and it fell apart. As I was done with all my work, I helped her re-braid her hair. The dean walked in and saw me braiding instead of working. He walked across the room, told me to stand up, and slapped me across the face. My ears rang as I slowly sat back down. My tears wet the workbook and smudged the writing on the pages. Going to school in Nepal, I got to experience the strict academic environment and the ruthless society there. Everything changed when I moved to America in 4th grade: the food, dress codes, teachers and their behaviors, and especially the "punishments." The audacity of students in America who could look a teacher straight in the eye, raise their voice and talk back, shocked me. The fact that they only ended up getting a timeout in the corner of the room was what stunned me more because in Nepal, they would be walking out of school with a swollen behind. In America, I never had bruised hands from getting hit in my palms when I got an answer wrong. In fact, the teacher explained it to me 3 times until I understood. Scars that I carried from Nepal had faded here. I frequently draw parallels between my life here and in Nepal. There are so many differences that I hadn't anticipated or even considered. Here I could wear whatever I wanted. I could do my hair however I wanted. I could paint my nails or even put one of those temporary tattoos, if I wanted. I once used to dream of doing these things, but the fact that I was able to now was astonishing for me. That braiding anecdote runs through my thoughts every time I'm asked if I prefer schools here or back home. My response is always, “I think I prefer it here.” The freedom I've been given here offers me along with many opportunities. Here, you don't get hurt for being wrong, you are built up to become better. Now, every night, pages flip in my journal as I write to thank God for the chances and the choices I have received knowing that I wouldn’t have it in Nepal. I grew as a person as I felt true gratitude with this satisfied feeling that emerged in me even with small things in life. This not only allowed me to better acknowledge the opportunities I now have in front of me, but it also opened my eyes toward the value of certain things: buying new shirts or colored shoes, talking to a teacher, or being able to braid my friends' hair whenever. I could now take the experiences from the past, and move on toward a more gratitude-filled future. With this gratitude, I am happy that I have the opportunity to further continue my education, however affordability is my biggest worry at the moment. My parents have given up everything merely for the benefit of my better future and education. I don't want to be an unbearable burden on my parents and for that I will at least need to try my hardest to win scholarships with my academic abilities. I currently have a 4.5 weighted GPA, am a part of the top 10% of my class, am the Vice President of tutoring services and taking college level classes in high school. I have done everything that I, as a student, could possibly do in the past 4 years to make my parents proud. However, sadly, I have yet to receive full financial aid from any school in order to take that worry away from my parents. Although I am waiting for a few more schools, I would really be deeply thankful for the amount that I am going to contribute to my further studies. Thank you for taking your time to read my story.

Hello! Firstly I want to introduce myself. My name is Rashmi Bhatta. I am a high school senior dealing with the process of college application and trying my hardest to win scholarships to attend a university. I came to the United States from Nepal and have adjusted to the new life here. I began my life in a new education system here with immigrant parents while figuring out the important factors in my life that brought me happiness. At 9, I entered the United States with no knowledge of how to read, write or speak in English. To help, I was placed in ESOL, but soon was removed because I improved on speaking by watching cartoons. Subsequently, I didn't have anyone to practice reading and writing with me anymore, thus my reading and writing skills had yet to enhance. As I was older, I realized that I needed to work on the skills on my own. I started reading tons of books and practiced by writing essays from random prompts. It was difficult at times because I had to discipline myself for it, however, soon I became confident enough to take Honors and eventually AP and DE English. The critical thinking and the challenges is what I find the most exciting about Informational Technology. I would love to use my creativity to create and explore new advancements in technology. Although there are countless benefits of technology in our current world, there are several damages that follow as well. Humans have become more addicted than ever to their devices and social media. This is incredibly harmful for our future generations, so therefore I would like to contribute to bringing more awareness and popularity to humane technology. I would like to work on inventions that would take us steps closer to undoing the harm of technology. While I understand, it may be extremely difficult to do so, I think it is absolutely possible. The people who have worked behind these big tech companies know the damage and they protect their kids from it, however those who don't know should be educated. I want to have a career in Information Technology, so that I can reduce the damages of technology without it affecting any of the benefits. I hope to bring more light to this issue in the future and possibly take steps, even if they are small, toward a brighter environment for future generations.

One of the biggest problem existing right now is the toxic masculinity. The societal pressure for men to seem more manly and show no emotion is doing harm for not just men but women as well. I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to the men in my life: my dad, friends, brothers, cousins. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones, especially the boys, because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to because of the societal pressure. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly and talk down on those who do. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health.

“1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4…” I mumbled while trying to catch my breath. Dance was a hobby I picked up during the time we had virtual school. It became the one thing I was willing to wake up early for. The one thing I loved myself for was because I enjoyed dance. Every morning I headed to my garage with my new shoes, and continued learning choreographies. I ran back and forth to pause and replay the dance tutorials. It brought me so much joy as I figured out how to move effortlessly like the bodies on the screen. Dance has surprised me with the kinds of lessons I learned that related to my lifestyle. It taught me how to manage my time, what consistency can do, and the facility to learn something if you have genuine passion for it. My lazy mornings slowly minimized and became productive as I was more attentive of the time I had in my day. I began managing my time trying to fit in dance practices in my day. Along with time management, dance helped with dedication as well. I would do wrong moves so frequently and the frustration would get to me; however, that taught me the power of consistency because the more I did it the more freely my body moved. Another inspiration I got from dance was to create an obsession for passion. I woke up as early as 6AM everyday to dance, yet I didn’t have to push myself off the bed even once. I always knew that if someone is passionate about something, excitement naturally comes to them. However, genuinely experiencing that in real life really feels different and motivating. Throughout all this, I learned to spend more time with myself and love myself a little more.

I would like to spread awareness for mental health and how it is important to listen to others. I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health.

I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. Another goal I have is to help people, especially kids, improve their smile. I aspire to be a pediatric dentist, and I'm aware that dentists have great positive impacts in their patient's lives in general. They go through numerous difficult years in school to study dentistry, so that they can keep their patients healthy. I will surely be doing the same, however I, simultaneously, want to make a positive impact in my patients lives through communication. Communication is extremely important when it comes to building relationships, therefore I want to have strong relationships with my patients and make a positive impact in their lives. A common fear among children and teens is going to the dentist. I want children to come to my office with excitement and joy. I want to create such an environment where they are comfortable to talk to their dentist and I truly believe that such a relationship with my patients will be a memorable part of their life when they are grown. One way to do it is by listening. Kids often live and talk about their imaginary life in their head. I think this is such an innovative part of life and it is often ignored by teachers and parents. I want to show interest in their imagination and be creative with them. I want to start such conversations where my patients are engaged and entertained while I take care of their dental health. I think this way I will be able to make a great positive impact in my patients' mental and dental health. Smile…

I tutor students of all grade levels and help them improve skills in a variety of subjects. I’m the Vice-President of the EHK tutoring fundraiser where we select qualified high-school students to tutor other students from grades K-12. I've been involved since my freshman year and it has been such an honor to be able to give back to our community. All the collected money is donated to a variety of causes: fundraisers for Afghanistan refugees, COVID relief, families in need, bus driver appreciation, food for the homeless, and gifts/school supplies for kids who need it. Through EHK I have felt the warmth and fulfillness after giving to others and encourages me to continue these acts. While I get to tutor several students for the whole year, I get to see my students grow throughout the year and I get to help them grow most of the time. Using the information I learned through my career as a high school student, to help current students makes me feel as if I am doing something that makes me happy even when I feel sad and overwhelmed. Knowledge is a power that the more you share the more it multiplies in oneself. We come into this world with nothing-- no clothes, no shoes, no knowledge and we leave this world with nothing as well. Therefore, for the time that you get to spend in this world, I think you should try to give back whatever you are able and as much as you can. If you are rich with money, donate. If you are rich with knowledge, teach. If you are rich with experience, share. However, it's important to give back with no expectation of receiving any benefit in return. I think then and only then will you truly reach pure happiness.

One day, in class, I pulled my friend's braided hair and it fell apart. As I was done with all my work, I helped her re-braid it. The dean walked in and saw me braiding instead of working. He told me to stand up, and slapped me across the face. My ears rang as I slowly sat back down. My tears wet the workbook and smudged the writing on the pages. It was another day of school in Nepal. I was 8 years old. Going to school in Nepal, I got to experience the strict academic environment there. Everything changed when I moved to America in 4th grade: the food, dress codes, teachers and their behaviors, and especially the "punishments." That braiding anecdote runs through my thoughts every time I'm asked if I prefer schools here or back home. My response is always, “I think I prefer it here.” The freedom I've been given here offers me along with many opportunities. Here, you don't get hurt for being wrong, you are built up to become better. Now, every night, pages flip in my journal as I write to thank God for the chances and the choices I have received knowing that I wouldn’t have it in Nepal. I grew as a person as I felt true gratitude with this satisfied feeling that emerged in me even with small things in life. This not only allowed me to better acknowledge the opportunities I now have in front of me, but it also opened my eyes toward the value of certain things: buying new shirts or colored shoes, talking to a teacher, or being able to braid my friends' hair whenever. I could now take the experiences from the past, and move on toward a more gratitude-filled future.

I tutor students of all grade levels and help them improve skills in a variety of subjects. I’m the Vice-President of the EHK tutoring fundraiser where we select qualified high-school students to tutor other students from grades K-12. I've been involved since my freshman year and it has been such an honor to be able to give back to our community. All the collected money is donated to a variety of causes: fundraisers for Afghanistan refugees, COVID relief, families in need, bus driver appreciation, food for the homeless, and gifts/school supplies for kids who need it. Through EHK I have felt the warmth and fulfillness after giving to others and encourages me to continue these acts. While I get to tutor several students for the whole year, I get to see my students grow throughout the year and I get to help them grow most of the time. Using the information I learned through my career as a high school student, to help current students makes me feel as if I am doing something that makes me happy even when I feel sad and overwhelmed. Knowledge is a power that the more you share the more it multiplies in oneself. We come into this world with nothing-- no clothes, no shoes, no knowledge and we leave this world with nothing as well. Therefore, for the time that you get to spend in this world, I think you should try to give back whatever you are able and as much as you can. If you are rich with money, donate. If you are rich with knowledge, teach. If you are rich with experience, share. However, it's important to give back with no expectation of receiving any benefit in return. I think then and only then will you truly reach pure happiness.

Hello! Firstly I want to introduce myself. My name is Rashmi Bhatta. I am a high school senior dealing with the process of college application and trying my hardest to win scholarships to attend a university. I came to the United States from Nepal and have adjusted to the new life here. I began my life in a new education system here with immigrant parents while figuring out the important factors in my life that brought me happiness. At 9, I entered the United States with no knowledge of how to read, write or speak in English. To help, I was placed in ESOL, but soon was removed because I improved on speaking by watching cartoons. Subsequently, I didn't have anyone to practice reading and writing with me anymore, thus my reading and writing skills had yet to enhance. As I was older, I realized that I needed to work on the skills on my own. I started reading tons of books and practiced by writing essays from random prompts. It was difficult at times because I had to discipline myself for it, however, soon I became confident enough to take Honors and eventually AP and DE English. The critical thinking and the challenges is what I find the most exciting about Informational Technology. I would love to use my creativity to create and explore new advancements in technology. Although there are countless benefits of technology in our current world, there are several damages that follow as well. Humans have become more addicted than ever to their devices and social media. This is incredibly harmful for our future generations, so therefore I would like to contribute to bringing more awareness and popularity to humane technology. I would like to work on inventions that would take us steps closer to undoing the harm of technology. While I understand, it may be extremely difficult to do so, I think it is absolutely possible. The people who have worked behind these big tech companies know the damage and they protect their kids from it, however those who don't know should be educated. I want to have a career in Information Technology, so that I can reduce the damages of technology without it affecting any of the benefits. One of the biggest challenges in my life has been because of the new life here in the US. Having immigrant parents can be a blessing yet extremely difficult. Being the oldest child with a younger brother indirectly signifies that you’re their third parent. Looking at progress reports, checking/helping with homework, and emailing teachers are a few of the tasks that I've been doing for my brother because my parents struggle with understanding the school system here. I help my parents set up payments for bills, remind them with due dates, fill their job application whenever needed, aid with their work problems, cook dinner when they are not home, and so much more. I also ensure that my brother is doing well in school physically and mentally, which is why he looks up to me as a role model. This was very challenging for me while growing up, however, I never really "overcame" it. I simply started looking at this situation through a different point of view. I started taking this as a blessing in a way because I already knew so much while entering adult life. It has also helped me gain self-confidence as I begin preparing for college. I always said “yes” to everything my dad asked me to do, even if I had no clue how to do it because it was easier for me to figure it out rather than have them do it. However, as a senior, I realize that this is actually a blessing in disguise. Having these responsibilities at such a young age only prepared me for my own future. Instead of complaining, I started doing these tasks with interest because I know that I will be graduating high school knowing how to write checks, pay bills, traffic-tickets, apply for jobs and so much more. Additionally, as a first generation going to college, I'm proud of being able to help my brother with numerous steps henceforth. This has also led me to realize that I’m forming into a stronger independent woman. I take pride in not only being able to help my family, but preparing myself to be more independent. To conclude, I have faced struggles mainly due to having to settle in a new country, however I am also beyond grateful to have the opportunity to do so.

I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could have a great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglect. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health.

I aspire to make a positive impact in this world by listening to others. To me, listening means acknowledging one's feelings and letting them feel it. Many people feel the strong need to provide their insights, opinions, or advice, however I disagree. I think listening to someone means you understand their emotion, whether they are happy, sad, or angry. I think this could make great impact on one's mental health. Many people don't like talking to others about their feelings because they often get an uncomfortable reaction such as: toxic positivity, forced advice, or neglection. I think it's important to listen to your loved ones because they might have so much stored in them, but no one to spill it to. This is because many people don't know how to listen properly. I want to make a difference in my friend's and family's lives. When someone is sad and wants to talk to me, I listen and acknowledge their feelings. I let them know that I am there if they ever need anything. I let them know that I know that it must be hard for whatever situation that they may be in. Toxic positivity is when someone tries to make it seem as if your worry is not big, and negatively influences you to think that your feelings are not valid. I think this is extremely wrong and could do major damage to mental health. Another goal I have to help people, especially kids, improve their smile. I aspire to be a pediatric dentist, and I'm aware that dentist have great positive impacts in their patient's lives in general. They go through numerous difficult years in school to study dentistry, so that they can keep their patients healthy. I will surely be doing the same, however I, simultaneously, want to make a positive impact in my patients lives through communication. Communication is extremely important when it comes to building relationships, therefore I want to have strong relationships with my patients and make a positive impact in their lives. A common fear among children and teen is going to the dentist. I want children to come to my office with excitement and joy. I want to create such environment where they are comfortable to talk to their dentist and I truly believe that such relationship with my patients will be a memorable part of their life when they are grown. One way to do it is by listening. Kids often live and talk about their imaginary life in their head. I think this is such an innovative part of life and it is often ignored by teachers and parents. I want to show interest in their imagination and be creative with them. I want to start such conversations where my patient are engaged and entertained while I take care of their dental health. I think this way I will able to make a great positive impact in my patients' mental and dental health. Smile...

Mental health is very important to me because it heavily affects my daily life. I like to take care of my mental health through my physical health. Noticing that I feel good after a workout has led me to set a goal to make fitness an everyday habit. However, it's extremely difficult to discipline oneself to set a daily habit. I plan to start with a little and work my way up to where I can workout everyday without a second thought stopping me. It's better to go slow and enjoy the journey of loving fitness, rather than the desire to be a perfect person. Therefore, I'll focus my mind to be consistent with exercising throughout my time in college.

“1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4…” I mumbled while trying to catch my breath. Dance was a hobby I picked up during the pandemic when we had virtual school. It became the one thing I was willing to wake up early for. Living in a brown household, one barely gets any alone time and mine was in the mornings. Every morning I headed to my garage with my new shoes, and continued learning choreographies. I ran back and forth to pause and replay the dance tutorials. It brought me so much joy as I figured out how to move effortlessly like the bodies on the screen. Dance has surprised me with the kinds of lessons I learned that related to my lifestyle. It taught me how to manage my time, what consistency can do, and the facility to learn something if you have genuine passion for it. My lazy mornings slowly minimized and became productive as I was more attentive of the time I had in my day. I began managing my time trying to fit in dance practices in my day. Along with time management, dance helped with dedication as well. I would do wrong moves so frequently and the frustration would get to me; however, that taught me the power of consistency because the more I did it the more freely my body moved. Another inspiration I got from dance was to create an obsession for passion. I woke up as early as 6AM everyday to dance, yet I didn’t have to push myself off the bed even once. I always knew internally that if someone is passionate about something, excitement naturally comes to them. However, genuinely experiencing that in real life really feels different and motivating.

I tutor students of all grade levels and help them improve skills in a variety of subjects. I’m the Vice-President of the EHK tutoring fundraiser where we select qualified high-school students to tutor other students from grades K-12. I've been involved since my freshman year and it has been such an honor to be able to give back to our community. All the collected money is donated to a variety of causes: fundraisers for Afghanistan refugees, COVID relief, families in need, bus driver appreciation, food for the homeless, and gifts/school supplies for kids who need it. Through EHK I have felt the warmth and fulfillness after giving to others and encourages me to continue these acts. While I get to tutor several students for the whole year, I get to see my students grow throughout the year and I get to help them grow most of the time. Using the information I learned through my career as a high school students, to help current students makes me feel as if I am doing something that makes me happy even when I feel sad and overwhelmed. Knowledge is a power that the more you share the more it multiplies in oneself. We come into this world with nothing-- no clothes, no shoes, no knowledge and we leave this world with nothing as well. Therefore, for the time that you get to spend in this world, I think you should try to give back whatever you are able and as much as you can. If you are rich with money, donate. If you are rich with knowledge, teach. If you are rich with experience, share. However, it's important to give back with no expectation of receiving any benefit in return. I think then and only then will you truly reach pure happiness.

“1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4…” I mumbled while trying to catch my breath. Dance was a hobby I picked up during the time we had virtual school. It became the one thing I was willing to wake up early for. Living in a brown household, one barely gets any alone time and mine was in the mornings. Every morning I headed to my garage with my new shoes, and continued learning choreographies. I ran back and forth to pause and replay the dance tutorials. It brought me so much joy as I figured out how to move effortlessly like the bodies on the screen. Dance has surprised me with the kinds of lessons I learned that related to my lifestyle. It taught me how to manage my time, what consistency can do, and the facility to learn something if you have genuine passion for it. My lazy mornings slowly minimized and became productive as I was more attentive of the time I had in my day. I began managing my time trying to fit in dance practices in my day. Along with time management, dance helped with dedication as well. I would do wrong moves so frequently and the frustration would get to me; however, that taught me the power of consistency because the more I did it the more freely my body moved. Another inspiration I got from dance was to create an obsession for passion. I woke up as early as 6AM everyday to dance, yet I didn’t have to push myself off the bed even once. I always knew that if someone is passionate about something, excitement naturally comes to them. However, genuinely experiencing that in real life really feels different and motivating.