I have chosen to be in the field of history because I love to learn about past leaders and civilizations, and why these cultures have carried on into today's world. Becoming an archivist is my dream career, and I want to share important cultural findings with others by studying and writing about various documents and artifacts. One major goal that I have that will help me to achieve my professional passion is to always read about other cultures and share the information that I learn. This goal in my mind is to encourage others to learn about various world cultures and to respect them.

The dream version of my future self is to be successful in my career and family life.

My Barbie Dream House is located near the beach of my hometown. I love the ocean, so located near the beach is the best option. My house would be in the style of a Victorian home. The house would have tall ceilings, and multiple rooms for entertaining and showing prized possessions. The front porch extends from the length of the house, with chairs and a table outside to enjoy the waterfront. The backyard would be larger than the front yard, with a small gazebo to enjoy a campfire and talk with family and friends. The kitchen would have the most natural light to aid in cooking and baking. The kitchen would also be fitted with the best appliances. The living room would have at least a couch, a loveseat, and plush chairs. A fireplace would be along the wall near the seating arrangement. A flat-screen television would be on the opposite end of the living room, sitting in an entertainment center. The entertainment center would hold all of my DVDs and Blu-rays. My perfect house includes a library where I can hide away and hold all of my books. The library has a nook in the window for the perfect lighting to read. The bedroom would have a king-sized bed, a large closet, and an en suite bathroom. The closet has a large dresser and a bar to hang clothes. The en suite bathroom has lots of lighting, and has a combination tub and shower.

My indirect experience with alcohol addiction has affected my beliefs, relationships, and aspirations. My dad began to drink a few years ago and became worse as the pandemic began. He blamed my mother's cancer, and was worse during the summers since my sister and I were not in school or college during this time. He has also been smoking marijuana for a long time. This has also become worse for the rest of my family, as it inhibits his reactions and how he thinks. This also affects my and my sister's allergies, as we are sensitive to strong scents and pollen. This has affected my beliefs about love and marriage. My parents have been married for the past twenty years, but now because of my father's alcoholism, they are going to get divorced. He has not done anything to become better. He has good days where he does not drink, but after those days, he falls back into the drink and smoking marijuana. I had always seen the love between my parents before the addiction became a real issue. They were always very happy. Now, I don't believe that love can last forever, and can lead to relationship issues for better or worse. Several of my relationships have been affected by this addiction. I close was with my father, but now we have drifted apart. We do not speak with each other often, and it usually ends with an argument. I have also grown apart from my sister because of his actions. My sister plans to move soon, and it is mainly because of our father's actions. My mother and I have grown closer, as we both continue to talk about this issue and how we can move on to better ourselves. I have also grown closer to my boyfriend. He listens to me when I have an issue, and provides me with advice that I could use. My career aspirations have not changed much, however, I have switched majors. Some of this was because of my father, since he is no longer reliable to help around the house or drive. I have taken the responsibility of being the sole driver for the household, and it is straining. I have switched majors because I realized my strong interest in history and archeology, and attending college online is better for and my family. I am more reliable because I take care of my responsibilities and help my mother and sister when they need.

I am twenty and going to an online college because it was the best choice for me. I did not feel comfortable returning to an in-person college, and my current college offers many opportunities to move forward with my academic career. My goal will be to complete a Bachelor's degree in History in the next two years. Then, I want to complete a Masters's degree in the subject. I will volunteer for museum events, and intern if given the chance. I will be confident to find these chances while continuing my college education. I want to gain the experience of working with experts in this broad topic., while also building my resume for when career searching for museums or similar areas of work. I want my resume to look good for companies to hire me on major projects. Being able to intern on these projects will help to ensure recommendations from university staff and crew regarding the ongoing hiring. I am working towards the goal of being either a film historian or an archeologist. I want to work towards being a film historian to me because I love to watch films, specifically historical ones, and I love to pick apart the representation of the past in these films. I want to work towards being an archeologist because I love to make discoveries; I love knowing what happened in the past how the present became what it is, and how the world has benefitted or lost because of it. So far, I have been taking history and film history courses to fulfill the credits for my degree. I am always reading, so history books and other resources are just more factors in my everyday schedule. I discuss historical events with my family and friends. We usually go into debates about these events, but it is always more of a casual discussion. I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my career by teaching others about the true events of history. I have noticed that there is not much influence on history in schools because of the materials that are used, such as textbooks. Most of these materials are out-of-date, and seemingly only reliable learning material. However, I think it will be better for teachers to find their own materials for students to study and discuss. It will create better learning opportunities and studying the original sources will give the students greater options when they create their own projects.

I am a non-traditional student because I am a first-generation student. Neither of my parents went to or completed college, and I am determined to do it. I am driven by others in my extended family who had gone to college and have successful careers. I am driven to do great things that will help my community.

To me, recovery is the ability to move on with life and its activities. Recovery means being happier and satisfied with future choices, while also being content with how things have turned out since the recovery period. It is a choice of becoming better for oneself, to be able to improve in the ways of life. One should be able to have to best possible outcomes; recovery is one way to do this. It means that someone wants to turn their life around, whether it be for themselves or people that they care about. Recovery is moving on from troubles of the past, and how to cope with those troubles. Finding a coping mechanism that works is a great way to move forward for the best reasons.

My unique talents and skills will be utilized in building a more empathetic and understanding global community by using what I already know how to do. I already know how to do several things; from building these skills in high school, I have a broad range that other people can understand more easily from their point of view. The skills that I will use to help people be more empathetic and understanding are putting larger words and terminology into words they will know. I will also organize the information into a more simple format so that it can be read easily. By understanding history, people will be more empathetic to the events that their ancestors or others' ancestors went through. Such as, moving to a new country. Many people did not survive overseas travel when moving to a new land or country; they became too sick from the motion of the waves or encountered worse diseases after the ship was docked. Choosing history as my major will help me to showcase my observation and analytical skills. I will be able to share this with others. I can share my ideas through research and evidence to back up theories. Many people do not find history to be exciting, or even relevant at times. I want to share the greatness of history; how it has improved our lives presently, and what we can know about how things worked. Those who want to learn about history find all these things fascinating; how people worked, where, and who they talked to. We will become more knowledgeable knowing how we became better and grew into today’s society, politics, and discoveries. By being very observant and organized, I already know how to put things together for people so they can better understand their communities. I put things into easier words and define words, if necessary; I can organize a large group into smaller and more manageable groups. I can point out small mistakes that others may have overlooked and can be fixed appropriately. By being analytical, I can share ideas that are already put into motion. I share my thoughts and how I think something will turn out, by using analysis and data that is readily available. I can make something that logical and is easily understood by others for their input and ideas. Building a better understanding of the world is crucial for people to understand where they came from, and how they can improve their communities.

If I could have everyone in the world read just one book, it will have to be "Unmasked: The World's Most Prolific Cinematic Killer" by Kane Hodder, with writing assisted by Michael Aloisi. Kane Hodder is most known for his role as "Jason Voorhees" from "Friday the 13th" and as "Victor Crowley" from "Hatchet". It is an autobiography of Kane Hodder, a stuntman and known horror actor in the film community. He describes his childhood from moving to a small island to dropping out of college to pursue a career as a stuntman. He also described a burn from early in his career. The burn he suffered from was over fifty percent of his body. He was also suffering while he was taken care of; such as a doctor who never listened to him or his family and not being admitted into a burn unit until much later than when he should have. I recommend this book to anyone who asks or is looking for a fantastic read because it is heartfelt, and from someone respectable in the horror film community. Even if the reader does not like horror films, Hodder has done so much other work outside of horror that he is known for. He also does a lot of charity and volunteer work for children in burn units or that have been affected by burns. I find this book very inspiring because Kane Hodder did not give up; he almost did, but instead kept going on to the career he has had for a long time.

To me, recovery means that I went through a bad experience and was able to come out of it. Recovery is a very helpful tool for everyone who wants to better themselves and get out of a bad situation. Recovery needs to come from the person themself, without taking in outside influence; a person has to want it for themself if they want to improve. That improvement can go into many categories, such as continuing or finishing education, finding a satisfying job or career to better finances and security, and repairing relationships that were destroyed by substance abuse or addiction.

My experience as a person living with an autoimmune disease has shaped me to become a better person. I have had an interesting health journey. I was diagnosed with migraines a few years ago, and I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). My body does not make enough insulin that allows my food to fully digest and reach needed areas of my body. As of this, I have grown to be overweight from a young age. The medical condition makes it hard for me to lose weight, but just as easy to gain. So, I have had to adapt my eating and exercise habits to lose unwanted weight. My endocrinologist has told me that I will have to work more and harder because the fat does not move around my body as it should. Fat will become trapped because insulin is not moving either. It was a very difficult time for the reason that I was having to miss many days during high school due to extreme cramps; hurt too much to move from class to class. I also had to go through a lot of testing to know what the problem was, including blood tests and trying different medications to get to where my body could function as much as possible to get back on track. So far, I have been able to live as normally as possible. I have the correct medications to take, know when I need to take them and have an exercise routine. I created a specific routine that will help me to lose the unwanted weight at a rate that is feasible for me and fits my schedule as a whole. I have turned my struggle into my strength by researching what is best for me to do. I have looked into workouts that are easy to accomplish at home, what foods are best for me to eat, and ways to improve my health. I walk every day, and a little further almost every time; such as adding another block once a week to push my endurance. I also choose healthier foods to eat, and that takes little effort to prepare for the night's dinner or even for the week. I also practice meditation and mindfulness. It becomes better for me when I am digesting a meal. It also aids in slowing down when eating, tasting all the ingredients of a dish, and stopping when I am full.

I have to come over many hardships to get where I am currently. I have had to live with a pandemic during high school and college; watch my mother go through cancer; see my father become an alcoholic; and overcome medical challenges. In my senior year of high school was when the pandemic hit. Classes moved to online platforms, events were canceled, and I lost a couple of friends. I did not get a senior prom or graduation; it was streamed online, but no in-person celebration for anyone. I lost my friends over this because we could not meet in person for anything. However, we do message once in a while through social media. Even in community college, I could not meet with anyone. I did, however, have an in-person graduation. I was very happy and lucky about that. I was able to celebrate a major accomplishment with my family, who attended, and my friends because the ceremony was streamed online. My mother was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in December 2019. It took a toll on all of us in the house. My mom had to have surgery to remove the tumor and still had to go through chemotherapy for a few months, only to be sure that any residual effects were removed. I had difficulties with keeping up with homework, only one of my teachers helped and always asked how was I doing and how my mother was doing. I and my sister had to pick on the chores, making dinner, and other household duties so that our mother could rest before going back to work the following week after each chemo treatment. Unfortunately, my father was very little to no help. At the same time, my father began to drink more and more each day. He blamed my mother's cancer for his alcoholism becoming worse over the years. He became especially worse over the summers, knowing that he was retired and my sister and I did not have to go to school or college. He has not improved much since then and has not shown that he wants to improve. During high school, I had the worst migraines. I was not able to function, as my head hurt too much to think about discussions in classes. Most of my teachers were not understanding, nor did they believe me. I had to go into independent study to be able to complete homework. I did visit a neurologist, and they had helped so much that I no longer need to be on any sort of medication. Learning to face these obstacles has seriously impacted my relationships. My relationship with my father has gotten worse over the last few years. While my friends and I have stayed in contact, we do not meet up as often as we used to. I did gain a relationship; my boyfriend and I have been together since high school ended, and we are very happy.

One of my favorite eras of history that I am most passionate about is the Renaissance. There have many discoveries during this era, such as art, inventions, and science. I do not have a favorite person from this era because there are too many to choose for one specific accomplishment in the field of their discovery and what the discovery concluded with. We have many people to thank for their discoveries and inventions. This is including around the world, not only in one region or country. The discoveries have benefitted for the whole world as the inventions traveled across the globe. Many of the explorations during this era in history have helped further research several subjects, including reading and writing, outer space, the human body, and the arts. Without the knowledge we have taken from this specific era, we would not be as advanced in the arts, medicine, and technology. An example, the theatre has come a long way since this era. There are many playwrights and thousands of plays to produce. The stage that is performed on has expanded and is more structurally safe for actors and stagehands. Another example is the anatomy of the human body, which was made by Andreas Vesalius; and a complete description of the circulatory system by William Harvey. We can learn many lessons from the Renaissance. Beginning with significant discoveries, there are several different subjects to choose from, such as biology, new ways of life, astrology, and art. An example is that we have to thank Galileo Galilei for the invention of the telescope. Today, we have many people interested in space, astronomy and astrology for career options. We have made incredible discoveries from the planets in the Solar System, and are continuing beyond as far as possible. Another example on the topic of space is that for several centuries, it was thought the Solar System was geocentric. The discovery that the system is heliocentric, was made by Nicolaus Copernicus. The main lesson that we can use from the era of the Renaissance is to appreciate the important explorations and discoveries of significant people of the period in time. Several of the advanced fields that we have today would not be anywhere near where they are today if not for the Renaissance. We most likely would have made these advancements, but later in the history of the field. One last example is the printing press. If not for Johannes Gutenberg, there would not have been widely printed books, newspapers, and other physical prints of written materials.

I am working towards the goal of being either a film historian or an archeologist. I want to work towards being a film historian to me because I love to watch films, specifically historical ones, and I love to pick apart the representation of the past in these films. I want to work towards being an archeologist because I love to make discoveries; I love knowing what happened in the past how the present became what it is, and how the world has benefitted or lost because of it. They both have interested me because my mother has told me the truth behind certain historical events. She wants me to know the truth because much of it becomes washed out or changed for school textbooks, to seem like the event was not as gruesome or as terrible as it originally was. I can share my ideas through research and evidence to back up theories. Many people do not find history to be exciting, or even relevant at times. I want to share the greatness of history; how it has improved our lives presently, and what we can know about how things worked. We can also learn how and why certain aspects had to change. Those who want to learn about history find all these things fascinating; how people worked, where, and who they talked to. We will become more knowledgeable knowing how we became better and grew into today’s society, politics, and discoveries. I want to be able to make discoveries so that people will know the truth about historical events. As well as wanting to become more interested in why this happened. People should know the truth, whether it is better or worse than the knowledge they had already known. Knowing how items worked, how people communicated and deciding what was better as a society is something that everyone should learn because they should know how and why these were started in the first place. To work towards this, I am reading about the real truth of major and minor historical events; and I share them with my family and friends. I want them to become more knowledgeable about these occurrences so that they do not make a mistake. We have gone into debates about these subjects, and have differing opinions about what originally happened. Then someone always has to look up the event, to see who is correct; it never becomes too heated or too argumentative.

My goal will be to complete a Bachelor's degree in History in the next two years. Then, I want to complete a Masters's degree in the subject. I will volunteer for museum events, and intern if given the chance. I will be confident to find these chances while continuing my college education. I want to gain the experience of working with experts in this broad topic., while also building my resume for when career searching for museums or similar areas of work. I want my resume to look good for companies to hire me on major projects. Being able to intern on these projects will help to ensure recommendations from university staff and crew regarding the ongoing hiring. I am working towards the goal of being either a film historian or an archeologist. I want to work towards being a film historian to me because I love to watch films, specifically historical ones, and I love to pick apart the representation of the past in these films. I want to work towards being an archeologist because I love to make discoveries; I love knowing what happened in the past how the present became what it is, and how the world has benefitted or lost because of it. So far, I have been taking history and film history courses to fulfill the credits for my degree. I am always reading, so history books and other resources are just more factors in my everyday schedule. I discuss historical events with my family and friends. We usually go into debates about these events, but it is always more of a casual discussion. The hardships that I have faced come from my own family. We are a low-income household, but we value education. My parents have wanted to always be reading, and it is something that I love to do. They have always me to have the best opportunities, but it has been difficult on a tight budget. I have had to research how to gain grants and win scholarships to be able to pay for tuition while trying to avoid student loans. I have had to take on more classes to gain free tuition from community colleges. Another major hardship is my father's health. For the past three years, he has been declining because he is battling alcoholism. He has become very distracting and unhelpful, and it has been harmful to the family. We cannot focus on greater things because his addiction has been bogging us down to pull the focus to him. Ignoring it is one of the worst ways to deal with it, but we have no other choice because he does not and will not change.

I think it is important that we work to better understand the nature of our universe. We can improve our current ways of life, make new inventions, and predict how this will impact the future of the universe. For as long as the universe has existed, we have always been trying to improve how we live, who we live with, and what we can do for ourselves. Humans always want to be satisfied, with how they live, who they live with, and what they want to do with their lives. We try to improve the way we live for the reason that we want to be comfortable. Today we live in many comforts, such as streaming services, many types of delivery services (i.e., groceries, furniture, mail, etc), and even appliances. Humans always try to find comfort with however and wherever they are living. Even the most simple thing will made into something even more simple than it was before. There have many inventions that much improved our ways of life. Some more angled towards the universe as a whole, and others more towards a specific area of our world; such as a country, state, or city. Inventions have made our lives easier to navigate through life figuratively and literally, such as the use of the Internet and motorized vehicles. Without these inventions throughout the history of the universe, we would not have any of the advancements that we have today. We may have later invented these useful items, but it would have come at a later time. Such as when the car was invented, it could have very well been invented later, but may not have been as advanced as the vehicles we use today. There may not have been backup cameras, and Bluetooth readily available in the vehicle. I hope to incorporate many of these ideals into my future. As I want to become a historian or archeologist, I will have to learn of the advancements made throughout history and how to possibly better them for the future of our universe. I hope to better the way that we live, so that we do not have to have so many steps just to complete something that is supposed to be easy and simple. I also hope to employ the way we use things, so that it can prolong the life present in the world and in the universe. I may want to aid in some inventions, or improve what we have already so that it can make our lives better and easier.

While being in school, I maintain my mental, physical, and nutritional health by doing check - ins with myself. At the end of each day, I take time to note what I ate, what tasks or assignments was I completing, and where I feel. I try not to mix school work and my health; it only makes me more tiresome and drained to do anything. This is why I usually do my check-in at night, so I also do not turn to my phone, television, or laptop; as this will make me more tired and less restful for the night. To maintain my mental health, I practice meditation and religious activities, such as prayer. Meditating helps me to re-center my body and my thoughts. I practice breathing techniques that aid to calm myself down, and I do this whenever I have a break in between assignments and errands. Praying every day, or when I have a moment to myself, is helpful in clearing my mind and connecting to my religion. I also journal every day, whether a big event happened or not. I detail all the little things, and go through my entire day. I write things that made me happy, but also things that had made me sad. This is so that I move past these moments, and come back later to enjoy them or enjoy anything in between. I maintain my physical health by watching how much I eat of different foods. I will write the meals, drinks, and snacks that I have eaten for the day; so that I can maintain my weight and try to lose more. While I do not move around much during the day completing assignments, I try to outside of that time. Whenever I have a few minutes to myself, I will walk around the house, making up for the extra steps I did not take. In the mornings, I also take walks, so that I still maintain my weight and vitamin D intake for the day. This makes me more energized to finish my assignments and errands or chores for the day. I maintain my nutritional health by writing down everything I eat, including any small bites of meals. I also try to reduce how much I eat, so that I am full when my body tells me. Similar to how I maintain my physical health, I try to log these two items. I will log these after I finish a meal or snack, plus taking in the amount of calories a serving is and the fat and sugar percentage.

Learning is important to me for the reason that it can provide the knowledge that is needed to able to function in today's society. Opportunities for learning are everywhere and occur all the time. There are always classes to be enrolled in, workshops to sign up for, and other support services that will help. Learning is important because more jobs are requiring that any potential employee is to have a college degree, no more how basic the education is or how advance it may be. Learning is important because the world is always changing and adapting. So, we always have to catch up in order to be advancing and advancing further for either the good or bad of society. In either case, we learn what works best for advancements; and what does not work for advancing. However, it could work for something specific, even if does not seem to benefit the majority of society. To learn is gain knowledge in any subject or field is to gain lifetime information. Some information is worth more to remember, however; such as life skills and basic skills. Life skills that need to be learned are how to budget, how to cook, how to apply for loans, and how to complete a tax form. Basic skills include reading and writing, and math such as multiplication, division, percents, and fractions. Without these, anyone can not advance as easily as someone who knows these skills. I plan to continue learning throughout my life by looking into current events, and reading. Watching or reading current events through multiple sources is helpful to keep up with the changes or adaptations of my local community, my state, my country and the world. I have always loved to read, and have encouraged by my parents since I was able to read. We always have books and other reading materials in the house, so there is no reason to not be bored or to stop learning. I have learned so much just by reading, and I love to read anything; I am not too picky about subjects or topics. I also plan to continue learning by always asking questions. I like to ask questions about anything, be something in the news, how to perfect a recipe, or even asking what an item does or is supposed to do. Asking questions is how the world progresses and creates great inventions and relationships.

Higher education is important to me because it is an opening opportunity for more stability. In today's society, it is becoming increasingly difficult to support ones' self on their own; they have to have some sort of support system, otherwise they may feel as if they are not succeeding. Higher education provides more knowledge that is wanted in the workforce; employers no longer want employees to only have a high school education. The employers want the employees to have at least a general education degree, and want to know what their future plans are. Having a higher education means that I have the possibility to be promoted in my specific area of study. A college degree is something that looked greatly upon, especially if it benefits the person. The person can also go to a trades school, and still obtain a higher paying job or career. They will be able to support themselves financially, and possibly for families they have, or just for themselves. Obtaining a higher education means learning more, and being open to learn. The more a person learns, the more they feel that they can do anything they want to and complete a degree of a subject that they are happy in; even if they have to be more frugal. Being open to learning means accepting what a person's skills are and if they want to improve those skills or learn new skills. A person has to be open to learning if they want a higher education. Without having higher education, people lose opportunities that they think they can not apply to. Those opportunities can be life-changing in the way of having a good sense of stability. People will lose out if they can not change how they think; they will not want to learn for the reason that they believe it will not be achieved. Today's higher education comes in many forms for all people and their schedules. There is no excuse because there are ways to come around, and there are support services such as financial aid and counseling that will help to find the perfect solution. There is no right or wrong version of higher education; there are ways to be able to obtain a degree in a field or subject that will make any person happy. I briefly struggled with this, thinking I may not eligible for something because of my ethnicity, sex, or the field I wanted to pursue. Since, I have changed my way of thinking to be more open about always applying myself; and being open to opportunities.

I have had an interesting health journey. I was diagnosed with migraines a few years ago, and I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It was a very difficult time for the reason that I was having to miss many days during high school. My teachers were concerned, but for the wrong reasons. They pried asking personal questions, and did not believe me when I said I was migraines and sore throats. They seemed to think, since I attended school for that day, I am feeling my best. I never really felt my best because of how they talked to me; and my parents did what they could, but also were brushed off. For my health and academics, I transferred into independent study, so that I was able to catch up on material that missed and be able to complete assignments on time. I felt so much better during this time. I knew what to complete and when, I was not falling behind, and my medical issues were finally solved. I was starting to have sore throats, and was diagnosed with Strep Throat a couple of times. However, this was during mid terms and finals of my freshman year, so I had no choice but to go to school. My teachers were notified of this, but still made me talk during class. I struggled because I was trying to save my voice. I was seen by an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) doctor, and they suggested I have my tonsils removed so that I would not have so many sore throats within a short amount of time. I went through with the surgery, and I was so much better after the recovery time. The doctor said everything looked fine, so I was free to go. While I had migraines, I was seen by a neurologist. They started me on a migraine medication to be taken every day. They first suggested to drink a lot more water, and take only when I felt a migraine coming on; which was very difficult because a migraine can hit out of nowhere with no warning of coming on. Eventually they had to administer a beta nasal blocker, to target the exact area of where the migraines began. While being on these medications, I felt better after some months. I was able to talk more in classes and think more clearly. Since then, I have been diagnosed migraine free. I have changed some of the ways that I eat. With PCOS, I do not always feel hungry, but I need to eat something to be able to function. Now, I eat healthier foods and cook for most of the week. I also go on daily morning walks to try to maintain my weight. It has helped significantly, and I feel more energized for the day; I no longer take mid day naps or snack more than I should.

Being able to take different classes and classes that interest me is one of more exciting parts of college. I was never able to take classes that I really wanted while in high school, so I thought this is my opportunity to be excited about subjects that I am passionate about. I'm very shy, so meeting new people is not my thing, but I do try to talk to classmates if there is an opportunity. Another aspect of college that has excited me is that if I put my mind to something, I can accomplish what I want. My teachers in high were supportive, but not as supportive of medical issues that I was going through. They never seemed to believe me or my parents when they were explained what was going on in my personal and medical life. So, now I feel great that I have support from friends, family, and professors to help me accomplish my goals. I maintain a healthy mind, body, and soul amidst challenges by always taking time for myself at the nd of each day. I start my day with meditating and breathing exercises, so that I am able to incorporate these into the rest of my day. Whenever I have a break in my day from classes and assignments, I will take a few minutes to clear my mind of everything and just breathe. I try not to let anything cloud my mind during this time, so I do not stress myself out while completing assignments later. To have a healthy body, is not easy for me. I have a health condition that makes it difficult to metabolize food, create insulin, and lose weight. I am always trying to eat healthier foods, and limit my intake of how much I eat during the day and into the night. I take walks every morning, to wake myself up and try to quick start my metabolism. However, if I am not hungry, I do not eat. I may have a snack if I do not to make a meal, and it has so much better for my bodily health. To have a healthy soul, I pray every day, or whenever I am able to. I come from a religious family, so religion has been an important factor in my life for a very long time. I go to mass every week, with my family, and I try to be involved in my church's community. Whenever I feel upset, I turn to God to pray, and hope to receive an answer about what I should do. It helps to look inward, and why I am doing something. It also helps so that I can figure out what I want to do when faced with a difficult decision.

I believe that clean living is important because it promotes a healthy lifestyle. Having a healthy lifestyle can lead to a longer life span. Clean living means to incorporate clean practices in every day routine. To be more sustainable, to recycle, and to reuse items whenever possible is important in clean living. I try to reuse items such as glass jars turned into planters or store supplies. I also buy re-usable bags for grocery and necessity items, and I use them every week. Clean living is significant to save local communities, and make an impact in their own community; even trying to make a difference for their state or country. It will take one person to start a domino effect to get others involved. Having clean living practices can begin with simple recycling or re-using items for every day usage, rather than using only one time. I incorporate clean living by starting my day with meditation and breathing techniques, and I continue this throughout my day. When I have a short break in-between completing assignments, I will lie down for about fifteen minutes, and just breathe and focus on the breathing. I try not to think about anything else during this period because it will distract me; and distract from other tasks that I am finishing. I think clean living is important in my life because I can improve how I think about how I use items and eat certain foods. Clean living is a lifestyle change, and it can be put into anyone's life easily. Becoming more aware of what is purchased, how it is used, and how good the quality is will be a significant change. I recycle all the time. I will take any finished plastic bottles and glasses to our local recycling center, and feel good that it is not sitting in the recycling trash can. I take the money I earn from recycling, and use it to buy sustainable, reusable, and high quality products. I try to use every last bit of food or of a product so that I do not waste money buying more when I do not need to. I will also encourage my family to continue these practices. We already recycle, and turn off or unplug electrical items that we do not use in the long term, such as the toaster or slow cooker. We will turn it on when we plan to use it immediately.

A song that has the most important message to me is "Do You Love Me" by KISS. To me, the message is wanting to know if who you love really loves back. It could be for everything that you may not like about yourself; or loving the person behind a persona they put on when center attention. I have loved the band KISS since I was little, my parents would play their songs all the time, and I have grown used to them and have memorized the lyrics to most of the songs. I do not think I really could choose a favorite song, especially from KISS, but this is definitely one of my top favorites to listen to repeatedly. This song is important to me because it makes me feel more accepted. I feel more accepted by my family, friends, and my boyfriend. He has been with through some tough times in my life, and I love to listen to song with him.

I want to see my home state and country change it's political position. I do not agree with many of the choices that the state and federal government make; I think they are pushing the United States in the wrong direction and we will eventually fail. I will act by voting how I think certain ways should be, and sharing my opinion with those who will not belittle me.

A book that has transformed my life is 'Unmasked' written by Kane Hodder, and the help of Michael Aloisi, another author. I am a huge horror fan, and this book has changed how I see Kane Hodder, and my outlook on a bad situation. 'Unmasked' is Hodder's autobiography, and he does not hold back on stories from his childhood, wanting to become a stuntman, and then being one of the biggest horror film actors, stuntman, and stunt coordinator today. He shares stories that many fans and others have never heard. The most significant story is how he became badly burned. He was performing a fire stunt for a journalist writing a piece on his up and coming debut in the film industry. However, he was not able to put the fire, and he suffered from burns on about fifty percent of his body. He was in a terrible hospital for several months, and later moved to a burn unit where he was properly taken care of. For a long time, he was not comfortable with showing his burns; instead he would always cover them up by wearing long sleeved shirts and pants or jeans. He was eventually comfortable when he encountered a woman who had severe burns while walking on a boardwalk. She noticed him staring, and she noticed the burns on his neck and took off a scarf he was wearing. She gave him some encouraging words, and went on with her business. Despite this being such a sad story so young in his life; I find this very inspirational. While he was in the hospital, he was depressive and having suicidal thoughts. However, he came out of that feeling when he saw a man who was happy with his burns. Kane Hodder turned his attitude around, and felt much better that he will survive and recovered so that he could get back to performing stunts. He was at a very low point in his life, and he managed to turn it around. I want to be able to turn my life around when I am at my lowest. Kane Hodder's autobiography is very inspirational to me because he just kept moving forward. He has not let anything hold him back from doing his favorite thing: performing stunts, being a stunt coordinator on TV and film sets, and acting in several horror movies or indie films. I want to pursue my passions, and not let anything stop me or make me change my mind or attitude.

Mental health is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Mental health is an enormous factor in how a person can function in society and at home. Having good mental health means that any person will have a better life. Having better mental health means that better performance will come into life. Not being able to maintain good mental health will mean difficulty completing tasks, and not wanting to be around family and friends. Bad mental health will mean wanting to not improve on oneself and skills needed for a career; or even for hobbies that were previously enjoyed. Maintaining mental health is significant to further oneself in big life events, such as going to college. Having great mental health means better choices are to be made for big decisions. Having a clear head will mean no outside or inside interference from any person, confusing thoughts, or minor tasks. Not having a clear head will not help because thoughts are clouded with stress, and making a decision may not come out as originally hoping. I maintain my mental health by taking moments in. I live in the moment, so that I can feel the happiness during that event. I do not always take pictures because I do not like to always be on my phone. I prefer to interact with those around me. I try to take in the moments so that I can remember these good times while I go through bad times. I also like to take walks. Being in nature is very calming, and helps to slow down when everything is moving quickly. Fresh air is also good, because it helps the brain to better receive information. Oxygen helps to keep the brain functioning while in good and bad times. I maintain my mental health by meditating and taking time for myself, such as playing computer games or reading. I find meditation is very helpful in discovering inner peace; and I am able to complete more tasks efficiently than when I am tired and stressed. Playing computer games is a time for me to relax and take time to play the game and complete in-game tasks or quests. Reading is a large part of my life because I have loved books since I was little. Taking time to read even for a short amount of time is an advantageous hobby. I put my full attention into the book and can read several chapters when this happens.

One way that I have grown in the past year is discovering that I would rather be near my family while going to college, than being across the country where I am alone and have no immediate support. Earlier, I had traveled across the United States to go to a college I thought I would be happy with. I had done alright for the first couple of weeks; but by the third week of classes I had felt a wave of sadness. So, I contacted my parents, and went home in the next couple of weeks of planning where to stay for the night and packing up my belongings. My parents were supportive of this decision, and they helped me to pack again and to get home. Then, they helped me get acclimated back into the home life; asking what I would like to do for college or finding a job. I have started an online job, and will be starting online college in a field I find very interesting. I have discovered that I prefer to stay near or close to home; I do not like being far away from home without physical support from my family and friends. I have discovered I would not want to travel for college or possibly for work if it required me to stay for long weeks or months at a time. I have changed what I have wanted to study. Originally, I wanted to study film production, and moved to Michigan for the college I preferred. Now I will be studying history and archeology because I am more interested in this subject. This is also easier to complete while at home. I have always loved to learn history, only now I realize that it is a subject I want to pursue and to become more knowledgeable in. I have learned that I am a homebody; I prefer to be close with my family and friends. I like to have their support from close by rather than far away. I learned that my family will always support my decisions; as they want to me to be happy in whatever I decide to do in my future. I have also learned that I would rather not study and pursue film. It seemed very exciting when I was thinking about and taking the preliminary classes, but I would not be able to always be traveling for the work. I like to stay in the comfort of my home and city.

My favorite Disney character is Ariel from The Little Mermaid. I find that we both have a lot in common. I have always loved her bright red hair, and how her green tail compliments her hair. I have dyed my hair red, to match with her. Red is also a favorite color of mine. She is ambitious and courageous because she had always wanted to visit the surface, find her true love, and make discoveries. I have traveled across the country to go to college. I was scared because I didn't know how everything would turn out, such as unexpected stops or trouble finding a particular location. However, I have my way and have liked the journey. I have an extreme interest in history; as she also loves to examine human items and treasures. We are both collectors; she collects human objects while I collect books and movies. I also love to swim, even before I watched The Little Mermaid for the first time. I have been an avid swimmer every summer, and love to relax in the water. It is peaceful because of the gentle movements from the waves; the sound of water rolling onto the shore; and the colors of the water are fascinating to watch as they change with day and night. I do not like to sing, however I think Ariel's voice is one the most beautiful to listen to. I will sometimes find a clip of her singing and listen to it repeatedly. Ariel is very bold, a quality that I appreciate. She went to someone who is not trustworthy, and still made a deal so that she could find happiness elsewhere. I was very bold to travel from California to Michigan for college. In addition, to navigating my way around the college, making new acquaintances and finding what I needed to be happy.

Living with a parent struggling with addiction has allowed me insight into the statement because I have chosen to not follow in my father's footsteps. I saw the beginning, when he first began drinking; I was hoping he would improve and become sober, but it has not happened. Earlier this year, me and the rest of my family thought he was going to die because he was not responding. He ended up in the hospital for several hours, mostly sleeping and waiting for his alcohol levels to reach a normal blood level. He was sober, but only for about a week and a half. After, he was back to drinking, and still has not stopped since. Living with my dad while he was declining had been very upsetting. He was someone I looked up to when I was younger, and he taught me skills others could not have that are useful in every day situations. Now, living on my own at my college, I do not have to worry for anyone. I only have to keep myself going and complete assignments and chores. Being away at a college in a different state worries me for him, his actions, and how the rest of my family has to cope with it. They have to suffer through his actions and consequences. I have made the decision to not drink, especially since I am also underage; but I do not want to become so overwhelmed that I have become addicted to a drink or substance that can ruin my life. I do agree with this statement because people have opportunities to forge their own path, and not go down a rabbit hole. I have chosen my own path to go to college, and choose to not look into alcohol or substances for a form of relaxation. I have other hobbies that I put first, including college assignments, that are better for my lifestyle. I still agree with this statement because choosing how we respond to a change, is how we can move forward with that change. If a person does not respond, they do not know what to do; and could possibly follow down that path. If a person responds in a way that is different from that choice, they can very well adapt from the change. They could choose something completely different, so that they will not be tempted to use substances or drink. The person can either use a fight or flight response, in that they will fight against alcohol and drugs, or run from a choice their parent made.

My diagnosis of certain food sensitivities has impacted me and my future career choices by limiting the foods I love to eat. I am sensitive to a few of the most common food ingredients, so I have to be careful of what I choose to eat and when. I can no longer grab anything I want because my throat will feel it is starting to close up. Then, I cannot focus on my assignments or other work, as I want my sensitivities to go down. I am worried that I will have to make certain foods from scratch, it will become too expensive while I am studying. I also worry that I may have to choose the more expensive options that are not in my budget. The food sensitivities that I have been diagnosed with have made me focus on certain foods that make me sick. I read the labels of ingredients, and most of what I am sensitive to are in most of the foods I eat or foods that are prepared by restaurants and grocery stores. My whole family has to change what they purchase for the month, so that I can not be effected by my sensitivities. They have to take out some grocery items that they are fine eating, so that foods I am safe to eat can be included. This has impacted my future career choice by making me back track. I know the field I will study does not have a direct issue with my sensitivities, but can be impacted by what I surrounded by. If the food service cannot cater to my sensitivities, then I have bring my own or find another outlet that can make choices that I am able to eat without consequences. This scholarship will assist me in reaching my goals by providing a safety net or emergency fund That safety net will help to cover the cost of foods or ingredients that are more expensive that I cannot afford. As an emergency, it will provide me with any medical attention that I may need to seek. If my sensitivities get out control, this will help to meet doctor's or hospital demands. It will also help me to find resources that I can look into. Such as, other food or ingredient options from restaurants or grocery stores; medications that I can take that I had not known before; and care from a medical provider.

I practice bravery and live boldly by following my instincts. However I feel in the moment, I make decisions by that. Practicing bravery has only come through by being brave. I do small things, like texting the person I love every day. Being brave has been difficult for me because I am shy and usually quiet. By making choices that are out of my comfort zone, I have been practicing my own form of bravery. Living boldly is almost similar to practicing bravery because I still have to make the best choices for myself. By living more boldly, I feel much better and happier with the choices I make daily. I make choices that benefit how I live each day, and for my future. Moving to another state has been the boldest and bravest choice I have made so far. To be living on the campus I applied and got into, is going to be scary, but I will the best choices.

My experience with mental health has influenced my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations for the better. My beliefs are different from everyone else's where I live. I believe in almost the opposite from most people. My mental health had decreased and made me feel miserable because I did not believe what others did. I felt like an outcast, especially at school, because there were no other people who would agree with me because it was not an opinion they liked. I only shared my thoughts with my friends because would not make fun of me or stop speaking to me. I felt a little better that I could share with those who knew me best. My relationships have not suffered much from my mental health. I would try to keep them separate, but if I was not feeling up for something, I would say something. My friends would understand, because they would have similar experiences with school and home. My relationship with my father was suffered for more than the last two years. He has been an alcoholic in that time, and has ostracized himself from the rest of the family. He would not explain why he angry or did this; he just never talked about anything. We would just have to learn to live with it until something else happens. My relationship with my boyfriend has grown better since we met. We had classes together in high school and would talk when we had time. He has made me feel better than I had been in a while. He helped to encourage me to go to therapy. It helped tremendously to make me feel better about myself and improve my mental health lately. We both had been going through rough times in our respective homes, and we want the best for each other. My mental health has influenced my career aspirations multiple times. I had wanted to become so many things as I was going through middle and high school. I had settled on becoming a film director. It was not easy because I had so many people pressuring me, wanting to know what I wanted to do as an adult. I just never had a clear answer because I like to do many things, but could not choose between any of them. I did not want to end up in a job or career that I was not happy with. I do not think that the people I had talked to understood that. I tried to explain, but they still did not see it my way, only their own. I am making decisions that would benefit my life the most, and to get the most out of it. I have been improving my mental health, so that I would have a great life. My mental health has improved ever since I began to take control of my decisions. I feel so much better, and know great ways to keep my mental health from becoming worse, and only becoming better.

Throughout middle school and high school, I was involved in theatre. I had six or seven classes that all gave various amounts of homework or studying for the night. I was a stage manager in my first year in college, as well. About two, almost three hours, of my time after school was gone because of rehearsal. I had to make time after coming home, and eating dinner, I would be completing assignments until my list was finished. I would not get much time, if any, for myself, as I would be going straight to bed to wake up early for school. It was not easy because I would have to schedule time to do all the assignments, and study for any upcoming tests or quizzes. I was very tired, and swamped when all classes had some form of work to do. To try to alleviate this, I would try to get ahead on some assignments I knew ahead of time. I would do them in the morning before school started, while waiting for rehearsals to begin, or if I had any free time in class. The teachers at my school would not give any extra time, it had to be done by the due date; I was lucky if a teacher forgot, but it was a rare occurrence. I would also create a schedule of which assignments were due and when. I also listed and completed them in order of importance, length, and difficulty. I would complete the assignment that was due the soonest, and was the most difficult for me. I then moved on in this pattern until I was down to the last and most easy assignment for the day or week. Maintaining a good GPA at my high school was very difficult. It is a tough school, but offers help from teachers and tutors. Even if teachers could not help, there was always somewhere or someone else to help. In my senior year, there was the senior project where students have to volunteer for a cause of their choosing. My friends and I formed a group, and met once a week after school. We would discuss what we needed to do, and when we should be finishing by. We had the chance to meet after school because of the teachers meeting after school an hour early than usual. We all were in tough classes, but would complete homework together while waiting for everyone to join our meetings.

I am very passionate about films. It has changed my life for the better, especially right now. I love to watch films, discover new ones, and share them with my family and friends. I especially love to watch behind-the-scenes clips and interviews from the crew and the cast. I find it fascinating that so many, or so little, people can come together to create something amazing for any audience. I want to be able to do that; to make people happy. I want to share my ideas, so that my audiences can share the happiness that I put in to make the film. Audiences should share what makes them happy with their family and friends, even strangers on social media. Audiences should also discuss the films they watch. Having the inspiration from what they like to see, should create a stir to discuss why they love it and why it is important to them. I want to be film director because there are very few successful female directors, especially with my background. I come from a low income family, which my parents were more concerned with providing for me and my sister. They make enough to buy necessities, and to only save for other items. We always had hope, and my parents tell me to do what makes me happy. That really fueled me to pursue what I would love to do. Having the support to pursue my desired career choice is the best feeling. Knowing that I can do this, and help others along the way, is amazing. I get full support from my family, but I also get great support from my boyfriend. He has supported my decisions when I first talked about them. We communicate what and how we feel about everything. He gives me feedback on where I think I can improve my career and life choices. I also give him feedback on his choices. Knowing that he gives all that he can to know that this is my choice, and how it makes me feel, makes me believe that I will accomplish this. My friends is supportive in the ways that they have the ability to do so. They declare they will back me up in whatever I choose. They will give me feedback in their own ways, so that I can improve my life and my choices. I always ask for their opinion, about how I could do better.

Having two cats has changed my life for the better. My first cat, Dosia, was an older cat, but filled with love; and very fluffy. She was calm and understanding when we took her into our home, and having to adjust to a new environment. Sadly, she passed almost two years of her being with us. Later, we adopted a kitten who was born feral, and was socially and house trained to be in a new home. We named him Phantom, for his appearance, actions, and because me and my sister love horror and Halloween. Having him in our home was very different than Dosia, because he was a kitten and rambunctious. He would climb into everything, and hide any where he could fit; we would find him underneath the bathroom sink or behind the couch, on the far end where we could not reach him easily. He is still very playful, being only a year old now. I love pets because they are family and lifelong companions. Taking care of a animal takes work, and it is worth it. They get to be happy, and live in a safe environment. The owner also gets to happy, because they have something to look after, and the pet can return the affection given to them.

My experience with mental health has shaped my goals, relationships, and understanding the world very differently than I did before. My goals have changed since I was dealing with mental health issues. I did now know what I wanted to do for a job or career. I had at least three or four different ideas, and I could not decide. Even in high school, I had put together a presentation with all my career ideas. Thinking over what I really wanted to do helped me decide one, and one back-up, career choice. Understanding what is required for any of the career choices I was considering also helped to narrow down what I would really like to do and accomplish. So, I just finished community college, and will continue to a four-year university. My relationships have improved, and also not improved, while I was trying to better my mental health. My relationship with my mother has improved. We talk all the time, and share almost everything together. We go on shopping trips, and cook or bake together. My relationship with my father was not improved lately. He has been an alcoholic for the last two and a half years. He has pushed me and our family away because of that. We just cannot trust him because he has not proved that he can be trusted. My relationship with my boyfriend has improved, slowly. We have been able to see each other much because of the pandemic, but have able to lately since the pandemic has been dying down. His parents are also still very worried of him catching the Coronavirus, or him being led down a the wrong path. Understanding the world is very difficult. There are multiple sides to every story, and trying to find the truth of it all. Having to know what is right versus what is wrong is hard to maintain, because I can't know everything about everything. I just trust my instinct on what I believe is the right thing to do.

One of my favorite ways to help to clear my mind is to write, stories or in my own journal. It helps to clear out my my mind of the thoughts I had for the day or last couple of days. With journaling, I can express my thoughts and feelings without the concern of listening ears or disapproving voices. With writing, I can create my own world, and build it however I would like. It provides an escape from the real world and I can create my perfect world. Another favorite of mine is to meditate. I will put on some soothing background music, and then clear my mind through deep breathing while seated comfortably or laying down. I use YouTube or Spotify to find the background sounds I like, such as rain or thunder, or a harp, or even classical music. Other times I will sit or lay in silence, just to clear my mind with the background if it becomes too distracting. A recent way I have discovered to clear my mind is painting, or creating a form of art. I liked using clay, and making small items, like a pumpkin or masks, but I have moved on from that. I really found that painting has been my favorite past time. I use all kinds of brushes and paint colors to let my mind loose in the moment from when I begin to when I feel I am finished. I prefer to use favorite colors of mine, and then paint on a surface I have available. I will use paper, a small ceramic, or statuettes or figures to unleash my mind. The next great way to clear my mind is through cleaning. Whether it be select rooms, or somewhere else I am permitted, it is helpful. Clearing out clutter can clear the mind. In the right mindset to clean, a house or area can look much better without piles of items in every corner. I take out things that I do not cherish any more, and only keep what has great memories for me. My very favorite way to clear my mind is by reading. I will pick up a book, and not put down until I have either finished it or need a break. I got lost in the world of books, and what an author has created from their mind and research. I have plenty of books in my home to choose from, and am always buying more to read and add to my growing collection.

A healthy lifestyle is important to me. It promotes great health, a longer life expectancy, and good habits. I currently do not have the best health, as I am overweight; partially due to a medical condition. The medical condition makes it hard for me to lose weight, but just as easy to gain. So, I have had to adapt my eating and exercise habits to lose the unwanted weight. A long life expectancy is significant to me because my grandmother has lived a very long life. She reads every food label, and shops for healthy food to cook into a great meal. She takes daily vitamins and supplements. I want to have the ability to do all these things, without guilt and without the need to add unnecessary elements into my diet. I want to practice good habits. Currently, I need to work on building better habits so that I can have them for life. I do not want to be in my later years, and not able to provide for myself or my family. I want to keep promoting those healthy habits for the better.

With $1,000 right now, I would most likely become very emotional. I have never had that much money to spend for my education or for myself. I would most likely put it into my savings, as a buffer for educational expenses. That is my largest burden at the moment. The next largest burden is trying to find a used car to buy so that I have transportation to move to my university's state. As well as transportation to get to a job, and get to a store to purchase groceries and other necessities. $1,000 will help me to put a down payment on a used car. My parents can only afford the one car we have now, sharing it as needed for errands and going out to a far location. It is difficult to share the car because we have to plan when it can be used and by who. Such as, getting to school or work on time. Saving that $1,000 ill also help to me invest where in my education is important. Such as paying for supplies for the classes, or a meal plan or take out. It will act as my safety net for an emergency expense or an expense that popped up unexpectedly.

My dream for my future career is to be a great film director. I will make fantastic films based on what my mind will come up with, plus collaborations with others in the industry. I will start by interning on productions. I will look where I could volunteer, or intern, to gain the experience necessary for my career path. I want to gain the knowledge and expertise to make something my own. Including those who I employ or hire; they will be treated with respect and have the ability to express their concerns, big or small. Becoming a film director is special to me because I want to make others happy. Watching films and behind-the-scenes clips have made me fascinated and happy to know what goes into making a film. Making an audience happy is my biggest goal, because I love to share good feelings with other people. An audience should have the enjoyment of relating to a film.

My future goals include finishing my Bachelor degree in Film Production, having a better relationship with my boyfriend, and having a great and loving family. I want to finish my education at a four-year university so that I can do what I love: make films. I desire to make films for audiences to enjoy because I loved watching films growing up. I still watch behind-the-scenes clips and interviews because I find it fascinating how such a large group of people come together to make a film for a living and for their fans. I want to have a better relationship with my boyfriend because I will be moving out of state to finish my degree. We already see each other very little because of the pandemic, even though it is winding down, and his parents do not want him out too often; for fear of the Coronavirus and that he may be lead down a wrong path. We have been able to see each other more often as of late, but through chaperoned dates. I want us to have a good standing before I move. In my future, I want to have a loving family. It could be what I teach them or they learn on their own, but they should not have to worry over small things or over needing necessary items.

I have stayed optimistic through rough times by having hope, praying, and doing what I like to do to focus on the good. I would usually write or journal what is happening to me, why, and what I could do to better my situation. Engaging in other hobbies would also help me to keep my mind settled. Reading is a great way to get lost from the real world. Going through rough times have taught me that as long as I believe there can be a better day or a better situation, I can get through that time in between. Staying optimistic is difficult because I may think people do not know what I am going through, so I start to lose confidence. I gain that confidence back by doing activities that will keep me, emotionally, physically, and mentally determined. I also try to stay optimistic for my family. Both my parents have faced forms of hardship in their lives, and it effected my life. I want the ability to stay happy for them; to be an escape from their own issues.

Through my mentorship of others, I hope to impact how they think and choose to act. I want to have a positive influence in their lives, so they look back thinking "that was some great advice". I want them to able to come to me if they have further questions or need further assistance where they are confused. Being a mentor means to look after who I am mentoring. They should be secure and feel safe wherever they are in life, and not be afraid to ask questions. I hope to impact how they think and act so that they can better themselves in whatever position they are in. They should have the ability to keep moving up and to keep moving forward in their job or career, in their relationships, and in their finances. Being a mentor is inspiring to know where these people will go in their life, and how they influence others.

One personal finance lesson that I find important is saving whenever possible. Saving for college or further education, necessities, other expenses, and even wants is one of the most important lessons I have been taught from reading financial material, looking over online tips, and advice from my parents. My parents are low income, so they have advised me to always be saving for anything, such as emergency expenses; because I will never know when it may come up. It could come up at the most unfortunate timing, especially during college. We have had to scrimp and save every chance that we could. I am continuing this trend because being a student and paying for bills and various expenses can grow to become expensive for one person. I will be budgeting very carefully every month or couple of weeks so that I am on top of where I am spending; and where I should be saving.

My favorite book is "The Sisters Grimm" by Michael Buckley. I love this series because I love the mystery and fantasy genres, and this series creates a great combination of both, especially for children to read. It is based on descendants of the Brothers Grimm, two sisters did not know they had a grandmother. The girls' parents are kidnapped, and have to live in the foster care system, until their thought to be dead grandmother has them come to her town. This book gave me something to relate to. As an older sister, I relate to Sabrina, the elder of the two sisters. She protects her younger sister, Daphne, the best she can; she answers all the questions Daphne asks to the best of her knowledge. Sabrina feels she has to grow up quickly so that she could protect her sister, and work together so that they can be together. I love fairy tales, and this book brings them to the twenty-first century. Buckley entwines well-known fairy tales and those characters into the lives of the sisters Grimm. He has these characters become either friends or enemies to the Grimm family. The fairy tale characters have their term, Everafters, that they prefer to go by. It even takes a dark turn, because a shadowy group of them kidnapped the parents of Sabrina and Daphne. So, the girls have to find who is in this group, find their parents, and a way to defeat this group for good. The use of fairy tale characters is great because there are not many books that can mix them into the real world as fantastic as Buckley did.

One thing I do to improve the lives of elderly people in my community is taking my grandmother shopping. I do this to alleviate my uncle who lives with and takes care of my grandmother. He does some of the tougher chores and fixes her house. I drive my grandmother to the bank and to the stores she shops for groceries and other necessities for the house. I also pack and unpack the groceries and items she buys because she is unable to lift the heavier items into the cart and then into her house. I bag all of her items that are bought so that it is easier to unload them once in the house. My grandmother also has me hold her hand. Lately, she has been walking slower, and needs assistance to walk into the store and back into her home. I also help her if she needs to sit down. I will stay in her place so that she does not have to stand for a long period of time.

One practical solution for helping more people who struggle with mental health is journaling, writing down what is going through their head at any point in time, past or present. I have used journaling as a way to cope with my feelings and my daily situations in life, such as difficult times at home. I also use writing as another way to express myself. I am able to create my own world through journaling and writing. I can use whoever I like, or dislike, in stories to create a better mood for myself. Journaling has been a long time use for mental health, and I believe more people should find the time to write whatever they feeling; or how they want to become better, for themselves or for their family and friends. Writing is an escape from the real world and problems that come up on a daily basis. Journaling is also an easy way to express oneself without prying eyes or ears around the home, work, or a waiting area. Journaling can be easily utilized for those who are nonverbal or do not like to speak/talk. Writing is a good way to understand how children are feeling. It can be a simple way for children and young adults to get out what they want if they do not know how to express it. Learning how to show that emotion can help them to learn how to talk out an issue, rather than becoming frustrated over it. Journaling also has no bounds. There is no wrong or right way to express inner feelings and one's inner self.

I chose film production as my area of study. I have always loved films; watching them and watching behind-the-scenes clips and interviews. I find watching these are fascinating in how a made is made by so many people. There are more people than I had realized before that make a film possible. There were some people I did not know that have the smallest job that are still needed for a film to be made. Watching how it is done by professionals, and by a few amateurs, is amazing. All these people have to come together and work as flawlessly as possible to ensure that the day's schedule is completed on time; and on time for the films release date. I chose film production because I started in theatre. I thought that was one of the best feelings to work with others to entertain an audience. I liked working with people that also had this great feeling. I moved to films because I see some more freedom in space than on a stage. I plan to use my education to increase my knowledge in this field and industry. I want to educate others how this industry came to be and how we had utilized past techniques to create a fantastic film. I to then use the newest and most current techniques to create an even better film. I want audiences to have the ability to engage with the film, and to discussion. They should discuss the elements of the films with people they know, so that these people can become involved with this film. I want the audience to feel engaged with who has made the film. I want to make films that make a difference. Whether it be in others' lives, or just who I know, I want it to be special for others. They can share these with their loved ones, or have a more intimate moment with their partner. I desire these people to keep sharing the filmmaking process for their own enjoyment, and to share how any film is made. My films will have great involvement with the crew, along with the audience. I would treat the crew with as much respect as I would the actors hired. I want the crew to have as many privileges to be comfortable and to work efficiently. Whether working with fellow crew members or with actors, everyone should be comfortable in front or behind the camera.

The wisest thing that I have ever heard is "be truthful". I have carried this with me for a long time, since my parents have told me to utilize this. Being truthful can go a long way in life. Listening to the truth can help achieve what is wanted. While lying can advance a person further or quickly, it will not help them in the long run. If someone finds out they have lying, that person can be fired just as quick as they rose up. Being truthful can also help in a difficult situation, such as knowing where someone is as it could impact their future, their health, even their life. Using the truth can aid to find someone, or simply help them pick an outfit. Tell them what does and does not look good for them. Using the truth is not something everyone actually likes to hear. They hear it, but they do not process it because it does not align with their values, morals, or life. I use the truth so that people know what is happening in current events or local events. I use the truth so that I can tell people what they need to hear, versus what they want to hear. Listening to the actual truth can be taken far.

A study strategy I use was developed my one of my high school teachers. He showed using a few different study guides rolled into one. He called it the "I-Note System". The main area is from the Cornell notes system, blending a use of broad statements and organizing where information goes. The terms and diagrams are on the left side, while the main notes are on the right side of the paper. He also advised to use spaces into between each note taken to read them easier. I have used this system since he taught his classes this method. It has made studying efficient and quick. I also make a schedule to be sure that I put in the time to study. I need to know what I doing for the week, so that I can make ample time to study for classes. I leave my phone on silent for no distractions while looking over notes. I try not to use my laptop because writing the notes helps me better to remember them, and I do not have to waste my laptop battery and space.

I love nature because we can attain many great things from nature. We can gain much such as food and companions. Nature provides us with a way to live, examples are knowing what is good or not good to eat, how to survive in such conditions. Having the knowledge to survive in different nature conditions is good because we are providing for ourselves without outside help. We would know how to make a shelter, find food that is okay to consume, and learn where to explore or be cautious. I love nature because I know where my food and resources are coming from. I can trace far back from where a specific piece of meat or fruit came from. Knowing this makes me more resourceful in where I should purchase food and other products. From nature can come a companion. Animals are another way for us to connect with nature, as they were wild and became domesticated.

I used persistence to overcome an obstacle when I was in high school. I had intense migraines that made it difficult to focus and complete work. My migraines would occur daily, and would last for hours. Over the counter medications did little to help. I had to see a neurologist to assess the situation. The neurologist prescribed medication to aid in lessening the intensity of the migraine. They also used a nasal blocker spray to hit the exact area where the migraine effected me. This happened over a period of four years. I would take my medication daily and get a nasal spray every few months, until I was weaned off of both medications. I also had severe sore throats. The same thing happened with my teachers as did my migraines; they brushed it off and did not help me much to try to complete my homework or schoolwork. With the sore throats, it was more difficult because I was forced to talk in class still. I went to see an ear/nose/throat doctor to assess this situation. They gave me medication to ease the soreness. I still had to go back because I eventually needed my tonsils removed. Since, I have not had a severe sore throat.

To me, generosity means being able to give to others in a positive way. Not everyone can be generous because we all have our own issues, but giving to someone who has less than someone else can be a good feeling. Generosity is a way to share with others. Someone may be having a bad day for one reason or another, and someone else can ask how their day is. Giving time to someone may be all they need to get a problem off their chest and vent. It can help them to be generous in their way later in their day. Being generous does not mean having to give money or change to a lesser fortunate person. Donating time, food, and clothing can be other ways. Such as, giving clothes to a center for homeless people, or volunteering at a soup kitchen. Being generous can also mean teaching others. It could be a new skill or a virtue. I have learned to be generous by helping my grandmother with monthly errands of hers. I drive her to the stores she needs, and unpack her items. I have learned patience through this experience, and that going slow can be just a good or better than speeding through the day.

I do not feel that my California K-12 experience adequately prepared me for college. I did not learn what I should have to prepare me for life. My elementary school experience was better than middle school or high school. I learned useful skills, like reading, writing, basic math, and socializing. I was bullied in sixth grade, so I did not feel like socializing with my peers. I thought they would not like me, just because I would complete work and turn it in on time. I did express this to the principal, who helped to alleviate the bullying. My fourth grade teacher was the best teacher I would have for a long time. He made learning engaging and fun for the class. He had us learn skills, such as patience, appreciation for most anything, and to listen. My middle school experience was about average. I learned what I was supposed to, but I thought I would have had more freedom to choose a class I like. I did have this opportunity in seventh grade. I was able to choose a media production class over Spanish. That helped me out of my shy shell a little bit; by making and presenting PowerPoints, having discussions and interviewing others. I was also able to take drama, which I thought was one of the best classes. I had never known the world of drama before then, and the teacher made it exciting. In addition, the drama teacher was also directing a couple of plays that year. So, I got to know other students during rehearsals. My high school experience was not pleasant nor helpful to me. I was prepared for college more than for life. I learned only academics because my high school did not have any other electives. They just brushed it off like I would have gone straight to a four-year college rather than community college first. My teachers did not seem to understand that I had intense migraines, so they would continue wherever they would leave off with the rest of the class; leaving me behind. I also had sore throats, so I would still have to miss some classes. I felt estranged because of these personal issues. My teachers did not offer help, only saying "keeping doing what you can" and "we'll see later". My experience did get better, as they finally added a drama club. I participated and met my friends today through drama. I would meet up with them every day, to hang out, help with homework, and enjoy our time. I transferred into independent study so I could catch up with the overload of homework. It helped get away from the public school I was attending. The teachers in independent study were far more understanding of my issues. They helped me to get on track with my studies to graduate. I did transfer back to the public school, so that I could see my friends again and graduate with them. Unfortunately, the pandemic happened, so I did walk across a stage. My teachers in my senior year were a bit more understanding than previous teachers. That helped me when I had to complete work a day or two late. The high school experience was still not what I hoped. I was hoping to learn life skills, so that I would not have to rely on my parents for everything. I still had to because no school has life skills as a class anymore. I couldn't even learn to drive while in highs school. I believe the school system needs to change to support their students better.

My future goals are to be a great filmmaker, graduate from university, and have a loving family. I want to graduate from university with the knowledge to know how to be a great film director. Having this knowledge will help me to intern or volunteer for productions and work my way up in the industry. I will also be the first person in my family to graduate from a four-year university. I want to be able to share that, and be proud of it. I want to be able to be a fantastic film director. I desire to share my thought and opinion in a format most everyone can relate to. My audiences should be able to enjoy themselves while also thinking about what they just watched. They should want to share it and discuss with others about my films. Having a loving family is something I really want nowadays. My father has been declining because he has become an alcoholic. He does not do much in terms of contributing to our family anymore. If/when I have children, I do not want to them to go through feeling separated from their family. I want them to be loved always.

I am committed to speaking my mind because I was told that honesty and truth is better to hear than a lie. I have never lied, and if I did, I felt terrible after that I couldn't bring up the truth. Knowing the truth, to me, is better than living a lie and continuing to spread it around. I tend to feel uneasy if I lie, so that is partly a motivator. My parents have never lied to me in a way that would have hurt me. They always answered questions as honestly as they could; sometimes it would be 'I don't know', and they would get back to me later. My parents have taught me that being honest is a way for others to know what is happening. The person may have no idea, and have something bad sprung onto them or go through a bad situation on their own. Speaking my mind has helped my relationship with my boyfriend. We are honest with each other, and communicate every day. We always share our day, and our opinions what is brought up. We listen to each other and make comments where necessary.

I am committed to being selfless because it is a great feeling. Knowing that I am aiding someone in a time of need is exciting. I helped my mother when she was diagnosed with cancer; and help my grandmother with certain duties. My mother was diagnosed with cancer in December 2019, when I was still in high school as a senior. It took a toll on my family. My mother is the breadwinner of the family, so she could not miss work. She had surgery to remove the tumor, but still needed to have chemotherapy treatments after for a few months. My sister and I took on most of the chores, making ourselves dinner, and other related errands. My dad was no help. He chose to drink instead, and has not improved since. I have had to pick up most of the driving for the family; such as running errands and taking and picking up my mom for work. My grandmother needed someone to help her with bi-monthly errands. I drive her to the bank and grocery stores for her to shop for the month. I also help load and unload the grocery items from the car into her house. I am alleviating my uncle, who helps to take care of her in her house. He fixes some things and helps her with larger chores; plus he has a full-time job. It was hard on him to continue taking my grandmother around, so I stepped in.

My life has been up and down so far. I have to come over many adversities to get where I am currently. I have had to live with a pandemic during high school and college; watch my mother survive cancer; see my father become an alcoholic; and overcome medical challenges. In senior year of high school was when the pandemic hit. Classes moved to online, events were cancelled, and I lost a couple of friends. I did not get a senior prom or graduation; it was streamed online, but no in-person celebration for anyone. I lost my friends over this because we could not meet in-person for anything. Even in community college, I could not meet with anyone. I did however, have an in-person graduation. I was very happy and lucky for that. My mother was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in December 2019. It took a toll on all of us in the house. My mom had to have surgery to remove the tumor, and still had to go through chemotherapy for a few months. I had difficulties with keeping up with homework, only one of teachers really helped and always asked how was I doing. Me and my sister had to pick on the chores, making dinner, and other house work so that our mother could rest before going back to work the following week after each chemo treatment. At the same time, my father began to drink more and more each day. He became worse over the summers, knowing he was retired and we did not have to go to school or college. He has improved much since then. During high school, I had the worst migraines. I had to go into independent study to able to complete homework. My teachers did not understand or believe me.

I encourage those around me by talking and giving the best advice suited for the particular person. I like to give advice when it is asked for, and pertain to the person's inquiry. Being able to provide an answer for them is very encouraging for me to help others. When encouraging others, I try to provide an example they can relate to or know previously. I do this to help the person solve their issue. I also give both sides to a situation. I think it helps so that the person has multiple ideas of what paths they can take. Having a multitude of different sides to a situation can give the encouragement to choose which path is the best for them. To encourage others, I also play up to their strengths. Knowing a person's strengths also helps to choose what can be the best for them. Aiding the person with their strengths is a great way to encourage them to use those to the best to of the their capabilities.

I never really had a bucket list. I just never thought of making one, until recently. The first on my list is to spend as much time as possible with my boyfriend before I leave to Michigan for university. We have not been able to spend much time together because of the pandemic and his parents being over protective. We have able to go on a date about once a month, however, there is always a form of a chaperone. We have been able to dine on our own, and go to a bar/restaurant by ourselves. I want for us to have more of an intimate setting together, just ourselves. We have done this when we watched a movie at my house a little while ago. It felt really nice to be alone together. Next on my bucket list is to get a new-to-me car. I need to be able to drive to Michigan and around the state for a job, errands, and other necessities to shop for. So far, I have achieved knowing the type of car I want and what will be good for me to get around. I have asked a neighbor and my cousin for help finding this particular car. The latest on my list is preparing for Michigan and university. I have compiled a list of necessities I will need while living there, such as bathroom amenities, kitchen wares, and small furniture for my room. I have researched the items on my list to compare prices to find the cheapest and best quality for my needs.

The loss of my paternal grandmother was not easy. My family would visit her house every week, to check on her and help with chores and errands. We would listen to her stories and memories. My uncle and his wife both accused my parents of stealing money from my grandmother, when we were helping her pay her bills and groceries. They took the matter to court, and even able to get a restraining order against my parents. My sister and I would have had visitation with my grandmother, but we did not want to be in a room alone with someone we did not know who would supervise us. My grandmother's memory was becoming short-term, so she did not believe us, but only my (dead) uncle and his wife. Everyone on my mother's side of the family was devastated because we lost a special member of the family; who would no longer be there for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions. We were never told of her death. It came suddenly to us through ancestral research, seeing her death date on the shared headstone with my grandfather. We mourned her loss again for a few weeks. We did go to visit to say what we wanted and prayed. This has fueled me to work so that this would not happen, I had felt the loss of her very deeply. She was always sharing good (and bad) things with us. We helped her through so much, and then we were awestruck at these events. I want to work hard and my fullest, so that my grandmother can see my accomplishments from wherever she is now. I want to achieve having a loving family, so that there are no hardships to suffer from. Family is important to me. We have so much to share with families that we don't always want to share with others.

To relax and take care of myself, a lot of it is sitting and not doing much. I read, watch movies, play games, and even take a nap when I feel it is needed. Loving to read ever since I could on my own, I always have a book in hand. I bring a book everywhere I go just in case I have extra time. I read in off time from homework. It calms me down after homework, and before bed. I watch movies, new ones and old favorites, to unwind. I choose them because I like an actor in it, or it is a favorite genre. I like to know how it ends, and how-to the mechanics of making a film by watching the behind-the-scenes clips. Playing computer games is a long-time favorite way to calm down, I can ease into a game, its characters, and world by focusing on it and tasks to complete. I can find peace in them because I know what I have to complete and how to do it. Taking a nap is one the easiest ways that I can be rejuvenated. If I feel I did not get enough sleep, I will take a nap in the afternoon. I will also just lay on the couch or in bed and close my eyes, with an alarm set to be asleep or unwinding too late. It is similar to meditation, in keeping my eyes closed and breathing; just letting my mind wander when it does, then bring back breathing as a focal point.

I have a few hobbies. I love read, watch films, sew, and take photographs. Reading has been a lifelong hobby of mine. I read whatever I can, and wherever I am. I will bring a book if I know that I may be waiting for a longer period of time. I love to read thrillers, suspense, and fantasy books. Watching movies has also been a long-time favorite activity. I love horror and comedy the most, so I collect those genres to be able to watch more often. I like to watch the behind-the-scenes features of film because I find the process of making a movie fascinating. All the people that come together to create a vision for an audience to see. Sewing has been a recent hobby. I started by watching videos on YouTube, to become self-taught. I wanted to be able to fix buttons, holes, and sew on patches without the help of my grandmother or take it to a tailor. I want to easily fix a problem that will not take a lot time. Photography is also a recent hobby that I have picked up. Starting with my phone, I tried to take many photos my daily life, documenting experiences through a lens. I bought a camera when I had enough money saved up. I have been learning how to use it, and how to take decent photographs.

One thing that gives me hope that the future will be better is that my mother has survived cancer. When I was a senior in high school, my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and had to have surgery to remove a tumor. She still needed to have chemotherapy treatments, as the tumor had burst a little. Watching her go through the treatments was devastating. She could not do housework, as she needed to rest often. I had picked up on several of the house chores to ease my mother's list; while also juggling to finish homework for classes. My mother is the breadwinner of the family, so her load at work made her even more tired once she was at home. My mother has been clear for a couple of years now, relieving my family. I am very grateful that she is healthy, and can continue to support us. My mother is one of toughest people I have come to know. She inspires me to keep going in life. She has always supported decisions I have had to make, regarding my education and career choice. I want to be able to fight just as hard as my mother, especially in rough situations. My mother has made sacrifices for her future, for me to benefit. I know the future will be better by praying, hoping, and keeping high spirits. My mother has always prayed for something to become better. My family has always had high spirits in times of the worst for us. We have never given up hope because it has kept us going through hardship. My mother has instilled these values into me, and I will keep them going. I want to be able to support myself on my own, and to have a happy, loving family of my own.

My best skill is that I am organized as much as possible. I keep everything that I can in an order so that I can find what I need easily and without hassle. I keep my clothes, books, and movies in order. I organize my clothes by tops, bottoms, undergarments, and by season. I can easily move them as needed for the changing season, and then by what I should wear for the day or week. I keep books in order by genre, author, and series, if applicable. I organize them so I can pick what I want to read next, and even share them with someone. I also organize the movies I own, by genre and title. I like to be able to know what I have watched, and then pick something easily. I improve this skill by doing my best to organize what I have stored in bins, tubs, and in drawers. I will move items to a place where I deem good. I toss what I no longer use or want to keep.

I have learned that I am very organized, and like to stay as organized as possible. I will place something in a specific place, and even keep it in a specific order to my liking. I like to know what object is where, and how it is in relation to other items. Books and movies are a great example for me. I love to read, so I have many books in my home. I keep them in order by genre, author, series, if applicable. I also love to watch movies, and some TV series. I keep those organized by genre and by title. I have re-organized them just so that I know where they are and in what place. I believe this is a valuable skill. Many people like to say they are organized, but it is also a mess. Knowing where something is at all times is helpful to immediately find the item, without wasting time try to find it a place where it is not. I find this valuable so that I can find an item I need with ease, and keep it in a safe place.

What makes me happy is reading, being together with my family, and my boyfriend. I have been reading since I could. I love to read anything we have in the house. My favorite types of books are thriller, suspense, and fantasy. My parents have wanted me to be an avid reader. Being together with my family makes me joyful. Knowing that my mom had to go through chemotherapy made me even more happy that she is ok now, and that she sill be me for longer. I love to spend time with family because we never know how long we each have. My boyfriend makes me happy because of what he does. He makes sure that I am ok, and ask about my day every day. He also supports my decisions, and I support his in return. We send videos and music that we know will cheer up the other, and inspire the other.

A song that inspires me the most is any song by KISS. I love their music because it comes in a variety of ways that I feel and can understand. They are an inspirational group based on the band member's backgrounds. I wouldn't say I have gone through what they have, but I feel I have been close from my family experiences. One of my top songs from KISS is "Do You Love Me". It gives me a happy feeling of that I am loved because of who I am. I makes me not want to change for anyone, to just be myself around my family and friends. My boyfriend loves me for who I am, and how I who myself. He supports my decisions and will back them up. My other top song is "I Was Made For Lovin' You". This song also makes me feel very appreciated. Especially by my boyfriend, as we both express our love for each other in various ways. It inspires me to keep loving him, and always try to be together in some way.

I am proud of how my migraines have gone away. I used to have horrible migraines; so bad that I could not focus at school and it affected my attendance. I would stay home from school because I would not be able to sit through classes with my head pounding. My teachers did not completely understand or try to help me with classwork and homework I was missing. They would tell me to catch up when I could, but that was not enough help for me. I ended transferring into independent study so that I would not miss so much school, and make up work I was missing from classes. My teachers there were much more understanding of my situation, as they students with various issues. I did transfer back to public school, but after I had seen a neurologist. The neurologist helped me with medication that would stop the migraines. In addition, they also gave a nasal shot where my sinuses join together to numb the migraine areas. I have been weaned off of both the shot and medication, and have not had a major migraine since. I have been able to complete work in a timely manner and focus better on my education.

I have several goals for my future. They all intersect with each other in various ways. I plan to transfer to a university in Michigan to finish my degree, and gain work experience in my field. I plan to become a director, so I want to know different ways that I could follow from others. I want to leave an impact on those who come after me. They can watch my films, and share them with who they know; and have engaging discussions about the films. I want to be able to have a lasting relationship with my boyfriend. He and I are everything to each other. We talk every day, send videos and music the other likes back and forth. We communicate very well that we do not fight over small things, and talk always about a future together. We talk of how we think we might act together, and live together.

I hope to leave a lasting impact through films. I want to become a director, and utilize the knowledge that acquire through college and my own searching to make an impact through I films I create. I will use skills I have gained by working through college, and volunteering on projects that I might be able to join. I plan to finish college with a B.A., while also making some short films along the educational career. I then want to move to where films are made. I want to start by making short films that people find interesting and relate to in some way. I want to be able to influence others in a positive way. I plan to try to contact people I would like to work with of my skills and capabilities. I plan to keep contact with those people, so that we know how the other works, and can refer to.

I think the best way to live a long. healthy life is by being happy. Wherever it may come from, being happy is one the best things that can happen to a person. I try to be joyful, and earn it from various places. I am most happy when reading or watching films. I have loved to read since I was little, and same with watching movies. I would read anything I could, and watch most movies I could; and their behind-the-scenes clips and videos. Being around people who make me happy feels like a have a great life to fulfill. My family, friends, and boyfriend have all made me happy in some way or another. They all support my decisions, my ways and opinions, and how I choose to live my life. My grandmother is one of the happiest people I know. She goes to church every week, and has healthy meals. She goes outside and walks as much as she can, and she does not fight with others. I want happiness to be a forever occurrence in my life as long as I live.

Education has shaped my worldview in many ways. I have always thought of education as a way to have a good career, and be able to move up. I have discovered that there are other options, such as trade schools, and that I do not have to further myself in a subject I do not enjoy. I tend to view others with high degrees not very well because most people that I have met hold money in a high regard. They make it seem like it is easy for everyone to go to college and then have a high paying career right after. That has not been the case, as I have familial examples of this. They did not have the best job or career right after, but had to work to get to where they are. I hold my cousins in a role model position because of what they had to do. They did not have money to pay for tuition, but looked into any money they could from various sources. They have houses, and have built their salaries up since working where they like. I have been given the advice of saving as much as I can for college, if I had so chosen to go. I have been saving where I can, outside of my parents' trying to give. Neither finished college so they could support themselves, and our family. They have offered to help me as much as they can, while I move to another state to finish my degree. They tell me education is important to have, and they support my educational decisions. High school education has shaped my view that it does not do much of anything to teach me real life applications. It did not prepare me for my college experience or what I wanted to have for a career. My high school experience was that the teachers and staff wanted all students to immediately go to a four year institution, and that community college is a waste of time and money. I heavily disagree because I have been able to stay with my family for a longer time. I also would not have been able to travel easily to another state because of the pandemic. I believed my school liked to to view education as the only way to survive, by becoming something academically or medically minded. Education is significant to me, but as long as I choose what I would like to study and have for a career. I do not want to follow some people's influences because it is not my choice.

Adversity has highlighted my past experiences as how I can be hopeful for my future. I have overcome a few major adversities in high school and in college. It has helped me to see what I like to be doing, and how I can improve my future. When I was a senior in high school, my mother had to have surgery to remove a tumor. Then, she had to have chemotherapy treatments because of the tumor. Watching her go through the treatments, and when home not be able to do much was devastating. My family and I had kept up our hope for my mom. My sister and I would help more with the house chores, while also juggling school and homework. I had talked to my teachers about this, that I may not be participating so much because of how worried I was for my mother. They understood, and helped me to complete my homework on time. They would ask how my mom was, and if I needed anything. Since, my mom has been cancer free for a couple of years, with little sign of it returning. I really appreciated my teachers who helped me, and my friends for being able to talk to them about my family. My dad is an alcoholic. He had been drinking since my mother's surgery and chemotherapy, and only grew worse during the pandemic. We would not know what he would be like the next day, he grew unpredictable. I knew I had to get my license soon, and I had only my dad as a teacher. I did not ask my family since they had their own lives. I had to make sure my dad was as sober as possible before choosing to drive for experience. It made me worry every time because I did not want to be in trouble for driving with someone under the influence. I slowly gained the confidence to pass the drive test, and drive on my own. I told my family I would drive if I thought my father had been drinking. I did want to endanger my family or anyone else. Since, my father has gotten little help and slowed up with the drinking. Church is very important to me. When the pandemic hit, it was like a collapse of faith for me. I couldn't go to church, or even take my grandmother to church. It was sad. Now, since the pandemic has lightened up, I have felt better being back in church; seeing the parishioners again. As well as believing in something that has gotten me through hardship before. With believing again, I feel my life has been better on track than before. My boyfriend is one of my biggest supporters. We communicate well, so that we are able to understand what the other is saying. We send all kinds of videos and music to each other as inspiration and to make the other happy. He supports my decisions, the biggest one being I will be moving to Michigan for university; and has been on my side since we began to talk more frequently after high school.

Mental health has influenced my beliefs and aspects of my life in many ways. Right now, it has made my knowledge greater that I know what I can do to improve my mental health. I had been drained in high school; it sucked out my mental health because of the homework, classwork, and expectations that the teachers and staff had for the students. I was burned out for most of high school. My beliefs have been affected because I had stopped believing for a while. My religion was affected because I had not been attending mass, or praying. It made me re-think how important my religion is to me and keep my spirit going. Mental health issues have made me think differently in some of my other beliefs and opinions. I usually defend my side or opinion strongly. When my mental health began to decline, I would become indecisive, and choose whatever had sounded better. Since, I have done more research as to what is aligned with my beliefs, and still defend strongly with evidence to back up my beliefs. My relationships had begun to decline. I was taking it out on myself, my friends, and my family. I would want to be alone more often, and just overthink every choice that I have made. I began to talk to a therapist who helped me to open up, with my friends and family, so that I would not be too depressed or anxious to go out with them. My relationship with my father has not improved too much because he is suffering with an addiction. That has affected my family greatly because his health, physical and mental was declining; and he was not getting help. My relationship with my boyfriend has improved, as we talk to each other every day, and send videos and music back and forth. My career choices were going back and forth between different hobbies and likes of mine. I had many aspirations that I wanted to try. High School did not really give the chance because of the amount of homework I had to finish each day. I would try to narrow down to what I really enjoyed doing in the spare time that I had. I had finally chosen theatre arts because of I found time to participate in the productions after school. In college, I found that I preferred film, but still love theatre. Watching behind-the-scenes videos and clips made me realize that I want to be a director and make those kinds of films. My mental health has been very important to me as of late. I find time to be by myself, to pray and to meditate. I journal every day from the events currently happening in my life. I talk with my family and boyfriend, too, about what I believe in and how I want my life to turn out. Talking with a therapist has improved my mindset drastically. She has helped me with dealing with relationships, how to improve them and what else I could do.

I think the meaning of life is to do what you would like to do. That could any job, hobby, lifestyle that a person wants to pursue. They do not have to have the approval of others to be happy with their choices. The meaning of life is to be happy with the choices that were made in a person's lifetime. It could be interning for a career they want; marriage and have children; or just simply living by themselves. I am trying to achieve my meaning of life by pursuing further education. I then will want to make films that people will think differently after watching. They will have interesting discussion about the meaning of film, and try to relate it to their life. I want to make a change in other people's lives for the better; so they can better themselves. My meaning of life to make something for people to enjoy.

I want my legacy to be the films that I will have directed or have been apart of in my future as a director. I want to leave a lasting impact for viewers to feel, to think, and to act different. It could be towards themselves, loved ones, or even strangers they have just met. I would like to join many other fantastic directors who have changed their audiences' views. I want to especially be apart of the horror film community. I love horror films, so I would like to influence the community in a great way by using some sort of new innovation or new concept. I would also like to have a legacy with children. I want to be able to have my own children, and teach them good values to carry for their lives. I would like to able to support orphaned or foster children. They are so many across foster systems, that people do not think to help them, or want babies over a teenager. I would like to provide a better environment for these children.

Factors that surrounded my poor eating habits have been several things. Poor choices, eating too quickly, medical diagnosis, and being around those with bad choices. I do not always make the best choice when it comes to what I want to eat for a meal. Many meals in my house are frozen, so it is easy to just grab and heat those up. We do have fresh vegetables and fruits, but those are not bought as often as they should be. We also have many greasy snacks and sweets that are quickly available to eat. So, I end up taking the fast route, which is less healthy. In elementary school, we had very little time to eat and enjoy our meals. We had about 15 minutes maximum to get the food, sit, and eat before going to recess. Since, I have eaten very fast, usually finish before anyone, and still want to eat more because I did not feel or think I was full. In middle and high school, even now, I had the better chance to eat and fully enjoy every part of my lunches. My family does not have the best eating habits. We choose junk food a lot, and have not made many homecooked meals. I was diagnosed with a medical condition, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) years ago. My body does not make enough insulin that allows my food to fully digest and reach needed areas of my body. As of this, I have grown to be overweight from a young age. My endocrinologist has told me that I will have to work more and harder because the fat does not move around my body as it should. Fat will become trapped because insulin is not moving either. I want to change because I want to feel better about my body. I want to able to have more self-confidence in myself to wear what I like, and not be afraid of judgement from others. I also want to change because I want to look better for my boyfriend. He likes how I look, but is supportive for me wanting to lose weight. I also really want to make healthier choices to live longer. I will maintain the changes I want by not choosing easy to make or heat frozen foods. I will choose healthier options, and make my own meals that use healthy foods. I will make a plan/schedule that tells me what I have eaten in a day, and see what I need to reduce from my diet. Then, I can make another list of what I should have every day.

The most beneficial financial advice I have ever received is to save. I have been told to save for any type of situation that may set me back. Which, I have been following this advice for a long time; and have more money than I thought I would today. Saving has proven to be most helpful to me because I come from a poor family. We have had to save for most expenses, like clothes, electronics, and school supplies; plus having a budget that is for the month. I have picked up this from my parents, as they both also came from low-income families. My parents also have told me to use a credit union as apposed to a normal bank. We have been bankrupt, which is why we moved a credit union. They will help me financially in my education. I have always tried to save because I could buy what I like without having to ask my parents for money, or help to cover what I purchase. Saving is important to me so that I have a safety net. That safety net will help me to cover unexpected expenses; which might set me back if I did not start to save at a younger age. Saving up will also help me to buy what I need for classes, college experiences, clothes, and groceries. I especially save to buy large expenses, like a car and the gas and insurance that I will have to provide for once I am on my own.

The most inspiring book that I have ever read "Unmasked: The True Story of The World's Most Prolific, Cinematic Killer" by Kane Hodder. Hodder is a horror film actor, and is best known as Jason Voorhees from "Friday the 13th" and as Victor Crowley in "Hatchet". I loved reading his book, reading what he went through as a child, teen, and especially his burns. He is a burn victim from trying to show how a fire stunt works to a journalist at the time (cir. 1975). I even recommend the book to my mom, who is not as big a horror movie fan, and she found it very inspiring and heartfelt. I loved that he felt he was able to share this major experience, as well as others, with his fans and whomever wants to read his book. He is known to be kind to his fans, and scare them for fun, either his enjoyment or for the fans themselves. I find this so inspiring because he was able to keep going after a very traumatic experience. He did not give up, even though he almost did; but kept going to get where he is today.

I live with gratitude and appreciate everything I have by simply looking around at who is with me. I very much appreciate my family and friends for sticking by me during hardship, and how they will still stay by side. My mother had to have surgery when I was a high school senior. It turned out she had a cancerous tumor, and had to have chemotherapy as a result. Watching her go through the treatments was difficult because she was growing weaker. I had to help pick up with the house chores, and cooking for me and my sister while our mom was resting as needed. I also had to balance homework and being at classes wondering if my mother was okay for the day. Since, my mother has been cancer free for a couple of years now, and is living very healthily. I am very grateful for my mom being able to beat cancer right now. Otherwise, I don't know what would have happened without her. My boyfriend was very supportive during this time. He sent me funny videos, pictures, and music to keep me going and laughing. He has made me grateful I had someone to turn to and talk with.

I am very passionate about films and movies, especially horror. I love to who is in it, how it is made, and if there any sequels following. I grew up watching many different kinds of films, so I have a broad range of knowledge of movies. I also grew up with watching behind-the-scenes of movies, whether on the disc or on YouTube. I like to know exactly what happens on set, how the crew completes a scene for actors when they are involved. I want to become a director because of this influence. I like to think I be just as good or hopefully better than previous directors I have come to like. I want to be able to share my opinions and ideas with the world in a recognizable format. I especially want to become involved in horror movies. I was scared of them growing up, but I now love to watch them. It is entertaining to see who survives and who does not. I like to know how a certain effect was worked to look great in a movie theatre. I want to know the actors and to help them when I can with this type of project.

Joy means several things to me. It means more than being happy, being overwhelmed with happiness. Joy lasts for a longer time than just being happy, as I see it as temporary. Joy can come from many places. For me, there is my family, boyfriend, and friends, and various hobbies I pursue. My family is always there to support me and my decisions, plus we like to share everything between each other. They make me feel joyful when they praise what I have accomplished so far, and what I hope to accomplish. My boyfriend and I always feel joyful when we are together. We have not seen each other much because of the pandemic, and he has strict parents. However, we always text and send videos, pictures, and music to each other as a way to cheer up the other. I find joy in reading. I can transport myself into my book when I have the time to do so. I can find characters I relate to, solve the mystery (I love suspense and thrillers the most), figure out what happens to the characters next in a series. I find much joy in just living in the moment, without technological interruptions. I like to turn my phone to silent when at dinner and with extended family, so that I can enjoy their company and them with mine. I like to see what happens when there is no interruptions, just interactions.

I have learned that hope is important to keep life going. My parents have both suffered in some way, that they felt they could not keep it going, and did not know to really ask for help. My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was a senior in high school. She had to have surgery and chemotherapy treatments. She had started to slow down in the house chores and her work because the chemo was taking a toll on her body. My sister and I picked up the house chores, and began to cook for ourselves, so that our mother could rest as she needed to. We wanted the best for her during that time. Since, she has been cancer free. She kept going because she had hope and wanted to be with her children. My father, at this time, also began to drink, and was worse during the pandemic. He claims it was my mother's cancer that drove him to drink, and did not stop for two years. We would fear whenever he drove, because he was putting our lives and others in danger. For a couple of months, he had slowed the drinking, but has relapsed over the course of those months. We still have hope that he will continue to seek help, so he can be with us for longer.

I would share "listen to the truth, because a lie only lasts so long." I do not think people really like hearing the truth, because it can hurt but the person will not be wrong. They can only better themselves if they listen to it. A truth can be taken much farther, as it is not wrong, but can help to improve some lives. My family is truthful to each other because we were taught to not lie about something someone really wants to know. My boyfriend and I follow this rule. We want what is best for each other, so we tell the other what we want, how we want it, and if something needs to change or is not working how we thought or would like. Being truthful gives more knowledge to people, and is encouraging. If someone did not do a great job at a task, they should be told so they can improve next time. Otherwise, when it comes again, the task will not improve and remain the same as before. Being truthful also gives people a sense of confidence. They can learn how to improve for the better of their work, their relationships and their lives.

I am talented in cooking and baking. I have been helping my mom in the kitchen for years, picking up tips and little know-hows. She has really helped me to become knowledgeable around a kitchen. I practice by cooking for myself, sometimes my family, every day. I will make something different for lunch or dinner, so that there is some variety if I wanted a different meal the next day. I really like to sew. I can fix on buttons and sew up holes or patch it if need be. I like having this skill so that I do not have to find a tailor or ask my grandmother to fix it instead. I practice every few days with easy fabrics, patterns, and various needles. I don't usually practice on a sewing machine because I prefer hand-sewing, but I do know how to use a sewing machine. I play computer games every day or night. It helps me to relieve stress, and have fun by myself or with my sister and friends. I have learned better hand-eye coordination and how to completely focus while I am playing any game. I also have learned better critical thinking skills, and how physics works in some types of games.

To me, listening means more than hearing the words I am saying, or other people are saying. Listening means that the person is actively processing the information being told to them. They then can form a proper response to the words they had listened to. The person can also share this information with others, in a correct format. Not only paraphrasing, but almost verbatim to what the original person said. The person will not leave out any important information, but may also supplement it with their own opinions or ideas. I actively listen by practicing active listening to my family, friends, boyfriend. I also listen to podcasts, but I try to put my full focus into the podcast so I can understand what the hosts say. I can then pass along this information to others, as they should also be listening. I then repeat or paraphrase what the person said, so that I can move it along, or share my thoughts on the topic.

Confidence means to me that a person accepts themselves for who they are, and do not give up. Confidence means to keep your own beliefs going, even if no one agrees with you. It gives a sense of power over your own body and thoughts. I have not been very confident in the past because I was treated as an outcast for knowing the correct answers in class. I was bullied because of that, so I no longer wanted to answer questions in class or participate in the lessons. I only grew more confident when I knew I could answer without any harsh criticism or bullying behavior from my peers. I have since been much more confident by participating more, even if only little by little. I am also overweight. I have been less confident in my appearance because of that; as well as always seeing very skinny people on TV and in movies. They wouldn't get made fun of as much as fat people because the fat person has to be funny. I never liked that because some fat people are not funny, and skinny people can be funny too. I am working to lose weight, so that I can have a more prosperous and beneficial life. It makes me feel so much better, especially with my boyfriend giving encouragement.

What fuels me is many things. I try to keep learning so that I am knowledgeable in different aspects of life. I love to read, every day that I can. My family has stacks of books all over the house, so we never have boring moment. We are always on the search for new books and series to read for our enjoyment. I also love to watch films. I have at least one or two new films a week because of the films classes I am taking for my degree. I especially love to watch horror movies. It makes me think of the worst and best possible scenarios if I was in that situation. It also makes me plan how I would try my best to survive in different environments. I want to be a filmmaker/director, so I still like to watch most any film. I watch behind-the-scenes videos from various platforms so that I can learn of some of what happens on the set. I have also been making some of my own videos for a class and to practice for my future. Cooking and baking are passions of mine. I want to be able to provide for myself without the help of others, or constantly buying take-out or ordering in from different restaurants. I also like that I can make something of own with or without the help of a recipe. I can tweak it so that I make it better, and share it with others. My boyfriend especially fuels me to keep going. We are always supportive of each other's ideas, and want the best out of ourselves.

A major act of service I do is helping my grandmother shop for her monthly groceries. I help alleviate my uncle because he has full-time job and completes house chores for my grandmother. I take her to the bank and stores that she needs for the month. She will treat me to lunch, but I do not expect it every time I take her out. I also help to reach for and carry the heavier items she buys, as she is much older. I then take in her groceries and place them where she needs them to be in her house. When I was a senior in high school, my mother had to have surgery and chemotherapy treatments. Me and my sister took on most of the house chores, so that my mother could rest easier. We did not want to have her worry about completing every task and chore. We would cook for ourselves, mostly, and help with dishes and laundry. While in high school, I took a class to peer tutor the elementary students next to my school. It was a great opportunity to teach children that needed a little more help in the classwork, and show them different ways to solve a problem.

My daily sources of motivation differ every day. I appreciate what does motivate me to keep going, with my education, my family and friends, boyfriend, and to continue my life how I want. I text my boyfriend every day. We send happy and funny videos, pictures, and music to make the other happy through a tough time. When we go out, we always try to talk about our future, together as a couple, our chosen career paths, and how we want to spend more time together. Reading is a big inspiration for me. Since before I was born, my parents would read to me and my sister. We now read whatever we can, and have stacks of books in our house. We never have a boring moment. Playing video and computer games is another big motivator for me. I play with my boyfriend and sister on various multi-player games. I have a special connection to games because I would play them since we bought our first computer years ago. I still play what I love because it gives a feeling of nostalgia, and I want to keep sharing that.

An easy simple pleasure I love is reading. Reading has been so important to me and my family; we have stacks of books to go through, so there is never a boring moment. We are always looking for new books and series to read to keep occupied. I love to spend time with my boyfriend. We have not seen each other much because of the pandemic, but are trying very much to keep seeing each other before I move to attend university. We want to spend as much time together as possible before the move. We always text every day, to ask how our days went, and send each other funny videos, pictures, and music. Spending time with my grandmother is very important to me. Since she is much older, she does not get around like she used to. I take her shopping for her monthly groceries, so that it alleviates my uncle with a full-time job and house chores. Seeing my grandmother is fun since we also eat lunch together every month. Being able to know how to cook and bake is special to me. I am able to cook my own meals without having to ask what is for dinner every night. I also do not have to order food for take-out, so I am not wasting money. Knowing what I want to eat and making it is accomplishing for myself, knowing that I can feed myself without worries.

Giving is so important to me because of the feeling it gives after I make someone happy. Making someone happy is the best thing people can do. I take my grandmother shopping every month because she does not have a car anymore; and it also helps my uncle because he can rest easier while completing chores around her house. I take her to all the stores she needs, and take in her groceries. Helping her makes us both, and my uncle, happy. My uncle is grateful that he does not have to take her everywhere, as he has a full-time job, and it relieves him from other household issues. My grandmother is happy to be spending time with her grandchild, and that she can get her groceries on her time. I love to do this because of the time spent together, because of how old she is. When my mother had to have surgery and chemotherapy treatments, it took a toll on my family. We had to put in more effort so that she could rest as she needed. My mother going through the treatments, especially during the pandemic, was very rough to see happen. Helping more around the house for chores was a good feeling that can't be replicated. My mom was overjoyed that we did this for her.

I apply creativity in my life by always trying to learn. I want to know different ways that I can complete a task or project, so that I can use that method in the future. I love to read, so I am always finding new ways to apply creative skill. I love to paint, sew, and use clay; as such, I try to think of what makes me happy to make others happy with what I create. Recently, I have been making short videos and films and sharing them on social media. I have been using topics that make me think of happier thoughts, so I want others to be happy and enjoy what they have. Cooking and baking has had an enormous creative impact on me. I have learned great skills by cooking and baking, I can utilize the skills to further my life choices. It is also something that I can fall back on, if need be.

I make sure to treat others with empathy by trying to understand what they are going through and find some sort of relation between it. I want to know how they are feeling, and how I could possibly help them to feel better and become better; for their sake and future life choices. I choose to listen carefully so that I can assess how to think of ways to help the person figure out what they would like to do to improve their situation. I try to think of a similar situation that I was in, so that I can help them how I helped myself to become better. One person I can easily empathize with is my grandmother. For the last two years, I have been helping her shop; so I have come to known her habits more. I help wherever I can if she can't reach or hold something, since we are also both on the shorter side. I help with taking in her items, as well.

1. I deserve this scholarship because I am white, and I usually see scholarships for POC when I enter my information. I have a diverse background being Ukranian, Polish, Irish, English, German, Swiss, Russian, and Austrian. 2. My goals are to be the best filmmaker/director possible. I want to create B-movies for people to make fun of. I want to express my opinions and views through a format most everyone can see and relate to, such as just watching a movie/TV. 3. I overcame my mother going through cancer. It was difficult to see her go through surgery and chemotherapy treatments during the pandemic. I had to pick up the slack in housework and still complete high school assignments.

My experiences have shaped me to choose pro-life. I have familial and religious experiences that boost this value. I would to keep these values going in my life because I will fight for what I believe in. I will keep sharing my beliefs so that other, women especially, can be properly educated about how these things work. I do not believe many people really know how what actions can be taken to prevent consequences to their actions. I would like to give these people help and resources so they can prevent any unwanted actions and consequences. My aunt and cousin have both had abortions, because they claim it was not right for them to be pregnant, yet. Both my aunt and cousin have had nightmares of the aborted babies coming back haunting them, asking why did they give up the babies. My cousin had to because she was scared of her then boyfriend, who threatened her if she did not give up the baby. My aunt had similar experiences with previous boyfriends. Hearing this, I would not want to ever give up a baby I would be carrying. It sounds very traumatic. I would turn to others and other resources for help. I think every time a baby is gone, I want to ask the mother why. To me, using the "it wasn't fitting in with my life or schedule" is not an excuse. I like to think that baby could have been the next person to save future lives, such as with finding a cure for cancer, or advance humanity in a way we can all benefit. I do not believe the mother takes in the father's life and his choices. The father of that baby may very well could have raised the child on his own, without the mother's influences. The father of that baby could have given the baby the best life as he possibly could without having to ask the mother for anything but to carry the baby to full term. When people say "it's just a clump of cells", I would like to explain to them, it is not. From learning experience in my human anatomy class, that is not just a clump of cells. There is a heart beat at only a couple weeks old, and that is usually when a woman finds out she is a mother for this baby. I am religious, so I believe that the baby should be born. If the mother did not want the baby, she should not have had unprotected sex or have sex at all if she did not think she would have been ready to carry a baby. There are other options the mother could take so the baby can live in a family where they will be accepted and loved unconditionally.

I have had to overcome disadvantages from my parents. Neither went to or finished college, to choose family over a promising career. I do love and support their decision, to support me and my sister, but we could have been better off if either had finished college. I come from a poor background, that we have had to save for necessities. We live in my mother's old house from when she was growing up, rent free from my grandmother. We pay most of the bills, while my grandmother pays for the rest. My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was a senior in high school. She had to have surgery to remove a tumor, and still had to go through chemotherapy treatments. My younger sister and I had to pick up most of the housework, while caring for our mother and her needs. Since, she has been cancer free and back in work to support us. Watching her go through the treatments, and during the pandemic was difficult. The treatments were taking a toll on my mother, but I knew we had to keep helping her through every aspect of the cancer, and to keep her going with work. She had to work during these treatments because we would not make enough from my father's salary to pay for expenses. My father is an alcoholic. He began to drink when my mother was diagnosed, and has only been worse through the pandemic. We had to stop trusting him and his decisions. We could not believe anything he said to us, because we could tell when he drank. He has received some help, but still relapses every couple of weeks. Trust in him has not been fully restored to where it once was before. I plan to utilize my education to make films of these topics; for others who haven't had these experiences and to show how difficult it is when one parent has cancer and the other can't help out at all when under the influence. I want to show how devastating it is to have to finish schooling and further education when I need to put focus elsewhere. I plan to include many other stories to put on for other people who grew up with more privilege; not having to worry about budgeting, buying food, clothes, school supplies and other necessities. I want to be able to share these experiences, to not be afraid of what others think if they have had or are going through the same experiences as myself.

My mental health has influenced my life for the worst at one point. I was considering dropping out of college because it was starting to become too much. I didn't think of talking to a therapist or a counselor because I thought "what's the point if I can't get back into completing assignments". I began talking to a therapist over a trusted online site, and they have helped me to figure out what I need to change and what to do so I can have some schedule to complete assignments without failing and graduate on time. They have helped me so much to get through what I think is the worst areas of my life. This has affected my beliefs that nothing good seems to happen to those who work hard. I am religious, so I do have a belief system; but I started to doubt everything that came my way. I always to succeed in the best possible way for me. So I started to look over my aspects, and decide what is really important to consider in life. I will continue to believe work will pay off. I will continue my religious beliefs in that I always have something to fall back to. I will continue to fight for what I believe, as most people are against my personal views. I will continue to just fight for myself. My relationships had also suffered. In high school, my mother was diagnosed with cancer, but was told not think the worst could happen. It did so happen that my mother turned out to need chemotherapy, and me and my sister did more to take of her and house. Seeing my mother go through that was heartbreaking, and to balance it with homework weekly was challenging. Since, she has been cancer free, and much better than she has before. My relationship with my father has not recovered as much however. He started drinking when my mother was diagnosed, and has only been worse since the pandemic. We were scared for our lives and others' lives whenever he drove us. I had to get license to stop that , but I only had my father close by to teach me. He taught me while under the influence, or as most sober as possible. My mentality was not the best because I did not want to get in trouble, so I always worried when I had to drive with him. Since, I have received my license and choose to drive instead my father. He has been trying to stop, but he relapses and still cannot be fully trusting. It hurts seeing that happen, and that it will be what I remember most occurring. My career aspirations has changed since my first year in college. I changed from a theatre major to a film major. The toll of homework still worried me, because I was and still am taking classes full-time to transfer to university by fall. I have been overworking myself to make sure that happens. I want to be able to support myself once finally graduating from university, and know that I will have obstacles to get past. Improving my mental health has helped me to become a better version of myself. I choose the better of outcomes for the best result. I have improved more with therapy and taking up meditation and journaling. I had wanted to be rid of bad thoughts, so I could focus on the good to happen.

An important life lesson that I have learned is to not give up. It could be anything but do not give, especially hope for a better future. My mother was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago. She had to have surgery to remove the tumor, and still go through chemotherapy treatments for a few months after. Since, she has been cancer free. Watching her go through the surgery and treatments are very hard. Me and my sister were in school, she a freshman and I a senior, so we had to balance homework, looking after the house, and caring for our mother. All this was before and during the pandemic when everything was falling apart. I will use this lesson as a sign of hope. This has made me stronger to put myself out there more for greater opportunities as a student. I will not give up hope, I will look to the brighter side that things will become better as time comes. When looking back at this experience, I see that I have so much to live for, and I do not want to miss out on the best possible. Another life lesson I consider just as important is to not be afraid of what could happen; and do not expect the worst to always occur. My dad is an alcoholic. He started when I was just starting my senior year of high school. He said it was my mom's cancer that drove him to drink. He only became worse during the pandemic, and we could not trust him to drive. I had yet to get my license, so I had learn under my dad when he was possibly sober or as least drunk as possible. I did want to suffer the consequences of his actions of being under the influence. Now, I do have my license, and I choose to drive everywhere instead of him; for our safety and for others. I was choosing to not be afraid. I choose not expect the worst to happen, but for the best possibility. There would have been very serious consequences because of the choices that were made by my father. I do not want to repeat that, so I choose to not drink (underage or otherwise) or become involved in these type of activities. This has taught me to just go for something, anything that I would like to accomplish. I have succeeded in practicing this. I have a great boyfriend, and will attending the best college I chose for me this coming fall.

I plan to use art to develop my ideas for the world to ponder. I want to make films that the world may consider controversial so that there will be discussions on these topics. People I know do not like to hear the other side because they want to think and believe that their side is the only correct story. That is not true, I have a longing to change that. I need to prove that the truth is more important than hearing what people want to hear. People need to know the truth so they are not lied to, and so they also know what is really happening around them. I plan to use my artistic ideas to change how people think. People will usually believe anything that has very little evidence supporting their beliefs. I want to change that to show how much evidence they are missing to support their ideas. It will otherwise not sound too great when talking to other people about specific topics.