My mental health journey has had a significant impact on my life. It has helped shape my goals, my relationships with others, and how I view the world. One of the things I learned about myself is that mental health is just as important as physical health. I understood the importance of checking in with my emotions and taking care of my mental well-being to live a balanced and fulfilled life. Throughout the hard times and times of growth, I have learned valuable lessons that have impacted how I view myself and others. Mental health has shaped my goals by teaching me to value balance. Before my mental health took a turn, I used to set goals that would often lead me to burnout. I always had to be going and reaching milestones academically without leaving room to check in with my emotions. I would push through everything until I felt extremely stressed out and could no longer function. Now, my goals include making sure I have balanced routines and enough room to rest, reflect, and take care of my mental health. Not only do I strive for achievement, but I also make sure I can maintain my emotional well-being while reaching these goals. This has allowed my goals to feel more reachable and something that I look forward to working towards instead of feeling stressed by. Something else my mental health journey has taught me is that communication is key when it comes to relationships. There have been times when I did not want to trouble my friends or family with my emotions, so I would keep my feelings bottled up. But after a while, I noticed that when I was open and honest about my mental health, my relationships with others became stronger. Others can support you when they know what you’re going through, and it also allows your loved ones to trust you more. I also learned to be more understanding with others because you never know what someone is struggling with on the inside. Even if someone isn’t struggling with mental health specifically, we are all fighting battles that may not be visible. Not only has my mental health taught me to be more understanding, but it has also changed how I see others. I know now that there are reasons why people act in certain ways. Instead of judging someone, I try to understand that there may be something going on in their life that we don’t know about. It could be anxiety, stress, or something more serious. Mental health has also taught me that we all experience mental health in some way. I used to think that only people who had “issues” dealt with mental health, but I know better now. This made me realize that we should all check in with our peers to make sure everyone is okay. Mental health has impacted me in many ways, whether it was during my low points or the times I was flourishing. It has shaped my goals to make sure I take care of myself, improve my relationships by allowing me to communicate and be more empathetic, and has opened my eyes to how we as humans should treat each other. If there is one thing I want my readers to take away from this, it would be to always prioritize your mental health and the mental health of those around you. As humans, our mental health will always affect us, so it is important to make sure we and others are okay.

I admire Sabrina Carpenter because she is talented, a great person, and incorporates real-life experiences into her songs. Sabrina Carpenter connects with her fans through music like no other artist. She tells stories through her music about topics that teens can encounter in their lives. Some of these topics include relationships, growing as a person, and learning from your mistakes. My biggest reason for admiring Sabrina Carpenter as an artist is that she has grown so much. Sabrina started her career as an actress on Girl Meets World on the Disney Channel. Many people recognized her for her acting skills, but she did not stop there. Carpenter worked so hard to pursue her music career, and watching that transformation from a child actress to a confident woman in pop music is inspiring. Lastly, Carpenter’s music inspires me because it is very honest but also creative. She writes about breakups, confidence, and learning about yourself in such a realistic way. Instead of only posting about having the best life, she displays emotions we all try to hide. Her music has allowed me to be more open about my emotions, and it is okay to go through some of life’s downfalls. Carpenter’s career as a whole has taught me to love myself and keep working. She is always trying new things and going outside of her comfort zone with her music, but still stays true to who she is. Sabrina Carpenter inspires me to continue working towards my goals and never be afraid to try something new, even if I might fail at it.

Taylor Swift’s entire career seems theatrical at times, a monumental spectacle filled with emotions and butterflies. However, one thing that remains consistently true about Taylor Swift is her willingness to be emotional and show that butterfly feeling. Taylor Swift’s upcoming twelfth studio album, The Life of A Showgirl, perfectly encapsulates her career as she literally has been “living in the spotlight, forever performing, changing, and improving.” When thinking about memorable Swift performances, I think of a stripped-down version of Taylor Swift at the Grammy Awards in 2014 singing her fan favorite song, All Too Well. Most of Taylor’s performances over the years are full of fireworks, dancing, and over-the-top production. Though she still puts her heart and soul into every performance, there is something raw and more emotional about her earlier ones. During this Grammy performance of All Too Well, Swift is sitting at a piano singing her heart out. She’s not looking at the camera. She’s not dancing. No explosions or toy balloons are flying toward the crowd. As she’s singing, her voice cracks, and you see pain flood her eyes. She’s telling a story about one of her past relationships, and you can feel how she felt. The song All Too Well is already heart-wrenching standing on its own, but hearing Swift perform it live makes you believe that she wrote it about you. Her performance is so moving because you know that she truly means every word she sings. She had the whole world listening to her, but at that moment, it could have been just you and her in that room. This performance ties back to The Life of A Showgirl because the album title itself is speaking to living a life where you are in the spotlight. Everything you do is a performance. You’re constantly watching yourself and trying to be “on.” Yet, through Swift’s performance of All Too Well, we see her show her true emotions and let that butterfly out. Swift’s career is so significant because no matter how many people she’s reached or how big her platform became, she will always write songs that make people feel seen. She will never hide her emotions or shy away from showing that butterfly. She is constantly growing as an artist and person, but this performance is so powerful because you can see the origin of Taylor Swift. Another reason this performance still stands out to me is when I compare it to her more recent performances during her Eras Tour. As previously stated, her tour is a masterpiece of creativity and visual components. Taylor has truly outdone herself with the effort and love she puts into her shows. My favorite song performed on the tour is Champagne Problems. Like All Too Well, the song carries a significant amount of emotion. However, when Swift sings it on stage, you’re not alone in your bedroom. Thousands of people are singing about the same heartbreak with you. There’s something beautiful about a shared experience like that. It takes something personal and transforms it into something that can heal you. While her performances on the Eras Tour are iconic, I will never forget watching her sing about a broken heart all alone on stage.

Education has helped me become the person I am today and will continue to become. Throughout my academic career I have found my passion, become more confident, and become more focused on what I want to do. I will admit that my journey hasn't always been the smoothest, but that will only make me work harder to achieve my goals and better the lives of not only myself but those around me. When I was younger, I never really knew what I wanted to do. I think throughout school a lot of students can relate to going through phases of what they're good at and what they like. I know I always wanted to be a teacher since 7th grade math class, when my teacher was just the greatest person I've ever meet and she encourage me to advance in math (which I did). Throughout High school I went from becoming a Math teacher to Chemistry back to Math and than I gave it up my senior year, deciding to go into accounting at a community college. When at college I started babysitting for my toddler cousin and that made me relive that I wanted to go into Early ED and the earlier childhood development classes I took helped me see how important these years are in a child's life and what kind of impact we can make. Not only did I find a passion but I finally had a direction to focus my goals towards. Education has not only helped me find my passion but it's also helped me grow as a person. I have learned how to be responsible, manage my time, and communicate with others. These are all skills that I will take with me no matter what career path I choose to go down. I have learned how to work with others through group projects, how to problem solve with hands on activities, and how to stay driven even when something is challenging through assignments. School has helped shape not only my goals but the person I want to become. Like I mentioned before, I have faced many challenges throughout my education. One of the many challenges I faced was learning how to balance school with other activities. There were times where I would feel super stressed, especially when I had an assignment due the next day or I had a lot to do in one day. Another challenge was learning how to adapt to being away from home and living by myself. I had never been too far away from my parents so this was very difficult for me. But these challenges taught me to never give up. Instead of letting these challenges get the best of me, I learned how to manage my time, ask for help when I need it, and stay focused on my end goals. I also faced the challenge of doubt. I somehow managed to convince myself that I wasn't good enough to reach my goals or that I was going down the wrong path. But little things such as encouragement from teachers and classmates helped me realize that I am capable of great things. Education has taught me that when you want to grow you will have to step out of your comfort zone and work through those hard times. Each challenge I faced helped me grow as a person and helped me become the strong individual that I am today. In the future I hope to use my education to better children's lives. As I said earlier, I want to work with kids in an early childhood education setting. I hope to help encourage young kids to learn and grow in a safe, fun, and supportive environment. I want to be the type of teacher that doesn't only teach but helps these kids on a social and emotional level. Every kid deserves a chance and a strong foundation, I want to help provide that for them. I also hope that once I finish my education I can continue to learn. I think as educators it's important to continue to educate ourselves. Our job is constantly changing and children are constantly evolving, so why shouldn't we? The more I learn about different teaching strategies and child development the better I will be as a teacher. Education has given me my life purpose. It has allowed me to find my passion, help me become a better person, and helped guide me on what I want to do in the future. I know that I will face more challenges in the future but I know that each one will shape me into who I'm meant to be.

Designing an effective learning tool requires both a strong connection to curriculum standards and a thoughtful use of visual elements that support student understanding. For this project, I chose a language and literacy curriculum standard focused on early reading comprehension, specifically helping students identify main ideas and key details in a text. I selected this standard because it is a foundational skill that supports success across all subjects. When students can understand what they read and pick out important information, they become more confident learners and better communicators overall. The visual design of my project was carefully planned to support this goal. I used color theory intentionally by choosing soft, calming background colors like light blue and beige, which help reduce distractions and keep students focused. Important information, like the “main idea,” is highlighted in a brighter color such as yellow, while supporting details are shown in complementary colors like green or orange. This contrast helps students visually separate and organize information, making it easier to understand relationships between ideas. The layout of the design is simple and structured, which is especially important for younger learners. I organized the content into clear sections with headings, icons, and spacing so students can easily follow along without feeling overwhelmed. For example, the main idea is placed at the top or center, with supporting details branching out underneath it. This structure mirrors how students should mentally organize information when reading, reinforcing the concept through both content and design. Typography also plays a big role in comprehension. I chose a clean, easy-to-read font with larger sizing for key points and slightly smaller text for details. Bold text is used sparingly to emphasize important words, helping guide students’ attention without cluttering the page. Consistency in font style ensures that students are not distracted by unnecessary variation and can focus on the meaning of the content. Imagery is another important component of the design. I included simple, relevant visuals such as icons, pictures, or graphic organizers that connect directly to the text. For example, a tree diagram might represent the main idea as the trunk and the details as branches. These visuals act as memory aids and help students make connections between abstract concepts and concrete representations. Visual learning is especially critical in modern K–12 classrooms because students today are constantly exposed to visual media. Many learners process information more effectively when it is presented visually rather than through text alone. Visuals can simplify complex ideas, increase engagement, and support different learning styles, including visual and kinesthetic learners. In addition, incorporating visual elements can improve memory retention, as students are more likely to remember images and color-coded information than plain text. Overall, my design strategy combines curriculum alignment with intentional visual choices to create a learning tool that is engaging, accessible, and effective. By supporting reading comprehension through clear organization and meaningful visuals, this design helps students build essential skills in a way that is both enjoyable and easy to understand.

I am really passionate about early childhood education because I believe the early years of a child’s life are the most important for their overall development. During this time, children are learning so much about the world around them, how to communicate, and how to build relationships with others. I think it’s amazing that as an educator, you get to be part of that journey and help shape how children see themselves and their abilities. Knowing that something as simple as encouragement or support can make a lasting impact on a child is one of the main reasons I feel so strongly about this field. I am especially drawn to the way young children learn through play, exploration, and relationships. Supporting their growth in a nurturing, developmentally appropriate environment allows me to help them feel safe, valued, and capable. I find it incredibly rewarding to watch children reach milestones—whether it’s learning new words, solving problems, or forming friendships—and to know I played a role in that progress. It’s not just about sitting down and memorizing things—it’s about hands-on experiences, creativity, and discovery. I enjoy being able to create fun and engaging activities that help children learn while also allowing them to be themselves. Seeing a child get excited when they figure something out or try something new is such a rewarding feeling, and it reminds me why this work is so important. I also really value the relationships that are built in early childhood settings. Building trust with children and creating a safe, supportive environment where they feel comfortable is something I care deeply about. When children feel safe and valued, they are more likely to express themselves, take risks in their learning, and develop confidence. I want to be someone who helps children feel heard, respected, and encouraged every day. Lastly, I am passionate about early childhood education because I believe it can truly make a difference in a child’s future. Providing a strong foundation early on can help set children up for success later in school and in life. I also think it’s important to support all children, no matter their background, and make sure they have equal opportunities to learn and grow. Being able to support, guide, and positively influence children during such an important stage in their lives is something that means a lot to me, and it’s why I am so passionate about becoming an early childhood educator.