As weeks turned into months and cases continued to rise, my mind was engulfed with the constant fear of this virus. I was controlled by the anxiety that I would come home from work and harm my loved ones. I wore a face mask every chance I could so that my mother and 85-year-old grandmother would always be safe. The virus was not the only thing that had me on edge. Like millions of other students, having to accommodate me to an online environment was not simple. However, one day while at work, I came across an inspirational podcast by TED Talk, which features psychology researcher Susan David. David states, “Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility.” In other words, in order to truly experience life, one must go through hardships to reach the positive aspects that await. This virus is part of life’s fragility. I learned how we need to face our emotions in a way that is courageous and self-compassionate rather than walking away from them. This pandemic has taken so much from so many people. Jobs, graduations, experiences, and unfortunately, millions of lives. There are so many things that are out of our control, but we can control how we react to the uncertainty of it all. This pandemic has evidently taught me to move to a place of wisdom to understand my emotions during this time of crisis. I learned that staying virtually connected with our family and community is essential during these times. You never know when one is in need until our fragility is compromised. When we move away from our minds and into our hearts, we will learn to find compassion for one another, and communities will come together to fight against this pandemic.

It is 525 A.D, the Byzantine Kingdom has a new leader. Empress Theodora. This woman not only changed her nation but changed the world. By paving the way for a brighter future in her country, she also inspired a plethora of feminists around the globe for generations to come. I remember the first time I heard of her. I was flipping through this book called “Herstory: Women Who Changed the World,” and I saw her name come across the page. I wish I was joking when I say that I cried because I was so grateful someone like her once walked on this Earth. Empress Theodora was one of the world’s earliest feminists. She was one of the first rulers to fight for the equality of all. This woman has inspired me to always be the voice for those who are voiceless. She has inspired me to speak up against injustice, and to fight for the things I am passionate about. Over these past 2 years, I have been a vocal activist for mental health. The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. With every course that I have taken on psychology, I have fallen more in love with the subject. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help people who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate young college students’ minds. Empress Theodora has always motivated me to continue fighting for the topics I am passionate about. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses within minorities. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to be as remarkable as Theodora. I hope to be seen as a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. Like Theodora, I want to be a voice for those who are voiceless. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. With every course that I have taken on psychology, I have fallen more in love with the subject. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

When I picture myself in college, I see a person who is driven, passionate, and willing to go above and beyond to see herself succeed. To me, going to college is so much more than another simple four years of my life in a classroom. College for me is about exploring new ideologies, flourishing into a better human being, and questioning the status quo. When I graduate college in the Spring of 2025, I want to walk out onto the world knowing that I pushed myself to earn fantastic grades, worked diligently to collaborate in groundbreaking research, and earned a well-paying job in psychology to get me through graduate school. I chose psychology as my major because I was introduced to therapy at a young age, a large portion of the psychological world. As I grew older, I became naturally intrigued with prominent topics such as the stigma on mental health, mental health in minorities, psycholinguistics, and developmental psychology. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I decided I wanted to do something for mental health services and to better educate those around me. I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support mental health services throughout the country. This fundraiser also helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Moreover, as soon as I entered my junior year, I decided to introduce the topic of stigma towards mental health in my debate event. Within Informative Speaking I was able to speak on a topic I was passionate about while still educating those around me. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. As my passion and excitement for psychology grew over the years, I began to look outward to ask the bold questions that drove me to decide I wanted to have psychology as my career. When I picture my desired life after college, I see myself answering questions like “How can I better educate my community on mental health issues to help them understand their own emotions?” Additionally, I have asked myself the question, “How can a person stay emotionally agile during a time of desperation?” These questions share one prominent similarity. They all exemplify not only my want but also my desire to push the boundaries of psychology. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me.

Friday, March 13, 2020, is a day that is etched in my memory, the last day I saw my friends face-to-face, the last day that resembled some sense of normalcy for myself and my classmates. Fast forward several weeks later, over 1,100 people had tested positive for coronavirus, and close to 40 people had already lost their lives to its deadly influence. I began to fear how this epidemic might affect myself and my immediate family members. However, my experiences throughout this pandemic have taught me that rather than walking away from the fear of this pandemic we should face it in a way that is emotionally agile. As weeks turned into months and cases continued to rise, my mind was engulfed with the constant fear of this virus. I was controlled by the anxiety that I would come home from work and harm my loved ones. I wore a face mask every chance I could so that my mother and 85-year-old grandmother would always be safe. Moreover, the virus was not the only thing that had me on edge. Like the millions of other students, having to accommodate myself to an online environment was not simple. However, one day while at work, I came across an inspirational podcast by TED Talk, which features psychology researcher Susan David. After listening for 46 minutes, I decided I needed to share this with those around me so that maybe hope can shine through these hard times. The following day I asked my debate coach if I could present a PowerPoint teaching the class on how to stay emotionally agile during these times of crisis. David states, “Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility.” In other words, this virus is part of life’s fragility. While presenting to my class, I spoke on how rather than walking away and belittling our emotions we need to face them in a way that is courageous and self-compassionate. I then instructed my classmates to do a good deed for themselves and their community. Some stayed home to protect other people. Others called a loved one who was alone during the quarantine. I did grocery shopping for my elderly neighbor who is immunocompromised. Over the course of this pandemic, I have learned that being compassionate towards myself and others can be extremely useful during these times of uncertainty. Our small gestures can go a long way towards achieving happiness in these bleak moments. Within myself, this pandemic has allowed me to grow and mature. I began to look outward to ask the bold questions that drove me to decide I wanted to have psychology as my career. When I picture my desired life after college, I see myself answering questions like “How can I better educate my community on mental health issues to help them understand their own emotions?” Additionally, I have asked myself the question, “How can a person stay emotionally agile during a time of desperation?” These questions share one prominent similarity. They all exemplify not only my want but also my desire to push the boundaries of psychology. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. This pandemic has taken so much from so many people. Jobs, graduations, experiences, and unfortunately, lives. My father, unfortunately, became one of those lives on December 20th, 2020, just four days before my 17th birthday. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. There are not many things that we can control during this time, but we can control how we react to the uncertainty of it all. This pandemic has evidently taught me to move to a place of wisdom to understand my emotions during this time of crisis. I learned that staying virtually connected with our family and community is essential during these times because you never know when one is in need. When we move away from our minds and into our hearts, we will learn to find compassion for one another, and communities will come together to fight against this pandemic.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Moreover, as soon as I entered my junior year, I decided to introduce the topic of stigma towards mental health in my debate event. Within Informative Speaking I was able to speak on a topic I was passionate about while still educating those around me. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. Within my academics, I took a class at Palm Beach State College in psychology to get myself familiar with the topic I have always been intrigued by. Now as an early admitted senior I have set up this year’s schedule towards achieving credits towards my Associate’s Degree in Psychology. With every course that I have taken on psychology, I have fallen more in love with the subject. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. As my passion and excitement for psychology grew over the years, I began to look outward to ask the bold questions that drove me to excel beyond my wildest dreams. When I picture my desired life after college, I see myself answering questions like “How can I better educate my community on mental health issues to help them understand their own emotions?” Additionally, I have asked myself the question, “How can a person stay emotionally agile during a time of desperation?” These questions share one prominent similarity. They all exemplify not only my want but also my desire to push the boundaries of psychology. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Moreover, throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. With this same mindset, I decided to quit one of the two part-time jobs I had this year due to the recent passing of my father. I was forced to spend my college savings on my dad's funeral this past December. I have continually worked hard to let myself take care of my mental health and school work. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Moreover, as soon as I entered my junior year, I decided to introduce the topic of stigma towards mental health in my debate event. Within Informative Speaking I was able to speak on a topic I was passionate about while still educating those around me. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. Within my academics, I took a class at Palm Beach State College in psychology to get myself familiar with the topic I have always been intrigued by. Now as an early admitted senior I have set up this year’s schedule towards achieving credits towards my Associate’s Degree in Psychology. With every course that I have taken on psychology, I have fallen more in love with the subject. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a university where I will educate future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a university where I will educate future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

When I graduate college in the Spring of 2025, I want to walk out onto the world knowing that I pushed myself to earn fantastic grades, worked diligently to collaborate in groundbreaking research, and earned a well-paying job in psychology to get me through graduate school. I chose psychology as my major because I was introduced to therapy at a young age, a large portion of the psychological world. As I grew older, I became naturally intrigued with prominent topics such as the stigma on mental health, mental health in minorities, psycholinguistics, and developmental psychology. After what seems like weeks of research, I found that schools like Barnard College and New York University are the schools that were simply made for me and my passion. Barnard College’s extraordinary faculty like Professor Tara Well and Professor Ann Senghas can potentially help me exceed my ambitions with their rigorous and competitive research on emotions and psycholinguistics. Furthermore, Barnard’s Center for Research on Women and the Summer Research Institute will allow me to push my boundaries to participate and lead groundbreaking research as a student and intern. Moreover, New York University’s rigorous Applied Psychology for Undergrad curriculum, extensive fieldwork, and seminar sequence will further develop my discipline and management skills to conquer my goals. As my passion and excitement for psychology grew over the years, I began to look outward to ask the bold questions that drove me to decided I wanted to have psychology as my career. When I picture my desired life after college, I see myself answering questions like “How can I better educate my community on mental health issues to help them understand their own emotions?” Additionally, I have asked myself the question, “How can a person stay emotionally agile during a time of desperation?” These questions share one prominent similarity. They all exemplify not only my want but also my desire to push the boundaries of psychology. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me.

Friday, March 13, 2020, is a day that is etched in my memory, the last day I saw my friends face-to-face, the last day that resembled some sense of normalcy for myself and my classmates. Fast forward several weeks later, over 1,100 people had tested positive for coronavirus, and close to 40 people had already lost their lives to its deadly influence. I began to fear how this epidemic might affect myself and my immediate family members. However, my experiences throughout this pandemic have taught me that rather than walking away from the fear of this pandemic we should face it in a way that is emotionally agile. As weeks turned into months and cases continued to rise, my mind was engulfed with the constant fear of this virus. I was controlled by the anxiety that I would come home from work and harm my loved ones. I wore a face mask every chance I could so that my mother and 85-year-old grandmother would always be safe. Moreover, the virus was not the only thing that had me on edge. Like the millions of other students, having to accommodate myself to an online environment was not simple. However, one day while at work, I came across an inspirational podcast by TED Talk, which features psychology researcher Susan David. After listening for 46 minutes, I decided I needed to share this with those around me so that maybe hope can shine through these hard times. The following day I asked my debate coach if I could present a PowerPoint teaching the class on how to stay emotionally agile during these times of crisis. David states, “Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility.” In other words, this virus is part of life’s fragility. While presenting to my class, I spoke on how rather than walking away and belittling our emotions we need to face them in a way that is courageous and self-compassionate. I then instructed my classmates to do a good deed for themselves and their community. Some stayed home to protect other people. Others called a loved one who was alone during the quarantine. I did grocery shopping for my elderly neighbor who is immunocompromised. Over the course of this pandemic, I have learned that being compassionate towards myself and others can be extremely useful during these times of uncertainty. Our small gestures can go a long way towards achieving happiness in these bleak moments. It is a way for us to stay connected during isolation and control the uncontrollable. This pandemic has taken so much from so many people. Jobs, graduations, experiences, and unfortunately, lives. There are not many things that we can control during this time, but we can control how we react to the uncertainty of it all. This pandemic has evidently taught me to move to a place of wisdom to understand my emotions during this time of crisis. I learned that staying virtually connected with our family and community is essential during these times because you never know when one is in need. When we move away from our minds and into our hearts, we will learn to find compassion for one another, and communities will come together to fight against this pandemic.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Moreover, as soon as I entered my junior year, I decided to introduce the topic of stigma towards mental health in my debate event. Within Informative Speaking I was able to speak on a topic I was passionate about while still educating those around me. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. Within my academics, I took a class at Palm Beach State College in psychology to get myself familiar with the topic I have always been intrigued by. Now as an early admitted senior I have set up this year’s schedule towards achieving credits towards my Associate’s Degree in Psychology. With every course that I have taken on psychology, I have fallen more in love with the subject. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. As my passion and excitement for psychology grew over the years, I began to look outward to ask the bold questions that drove me to excel beyond my wildest dreams. When I picture my desired life after college, I see myself answering questions like “How can I better educate my community on mental health issues to help them understand their own emotions?” Additionally, I have asked myself the question, “How can a person stay emotionally agile during a time of desperation?” These questions share one prominent similarity. They all exemplify not only my want but also my desire to push the boundaries of psychology. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Moreover, as soon as I entered my junior year, I decided to introduce the topic of stigma towards mental health in my debate event. Within Informative Speaking I was able to speak on a topic I was passionate about while still educating those around me. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. Within my academics, I took a class at Palm Beach State College in psychology to get myself familiar with the topic I have always been intrigued by. Now as an early admitted senior I have set up this year’s schedule towards achieving credits towards my Associate’s Degree in Psychology. With every course that I have taken on psychology, I have fallen more in love with the subject. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. As my passion and excitement for psychology grew over the years, I began to look outward to ask the bold questions that drove me to excel beyond my wildest dreams. When I picture my desired life after college, I see myself answering questions like “How can I better educate my community on mental health issues to help them understand their own emotions?” Additionally, I have asked myself the question, “How can a person stay emotionally agile during a time of desperation?” These questions share one prominent similarity. They all exemplify not only my want but also my desire to push the boundaries of psychology. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.

When I picture myself in college, I see a person who is driven, passionate, and willing to go above and beyond to see herself succeed. To me, going to college is so much more than another simple four years of my life in a classroom. College for me is about exploring new ideologies, flourishing into a better human being, and questioning the status quo. When I graduate college in the Spring of 2025, I want to walk out onto the world knowing that I pushed myself to earn fantastic grades, worked diligently to collaborate in groundbreaking research, and earned a well-paying job in psychology to get me through graduate school. I chose psychology as my major because the summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. As I grew older, I became naturally intrigued with prominent topics such as the stigma on mental health, mental health in minorities, psycholinguistics, and developmental psychology. After what seems like weeks of research, I found that schools like Barnard College and New York University are the schools that were simply made for me and my passion. Barnard College’s extraordinary faculty like Professor Tara Well and Professor Ann Senghas can potentially help me exceed my ambitions with their rigorous and competitive research on emotions and psycholinguistics. Furthermore, Barnard’s Center for Research on Women and the Summer Research Institute will allow me to push my boundaries to participate and lead groundbreaking research as a student and intern. Moreover, New York University’s rigorous Applied Psychology for Undergrad curriculum, extensive fieldwork, and seminar sequence will further develop my discipline and management skills to conquer my goals. As my passion and excitement for psychology grew over the years, I began to look outward to ask the bold questions that drove me to decided I wanted to have psychology as my career. When I picture my desired life after college, I see myself answering questions like “How can I better educate my community on mental health issues to help them understand their own emotions?” Additionally, I have asked myself the question, “How can a person stay emotionally agile during a time of desperation?” These questions share one prominent similarity. They all exemplify not only my want but also my desire to push the boundaries of psychology. When I graduate college, I plan to continue working day in and day out with research through paid internships that I earned while relentlessly working in college. Moreover, I also plan to become a professor at a community college where I will educate the future pathfinders and leaders while also making a change through my research. By becoming a professor, I will mentor, inspire, and motivate the minds of young psychology major students’. In my wildest dreams, I want to lead others to one day be able to fully understand mental illnesses. I desire to one day mentor those who look up to me to help them excel beyond their expectations. After college and within my career, I hope to become a prominent woman who is admired for her work, compassion, and dedication to her passion. I plan to one day not just reach my education and career goals but surpass them to change my community and the lives of those around me.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I experienced a horrific event that no 14-year-old should ever go through. I was sexually assaulted by my 32-year-old cousin. From then on, I began to suffer from Clinical Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which deteriorated my mental health. While recuperating from the traumatic events that had recently occurred, I encountered a lot of backlash within my home during most of my sophomore year. During this time, I was truly able to grasp the toll stigma takes on a person. It took me a while to be okay with myself to move on in order to flourish as a person. I accepted letting others in to help me, and I realized it was okay to not be okay. I decided to conquer the present in order to look forward to the future. I learned how to prioritize myself, and in all honesty, this was my hardest obstacle. Being in such a difficult place in my life allowed me to realize how important mental health really is. I realized I was not alone, and that unfortunately, millions of people have gone through what I had. Towards the end of my sophomore year of high school, I began a fundraiser partnered with Mental Health of America to support services for the mentally ill. This fundraiser helped promote research to find new ways to prevent illnesses, helped keep services open, and helped spread awareness to eradicate the dreadful stigma. Moreover, as soon as I entered my junior year, I decided to introduce the topic of stigma towards mental health in my debate event. Within Informative Speaking I was able to speak on a topic I was passionate about while still educating those around me. However, I did not just stop there. Throughout social media, I consistently advocate and educate my viewers about how mental health affects everyone. Being a vocal activist of mental health issues enabled me to truly question my future goals in life. I always had a natural interest in psychology, but it was not until where my mental health was compromised that I realized going into psychology is what I want to do. Within my academics, I took a class at Palm Beach State College in psychology to get myself familiar with the topic I have always been intrigued by. Now as an early admitted senior I have set up this year’s schedule towards achieving credits towards my Associate’s Degree in Psychology. With every course that I have taken on psychology, I have fallen more in love with the subject. You see, my philosophy is “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” With that said, I want to have a job in the psychology field as a researcher in psychology. I want to work as a mental health activist who is consistently finding new ways to help those who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many other mental illnesses. The day I was attacked was the day I sank into a very deep pool with no end. With time I realized that it is okay to not be okay, and my mental health should always be a priority. There are events in life that positively affect us and make us smile, but unfortunately, there are events that make us feel such deep sadness to a point where we do not even want to live on this earth. No matter how I got there and the journey I took, I still managed to arrive at the same destination. I am stronger and more resilient than ever.