The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines empowerment as “the granting of the power, right, or authority to perform various acts or duties,” but I define empowerment differently. I believe that any power that is granted also has the potential to be taken away, and that should not be the case. Empowerment should be oppressed groups lifting each other up. Empowerment should be the action of emotional support, mental support, and informational support. It involves finding ways to correctly educate people about the institutions that negatively impact women, such as male-centered medical research studies or male-centered devices that make it more difficult or dangerous for women to use. It is true that women are not living in a world that is made for them, but that does not mean we need to remain stuck in a victim mentality. We need to find opportunities to uplift each other and stand up for ourselves. This is easier said than done, of course. Years of media that perpetuate the idea that women are princesses who need to be saved have been seared into our brains, leaving us stuck in a mindset that convinces us there must be a savior out there somewhere, without realizing that we need to be our own saviors. I believe this mentality has also made many young girls think they can simply marry rich when they are older. I certainly have; I vividly remember drawing myself as a pretty pink princess when my first-grade teacher told us to draw who we wanted to be when we grew up. But then again, what else was I supposed to think? The only female role models I had were Disney princesses who were eventually saved by a rich and powerful man and then married him. Disney did not show domestic violence or financial abuse; they were incredibly one-sided and depicted the woman happily twirling in the man's arms. How do we get out of this state of learned helplessness? Education. Education is pertinent because it exposes us to different figures and ideas. I think I had an easier time getting out of this mindset because I eventually started reading more and becoming familiar with female figures who were not damsels in distress. Knowing that I had other options changed the way I understood what jobs women could have. I slowly understood through years of teaching that I could only depend on myself because only the things I have earned are rightfully mine; I did not want to be controlled by anyone. In order to be financially independent, I needed a job. But to get a job, I needed some sort of higher education. I knew I wanted to become a dermatologist, but becoming a doctor takes time and money. I had to cut the time I spent on my degree and find alternative ways to earn college credit. I turned to earning AP credits in the AP classes that Jenks High School offers as my primary form of college credits. That was my own way of empowering myself for a better future and I encouraged all of my friends to take AP exams as well. My efforts earned me the title of 2025 Salutatorian, a 2023 AP Scholar, a 2024 AP Scholar with Distinction, and two years shaved off of my future University of Oklahoma psychology degree. I will forever be grateful to my literary heroes Katniss Everdeen, Hermione Granger, and Nancy Drew who inspired me to go down a career path other than that of a princess. Thanks to them, I was able to uplift not only myself but others as well.