I believe my mental health is important because it affects every aspect of my life. I am a first-generation college student who works full-time. When I am sad, it affects my mood at work and my motivation in class. My mood affects the decisions I make on the daily. Those decisions can either be good or have detrimental consequences academically and/or in general. A student's mental health is so important for learning. You need sleep and a good headspace to go to class, learn, and interact with others. School related stress is often a big problem that can affect a student’s mental health. To start, you move away from home to a whole new environment and live with strangers. You have to make friends in class and develop relationships with professors. There is also financial stress. This is what affected me the most. Financial aid is not enough to cover some people's tuition and fees. Student loans often weigh heavy on students’ minds all throughout their college experience. Working full-time while being a full-time student is also a necessity for some of us. Without those 40 hour weeks, we would not be able to stay enrolled. A lot of college students go hungry or experience homelessness throughout their college years. This is why so many colleges and universities now have food pantries and emergency housing. Then there is also stress caused by classes. Exams, midterms, and finals weeks are often the most stressful time for students. It is important for all students to learn how to deal with these types of stresses. Exercise is one way a lot of college students cope with stress. Most college campuses have very nice gyms that offer a wide variety of exercise equipment to help students stay healthy. Exercise is how I maintain my mental wellness. I am a runner! I ran cross-country and track in high school, so running is my preferred method. It gives me time to reflect, do something I enjoy, and the endorphins released help me de-stress. Exercise also helps me stay fit and motivated. Determination and motivation are absolutely necessary to make it through college. It is not easy, so everyone needs to find their way of maintaining their mental health. There are many different coping mechanisms for stress including exercise, deep breathing, talking to friends, having free time to do things you love, sleeping enough, and last but not least talking to a professional counselor or therapist.

I have been a non-traditional student from the beginning of my schooling. My first language was Spanish so I had a difficult time reading and speaking English in kindergarten. Eventually, the teacher decided to keep me in kindergarten for a second year. I was sad and confused but there was nothing I could do. From then on I tried extra hard to learn English and be the best student I could be. I loved school so I had a great time all throughout elementary and even high school. In high school I joined the AVID program to learn more about going to college. It was a great experience and a huge help. My parents did not go to college so I had no clue what it took to get in or how I was going to pay for classes. With a lot of help and guidance, I figured it out. I really enjoyed undergrad. It was not easy working full-time and being a full-time student, but I did it. I received a bachelor's degree. I moved back home and my one year off to just work and gain experience in my field turned into two thanks to the pandemic. During the pandemic, I applied to graduate school. A lot of programs were not requiring the GRE exam and I knew competition was low. I only applied to two programs because it costs to apply. I got into both and ultimately accepted the program where the cost of living was lower. Money was and still is a deciding factor in my educational journey. I am so grateful for financial aid and grants because without that help, I would have never been able to afford it. I graduated debt free with my bachelors but had to take loans for my masters degree. My experience as a first-generation graduate student has been very unconventional. There were a total of four students in my cohort to begin with and everyone but me had attended the same school for their undergraduate studies. I was the odd one out, the only female student, and I had not been in a classroom for two years. Also, classes were in the evening. I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea after returning home from my undergraduate studies, so adapting to learning in the evening versus the morning was rough for me. Furthermore, my catalytic converter was stolen and I had to buy a used car. Despite these challenges, I enjoyed my classes and made it through the first year. My friends and family really kept me motivated and encouraged me to not give up. I am so thankful for their support. It reminded me why I decided to do this in the first place. I want to inspire other first-generation students to continue their education. I would like to share my experiences in higher education and be a resource for other students who are interested in pursuing a master’s degree. Most importantly, I want to use my degrees to educate and help my community live a healthier lifestyle. I would love to engage my community into physical activity and healthy eating habits. Heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure affect the Hispanic community. I want my community to have all the information and tools necessary to help prevent these diseases which are for the most part lifestyle related. These diseases can be prevented. People in my community often do not seek medical attention due to a language barrier, embarrassment, or lack of insurance. I would like to help bridge that gap.

@drakeandcole

My health journey has been interesting. I never imagined I would have any type of health condition. I have always been active since I was a child. I love participating in sports and I consider myself an active person. I try to eat a healthy diet and vary it when I can. I studied kinesiology and nutrition in college so I know how to keep myself healthy. I also try to visit the doctor and ask a lot of questions. I was diagnosed with moderate obstructive sleep apnea during the pandemic. I had just graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree and moved back home to take a few months off. I was at the doctor’s office for a regular annual physical. The physician assistant was making conversation with me and I was trying to answer her questions. I had bags under my eyes and was yawning often during our conversation. She asked if I had a long night. I explained that it was quite the opposite, I had been doing nothing for the past week but sleeping since moving back home after graduation. She found it odd that my eye bags were prominent and that I was still tired. She asked me questions about my sleep and I told her that I always feel tired and sleepy. Even when I go to sleep early and sleep in. I also told her that I snore very loudly. She asked if I had ever gone to see a doctor for that and I explained that when I was younger, I had surgery to remove my pharyngeal tonsils. My parents had observed me having trouble breathing while sleeping and sounding like I was gasping for air. She asked what the outcome of that was and I explained there was no further action taken by the doctor. She immediately gave me a referral for a sleep study. I was amazed. I had never heard about sleep disorders or knew anything about them. She explained my symptoms should have been a red flag. She assured me that once the sleep study was done, I would have more information. She was right, I had moderate sleep apnea. I was given a CPAP machine to use for the rest of my life. I had lots of questions for the sleep specialist. I asked if the surgery I had as a child was necessary. She explained it wasn’t, but at that time it was what the doctor thought was best. She also explained sleep disorders were more common in the senior population and that sleep disorders in children were a neglected topic in the health field. I went back and thanked the physician assistant for her help and genius. She made an impactful difference in my life and saved me from premature death. I shared the diagnosis with my family and informed them we all had obstructive sleep apnea. They both snored like a bear, had permanent eyebags, and always looked tired. Of course, they never went to the doctor to get a diagnosis, but I was one hundred percent sure I got it from them. Since then, I have learned a lot about sleep. I have even taken a class called Sleep and Exercise in the master’s program I am in, taught by a Ph.D. who works for Harvard Sleep Lab. Now I involuntarily teach others about sleep quality and sleep disorders. I have also integrated it into my research for my thesis. Most people do not know they have a sleep problem, so I strike up a conversation about sleep anytime I can.

I believe it is important to have healthy eating habits because what you eat matters and it affects you in many ways. What you eat affects your mood, mobility, mind, and energy levels. When I practice healthy eating habits, my physical and mental health is the best. I have energy, I don’t feel sluggish, and I have a good day. I am happier throughout the day, I am more alert in school, I do not dread going to work, have the energy to exercise, and most importantly, I sleep better. I’ve learned that I cannot eat anything spicy, acidic, or heavy because I have painful heartburn. Thanks to the guidance of my doctor, I have learned what food to avoid to have better sleep. It has been difficult to avoid certain foods since I eat them often, but adjusting my diet has made me feel better overall. I didn't always know what a healthy diet looked like. In college, I took nutrition classes because I was curious and wanted a minor in nutrition. I learned the basics like micronutrients, macronutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. I also learned about how food affects the economy, governmental policy, and the environment. There was a lot I did not know and was never taught before I got to college. I know other students were never taught about nutrition either because they do not know how to cook. Working in the dorms and talking to classmates on campus, I learned that they did not always enjoy the food in the dining hall. I would ask them why they just didn’t cook themselves meals sometimes. There were small kitchens in every dorm hall, so I suggested they make themselves food. They confessed they did not know how to cook. They were never taught or never had to make themselves food at home. That is one big problem I see in this country. I feel nutrition and healthy eating habits should be taught in elementary school. The more students know the better decisions they can make relating to food. Some type of intervention relating to nutrition is needed here in the United States. Childhood obesity is at an all-time high. Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and other kinds of cardiovascular diseases are rampant and end people’s lives too early. Physicians should also be promoting and prescribing healthy eating. Both children and adults could benefit from some nutrition education and training.

Sports and athletics were a part of my life before I even knew what they were. I grew up watching my uncles play soccer and watching matches on television with my dad. Sports and soccer specifically, helped me connect with other students in elementary school. When I started kindergarten, I did not know a lick of English. My parents immigrated to the U.S. and were learning English themselves, so my primary language was Spanish. I learned English from watching PBS kids shows on television. When I started school I understood what was going on, but struggled with reading. Recess and sports is where I bonded with my classmates. I understood and was good at sports, so that’s how I made friends. I ended up being held back in kindergarten because teachers felt it would benefit me to stay in kindergarten another year. I did not understand and was very sad that my friends and classmates were moving on without me. While in kindergarten, my parents enrolled me in the soccer team. I played soccer in kindergarten and all throughout elementary school. My family moved and I started second grade in a new elementary school. This school was kindergarten through eighth grade, so I made very good friends here. At this school I played soccer, volleyball, and basketball. I enjoyed my time there and planned on continuing to play in high school. When I got to high school, teams were not as fun as they seemed. Most of the coaches for the high school teams also coached outside league teams. I quickly realized this special treatment towards the player they already knew so I decided to not participate in the sports I usually played. I instead tried out new sports, cross country and track and field. My elementary school did not have these sports so I was new to them. The coaches were fair and encouraging. I stuck around for one season of each and ended up loving it. I quickly worked by way up to varsity as a sophomore and went on to be one of the top distance runners at our high school. I took home several medals and achievements from my time as a runner. I even got to run at the California CIF Cross Country State Championships. I had recruiters visiting me at races and lots of invitations to run for colleges. Ultimately I decided to not participate in sports while in college. I wanted to focus on schooling and working since I would have no financial help from my family. In college I decided to study kinesiology. Teachers always said to study something you loved, so it was a no brainer. Sports and athletics were something I loved and enjoyed. I received my bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology. I enjoyed learning the science behind the human body and how it worked. I even got to participate in very cool lab courses including human anatomy where I had to work with a human cadaver. Another favorite lab was exercise testing and prescription. It was really fun administering and participating in the test to compete with my classmates. I loved the field of kinesiology so much that I decided to apply to graduate school. I am currently in a kinesiology graduate program where I am working on research that relates sleep quality, physical activity, and academic performance. With my education I hope to spread my knowledge of the field to others. I want people in my community to know the importance of physical activity and how they can improve their lives.

My name is Stephanie and I am from California. I am Mexican-American and Spanish was my first language. I loved (and still love) school as a young child, but I struggled. Learning English was a challenge for me and I got held back in kindergarten because I couldn’t read! I never attended preschool so I didn’t have much of an introduction to the language besides television. Despite this minor setback, I loved school and learning. I also enjoyed participating in sports and did so through high school. Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Cross Country, and Track were the sports I enjoyed participating in. When it came time to make college decisions, I decided I wouldn’t be participating in sports. I was nervous enough about classes and having to work full time. I didn’t think I would have the time or energy to be an athlete. I still exercised and enjoyed going to the school gym. I even joined some intramural sports teams on campus. Exercising made me feel good and was a stress reliever. Also, my required classes included exercise courses like strength training and conditioning, weightlifting, volleyball, yoga, and mat pilates. In college, I ended up majoring in exercise physiology and minoring in sports nutrition. I chose to study exercise because I had always enjoyed being active and exercising. I truly enjoyed my undergrad studies. I got to experience some of the most fun lab classes. For human anatomy, I had to work with two cadavers. That was a total surprise to me but was so incredible. In chemistry lab sections I got to practice titrations and other cool experiments. I got to conduct exercise testing on my fellow students in the exercise testing and prescription lab. I also decided to minor in nutrition. Food and exercise go hand in hand. I wanted to learn how to feed the body for optimal health and performance. After graduating with a bachelor of science in exercise physiology, I moved back home. I then started working as a rehab therapy aide at a worker's compensation clinic. This clinic had a physical therapist and a chiropractor I responded to. I worked with patients who were assigned physical therapy and chiropractic sessions as part of their recovery. I connected them to electrical stimulation before their exercise session. In the exercise session, they learned about the exercises and workouts they did in the clinic. I also gave myofascial massages at the end of the appointment. Aside from this I also conducted exercise testing for patients who were there for a pre-placement work exam. While working there, I decided to go back to school. I missed school and the pandemic pushed me to decide to apply to graduate school. I am now about to be finished with a master's degree in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science. I have enjoyed graduate school so far. The last hurdle for me is my research and dissertation. I have been working as a personal trainer while in school again. Working in the field of health and exercise is fun. I get to share my passion and everything I have learned with people who are interested to learn and better themselves.

A healthy lifestyle is important to me because I want to live happy and healthy. I want to enjoy the things I love doing with the people I care about most. I enjoy exercising and try to eat better to fuel my body for work and school demands. I also studied exercise and nutrition in college so to me learning about a healthy lifestyle was a topic of interest. Now, I feel it is an interest for a lot of people. Since the pandemic, a lot of us have faced health issues, some preexisting and some new. Now a lot of us know how it feels to not live well and we definitley never want to feel like that again. I feel it gave a lot of us perspective and brought our health to the front of the line in our priorities. That may have given people a new found interest in a healthy lifestyle. Most people probably googled to find information or maybe even talked to their doctor. The internet is a good resource to learn a lot, but there is a lot of misinformation out there. As someone who studied exercise and nutrition, I was surprised that I only learned about these things in college. I always thought basic exercise and nutrition should've been taught in high school or throughout elementary school. It could have set a lot of people up for success and could have helped numerous people avoid lifestyle caused conditions. Sure there are government health websites and different professional organizations who set recommendations for exercise and nutrition, but I think most people do not know these exist. I did not know these existed until I went to college. I think those resources should be advertised more. Make that information more available to the public. This information should be available and displayed in schools, doctor's offices, and anywhere else it is appropriate. Prevention should also be promoted more. A healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and nutrition can be used to prevent conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. A healthy lifestyle should be important to everyone and everyone should be equipped with the knowledge and tools to be able to achieve it.

What would I do with one thousand dollars right now? Easy, I would pay off my $1000 student loan. Especially right now that payments are paused. I do not receive much financial aid because I am a graduate student so I had to take out loans for my graduate program. I am a second year graduate student at California State University, Sacramento. I am in the Kinesiology graduate program and I am graduating in Spring 2023. I want to help people learn about and enjoy exercise and nutrition. I want to empower others to be their best selves and improve their health in every aspect. My first year was rough. The catalytic converter in my car was stolen and I was without a car for a couple weeks. I had to make a big girl purchase and buy a used car. A car is a necessity to get to and from work and school. Now I have a car loan and student loans. This money would be a huge help and weight off my shoulders. I work full time and I am a full time grad student. It is tiring to say the least, but I have to make it happen no matter what. I am a first generation student and will be the first in my family to receive a master’s degree.

Nature is so many things to me. It is a place of peace, a place to relax, a place to exercise, and a place for fun. I love nature because it serves so many purposes for me. I can go to nature when I am feeling stressed. Just walking around and breathing fresh air helps me feel less stressed. It helps me clear my head and improves my mood. I like going for a run at parks instead of going to the gym. Summers I can swim and cool off in nature. I enjoy sharing these experiences with others too. Nature is beautiful and must be kept that way. I appreciate nature and all it provides for me. I try to leave no trace anytime I go to a park or public land. I also try to be more mindful of how much waste I produce. I have made a couple changes in my life to try and be more eco-friendly. I have stopped using plastic bags for produce and switched over to reusable shopping bags. I use bamboo toothbrushes and reusable water bottles. Menstrual cups are another change I made and that has saved me money. These changes I have made are my way of being more conscious about the environment. I love and enjoy nature. I want my kids and future generations to be able to enjoy nature.

I need this scholarship to help pay for grad school. I will have to take out loans for the two-year duration. I want to acquire as little student debt as possible. This scholarship money would allow me to focus more on my studies. I would be able to work part-time and not take too much time away from school. During my undergrad years, I worked two part-time jobs to support myself. I am also a first-generation student, so I had zero monetary help from my parents. I knew I had to do whatever it takes to make it on my own. I have to admit it was a lot more challenging to find time to study, read, or do school work. I was tired and sleepy all the time. I got caught falling asleep in lecture classes. My obstructive sleep apnea didn’t help either. I was a zombie. I never want to experience that again. All of this took a toll on my grades. I knew I could do better if I had more time to be a student. I don’t want graduate school to be this stressful and tiring. I want to have time to focus. I want to hone my skills and prepare for my career. I want to enjoy learning and becoming a professional. This scholarship will help me do this.

My journey to a career in healthcare as a first-generation student started in high school. My teachers and parents always stressed the importance of college, how it was a tool out of poverty, and how I had to get a good-paying job. Easier said than done. As a first-generation student, you have to figure things out yourself and ask for a lot of help which isn’t always easy. Not to mention the feeling that you have to prove everyone wrong and make your family proud. Paying for school is a big issue because most of us have little to no help from our parents. We rely on financial aid, scholarships, and loans. Since I needed a lot of help, I joined the AVID program in high school. A program that helps prepare students for college eligibility and success. They taught us about financial aid, the application process, and helped us apply to colleges for free. They also informed us about the “ideal” candidate colleges look for. I took AP classes, participated in sports, was part of the drumline, and joined a couple of clubs. I tried my best to become a well-rounded student-athlete with a nice GPA and a nice extracurricular history. I graduated in the top 10% of my class with a 4.1GPA and over a thousand dollars of scholarship money to take with me to college. I chose somewhere far from home but still affordable. Money was my biggest worry and I refused to take out loans or be in debt. In college, I worked two part-time jobs while going to school full time. Summers I would take one online class and sometimes work three jobs. Balancing school and work were challenging. I majored in exercise physiology. I figured I’ve participated in sports my whole life, I love being active, and why not study something I like. I enjoyed my major more than I thought I would. I got to work with human cadavers, experienced chemistry labs, and physics labs. I barely had science classes in high school so this was a dream, what I saw in movies. Even though those classes were the most challenging, I liked them. The lab sections from my major classes were the best. I got to practice administering stress tests, agility tests, taking vitals, and body measurements. It was fun and something I could see myself doing professionally. I knew I wanted to teach others about exercise, physical activity, and nutrition. Guide them in how to change their habits to help them reach optimal health. That is what an exercise physiologist does and that is the healthcare career I am pursuing. This career also interests me because it allows me to make an impact in my community. It's no secret that obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other similar health conditions are huge health issues in America. Even more of an issue in communities of color. I know there is a hesitancy in communities of color to go to the doctor or even make an appointment. That is due to lack of health insurance, general mistrust, and lack of minority doctors, among other things. I want to be a friendly face of color to my patients and be someone they feel comfortable around. I hope I can encourage them to care a little bit more about themselves, inspire them to live healthier lives and arm them with all the tools they need to be confident on their own.

My experience with mental health has definitely changed the way I see the world. I am more aware, understanding, and sympathetic. It also has impacted my relationships with family, friends, and loved ones. My mother suffers from depression and has since I was a young child. I didn’t realize this until I was in college. At first, I didn’t understand it. She would stay in bed all day and she would say she doesn’t feel well. I always thought she meant she felt ill. Even when she said she felt sad I would just tell her to get over it. Everyone has bad days, just make the best out of it. Staying in bed won’t help. Plus she had plenty of things that would keep her busy around the house. I would get really frustrated and tell her to get up and take care of her kids. I had to do the parenting when she stayed in bed . Cleaning, cooking, and looking after my younger siblings. I was in high school, taking AP classes, participating in sports, and trying my best so I could get into college. I didn’t have time nor energy to do all this extra work. Mental health was not really talked about in my household or in school. I knew therapy existed and that everyone can benefit from therapy. I knew my mom needed therapy for a different issue, but I didn’t realize she had depression. In college, I had another experience with mental health. A roommate of mine also had depression. This time I saw the signs, was able to recognize it, and was more understanding. She stayed in her room and played video games a lot. She confided to us that she had depression. Her mom would stay for the weekend at least once a month to check in on her. Once she got a little more comfortable I invited her to the gym, to go out, and to join an intramural volleyball team I was in. She in fact did start accompanying me to the gym, joined the volleyball team, and even came along when we went out. My other roommates and I saw the change in her behavior. We were so happy for her. We all graduated from college and moved back home. We are still friends to this day. Having had these experiences with mental health and learning more about it has opened my mind. I am glad that it is more talked about nowadays and that the stigma is slowly fading. I believe mental health should be included and covered by insurance. I have come to realize mental health conditions are more common than I thought. I am now aware that one in five US adults and one in four people around the world are affected by mental health conditions. Information I will keep in mind as I study and start my professional career in healthcare.