Mental health is a topic of discussion that is heavily thrown around in today’s society both in positive and negative light and for positive and negative reasons. Everyone has an opinion on the matter and almost everyone has a story to share. It is rare to find someone who has not been touched in some way by mental illness. I myself have been surrounded by it my entire life. I was born to a father who has suffered and continues to suffer from heavy mental illness. His battle with bipolar, depression, PTSD, and psychosis are all a part of his story, as well as my own. Ever since I can remember my parents have been divorced, mental illness playing a significant part of the reasonings behind it, and I have known about my father’s struggles since I was young. I have been told my entire life that I am on watch for the development of mental illness due to my father’s history. And while I have most definitely gone through times of mental strain, as both a young child and adolescent, I have yet to follow exactly in my father’s footsteps. But that does not mean I am not aware of the impact that mental illness can have on someone’s life and the steps that can be taken to help both myself and others. I have seen firsthand the people closest to me struggle through mental illness battles. Not only my father but my mother, my extended family, and my best friends as well. I am no stranger to the reality that is mental illness and the effects it takes on not only the one suffering but also those closest to them. It is for this reason that I am a huge advocate of the phrase “everyone can benefit from therapy.” Personally, I believe that there is not a single person who should not seek therapeutic consolation at least at one point in their lives. I have seen therapy work absolute wonders on those closest to me. It can sometimes be difficult to see therapy working on oneself, but as someone with many people in my life who have gone to therapy and benefited beautifully from it, I understand and advocate for the importance of seeking resources to better help one’s mental health. In the end, I will continue to fight to normalize seeking mental health help, especially therapy, as it is because of mental health resources that many of the relationships in my life carry on today. I will continue to not be afraid to reach out to others, check in on those I love, and provide support in the best ways I know how. Mental health is a battle that many of us face, but it is not one that can not be overcome, especially with the support of each other.

As a 20-year-old female university student, born in the year 2002, and a proud part of the Millenial-Gen Z generation, I found the “Ode To Millennials-Gen Z” text to put some of my exact thoughts and feelings into words. Personally, I consider myself to be part of the older age group of Generation Z, and I keep this part of my identity close to my heart. In this day and age, no one is a stranger to the cosmic power that is the internet. It has entirely consumed our world. My generation, Gen Z, is the first generation to be exposed to the internet as we know it today while we were still children. I received my first iPod Touch at the age of ten years old during the year 2012, the year social media skyrocketed. I received my first iPhone about a year later at the age of eleven years old. I anticipate the majority of people my age to have a story similar to this one. We grew up online, and now we are witnessing the effects of social media on children, in ourselves. When it comes to what the actual effects of social media on children are, I believe there to be both positive and negative aspects. Of course, there are the common negative effects older generations like to throw around such as the idea that my generation does not go outside, does not form real connections to others, does not want to work, and suffers from increasingly high rates of mental illness due to our “dependence” on social media and our cell phones. While I do not disagree that our use of social media and cellular devices does cause negative effects, especially on our mental health, I also find that our use of the internet and online devices benefits my generation in ways that no other generation has experienced thus far. Social media, the internet, and mobile devices have allowed my generation to learn more about the world in shorter amounts of time and at younger ages than any other generation before us. It allows us to connect with people that we may never come across in person who can love, teach, guide, care, and relate to us in many ways no one else in our life may. It allows us to seek help when we need it and express ourselves when we want to. Most importantly, social media and the online world foster a sense of community, especially among my generation. I feel so connected to my generation, and the main source of that feeling comes from connecting with others from my generation online. I have connected with or seen people my age who I have never met in real life that I instantly relate to in ways I never have with anyone else. The majority of Generation Z specifically have a huge shared experience of growing up in a world where a lot of us find our main solace online and through each other. So yes, it can be said that my generation is addicted to our phones and social media. Yes, we may rather want to stay inside some days rather than go out. Yes, we may not answer the phone every time because we suffer from the mental strain of the increasing pressure of what seems to be never-ending bleak news about the world we were brought into, raised, and now live in. However, my generation is incredibly united and connected across the globe in an unprecedented way that I can confidently say I have never seen or heard about in all of history. I am a part of a generation that I am proud of and that I know will continue to defy expectations. We are pioneers in this era of time, and I know we will leave our mark in the history books.

Life is a whirlwind of challenges, and my dream to pursue higher education has been one of both struggle and triumph, fueled by the unbreakable bond between my mother and me. Being raised by my single mother since I was a baby, I have witnessed firsthand the sheer strength and resilience she possesses, despite battling her struggle of having Multiple Sclerosis, an incurable autoimmune illness. From the very beginning, my mother has embraced the role of a loving caregiver, providing for my needs while facing the daily hurdles of her illness. Upon having to leave her career when I was a child due to her disease, our financial strain has always been an ever-present shadow. However, she has remained steadfast in her belief that education would be my ticket to a better future. She has become not just my mother, but also my guiding light, and so my ultimate dream is to make her proud by continuing and completing my undergraduate degree. Throughout my academic journey, my mother's unwavering support has been my anchor, giving me the strength to excel and prove my potential. I have poured my heart into my studies, and I continuously fight to maintain my 4.0 GPA. But as much as I revel in my academic achievements, my financial burden still looms overhead. The mounting student loans I have taken on to pay for my education serve as a constant reminder of the financial battle I face. Yet, with my mother’s unwavering encouragement, I know I can not falter. Her belief in my potential, her sacrifices, and her love are my driving force. My dream to continue my education is not just about personal success; it is about honoring the sacrifices my mother has made. I refuse to let her efforts go to waste, and I am determined to make her proud. Researching scholarship opportunities and advocating for myself has become my way of taking charge of my future, even amidst financial struggles. Winning the Curtis Holloway Memorial Scholarship would not only ease my financial strain but also prove that the power of a parent's support of the child is worth believing in. I can not express how grateful I am to have an opportunity to win this scholarship. In the end, my journey of chasing my higher education is not just for myself; it is for every young dreamer out there who faces the challenge of limited resources. My mother's unwavering support has shaped me into a person who believes that dreams are attainable, no matter the obstacles. As I continue my journey, I hope to inspire others to fight for their dreams, knowing that education has the power to break barriers and transform lives. With my mother's love propelling me forward, I am confident that my pursuit of education will lead me to a brighter future and enable me to make a positive impact in the world. Thank you for considering my application and supporting students like me determined to chase after their dreams and make a difference in the world.

I stand in a purple ocean of ARMY who wave their violet lightsticks toward the sky. The roar of chanting, laughter, and cries reverberate through me as I watch fireworks shoot into the night. I look around and see thousands of people filled with energy as they move to the powerful music flowing from the speakers. I look to the stage where I see seven men. Standing in the cold air, 45,000 people watching them, love pouring through their microphones, the band BTS creates a memory never to be forgotten. It was at this moment, at this concert, that I realized I found my second home. Music is universal. Music has influenced every part of the world, transcending time, location, and language. The South Korea-based K-pop band BTS embodies this fundamental. The music they create, while sung in Korean, touches people from every country, and every culture. While the words they sing are translated into numerous languages, their persona remains the same. BTS’s message encourages people everywhere to love themselves, to find hope in their lives, to understand they are not alone, to enjoy life’s beauty, and to find strength within themselves. They spread this empowerment to their fanbase of millions, known as ARMY, across every digital platform. BTS, expressing the limitless love they feel for ARMY, created the phrase “I purple you.” Purple, the last color of the rainbow, representing a love that goes on forever. Being a part of ARMY influences my identity and encourages my personal growth. I feel grounded and connected. Friends come and go, family does not always understand, but I know there is a band in South Korea, as well as millions of ARMY all over the world, who accept and love me. My self-confidence is soaring, revealing a new side of myself. The walls I built up have broken down, allowing me to experience an emotional depth I have not felt before. I feel a stronger connection with myself, as well as to those around me. Seeing the volume of digital content BTS and their staff create has opened my eyes to a world of online media opportunities and solidified my career goals. From short clips to movies, simple tweets to entire webpages, I realized I want a career creating those elements. Additionally, I have become immersed in a culture entirely new to me. The beauty of Korean values, traditions, and social constructs has given me the opportunity to see a counterpoint to American culture. Learning about Korean culture through BTS created my aspiration to study abroad in South Korea and include South Korea in my future career. Many see me as just another teenage fangirl for a band of handsome men. Boy bands have been around for decades, each one coming with a group of young girls who plaster posters on their walls. BTS is a boyband, and I do put posters on my walls, but I also experience much more. I have learned to love myself for who I am, for who I was, and for who I hope to become because of BTS. I have learned to love those around me and not be afraid to express my emotions because of BTS. I have learned what true support and acceptance feels like, and I have discovered what I want to do with my life, what my dream is, because of BTS. I may just be another fangirl, but I am also an ARMY, and I will forever stand in the purple ocean.