As a student thoroughly enthralled by psychology, I have a particular interest in the way that technological advancement affects the fields of psychology and neuroscience. Some of the most obvious technological advances which positively impacted the world appeared in the medical field, with some directly altering how psychology functions in both research and application. One such invention was the EEG, or electroencephalogram, which measures and presents electrical activity in the brain. The EEG has become instrumental in the diagnosis and understanding of seizure disorders like epilepsy, as well as the diagnosis of various other brain disorders. Other disorders that can be diagnosed with the help of an EEG scan are various sleep disorders, dementia, and brain damage due to head injury. On the research side of the equation, the ability to measure electrical activities can be invaluable. And for someone heavily interested in the research aspects of psychology, it is how the EEG functions in this respect that truly fascinates me. Having access to electrical activity within the brain allows researchers to conduct comparative analysis. This shows in the form of comparing how a resting brain looks versus a brain given a multitude of various stimuli. The results create a better understanding of our world and its effects. The most beautiful and inspiring part of research is application. Data provided by technology like the EEG are objective and stagnant in nature but have endless possibilities for application. Findings from studies have helped people all over the world better understand their minds and give them actionable steps in areas like mental health. Technology use in research to make the world a better place goes way beyond the mechanics of the electroencephalogram, but the conditions that make these inventions so powerful are reflected in the EEG. I am constantly inspired by brain imaging and data-collecting technologies and how they can impact every person on this earth, and hope to use and progress these discoveries in my future career.

One of the largest motifs of my life has been hard work. As a child the message was clear: for anything you want in life, you have to work for it. I saw this reflected in my parents working long nights, caring for me on their own at times, and taking up multiple jobs to make sure that I never felt the effects of economic struggle. My parents are a case study in the ‘American Dream’ ideology: working hard during the toughest times to achieve comfort and stability. It was in my academics where I applied these teachings. I made sure that I worked harder than other students: staying up late studying, connecting with teachers after class, and making sure during class discussions my hand went up the fastest. As a kid, education was survival. I would tell fellow students that if I failed I would not be able to acquire a good job, and therefore not have the money to feed or shelter myself. Dark thoughts for a first grader, I know. But that was my reality. Thankfully, I moved out of this line of thinking and found joy in learning, reading, and writing. From my intense devotion to academia moving from survival to enjoyment, I have seen the rich benefits of being educated, and hope to pass this love to the next generation. Learning is a journey of self-fulfillment and enlightenment, though I’ve seen how it can be turned into just a tool of survival, and know how to recognize this pattern of thinking in others. My ultimate goal is to study and become a college professor, where I could have the opportunity to shift students’ perceptions of what it means to be educated and the value of loving to learn, just as was done for me.

Being a social science, it would make sense for studies like psychology to be considered in major social crises. However, historically this has not been the case. With the muddy history that psychology as a practice holds, blame cannot be placed on those who disregard it now despite the great changes it has undergone. Where a psychologist in modern times takes the full name of 'scientist', history will show that some notable psychologists did not engage in the scientific method. Through those who practiced psychology as an art rather than a science, the world’s view of psychology was forever altered. It now lies on the shoulders of modern psychologists to reframe society’s view of social science once again: to illustrate empiricism and how this critical thinking can be applied. Once we achieve this shift in perspective, the opportunity for social science solutions to world problems actualizes. Understanding the human mind and its functions creates analytical minds and crucial discussions on the state of an institution or precedent. An issue psychologists are increasingly looking into regards poverty. Many researchers hope that by investigating the plethora of effects poverty enacts on the brain, they can push not only citizens to help those in need but also policymakers. Psychology cannot solve the biggest societal issues alone, but create a foundational understanding of the brain's response to its economic and political stimuli. For example, decades of research have shown that individuals who deal with the many stressors associated with low socioeconomic status have a higher susceptibility to mental and physical disorders as well as low educational attainment. The cruel irony of this situation lies in the fact that limited access to healthcare faced by those with low SES (socioeconomic status) catalyzes their poor health susceptibility, and in turn leaves people unable to seek treatment. This connection seems like common sense, but the iceberg of poverty’s effect on the human mind sinks deeper. From studying development in children, it was found that those receiving high levels of cognitive stimulation during childhood led to higher language aptitudes in middle and high school. Low socioeconomic status children may grow up with a deficit in items crucial to cognitive development such as books and educational toys. Further, the parental figures in their life give attention to their more basic needs such as working to provide food and shelter. This disconnect creates a gap in the educational development of children in varying classes. Understanding how this gap is created (stressors of poverty) and its effects (slower or compromised cognitive development) not only brings to light the severity of the issue but gives opportunities for legislators to enact change. Before research determining the adverse physical health effects of smoking, it was widespread and accepted. In the same way that physical health research guides the status quo, so too can psychology and the social sciences. These mental effects being invisible gives them no less importance but makes them more difficult to understand and translate to the general public. Providing tangible, experimental results to these seemingly intangible consequences creates the necessary awareness that creates change and builds a better future.

The teacher that unequivocally made the biggest impact on my life was my AP English III and Academic Decathlon Coach, Mrs. Lynch. Throughout my entire life, I have been a teacher’s pet, impressing coaches and leaders with my work ethic and quiet demeanor. While many teachers in my high school career praised me for these qualities, they were not enough to impress Mrs. Lynch. She had a reputation around the school as “Lynch the Grinch” for her unwillingness to take weak excuses from students and administration alike. She possessed a special ability to command a room, a fierce leader using words as her weapon. She always required her students to go past just regurgitation of what we’ve been taught and think critically about the information we consume and the conclusions we draw. I went into her class with a strict formula for non-fiction writing: introduction, body paragraphs consisting of evidence from a piece of media, history, and my personal life, and a conclusion that simply restated my thesis. This formula didn’t require critical thought about purpose and certainly was not conducive to a line of reasoning. My writing ability increased tenfold throughout her class, but it was the improvements she made to my personal life that I always remember her for. My parents are divorced and have held the policy of not communicating for years. Even when conversations would be best for them to have with each other, it was always a message through me. This led to tension in my life, as I felt the pressure of my parents issues on top of my own as I was growing up. Many therapists, teachers, and outside forces tried (and failed) to encourage my parents to talk to each other. While I would love to write that Mrs. Lynch was a hero that swooped in, saved the day, and now my parents talk every day; life is not always that simple. Although my parents still do not communicate despite college and graduation right around the corner, it was Mrs. Lynch’s guidance that helped me learn how to cope and advocate for myself. Turns out the obedience that was rewarded by my past teachers was just a reflection of my passive silence in my home life. Whenever I was in the middle of high-stress conflicts between my parents, Mrs. Lynch would listen attentively and support my feelings and processes. Through her advice, I finally opened up to my parents about the struggles I faced being in the middle. The strength she personified every day made me a better, stronger woman. She reaffirmed the validity of my coping mechanisms, making connections between my situation and hers. She was the first adult to recognize that some of my communication habits were not just failures in my morality, but a direct reaction to my situation and a survival technique learned from childhood. She even shared that she had done the same things. Mrs. Lynch’s listening ear and powerful advice profoundly impacts how I function to this day. In my personal relationships I now highly value effective communication and expressing my emotions and anxieties. What most people saw as aggression in Mrs. Lynch was actually strength and a commitment to open communication. Whenever I am in conflict, I always strive to channel my inner “grinch”- as silence only prolongs my struggle.

Before diving into career plans and changing the world for the better, my community service philosophy begs for understanding. This clarification on my approach remains imperative to my story, both the own I have lived and the one I am working to create. The way I see it, noticing a need and subsequently filling it via donating time, money, or skills is not selfless. In reality, it is the best form of selfishness that exists. I reject the idea that wanting my community to be fed, safe, and healthy makes one selfless. My community runs through my veins; my community raised me; my community reflects me. Letting my community starve emaciates me. It is with this passionate spirit that I approach community service and mutual aid, and why I ask for understanding before analysis. My dream field is psychology, with an emphasis on research. Psychology has so many opportunities to give back just with the knowledge unlocked by research. Many issues in a community are viewed at the aggregate level, leaving behind so many nuanced stories and experiences in the quest for solutions. Narrowing in on the brain allows me to meet those left behind and bring their stories to the foreground. One of my biggest goals is for my research to be used as a basis for policy or community change. What specifically in psychology I want to study to achieve this goal, is something I still aim to discern. So many ideas run through my head: studying the mental effects of the carceral system, poverty correlations with mental illness, or the most beneficial academic accommodations for students with varying neurodivergence or learning disabilities. I put my hope in higher education to navigate me, refine my ideas, and create a reality of change. We can only change what we understand. As someone with such an intense need and yearning for education and knowledge, I see my place as the one who brings understanding to create change in my community. Make no mistake, I will rely on fellow community members to push these changes, and hopefully, they will rely on me. This idea is the core of the community. Although I may be the one at times donating time and money, those who I am helping are in turn aiding me in my journey. This reciprocal respect places mutual aid as my top avenue of community impact, and one that I plan to incorporate into my psychology career.