When I was born, I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a rare chronic disease affecting my respiratory and digestive systems. I've never known what it's like to be completely healthy, and managing my condition has been tough. I often experience anxiety over minor health changes, like a sore throat or a slight cough, which makes me more focused on my health than on other aspects of my life. For a long time, I didn't think about college because I didn't believe I'd live long enough even to have the chance to attend. I was very comfortable with the idea that I'd die young. However, this changed as more medications came out that significantly increased my lifespan, and college appeared as an opportunity that I could have. My journey with Cystic Fibrosis has been challenging, but I realized that I didn't need to conform to societal standards to feel 'normal'; it's our differences that make us human. My Cystic Fibrosis transformed from a source of shame into a badge of honor. I learned to take pride in my hard work to maintain my health and discovered that sharing my story could inspire others to embrace their own challenges. Having this familiarity and lack of fear surrounding death has greatly helped me in learning more and allowed me to be more comfortable in my chosen career path. I want to work at a coroner's office, and while many people are scared or uncomfortable with the idea of working with the dead, my experience of being so close to death my entire life has created a familiarity between me and the idea of it. I want to use this familiarity to help others who are going through the grief of a loved one who has passed on. I want to be able to create a sense of closure and justice for those grieving and help them through what is arguably one of the hardest things to endure in life. I've taken many opportunities to further my understanding of the field, such as job shadowing the deputy coroner and going to experience an autopsy. This has confirmed my passion for this field and made me confident that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am so excited to finally start the higher education journey and take the first step towards the rest of my life. Once I start my career, I hope to help many people and change their lives, which is one of my biggest goals and aspirations.

Mental health has always been a prominent issue throughout my life. It started before I even turned thirteen. I have also always struggled with medications and their side effects. I went on and off three antidepressants before I found one that I could tolerate, which was an extremely frustrating and emotional journey for me. I believed I would never get better, like nothing could be done to make any of it easier. However, since then, I've found many ways to help myself cope with my mental health and feel better in general.  I was part of a queer DBT Therapy Group, which lasted around a year. DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and it's typically used in cases where an individual feels emotions very deeply or intensely, such as in Borderline Personality Disorder, for example. This was my situation, as I tended to feel things to an intensity that made it feel as if the feeling would consume me whole, as if I would never find my way out of that spiral. I always did in the end, but the episodes of panic or depression that I would have always felt unstoppable. That was until I joined the therapy group. This group made me feel seen; I felt like there were finally people who understood what I was going through and were there to help. Being a student has greatly affected both my physical and mental health in many ways. Mentally, it causes me a great deal of stress and anxiety, leading to bigger issues if I get too overwhelmed. This can include panic attacks, depression, and executive dysfunction. Physically, it's just as bad. If I get stressed or feel rushed in the mornings before school, I will sometimes forget to take my medication, which can cause painful side effects. I miss school to go to doctors' appointments, which I have much more frequently than most. This causes me to fall behind in my classes. These physical health problems cause me a lot of stress and lead to even more mental health issues. I believe that mental health should be talked about, and people should be educated on it. I do this in my community by talking freely about mental health in an attempt to destigmatize it. I research and do my best to educate others in a way that won't villainize any diagnosis, and I make it clear to my peers that I am always available to help with mental health issues if they need it. I want struggling people to know that they are not alone and are not broken. It's vital that people feel safe despite what is happening inside their heads.

It can be difficult to find media that you can relate to. I have spent countless hours watching movies and TV shows trying to find a character who embodies me, who has experienced the same struggles, and who understands what my life may feel like. For a long time, I thought I'd have to settle for characters whose relatability was just okay. Then, just when I needed it the most, I found the movie Five Feet Apart. I'd known it existed before. My mom would often ask if I wanted to watch it with her. I always said no. I didn't want to watch it in the slightest. I was scared it would romanticize Cystic Fibrosis and that my chronic disease would be portrayed wrong. Living with CF since birth, I also didn't want to be reminded of it if I didn't have to be. The idea of watching the movie with my family made me feel uncomfortable, and I did everything I could to avoid it. One day, I grew curious. I was in a good mood and fully expected it to be a laughable movie that I could make fun of for the inaccurate way it showed what life with CF was like. Because of this, I decided to watch it on my own to see what it would include. Little did I know it would change my viewpoint on life. The beginning of the movie was all right. I wasn't familiar with living in a hospital for as long as the characters in the show. However, the treatments were portrayed well, and I was surprised at the accuracy. I kept watching, deciding it was worth watching all the way through if they took the time to research and make it accurate to people with CF's daily life. I ended up crying my eyes out. The forbidden love that couldn't last hit me extremely hard. It showed me that sometimes, you can't have what you want, even if it's everything that you want. This is because sometimes, it will only hurt you more than it will help you. I spent a few days after watching the movie mostly thinking. In the end, I think it changed my viewpoint on life. I became a lot more emotionally intelligent. Realizing that life can change so quickly and that it can be taken away so easily caused me to begin to appreciate the time I have much more than I ever did before. I started seeing the beauty in small things like how leaves sway in the wind or the smell of rain. When I really think about it, I think this movie saved me. I was struggling with accepting my Cystic Fibrosis, and it was affecting my mental health in many negative ways. Watching this movie and realizing how fragile life really is made me embrace my CF and make sure I was taking the best care of myself that I could.

Math is (and always has been) a controversial subject. Some people hate it, and some people love it. Personally, I have always had a taste for math, and it's been something I've reliably been able to learn, even as it gets more complex. Ever since elementary school, it's been something I've excelled in. It's been the subject that I was able to be confident in during classes at school. As for why it comes easily to me, I'm not sure. However, I enjoy doing it and sometimes will do it at home because I feel accomplished when I complete a difficult problem. I love to help people with math. Explaining problems and how they work comes naturally to me, and I love watching as it finally clicks for others. Being the source of their accomplishments makes me happy, and I realize that I can do so much to help the people I care about, even if it seems small, like helping with a math problem. Even something so small can help people feel more confident about their abilities to succeed, which in turn can cause them to succeed more. It feels amazing to watch the people I have helped accomplish more and more over time and know that they may feel the same way I do when I do math.

I've been through many challenges and achievements in my life, but few have stood out when it comes to significant events throughout my life. First, one of the most meaningful achievements I can think of is gaining connections in my desired career field. When I was in my junior year of high school, the deputy coroner came to my school and presented what her career entails and what a day in her life looked like for her. From the start, I was absolutely captivated by this and felt a passion growing inside me. I approached her after her presentation and got her business card. We ended up emailing, and I set up a time to shadow her during a day of work. This opportunity only confirmed for me that this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. It's been my most significant achievement to find my passion in life, and I'm so grateful that I've had the opportunities that I have. On the other hand, I have also been through many challenges in my life. One of these was from when I was starting to get into work. I had no idea what my skills were and what I wanted to do for work. After I quit working at McDonald's, I printed around fifty copies of my resume. My dad drove me from business to business, handing out resumes everywhere I could. I ended up running out of resumes and having to print more. Despite my efforts to apply to as many places as possible, I didn't get a single call back. This discouraged me, and I was upset that it seemed that I didn't qualify for even entry-level jobs. However, I did get a job at a place I liked, and my coworkers are the best I could ask for. So, in the end, waiting paid off. I got a job somewhere I enjoyed, where I had fun while also putting in hard work and being able to prove myself as a responsible individual. I have also gained connections with people who work in my desired career field, so getting a job after college will be easier and less stressful than my initial job search.

I have had many goals throughout the years, which have shifted and changed as I've grown. However, I have finally found goals and aspirations I intend to pursue for the rest of my life. One of these goals, and perhaps the most prominent in my future, is my intended career. I want to pursue a career as a death investigator, working at a coroner's office and dealing with death and those affected by it. One of the most important things for me to consider is how I will be providing closure and justice to families that are affected by the passing of their loved ones.  I plan to go to college and get a bachelor's degree in criminal justice to start my path in this direction. This has been my plan ever since I witnessed a presentation given by the deputy coroner, who has been one of my biggest inspirations throughout my journey. When I was in my junior year of high school, the deputy coroner came to my school and presented a slideshow that showcased what she did in a day of work and what the career entailed. I was captivated by the idea of this career from the very start. I approached her after her presentation and had a conversation with her that ended in me getting her business card. I emailed her once I got home and scheduled a time to shadow her during a day of work. I was ecstatic about this opportunity, and once I was finished, I wished I didn't have to leave. This job shadowing only confirmed for me that this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Getting into this career will help me give back to my community in many ways. This path is not one that many people find desirable. Still, it is extremely necessary in society—doing the work that not many want to do means I'll be giving back to the community with my hard work and the responsibility that I hold. As someone who has dealt with grief personally, I know that it is one of the most challenging emotions a human can experience. Being alone throughout this can make the emotions much more challenging to deal with. I want to use my position in this field to be someone people can depend on. I intend to provide closure for the families and justice for those who have passed away.

When I was younger, I loved animals of all kinds. I wanted to be around them for the rest of my life and spend every waking moment of every day taking care of them. I would memorize and recite facts from animal encyclopedias and plan my home designs around the number of animals I would have, determining that there was no room for humans. I assumed I would work at a veterinarian's office, an animal shelter, a horse ranch, or elsewhere. I didn't care; as long as the animals could surround me, I would have to do what I wanted with my life. While I still adore animals, I have grown out of the idea that I had no room in my heart for people. However, my desire to help and protect animals and people in my community persists. Thankfully, I have found a new path incorporating my interests and passions more than I had previously considered.  I have been accepted into college to major in criminal justice. This path is new to me, seeing as I only found my passion for it in my sophomore year of high school. The deputy coroner came into my school, presenting a slideshow on her career. I was much more interested in her words than I had believed I'd be. I approached her after her presentation and got her business card. I scheduled a date to shadow her at the coroner's office. Following her during a work day and seeing what a day in this career entailed was an eye-opening experience. It immediately confirmed that this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I wanted to work with families who had lost loved ones and bring them justice and closure.  While I still love animals and would love for them to be a part of my future life, criminal justice has fully captured my interest and become my passion. Even though sometimes I wonder why my passions have changed so drastically, I realize that in the end, it hasn't really. My empathy, care, and dedication to animals are now directed toward my community as I grow older. I will still be able to contribute to my community and create a space for people to feel safe and understood, which is extremely important to me personally. I am excited to begin the rest of my life following this path and helping as many people as possible.

The relationship between law enforcement agencies and the African American community in the United States has long been complicated, and historical injustices have created a huge backlash against police officers, but more importantly, we have seen evidence that innocent people have been harmed repeatedly due to inadequacies in training and accountability. While efforts have been made to improve trust, there is so much more to do to achieve mutual respect across all lines truly. As an advocate for social justice and the rights of communities that experience discrimination, I believe that meaningful change can be achieved through policy reforms, bias training, transparency, and accountability. My academic and career goals support this, as I strive to contribute to solutions that bridge the gap between the justice system and the communities they serve. One of the most effective ways to build trust is through community engagement. Police departments should regularly participate in meetings, forums, and events related to specific, communities to foster positive relationships outside of crisis situations. Neighborhood policing could also help, where officers are assigned to specific communities and areas to develop personal connections with residents through service and education. This can help humanize law enforcement and reduce fear surrounding them. The power of engagement in creating positive change is immense, and I hope to implement similar strategies in my future career. Policy reforms are essential to ensuring that law enforcement stays fair. De-escalation training should be a priority, requiring officers to exhaust every single non-violent means before resorting to force. The use of body cameras should be required to ensure fairness and understanding in interactions with citizens or even other police officers who may be African American. These reforms would hopefully help to create more understanding between people in law enforcement and those in marginalized communities. Another issue is that unconscious biases can influence decision-making, and this has been shown in the past both in and outside of law enforcement. Agencies should require bias training to help officers recognize these biases in their interactions with African American individuals and improve their mindsets. Cultural sensitivity training should also be included to show officers the historical challenges faced by African Americans, which would create a greater sense of empathy and understanding. Officers who continue to engage in discriminatory practices or excessive force should be held accountable through investigations and discipline. A more diverse police force can also help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the African American community. Due to the discrepancies in the current situation, it is hard to recruit. Law enforcement agencies should actively recruit officers and other staff who are coming from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that the police force reflects everybody, not just people who are white. African American officers can provide valuable insights in different situations. Improving relationships between law enforcement and the African American community requires an approach that involves many different efforts and prioritizes trust and accountability. By fostering community engagement, implementing policy reforms, addressing implicit biases, ensuring transparency, and promoting diversity within the police force, law enforcement agencies can work toward a more equal and fair society, and we will be protecting our citizens which is the motto and ultimate goal of any law enforcement team.

Success is a concept that is vastly different depending on the person you ask. It's shaped by our experiences personally. For me, success is not just about financial stability or recognition, it is about making a meaningful impact, and proving that circumstances do not define capabilities. As a transgender individual living with cystic fibrosis, my path has been anything but conventional, but it has only made me more determined to succeed in my dream field: criminal justice. This scholarship represents more than financial assistance. It is an investment in my future and a stepping stone toward achieving my goals. My passion for criminal justice began in 10th grade when I met the deputy coroner, who came to my school to give a presentation on her career. I was captivated immediately. I realized that justice is not just about enforcing laws like I had previously believed, it is about empathy, honesty, and advocacy. From that moment on, I dedicated myself to this path, seeking out every opportunity from job shadowing to watching autopsies in the coroner's office. Whatever I could find to strengthen my understanding of this field, I made sure to do. However, my journey has not been one straight path. Many obstacles present themselves in my daily life. Living with cystic fibrosis means that my days often include very time-consuming medical treatments, hospital visits to check my health, and the constant challenge of managing medications. Yet, rather than seeing this as a limitation, I have chosen to see it as a test of my resilience. My condition has taught me many different skills, such as discipline, perseverance, and adaptability. These qualities are essential in the criminal justice field. I have learned to push forward despite times when it may feel too much and to remain positive despite adversity or discrimination. These skills will serve me well in my future career, whether I am investigating cases, analyzing policies, or advocating for reform. Being transgender has also shaped my perspective and aspirations in the field of criminal justice. I understand the struggles faced by small communities personally, and the need for a justice system that is fair and inclusive. Going into this field as an individual who is a part of many communities that aren't 'conventional' or 'normal' will help me to create a sense of inclusion throughout the system. Discrimination and bias are challenges that too many people face, and I am determined to be a part of the solution. I want to use my education to contribute to meaningful change, and I know that I will be able to achieve that. This scholarship will be a huge step in my journey toward success and paying for my education. This support would eliminate some of the stress associated with tuition, along with my personal medical expenses and daily costs of living, allowing me to focus fully on my academic development. More importantly, receiving this scholarship would create a sense of support, and I can further my advocacy for what I believe in knowing that others believe in it too. Success is about breaking barriers. It is about proving that my challenges won't hinder me in my chosen field. It is about using my experiences to contribute to a more understanding and fair society. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to making that vision a reality. I am determined to graduate with a degree in criminal justice, to enter the field and create positive change, and to serve as a role model for others who are similar to me.

I want to make a change in my life because I believe that growth comes from taking risks and stepping out of my comfort zone. The decision to make a change began when I recognized that my current path wasn’t aligning with my ambitions. I knew that I needed to prioritize education and seek opportunities that would give me the skills, knowledge, and experiences to succeed. To take the first steps toward this transformation, I’ve already started volunteering and job shadowing people who work in my desired field. For example, I have visited the coroner’s office and watched the day-to-day proceedings there. I also came in to view an autopsy, and may soon be volunteering to help in one. These experiences have already broadened my understanding and fueled my passion, confirming that criminal justice, specifically relating to work in a coroner’s office, is the right path for me. Additionally, I have been working hard to improve my academic standing and take on more responsibilities. I’ve sought out challenging classes that will help me understand better the subjects I need to learn, and that will help me get a head start in college, such as a human anatomy class. Each step I’ve taken has brought me closer to my goal and has made me more committed to achieving success. This scholarship would provide the resources I need to attend college and earn my degree, where I can expand my knowledge and create and develop the skills related to the career I want to pursue. Receiving this scholarship would affirm that I’m on the right path and encourage me to keep pushing forward despite challenges. It would also serve as a reminder that there are people who believe in my potential, which would motivate me to work harder and make the most of this opportunity. In addition, I hope to use my future success to fund scholarships, volunteer my time, and advocate for causes that empower people to pursue their dreams, just as this scholarship is helping me pursue mine. In conclusion, the change I seek in my life is rooted in my desire to create a positive impact on both myself and the world around me. I want to create closure and justice for people who need it. Through the steps I’ve taken so far and the support this scholarship would provide, I am committed to achieving my goals and paying it forward in a meaningful way.

I see myself as a positive influence in society, both now and in the future, through my actions and how I engage with the world around me. Right now, I’m focused on making a difference by spreading kindness, understanding, and collaboration. I truly believe that by being empathetic and supportive, I can spark positive interactions that create a ripple effect, enhancing everyone’s well-being. Whether it's through listening actively, helping those in need, or encouraging inclusive conversations, my aim is to lift those around me by being someone who is willing to step up and advocate for what I believe is right, and to protect those I am close to by bearing the weight of criticism. I also make an effort to contribute to a better society by staying informed and supporting causes that resonate with my values. I wish to create a more accepting and equal world by using my experiences, such as being part of both a Native American tribe and the LGBTQ+ community, to advocate for equality and compassion from both those in and outside of my communities. Looking ahead, I feel that as our world becomes more connected, there will be even more chances to use digital platforms to share messages of kindness, equality, and unity. Social media, for example, can be a powerful tool for raising awareness about global issues. However, first we need to create a way to make sure all awareness spread online is true and important. By recognizing the flaws in social media, I aim to stay active in creating positive change by helping to find a way to create honesty online. Along with this, we live in a time where personal responsibility is highlighted, and people are encouraged to be mindful of their impact on society. At the same time, there’s a growing focus on inclusivity, diversity, and caring for the environment, which inspires me to act with a broader awareness of how everything in the world is connected. Discussions and friendly debates could be used as a way to create mindfulness when it comes to both global issues, as well as issues that only affect a certain part of the world. In the end, I see myself as part of a larger movement for a better future. I believe that by staying true to my values and adapting to the changing social landscape, I can continue to be a positive influence both now and in the years ahead.

Throughout my high school years, I have been involved in the community in many ways. I have participated in many clubs, experiences like musical theater productions over summers in between school years, and I even coached soccer for youth recreational teams. In college, I’d love to continue to do theater as an extracurricular activity. However, I can’t do this if I can’t pay for college. My financial need is a very scary topic for me. I’m constantly worried I will go into debt, and won’t be able to pay for college. I don’t have much money to spare for college, because of all my medical bills. My chronic disease requires a lot of attention, so I have decided to attend a college very close by. This way, I can stay close to my family and medical team. Unfortunately, this college is extremely expensive when it comes to tuition. I don’t have much to spend on tuition since I only work a part-time job, and my parents spend a lot of money on medical bills and other necessities. Speaking of my chronic illness, I used to get bullied for it a lot. Kids at my school would make fun of me for the things I thought were normal. Bullying has been a huge challenge in my life, and I never want to let others go through that without someone there for them. I have friends in school, who are younger than me, and sometimes they get bullied for who they are, or how they express themselves. I see myself in them, and so I make sure that they always know that no matter what, or who, is bothering them, I’m always here. I will always do everything in my power to make sure they feel cared about, and to make sure they have someone who will protect them. Even online, bullying happens. And even online, I’m there as much as I can be for those who need me. Many people don’t understand the impact of cyberbullying, claiming it’s as easy as putting down the device or clicking the block button. And while for some, this is enough, for others just simply powering off isn’t enough. Those who try to bully them will make multiple accounts, contact them over and over, and sometimes even try to find them in person to bully them even more. This is why it’s so important to me to be someone who will be there and protect people who I care about, whether that be online or face-to-face.

When I was in seventh grade, I discovered that I was two-spirited. After much experimentation with different identities and labels, I found one that worked for me. I didn’t tell anybody until the next year, and even then it was only my close friends who also identified as queer. I waited until high school to tell my parents, and they were very accepting. I was scared to come out at school, because I was scared that nobody would accept me for who I was. However, when I finally did come out and begin to feel confident in who I was, things weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be. I had many friends and family members who accepted who I was and respected my identity. Of course, there were some that didn’t, but the majority was fine with my newfound discovery. I began to feel much more comfortable with telling people that I was transgender upon meeting them, or after a few hang outs. Despite the overwhelming amount of support I got, there were a lot of people who believed differently about being two-spirited. Lots of people believed that I was wrong, specifically at school. They believed that the only identity that I should have was the one I was given at birth, and this hurt me a lot. I became more reserved and less open about my identity, and much more self conscious. I let their hate get to my head, and I started to believe that maybe I was wrong, and that I should change so that I could be ‘normal’ and so more people would accept me. I eventually realized that this was not the way to go, and that I should be comfortable with who I am despite who accepts me and who doesn’t. I began to ignore the mindless hate coming from those who just tried to bring me down, and my confidence rose again. I became immune to snarky comments and continued to be happy as who I was, surrounding myself with positive people who supported me no matter what. I continue to do that to this day and I am happier with my identity than I ever have been before. Once I stopped comparing myself to the words that came from everyone else, I became more happy and content with me and everybody around me, and that has shaped how I handle discrimination today and stay a positive and motivated person.

Mental health has always been a prominent issue throughout my life. It started before I even turned thirteen. I have also always struggled with medications and their side effects. I went on and off of three antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications before I found one that I could tolerate, which was an extremely frustrating and emotional journey for me. I believed I would never get better, like there was nothing that could be done to make any of it easier at all. However, since then, I’ve found many ways to help myself cope with my mental health and feel better in general. Being a student has greatly affected both my physical and mental health in many ways. Mentally, it causes me a great deal of stress and anxiety, leading to bigger issues if I get too overwhelmed. This can include panic attacks, depression, and executive dysfunction. Physically, it’s just as bad. If I get stressed or feel rushed in the mornings before school, I will sometimes forget to take my medication, which can cause painful side effects. I miss school to go to doctors appointments, which I have much more frequently than most. This causes me to fall behind in classes. These physical health problems cause me a lot of stress, and lead to even more anxiety issues. However, recently I’ve been able to find a balance between managing both my physical and mental health, and doing well in school. I have been greatly affected these past few years of high school by my anxiety, and it’s caused me many distressing and embarrassing moments. However, recently I’ve been able to find a balance between managing my mental health and doing well in and out of school. Before, I was very anxious about college. I believed I wouldn’t be let in, or that it would be too complicated and I’d get lost very easily. I almost didn’t even want to go, to save myself the stress. However, I ended up applying to a college nearby, not expecting to get in at all. One day, I saw the email. An update to my college profile. I clicked to it, wanting to get the rejection over with, and saw the acceptance letter pop up on my screen. I was shocked, and hadn’t expected that at all. I want to go into the field of Criminal Justice, and that’s what I plan to major in during my time at college. It’s always been my dream to go into this field, and I had almost given up on it due to my anxiety about applying for colleges, and now that I am in, and one of the most stressful parts is over with, I realize that I can do what I want with my life and that I don’t have to limit myself due to my anxiety. I realized that I can step out of my comfort zone and do amazing things, and I plan to continue to do this in the future.

Mental health has always been a prominent issue throughout my life. It started before I even turned thirteen. I have also always struggled with medications and their side effects. I went on and off of three antidepressants before I found one that I could tolerate, which was an extremely frustrating and emotional journey for me. I believed I would never get better, like there was nothing that could be done to make any of it easier at all. However, since then, I’ve found many ways to help myself cope with my mental health and feel better in general. I was part of a queer DBT Therapy Group, which lasted around a year. DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and it’s typically used in cases where an individual feels emotions very deeply, or intensely, such as in Borderline Personality Disorder for example. This was my situation, as I tended to feel things to an intensity that made it feel as if the feeling would consume me whole, like I would never find my way out of that spiral. I always did in the end, but the episodes of panic or depression that I would have always felt unstoppable. That was until I joined the therapy group. This group made me feel seen; I felt as though there were finally people who understood what I was going through, and who were there to help. Along with that, my physical health has also always been a problem in my life. I have an incurable chronic disease called Cystic Fibrosis, which causes me to need to visit a medical professional regularly. I also am required to take many medications a day, which sometimes takes a toll on me mentally. I feel physically tired from having to take care of myself so much and it upsets me that I’m not ‘normal.’ However, this disease is something that I must deal with for the rest of my life, and that will not change. Being a student has greatly affected both my physical and mental health in many ways. Mentally, it causes me a great deal of stress and anxiety, leading to bigger issues if I get too overwhelmed. This can include panic attacks, depression, and executive dysfunction. Physically, it’s just as bad. If I get stressed or feel rushed in the mornings before school, I will sometimes forget to take my medication, which can cause painful side effects. I miss school to go to doctors appointments, which I have much more frequently than most. This causes me to fall behind in classes. However, recently I have found a balance between managing my mental and physical health, and still being able to do well in school.

Why does discrimination exist? Bigotry, racism, sexism, homophobia, all of it is prominent in today's world. It’s odd, because in the end, we are all human and we are all in this together. It is everyone’s first time on this planet, with this life, and it’s hard to understand why people would choose to spend their lives making others miserable. Maybe it is because they don't understand how much of a miracle our lives really are. Studying our universe and being curious about how interconnected we all are could help diminish hate in the world, and create a more inclusive and understanding environment for everyone across our planet. Humans have incredible potential, which can be accessed through curiosity and exploration of our environment and universe. Enhancing the ability to be able to look beyond what we see as limitations, may alleviate some of the discrimination seen in today's world. Perhaps we would be more cautious if we could see how fragile life really is, and how valuable every single person is. The problem in today’s world is that people aren’t willing. They don’t want to explore further than their preconceived beliefs and their mindset that they’ve been in for years. They don’t wish to understand, they are content with not knowing, and I find that extremely unfortunate. It may be that they don’t have a reason to try and increase their understanding. As someone from the LGBTQ+ community, I have experienced countless amounts of hate and discrimination from people whom I had never even interacted with before. This creates the question: Why hate someone when you don’t even know them? Most of those who targeted me didn’t know who I was, how old I was, how I lived my life, or even my name. A lot of them just saw a pride pin on my bag, or a rainbow on my shirt. This causes me to wonder: why? I believe that people discriminate against others, hate solely for the reason that they don’t know how much it can affect an individual. They don’t see our interconnectedness and the pain they may be inflicting as something that may eventually affect themselves. If you don’t understand how much it can hurt, why would it affect you at all? This is why I believe that the reason for hate is the lack of knowledge about how words can affect others, and the unwillingness to learn. If people were more willing to learn about others and the universe, perhaps we could be more unified and connected. We could evolve to live in a world that is safe, clean, and protective of the beings for which we may one day rely on for survival. Knowledge is power and may be the way we can eliminate discrimination towards all people, but especially those from underrepresented communities who have suffered enough due to ignorance.

Billie Eilish has always resonated with me deeply. I feel like she understands me and shows that through her music. It’s always somehow matched some situation I’ve been in, or matched with a personality trait I’d previously hidden. My third favorite song of Billie’s is Skinny, as it resonates with me on a deep level. I’ve always had problems with my weight, feeling as if I were constantly too heavy or too big, and lost a lot of weight in a very short amount of time because I felt like I needed to for people to like me. In Skinny, Billie Eilish reflects on how people’s opinions of her have changed as she changes her body to conform to the world’s standards of how she should look as a young pop-star, and how toxic society is when it comes to body types. She shows in her song that people seem to like her more if she’s more of what the stereotype of attractive is, even though that has no correlation with her music and how it affects people. My second favorite Billie Eilish song is Everything I Wanted. I resonate with this one extremely deeply, as it reflects on a dream Billie had where she committed suicide by jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge. Her suicidal ideation and depressive bout is something that I could relate to, always having intense mental health problems throughout my life. I always get chills when she sings, “Nobody cried. Nobody even noticed…” because this is how I felt for the longest time. Her wording and tone have made me feel heard for so long. I appreciate her and this song for letting me know that I’m not alone, and that others know what it feels like to experience life this way. Finally, my favorite Billie Eilish song may seem a bit basic to some. It’s number one on countless “Best Billie Eilish Songs” leaderboards, but I believe this is for good reason. Happier Than Ever starts out slow, with Billie singing about someone who she is presumably dating. She explains that she doesn’t really enjoy his presence and prefers to be away from him, and as the song goes on, the tension picks up until the beat drops and she goes off about everything he’s done to her, and how she would never do any of that to him. I’ve recently gone through a breakup and the circumstances almost perfectly fit with the lyrics, and whenever I listen to this song it heals me little by little. Just knowing that somebody has been through the experiences I have and turned out being okay makes me hopeful. It gives me motivation to keep going and heal myself, and Billie will be there with me all the way.

Mental health has always been a prominent issue throughout my life. It started before I even turned thirteen. I have also always struggled with medications and their side effects. I went on and off of three antidepressants before I found one that I could tolerate, which was an extremely frustrating and emotional journey for me. I believed I would never get better, like there was nothing that could be done to make any of it easier at all. However, since then, I’ve found many ways to help myself cope with my mental health and feel better in general. I was part of a queer DBT Therapy Group, which lasted around a year. DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and it’s typically used in cases where an individual feels emotions very deeply, or intensely, such as in Borderline Personality Disorder for example. This was my situation, as I tended to feel things to an intensity that made it feel as if the feeling would consume me whole, like I would never find my way out of that spiral. I always did in the end, but the episodes of panic or depression that I would have always felt unstoppable. That was until I joined the therapy group. This group made me feel seen; I felt as though there were finally people who understood what I was going through, and who were there to help. We made a promise to not engage in any impulsive or destructive behaviors for the duration of the group, and we created real, deep bonds with each other. We opened up, provided suggestions for each other, and learned skills to more effectively deal with the intensity of our emotions. At first, it was hard to remember to use skills rather than immediately ruining something or myself to control the urges. But, gradually, it became easier. Now, I feel like I am much more effective at keeping a handle on my own emotions and behaviors, and it helps that I stayed with one of the therapists as a personal therapist afterwards. My mental health always scared my family. There were many situations where they would cry or yell simply because they were scared and worried. They didn’t understand, but over time they have grown more content with where I am and are less afraid about my mentality. So am I, as I reflect on it. I think now, I’m at the place I never thought I would be at, and I’m extremely proud of myself and how far I’ve come.