The most helpful and important piece of financial advice I’ve ever received is to stay as far away from debt as possible and to always save for a rainy day. If there is one thing I have learned it is that life is filled with unexpected twists and turns, and we are forced to deal with them as they come. We must save the money needed for any situation we may face, whether it be a parking ticket, consequences of a natural disaster, or a birthday gift you completely forgot to buy. The minor expenses that pop up from time to time may not seem like a lot but eventually, they can pile up and put you in debt. When I first heard my mother tell me to “start saving for when a rainy day comes”, I was confused. Why should I save for something bad? Why should I manifest bad luck into my life and let it hold a portion of my savings? Saving for a rainy day sounded more like saving for failure and I wasn’t having it until my family experienced that rainy day. My dad losing his job in 2018 looked more like a thunderstorm or a tsunami than a mere drizzle, but the savings my parents built up over the course of their marriage served as an umbrella and brought us out of our storm. I learned that no matter how old you are or how financially stable you may be, it is important to start saving for those rainy days because everyone has them--yes, even you. So instead of running away from the storm, start building your umbrella.

Love Yourself: Her, is an album by BTS, that encompasses songs of all different themes, but one, in particular, has resonated with me most. In the lyrics of “Sea”, Min Yoongi asks the question, “why is there this fear in between the happiness?” Throughout my battles with depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder, all I wanted was to finally reach happiness, but I was afraid. I feared that I’d never make it out of my desert of despair and to my sea of happiness. Just as the members described in the song, this sea felt like a mirage; every time I thought it was finally within my grasp, it vanished. But, that's the beauty of “Sea”: it acknowledges that I’m not alone in these feelings and helps me heal. Repeatedly throughout the song the members provide comfort by saying, “wherever there is hope, there is despair”. I always had the idea that one day all my hardships would disappear, but that’s impossible. In order for me to have true happiness, there must first be despair. For there to be light, there must first be darkness. With this lesson, I’ve become content regardless of the deserts I’m in. As Jung Hoseok beautifully raps, “Even if I’m in a desert, I’m in the beautiful Namib Desert”. I have a choice to either hold onto the hopeless expectation that there’s a point in life where suffering doesn’t exist, or I can strive to find the beauty in each dessert. And, I choose the latter. From playing with my puppy, Myla, to designating time for self-care, I’m able to push through even the darkest days by holding onto the small joys that coexist. Because of this five-minute song, I’ve come to understand the importance of learning how to deal with the inevitable hardships effectively.

Vulnerability is constantly looked down upon in Ethiopian culture, and for many years, I was forced to believe that it was a sign of weakness. In ninth grade, I suffered at the hands of an eating disorder, depression, and social anxiety, and through it all, the mentality that I would toughen up by holding in my emotions had a tight grip on me. I was forced to push aside my emotions and essentially forget they exist. But, as time went on, I began to realize that no matter how hard I tried to hide them away, these feelings would remain. From this realization, I began to slowly open up to the people I love the most. With the help of my little brother and my best friends, I was able to not only understand my emotions, but the importance of accepting each of them--the good, bad, and the ugly. I now understand that it’s okay to not always be okay, and I can show that, too. By letting these emotions out, I am able to release the negativity that was constantly weighing down on me. I finally feel free, and with this newfound freedom, I am able to help my older cousin come out of his depression. Overall, I’ve learned to use my voice as a way to not only voice my concerns but my weaknesses, too. Now, when any storms come my way, I know I’m strong, and the tears that fall down my cheeks will never change that. I've dedicated the rest of my life to advocating against the silencing of others. As a society, we can fight against this issue. Together, we would be a voice for the voiceless and serve as a megaphone for those who have only uncovered the “whisper” within them. Together we can host meetings and create clubs that will bring our quieter voices together and voice them in ways that are louder than any scream.

Vulnerability is constantly looked down upon in Ethiopian culture, and for many years, I was forced to believe that it was a sign of weakness. In ninth grade, I suffered at the hands of an eating disorder, depression, and social anxiety, and through it all, the mentality that I would toughen up by holding in my emotions had a tight grip on me. I was forced to push aside my emotions and essentially forget they exist. But, as time went on, I began to realize that no matter how hard I tried to hide them away, these feelings would remain. From this realization, I began to slowly open up to the people I love the most. With the help of my little brother and my best friends, I was able to not only understand my emotions, but the importance of accepting each of them--the good, bad, and the ugly. I now understand that it’s okay to not always be okay, and I can show that, too. By letting these emotions out, I am able to release the negativity that was constantly weighing down on me. I finally feel free, and with this newfound freedom, I am able to help my older cousin come out of his depression. Overall, I’ve learned to use my voice as a way to not only voice my concerns but my weaknesses, too. Now, when any storms come my way, I know I’m strong, and the tears that fall down my cheeks will never change that. I've dedicated the rest of my life to advocating against the silencing of others. As a society, we can fight against this issue. Together, we would be a voice for the voiceless and serve as a megaphone for those who have only uncovered the “whisper” within them.

During the pandemic, I was able to find an activity during the pandemic that allowed me to help others. In early 2021, I was given the opportunity to join Letters for Rose, an organization dedicated to combating the loneliness of the pandemic through sending personalized letters to those in nursing homes. With this organization, I was able to put my creativity and love of art to good use and create all kinds of digital art pieces and letters of encouragement to local senior homes. Using my talents to help others during tough times is a value I will carry all throughout my life. And, with both my membership to Letters for Rose, my eyes have been opened to seeing just how much I am truly capable of and how much of an impact I can truly make. By helping others, we help our own selves in the process. As a human being, we search for our purpose our entire life all for it to lead to something right in front of our eyes. We are here to fix problems and help others who can't help themselves. Helping others can be as simple as a single kind word or maybe a thoughtful gesture and one little thing can change someone's entire day. We can paint rainbows in other people's skies even if ours is a bit dark. Back in the ninth grade, I unfortunately suffered at the hands of an eating disorder, depression, and social anxiety, and through it all, the mentality that I would toughen up by holding in my emotions had a tight grip on me. But, as time went on, I began to realize that no matter how hard I tried to hide them away, these feelings would remain. As I helped my younger brother with his struggle with depression, it didn't take me long to realize I helped myself too. The bond my brother and I created gave me a sense of home and I can finally say I'm happy and content with my life. It's important to know that helping is contagious. Helping others creates a light in the society we live in and if we continue to encourage those around us to help those in need, our world will only get brighter.

One of my most meaningful leadership commitment is my job as a student aide at Kidsco, an after-school program. Although I am part of a staff that supervises 100+ children daily, I work more closely as a counselor to my group of third graders. School, college applications, and life, in general, all come with their individual challenges, but as soon as I enter the elementary school doors at 3 PM each day, every single one of my worries disappear. My complete focus is on making each child’s time as enjoyable, safe, and beneficial as possible. My commitment and dedication stem from the fact that I was a child at Kidsco once. My brother and I spent many years on the same playground that these children play on. I formed some of my most beautiful memories as a child there, and I am now dedicated to extending that same experience to each of the Kidsco children. My devotion is reflected in the many hours spent planning activities for my sign language club and creating routines for my cheerleading club, and going the extra mile of greeting each parent. Each day, as I see life through the pure eyes of these children, they make me want to see it in the same light. They have taught me the true meaning of living life to the fullest. And, as I continue my commitment to these children, I will continue to learn new things from them --all the while getting demolished in dodgeball. Volunteering for my old elementary school’s musical concerts is another one of the many prominent leadership experiences in my life. As a band and chorus kid myself, I wanted to give back to this next generation of musicians. I helped with setting up the stage, tuning instruments, and most importantly, easing the students’ nerves. I taught them the methods that worked for me and continuously provided them with uplifting words and advice. Having been in their shoes for seven years, I distinctly remember all the times I had gotten overwhelmed with anxiety on that very same stage, and as the roles reversed, and I was the one sitting in the crowd, I made sure to be their cheerleader. Another example is my presidency at the East African club at my high school. As president, I carried with me the same leadership skills that I attained throughout my life and implemented them in order to spread awareness on East African issues. I took on the responsibility of organizing the weekly club meetings and recruiting new members. Despite years of social anxiety, I found myself stepping out of my comfort zone and building relationships with people I had never met before. Being a leader broke me out of the shy, quiet girl that I was entering high school and shaped me into the confident, resilient person that I am today. While I continue to strive through my post high school education and beyond, I will continue to attain the experiences, guidance, and leadership skills necessary to implement all my goals and continue to teach those around me and younger than me.

My most meaningful mentorship is my job as a student aide at Kidsco, an after-school program. Although I am part of a staff that supervises 100+ children daily, I work more closely as a counselor to my group of third graders. School, college applications, and life, in general, all come with their individual challenges, but as soon as I enter the elementary school doors at 3 PM each day, every single one of my worries disappear. My complete focus is on making each child’s time as enjoyable, safe, and beneficial as possible. My commitment and dedication stem from the fact that I was a child at Kidsco once. My brother and I spent many years on the same playground that these children play on. I formed some of my most beautiful memories as a child there, and I am now dedicated to extending that same experience to each of the Kidsco children. My devotion is reflected in the many hours spent planning activities for my sign language club and creating routines for my cheerleading club, and going the extra mile of greeting each parent. Each day, as I see life through the pure eyes of these children, they make me want to see it in the same light. They have taught me the true meaning of living life to the fullest. And, as I continue my commitment to these children, I will continue to learn new things from them --all the while getting demolished in dodgeball.

Vulnerability is constantly looked down upon in Ethiopian culture, and for many years, I was forced to believe that it was a sign of weakness. In ninth grade, I suffered at the hands of an eating disorder, depression, and social anxiety, and through it all, the mentality that I would toughen up by holding in my emotions had a tight grip on me. I was forced to push aside my emotions and essentially forget they exist. But, as time went on, I began to realize that no matter how hard I tried to hide them away, these feelings would remain. From this realization, I began to slowly open up to the people I love the most. With the help of my little brother and my best friends, I was able to not only understand my emotions, but the importance of accepting each of them--the good, bad, and the ugly. I now understand that it’s okay to not always be okay, and I can show that, too. By letting these emotions out, I am able to release the negativity that was constantly weighing down on me. I finally feel free, and with this newfound freedom, I am able to help my older cousin come out of his depression. Overall, I’ve learned to use my voice as a way to not only voice my concerns but my weaknesses, too. Now, when any storms come my way, I know I’m strong, and the tears that fall down my cheeks will never change that. I've dedicated the rest of my life to advocating against the silencing of others. As a society, we can fight against this issue. Together, we would be a voice for the voiceless and serve as a megaphone for those who have only uncovered the “whisper” within them.

Volunteering for my old elementary school’s musical concerts is one of the many prominent helping experiences in my life. As a band and chorus kid myself, I wanted to give back to this next generation of musicians. I helped with setting up the stage, tuning instruments, and most importantly, easing the students’ nerves. I taught them the methods that worked for me and continuously provided them with uplifting words and advice. Having been in their shoes for seven years, I distinctly remember all the times I had gotten overwhelmed with anxiety on that very same stage, and as the roles reversed, and I was the one sitting in the crowd, I made sure to be their cheerleader. Unfortunately as the pandemic began I couldn't continue volunteering at my old elementary school anymore. Another one of my favorite ways to help others is through my East African Club. Despite the underwhelming turnout of people to our Zoom meetings, we were still able to organize an online fundraiser that raised over a thousand dollars for refugees in Ethiopia, and I am blessed to be a part of such a huge accomplishment. I was also able to find another activity during the pandemic that allowed me to help others. I was given the opportunity to join Letters for Rose. With this organization, I was able to put my creativity to good use and create all kinds of digital art pieces and letters to local senior homes. Using my talents to help others during tough times is one of my greatest values. And, with my membership to Letters for Rose, my presidency in We The East, and being a volunteer at Pine Crest Elementary, my eyes have been opened to seeing just how much of an impact I can truly make.