the confetti and laughter occupy the room more than i ever could the wrapping paper prouder than myself the music more tangible how have I survived sixteen other days like this the people that crowd me bask in the reunion in which the anniversary of my birth has brought them they haven’t seen each other since august I hear one is studying software while I study the floor another is moving away to their lover next door I seal myself better than the envelopes i receive but I turn to the balloons in the corner do they gossip of the partygoers judge the social butterflies or do they hold their breath throughout the night just as I do their knots don’t allow a single exhale they must keep it together and smile for the pictures while the little ones tug on their strings as they do my sleeves thus I quietly wonder am I a decoration the presents are more present than my presence the fire on my cake the steam from the food the cursive in my cards all dance more than I ever would more than I ever could I am the wish one makes that must be kept a secret hopeful but dead silent the cake arrives the song is sung in two tongues of my culture the table cloth blinds my eyes and the innocent icing charms the guests far more than my ability the boys chew with their mouths open the girls sip their straws so carefully I twirl my thumbs between my knees the night walks the kin to their cars the moon lights their way as they waltz out the door I clear the countertops of the massacre made of crumbs and crumpled napkins and stumble down the hallway to the bed I’ve resided in for sixteen years now fifteen girls lay me down one dresses me in my nightshirt another tucks me in one fetches me water while the others take turns kissing my cheek I look back to the fifteen girls all named after what I am called and she gets more tired the older she gets grieving the battle she loses year and year again - I compete with my birthday

Allow me to paint you a picture: a girl walks through the rain with an umbrella. However, she soon comes to the realization that this umbrella does not work. Why? The sky still storms on her through its fabric and soaks her. The next moment? The grey in the sky vanishes and she is instantly blown dry, confused, and discombobulated. This happens nearly every month, it's a monthly storm, always the same yet never expected. This is what it's like to live with bipolar depression. I know what you're thinking, just don't go outside. Don't expose yourself to things that may trigger a storm, trigger a wave of depression. I've tried this so many times. I've attempted so many times to shield myself and who I am from the world. And yet, irrevocably, my clothes still get soaked. And dried. And soaked again. It feels uncontrollable. It feels as if I'll never belong to myself. Like I am a performer who is never handed a script or instruction on stage and stumbles no matter how hard I try to just stand still. However, having lived with this diagnosis for 4+ years now means a lot of learning. I learned that therapy is not a magic wand but a process. Having someone to talk to about the storms helps them feel less turbulent - less discombobulating. It prepares you for the future and helps ease the now. So, how do I plan to implement change for those affected by mental illness in their day-to-day lives? Give them someone to talk to. Whether it be referencing them to a professional or being a phone call away, being there for someone can make everything so much easier, lighter, and more stable. Nothing is a magic wand. This includes therapy, medication, and anything that promises a change, none of it will ever make the storms vanish. But they may gradually lighten the grey in the clouds. Meaning, they may make your mental illness feel validated, and manageable. This is why I intend to use my social media platform to spread the word about mental illness and recognize the legitimacy behind reaching someone to simply talk to and draw a blueprint for the future. So, while the umbrella may not work, the walls built may not shield you, everything is a process. The key is you. The key will always be you and the steps you make toward a brighter sky.

Nothing changes if nothing changes. The first step to combating climate change is just that: changing. My name is Zoe Wolf and I am an active volunteer in the Ocean Research and Conservation Association (O.R.C.A.). I have participated in spreading the word through my platform on social media about participating in protests, beach clean-ups, and fundraisers for saving the ocean and subsequently, the planet. Not to strength too far into the science of things... but our beloved ocean is considered a "sink", meaning that it is currently absorbing our atmospheric carbon dioxide until an equilibrium between the air and water is reached. This is bad news. This abundance of carbon dioxide results in mass marine danger and carbon-generating events such as algal blooms, killing fish and releasing even more greenhouse gasses. By spreading the word about this, the impact becomes more tangible and real to one who may be encouraged and spread the word to even more people. In addition to this volunteer organization, I have also worked at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida. The mission here is to not only save turtles but Earth. This can also be done through clean-ups and remaining conscious of our everyday decisions (for example, recycling). However, through all of this cleaning up and recycling, what is the common denominator that defines the more impactful way to combat climate change? Recognition. Allow me to compare this to the butterfly effect: if ten people were to attend a protest regarding plastic use in restaurants, this holds the probability of touching ten more people, each of whom may reach ten more. This is the best way to combat climate change: by recognizing the problem s reaching this conclusion comes a multitude of changes made be it by spreading the word to simply cleaning up and saving our beautiful planet Earth.

I compare feminism to a hallway. While at a glance some may deem it too complex or long of a commitment, there are so many doors to open and rewards to indulge in along the way. As someone active in the feminist movement, I am familiar with so many of these advantageous benefits of being a part of the inspiring community. From the potential to many connections to women or men with parallel interests as you, to greater feats such as changing political policies dating way back to the suffrage movement - feminism is an intricate, beautiful, worthy topic to both dissect and dive into head first. “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” ― Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ruth Bader Ginsburg has always been a role model to me and how I choose to live my everyday life as she worked her way up to represent women of all races, ages, and backgrounds. As someone who has always held a fixation with the way our government runs (specifically how it represents women), this quote specifically truly sparked a flame in me concerning the strength crucial to bolstering the modern feminist movement. Women belong in the rooms that textbooks will be discussing for years to come. Women belong in rooms of government and work just as much as men. Women belong in rooms where they are not only considered but required on an equal basis as the man. As aforementioned, I can confidently say that I am an extremely active contributor to the feminist movement. As a leader of an international volunteer-based organization called CTeen, I have used my platform to spread the work regarding women and their poor representation in our modern world. Specifically, this macro feat has been done through my large platform on social media. I have attended a myriad of feminist protests and constructed petitions to change the way girls are treated in schools in comparison to boys.

All my life I was told a lie. It was that when you find the right dog for you, you'll "just know". This is not the case. I've had my dog for 5 years now and still, I've come to the realization that there is a whole lot more than "just knowing". For the past four years now, I've lived with the diagnosis of bipolar depression. There are mornings when finding the strength to get out of bed feels like a mountain climb. But how does living with a dog who is constantly excited to get up in the morning affect this attitude? It shows me that there is always a reason to start your day. Whether it be small and getting out of bed to greater such as stepping outdoors and breathing the fresh morning air. This routine that my dog has given me changed who I've been and how I've viewed life. While we don't have tails to wag, there is always a reason to smile. There is always some motive out there to get out of bed. This changed my daily perspective as there is so much hurt in this world, but thinking about one reason every day to smile about really has the potential to turn your life upside down (or should I say right side up)!