Elevate Mental Health Awareness Essay (Bold Scholarship)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XkBUEr5nMmBpt5NlfM9OqeSI6cPpfm0P8qZwCLr96EA/edit?usp=sharing
Mental health is ignored a lot in Western society and although recently people have been having more open discussions there is still a lot of misinformation and prejudice. Going through the experiences that I have had has taught me many lessons, especially the importance of caring for others. Although I have had difficult encounters with mental health, my experience with mental health has overall positively influenced all areas of my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations.
From a young age, I have dealt with mental health issues myself, which affected all areas of my life. Now, as a young adult, I look back and reflect on all of the things I have learned and grown from as a child. When it came to schooling, I was frequently done before others and could not sit still. Generally, I would disrupt the class or my friends and that would cause problems with the teacher, therefore getting me in trouble. As a result, my parents had to remove me from that elementary school because the public schooling method did not work for me. Now being homeschooled, my mental health issues truly became visible as it was the root of the problem and I developed a lot of anxiety which I am now on medication for. Instead of doing schoolwork that I found boring, I would play video games on my computer. As a result of my ADHD, I would hyper-fixate on certain classes and ignore others that I felt bad in. Because I did not excel automatically in classes like math, this would happen all of the time and it would continue into my middle and high school years.
My family and those in my life have dealt with mental health issues as well. My father and mother both at times have been unsteady parents and I felt as though I could not depend on them. I know now that it was all a result of mental health and although a lot of it is unacceptable I am working on forgiving them. Further, although my mother moved out of my house and she no longer is a parent I can rely on, I feel strong enough to face any issue. Many of those around me like close friends deal with mental health issues daily that go unnoticed or untreated. Frequently mental health goes ignored in society and it has taught me a lot about the world and showed me resources for how to deal with situations that happen. This has shown me the importance of careers that impact people’s mental health. A lot of the jobs that I have looked into in the past have been closely related to mental health work or are directly impacted by it, so it is something that sticks out to me because of my experiences; I would want to be able to positively impact other people in any way.
A person in my life who I am very close to, my grandmother, has been addicted to prescription medication for years. Her addiction has greatly impacted her and seeing it opened a window into addiction that I never thought I would see. Before, I never saw addiction as a mental health issue, although this experience greatly altered that. Now, I realize through my own experiences with my grandmother that addiction is much more complicated than that. She has recently quit opioids and seeing her growing her strength back is eye-opening. I had always seen her as a lethargic person but recently I have started to see her true, vibrant personality. She is much more involved and I can see her happiness back in life. Although I know it must have been incredibly difficult for her, I am so happy that she overcame her addiction.
Although my experiences with my mother have been undoubtedly the worst they have taught me the most. Her mental health continually deteriorating caused her family to make her get a different apartment and live separately. This affected me more than I thought it would, as living without my mother and seeing her have her own life from mine felt strange. Despite that, I knew it was for the best since she refused therapy and had many abusive traits. She financially, physically, and verbally abused my brothers and me, as well as my father. Although this wasn’t a direct result of her mental health issues, she would refuse help and frequently put me into panic attacks when she was angry. There was no excuse for any of her behavior or any of her current behavior but I would hope that someday she tries to get help. Despite that, because of her, I have learned firsthand the stigma of mental health and the hatred of the labels associated with it.
Mental health has overall affected every aspect of my life. From my personal experience to that of my family, I have seen and dealt with a lot. They have all inspired me to pursue what it is I am doing today and have pushed me further than I ever thought I could go. Even though I have had hard experiences with mental health, it has positively impacted my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations.
Argument Essay: Israeli Palestinian Conflict
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VMFjLbZcwXpTj9llmG9_f4WQItKM4EvvF1AKpFlChqk/edit?usp=sharing
A topic that brings up the discussion of human rights, anger, and the nature behind war, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing for years. It began in 1948, the year the state of Israel was established. While it is a difficult situation, the only plausible solution for the two groups that have been ravaged by oppression is two states that give everyone equal rights. With the ongoing conflict in the Israeli-Palestinian war, Palestine must be considered an independent state for a respectful resolution.
Under Israeli occupation, Palestinians have faced inhumane treatment that takes away from their living conditions. Freedom of movement is compromised, as stated by Farhat-Naser, “Everywhere where the settlers’ roads cross Palestinian roads there are checkpoints.” (Daughter of Olive Trees). The basic ability for Palestinian residents to move throughout their homeland is compromised, just by the factor of religion or race. This causes great upheaval and hatred between the groups. Not only that, but the checkpoints offer the Israeli military great power and the opportunity to commit attacks on Palestinian citizens, which have been recorded countless times. Palestinians at the moment feel unequal to Jewish citizens in Israel for many reasons and according to Marc Garneau, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, “…many Palestinians have never voted in their life because the last elections were so long ago…” (Marc Garneau reaffirms support for ‘two-state solution’ on Middle East trip). Not having the basic human right to vote takes away from the Palestinians societal standing. Further, having no representation politically makes it so that Palestinians are not on the same level as citizens under the Jewish state. An easy conclusion, Palestine being its own state with its own elections, would negate the issue.
The way each side perceives each other is a result of the one-state and the battle that is waged between them as a result, so for respect, the solution must be reached. When it came to the First Intifada, “To Palestinians, the uprising was a rebellion against Israeli occupation and an attempt to establish their own independent state.” It was very different for a majority of Jewish citizens, and “To Israelis, it was unprovoked terrorist activity that required a swift and aggressive response.” (The Middle East Peace Process). The groups have two very different points of view and the only way for them to see eye-to-eye is for them to talk to one another. Furthermore, so that more casualties are avoided, the responsible parties must have the discussions necessary to come to an agreement on what should happen. Next, airstrikes between the opposing parties were stated as a possible human-rights issue by the Human Rights Watch and it was stated that although Palestinians are committing atrocities against the Israeli people as well, “The report… focused on Israeli actions during the fighting…” as “…some 254 people were killed in Gaza, including at least 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.” (Human Rights Watch: Israeli war crimes apparent in Gaza War). Both sides of the struggle commit horrible acts as a result of the position they are in, though it is likely that these extremist groups just want what is best for their people. With human rights under detriment, it is vital that the two-state solution is agreed upon or revised or else the conflict will never end.
With world leaders stuck on the issue, both sides need to agree on a decision that will lead to the improvement of the citizens’ lives. According to Pierre Tristam, “If Palestinians had their own state … it would enable Palestinians to negotiate from a more equal position.” (Palestinian Statehood Is Just and Affirms the Legitimacy of Palestine) If Palestinians were given the right of having their own state they would feel more secure in negotiations. Furthermore, Palestinians having their own state without Israeli involvement would make attacks less likely from them. Although on both sides there are disagreements, “Over time, a new atmosphere would enable leaders to resist provocation and move toward a negotiated final status agreement, buoyed by their publics’ desire to live in two separate states, and their confidence that it is possible.” (A first step to peace: calm angers, then talk). It certainly is possible to instill a two-state solution, and equal rights amongst parties are the first step. In the past, outside powers have supported Israel or Palestine, but instead of looking out for money or something to gain, the powers must unite together to find a better solution.
With respect to human rights, uninvolved people should be involved in the peace talks. The United Nations pushes for support of Palestinian statehood, however, “The US is one of just five countries that have veto power over any action they don’t like in the council…” (Why the United Nations is stuck on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict). The United States has the power in the United Nations to remove any action brought up that they do not like – when it comes to the conflict, they utilize this tool to keep control of the situation. Because of greed and other factors religiously and politically, the United States has historically supported Israel and left Palestine out of the peace talks. Of course, this causes resentment and adds to the tension between the groups within their own home. In 2020, Donald Trump was involved with agreements for Israel, “…[he] helped broker groundbreaking agreements between Israel and two Arab countries… as well as the East African nation of Sudan… the new agreements did not directly or immediately affect the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict… [and] These countries took the exceptional step of recognizing Israel’s legitimacy as a state for the first time.” (Israeli-Palestinian Conflict). Trump’s involvement in peace talks made the situation no better for Palestinians, and in fact worsened their situation, while making Israel’s situation better. For things to get better, people who aren’t in positions of power for greed must be involved in the negotiations; furthermore, no parties directly involved should be excluded.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has affected many people horribly, hurt and killed, and pushed families out of their homes. There needs to be accountable action held and peace talks established for further progress to be made. To lead to a conclusion, the two-state solution must be implemented.
Works Cited
“Human Rights Watch: Israeli war crimes apparent in Gaza war.” United News of Bangladesh, 27 July 2021, p. NA. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A669714033/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=b5e1f9ec. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
Benson, Sonia G. “Daughter of the Olive Trees.” Middle East Conflict, 2nd ed., vol. 3: Primary Sources, UXL, 2012, pp. 238-244. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX4021100102/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=8b976c42. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
“The Middle East Peace Process.” Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2015. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999018/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=9e2ef798. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
“Marc Garneau reaffirms support for ‘two-state solution’ on Middle East trip.” The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 5 July 2021, p. NA. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667479680/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=e27745e7. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
Tristam, Pierre. “Palestinian Statehood Is Just and Affirms the Legitimacy of Palestine.” The Palestinian Territories, edited by Margaret Haerens, Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010906215/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=73a0f7db. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021. Originally published as “Palestinian Statehood: Deserved, Overdue, Inevitable,” FlagerLive.com, 2011.
Bronfman, Charles R., and Susie Gelman. “A first step to peace: calm angers, then talk.” New York Times, 3 May 2017, p. NA(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A491021993/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=3f7f51df. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
“Why the United Nations is stuck on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” CNN Wire, 18 May 2021, p. NA. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A662145422/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=5e8139c1. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
“Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999209/OVIC?u=mlin_w_berkcc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=611eb115. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
Common App Essay
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c0RHH7hu8m6-0bSyJnnNlqGl0raWRvRQQ2RB-e06a4w/edit?usp=sharing
Found Between the Leaves
“The forest has magical properties, I swear,” I would whisper to my brother every day at around the same time. “Let’s go,” I’d urge. The trees hold something special; they harbor the fae in their roots and keep their secrets from the world. I would disappear for hours, searching for them, searching for anything that the fantasy books I was so obsessed with alluded to. We would look up through the leaves, the sun filtering through them, hot on our skin, and we’d imagine we were in a different world. It was relaxing, when I was little, to pull myself away from reality in this way and allow the forest to absorb me. It’s only recently that I have found myself lost and coming back to what I used to know: the woods, the rivers, the crystals and rocks, art, everything that used to make me feel at home.
Through this rediscovery, I have learned a lot about myself; things that I already knew, but forgot about in a way. The way a pen feels in my hand; the way the words I’m writing become a part of me; the way they paint a picture on the page. The way it makes me feel happy when I’m about to write on a page is monumental because I haven’t felt that way about writing since my Wattpad account in ninth grade and the writing club I’d go to.
I lost my passion for many things, not just writing. And I don’t think it was as a result of school, but more as a result of me not knowing how to help myself or how to take the time. I’d fill my schedule with different tasks so that I could ignore everything else in my life, really, but I was just hurting myself in a different way that snubbed my creativity.
During quarantine, the isolation and the hunger to do more than just sit around reignited my need to be creative and learn. I’ve studied more about the Israel and Palestine conflict and become much more passionate about global politics. I’ve also begun painting, something I’ve never really enjoyed, but I find it calming now. Especially watercolor, since it is easy for me to make mistakes but the mistakes still add character in a way and make it stylistic.
Much like my painting, this year I rediscovered my Wiccan tradition. Everything about it made sense to me, and the way it intermingled with the rest of my life felt right. The feeling it gave me, the belief in nature, the trust in the earth, just made me feel so much more grounded. I learned to trust myself more through this reconnection with my roots and in a way it makes me feel more at peace with my life. Allowing myself to fall back on and trust the Earth as a protector is relieving in many ways to me, and allows for me to let go of just a little bit of everything in my life, in a healthy way.
As a result of becoming more involved in this religion, I also started gardening again and saved one of my favorite ivys that had been dying because I wasn’t paying attention to it. It felt renewing to bring it back to life as if a part of me was healing along with it. Now, it is in a much bigger, heavier pot and lush leaves are teeming from it, the green vines tentatively curling towards the sun. The plant— much like my growth this year, and rediscovering myself as a person —has become healthier as I’ve become healthier.