Q: WHAT’S IN YOUR CUP?
A: Iced matcha latte from Starbucks, because it’s my strange addiction and it gets me through the day.
Q: HOW HAS THIS OBJECT SHAPED YOUR PERSONALITY IN IMPORTANT WAYS?
A: Keeps me awake and makes me excited for the day.
Q: WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE THAT SETS YOU APART FROM YOUR PEERS?
A: Being depressed makes me different because I think differently but it makes me more aware of everyone around me.
Q: HOW HAS YOUR JOURNEY WITH DEPRESSION IMPACTED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD?
A: I’ve always seen my depression as a blessing in disguise. Although it is very difficult to live everyday having this gut feeling that your world is falling apart, I believe that everything happens for a reason. I believe that there is a reason why I go through what I go through , and for me that shows me how going through my difficult times can help me become a better and more understanding therapist in the future. Yes, having depression and anxiety sucks, especially when you’re a teenager, so many more factors are involved that makes the situation worse but it has made me even more aware of the world around me. It has made me more aware and caring of the people around me, even people I don’t know. My depression and going through what life has thrown at me starting from a young age has taught me to be kind, patient, and understanding of others . You never know what other people are going through and being kind and letting people know you’re available when they need you is all anyone really needs sometimes. In the beginning, being depressed made my world dark. It made me hate many things and I felt resentful towards a lot of people who cared and loved me, I shut a lot of people out and ruined a lot of opportunities that could’ve been great for me. But as I’m maturing and learning to deal with my depression, I’m learning to not shut people out and learning to advocate for myself more and more and to know that it is okay to ask for help when you need it . Having depression made me realize that we only live this life once, and although it can be hard to wake up in the morning I thrive to become a stronger version of myself each day. I’m passionate about mental health and I believe that being vulnerable is the right step in helping yourself and other people.
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE SCHOOL? IF SO, WHAT?
A: I’m in Sources of Strength.
Q: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM BEING IN SOURCES OF STRENGTH THAT YOU WILL CARRY WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE?A: I have learned that it is very important and valuable to have a strong support system in your life , to have someone or even something you can turn to when times get tough. This is something I will keep for the rest of my life because it is so much harder to go through obstacles in your life by yourself.
Q: WHAT MOMENT FROM BEING IN SOURCES OF STRENGTH IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?
A: My favorite part about being in sources of strength was attending the meetings because I was able to interact with the student body and learn more about my peers. It is very refreshing to be able to voice out your opinions about mental health and so much more to people who can relate to you or use your advice. I also enjoy doing peer to peer and visiting the elementary schools to teach about the different pillars on the wheel.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR YOUR FUTURE?
A: Be happy and be the person my younger self needed.
Q: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO AS A CAREER? WHAT EVENT TOOK PLACE IN YOUR LIFE THAT DETERMINED YOUR CAREER CHOICE?
A: I want to be a therapist/ psychologist in the future. I want to be able to help guide people through their mental health challenges and let them know that it is okay to feel whatever they are feeling, and that they can get through it with the help of others around them. I think my depression has allowed me to want to be a therapist more than anything else because I want to be the adult that my younger self needed. I know what it’s like when you feel like your whole world is falling apart and you feel like you have no one, but I know what’s not true and I want to be able to be that someone for someone who needs support.
Q: IF MONEY WERE NOT A CONCERN, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?
A: Travel the world and talk about the importance of mental health, help people who are less fortunate.
Q: HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR ROLE IN THE WORLD?
A: I don’t think I have a role in the world, but I do think my role within my community is to keep things real and authentic.