Imagination is a wonderful thing, something that is lost in the transition from youth to adulthood. The word "adult" brings to mind a responsible individual, most likely in a suit, working a 9-to-5 job with moderate pay. Most of the time if you were to imagine one, they're never smiling, either. Something about growing up convinces us that imagination is childish, and childish is unnecessary. I would like to think imagination is necessary. Imagination makes boring, mundane Mondays with rain and a lukewarm cup of coffee into something out of that somehow captivating movie scene you saw once while sitting on your couch two years ago. I was the kid that sat on the floor watching the same cartoons on repeat to my parent's demise, and in doing so, it made me irreversibly in love with the beautiful drawings moving on a screen that I could only assume was pure magic. When I wasn't watching cartoons, I was playing video games, which was also pure magic. And when I wasn't gaming, I was reading comics, admiring the drawings as well as the lifelike conversations. I could go on endlessly about the endless wonder I held for imagination and creativity, but something about growing up taught me the rest of the world didn't see it the same way. Why is wonder lost? What about being a book-definition adult is so exciting? Adulthood was never anything exciting to me, as I spent endless time drawing and wearing graphic tees while everyone enjoyed lengthy conversations about gossip and coworkers in class. I never wanted to be the type of adult who loathed every Monday and had a complaint prepared about any topic you mentioned to them. I had fully prepared to be the type of adult who spent countless hours- when I wasn't romanticizing my time at work- playing video games and creating artwork that brought me joy and a sense of fulfillment. I never understood the "starving artist" trope, either. I would rather be happy and poor than lose my mind in a mundane world. What makes me unique, I firmly believe, is I have never given up that childish side of me while growing up. I don't play pretend and imagine I'm a fairy princess like I did when I was five, but I've found little things in life that make me as happy as the big things, things most people miss. If you take nothing else from this essay, I hope it has entertained you in the least, and I hope I have inspired someone to look for that childish wonder once again.

Nutrition is essential to fulfillment in life. Food is something often overlooked, but it is a necessity of every single person. Good nutrition can also stave away various health problems and even help psychological ones. However, dieting has a misconception of completely eliminating your favorite foods from your life. While this is a typical approach to dieting, it makes it tedious and tiring for individuals to commit to their diet and makes healthy eating seem overwhelming. A good diet can make everyday life exciting, because who doesn’t like eating their favorite things and not suffering from it? My dream career, after years of debate, is to become a dietician. I have spent my teenage youth studying various ways to have the perfect diet where I can be physically healthy and not bogged down at the thought of having leaves and water every day. Growing up in a family full of various health complications, I was afraid of contracting them as I got older. I learned, after several years, that a majority of those health issues could be prevented, or lessened, by a good diet and healthy lifestyle. Learning this information, I dedicated myself to learning about what a good diet really is and how to achieve one being in a low-income family living in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. From there on, I committed myself fully to studying nutrition and what keeps an individual healthy, without even realizing it. At first, I believed the typical dietary approach was correct: leaves and water and no more of your favorite things. But it didn’t seem right to me, and I couldn’t figure out why. In my personal study of nutrition, I learned the same diet doesn't work for everyone. Everyone needs the same nutrients, but not the same amount. One person may need much more red meat than the other, another needs more calcium and is lactose intolerant, another is gluten intolerant. People come with various dietary restrictions, so every diet needs to be catered to them exactly. Another issue I am very familiar with is income. I know of various recommended diets that revolve around expensive, difficult to find foods. Growing up in the rural south where poverty is abundant, we have limited access to many of the recommended foods. This leads to having to find alternatives, and more affordable options for the nutrient intakes we need. As a result for this circumstance, a diet should also be wary of the individual’s budget. You cannot put a person on a fixed income on a finance-heavy diet, just like putting a wealthy person on a very financially strict diet, when the foods they may be accustomed to eating are of a higher price range. To answer the initial question, I plan to use my higher education to pursue my dream career of being a dietitian. A dietitian that people feel comfortable around and helps cater to them a dietary plan they feel comfortable with and can afford while being mindful of their needs and restrictions. I do not believe there are enough dietitians that fit this requirement, and I aim to be one that does.