The importance of knowledge cannot be overstated. I love to learn, from the most basic trivia to overarching facts that are only grasped by people who have committed to a field of study for decades. As such, I spend most of my leisure time reading up on a subject I find fascinating or practicing the skills I already know. Since I enrolled in college, I have broadened my horizons and I have found myself reading more about the lessons I have learned from my endeavors in higher education. I understand the importance of learning; history has taught us that the best academic minds have set forth tools that influenced later generations to create monumental advancements in society and technology. Our world is literally composed of knowledge, both what we know and what we have yet to understand. If we keep learning about the world around us, then there will be more to explore in the world around us. This scholarship will help me to pursue further education and further knowledge. I will use this to invest in my passion for education and keep engaging with higher education. There is no end to what can be learned in the world that we live in. I am fascinated by what can be achieved when people learn. I am astonished by the things that people can do when they devote their lives to their fields of study. Our minds are the most powerful things that we have as a species, and I am always in awe of what can be achieved through our knowledge. I will continue to learn long after I have graduated. I am committed to learning as much as I can, when I can. I do not look at education as a chore or something to get out of the way; I see learning as a form of meditation or leisure, something to engage with to "zone out" and relax. The things that can be done with education is nothing short of incredible to me, and I will continue to read and learn. To be a true scholar, one must not stop in their pursuit of education, whether it is the smallest and most seemingly meaningless "fun facts," or colossal pieces of information that one can only comprehend if it is translated by decades of experience. To be a true scholar, it takes dedication, determination and the utmost devotion to the study that one is engaged in.

In my eyes, college is the gateway to the real world and everything that comes with it, both in positive and negative terms. As I have taken on newer responsibilities as a result of my enrollment in higher education, I have noticed each one comes with its own weight. Some may be "heavier" than others, some are "lighter." In order to handle these weights, I need to reinforce my health, in regard to my mental health, physical health and spiritual health. Higher education comes with far higher stress levels, which can have deeply worrying effects on one's mental health. I am not different. I have issues with anxiety, an unfortunate fact that I am very aware of. With this in mind, I keep a habit of taking breaks when I answer a question on an assignment, whether I get it right or not. Taking a moment to decompress helps me think about my answer and potentially reconsider what I have written. Moreover, it helps me to relax and ground me in this world, rather than sink deeper into my anxious thoughts and further hinder my progress. Since I have gotten involved with higher education, I have had to take the bus. I do not have a driver's license, so I have been walking far more than usual. While I am getting more exercise, a problem arises when I need to carry my backpack that has my laptop, my textbook, two notebooks, a full water bottle and my lunch a half of a mile to the closest bus stop. Recently, I have started doing stretches when I get home, since my joints and muscles have been impacted greatly by this new routine of mine. I have been considering getting into yoga again, since it has been quite a while. Of the types of health that people consider, I believe that spiritual health is the least acknowledged. I admit that I have not done much to enrich my soul; I am not religious, but I am aware of the role that spiritual health plays. I have dabbled with religion, but I have not found any that have really stuck with me. Regardless, I have had good results with meditation and similar rituals. With college comes a change in surroundings, and with a change in surroundings, a change in habits must occur as well. I will try to do more to engage my spirit, my mental faculties and my physical health, because I know that those all have a dramatic effect on my performance and my education. I will do my best to be my best.

I have long held a passion for the power that writing holds. I have written stories for fun for a long time, but I have only recently decided to pursue it as a career. Now that I have found what my destined path should be, I have taken a far greater appreciation for the art of literature and every bit of potential that comes with it. A well composed book can encapsulate a culture and a period of time. Every one of the time honored classics that have been lauded as the best of their genres are also seen as emblematic of the culture they were written in. From early works such as "The Iliad" to "Great Expectations," even the most fantastical fiction can reflect the reality that the authors have engaged with for their entire lives. When one studies the history of these books, they study the history of the worlds that these authors are sharing with future generations. A well composed book can bring people together and inspire them through the most difficult times. While there are currently numerous pushes in the United States for the censorship and outright ban of several books, these same works of literature have become rallying cries for reform. Moreover, some authors have written books that inspire people to create entire communities based around the events in the story; an example that comes to mind is James Joyce's "Ulysses," which follows a day in the life of Leopold Bloom. Fans of this work have traveled to Ireland to partake in "Bloomsday," which is a retracing of Leopold's steps. A well composed book creates worlds beyond what we have previously thought. Fiction authors have shown that they can fabricate a story that can span decades from where they started, with vast timelines that people in the real world document as if it were actual history. Among the most famous are J. R. R. Tolkien, L. Frank Baum and Terry Pratchett, all of whom are my biggest influences with my larger stories. My favorite stories to write are exactly these: Massive tapestries woven over years, displaying epic battles and heartfelt moments alike. I hope one day to weave my own cloth like these people have. I greatly admire literature as an art form. My own stories, even those written on a whim, are all imbued with the passion I hold for literature. I love to read what people have written; from textbooks and stories held in the most grounded, realistic settings, to sprawling sagas of impossible fantasies, I adore literature. This is the path that I was born for.

Math is the bridge between theory and reality. From understanding how to properly balance a budget to creating the tallest building in the world, a strong knowledge in any field of math can help someone do the most phenomenal things. In my opinion, mathematics is one of the most powerful things that someone can learn. While I frequently decide to learn about the arts more often than most other fields of study, I still like to learn what I can about math. Of the four components of STEM, I have gravitated toward math most of all. Unlike the arts, which are largely interpretive and there are an assortment of "right" answers, mathematics will often have a single, genuinely correct answer for the student's work. Moreover, since it is a science, major breakthroughs in math will help to find the answers for other problems. In the arts, the breakthroughs are usually confined to the life experiences of the artist or the typical reactions of the people who observe it. Math is also universal, with the answer in one place usually being the right answer everywhere else that one sees that particular problem. With art, everyone has their own perception of what a sculpture means, or what a musical piece sounds like, or the meaning behind a novel. Math is not just a variety of abstract concepts, it allows us to understand the world in a measured, scientific way. Math is powerful and beautiful; among the most artistic of all sciences.

The Flow of the Seasons The Summer wind flies; Through the towering trees; Fire beams down, ice cools us; Moonlight shines, but not for too long; There are always more beams shining down; And more sunlight to keep us all moving; Although we all want more time to spare; Just one star is all that we need; To make the most of our plans; So before we cool off; Let's enjoy the heat. Everything changes; In the Autumn and Fall; Along rivers and sidewalks; Brightness below, cold grey above; The frost is starting, yet we feel warm; Bundled up, drinking cider, we can't wait; But inside, we still feel so comfy; Even walking along the road; Or traipsing through the dirt paths; We are cozy for now; Must it get so cold? When the sun rises; I wish the Winter thawed; Show what the rocks and twigs hide; Reality, nature, the world; Or just dust from all other seasons; These years have gotten longer, after all; Who knows what else hides underneath it? Under snow, there is far too much; For which we will never see; Things always underfoot; Just snow on the ground. Bloom in the Springtime; Flowers, bushes and trees; Fruits of everything they made; The creations of someone else; Are now showing for all other eyes; And shimmer in the sky's waning daylight; Before every other star comes out; And the dark blanket covers us; I am so happy we met; That we knew each other; I hope you're okay.