From Dust to Clarity by Darwin

From Dust to Clarity by Darwin - April 2023 Scholarship Essay

When the first light of day emerges from the shadows, the sun illuminates the world with its golden rays. It casts its brilliance into every nook and cranny, revealing the dust particles suspended in the air that would otherwise remain invisible. Everyday at my school desk, staring at these tiny fragments soon became a habit. Watching as these specks relentlessly move in every direction reminded me of the craziness that I felt mentally. All of a sudden these spots appeared everywhere in between. Whether it was walking to fifth period math or staring till the clock hit 3:05, I couldn't unsee them.

This constant reminder that I wasn't okay ate me up inside. I've always had this idea that revealing my issues was selfish and corrupt. Now that I saw myself in the halls at school, there was no way to bury these feelings. Just like a flower without sunlight, everyday that went by, I felt myself deteriorating, a self destruction. Feelings of anxiety, frustrations, and sadness seemed to be one of the only emotions I've managed to befriend.

As the sun's radiance exposes the presence of these seemingly insignificant specks, it simultaneously granted me the power to recognize and address my own mental and emotional struggles. The windows, the halls, and classrooms that made up my school taught me to embrace this illumination, to take steps to address myself.

In a world where money and time appears limitless, advocating for mental health in a place where we first start to see these signs is key. Approaching this issue requires a comprehensive multifaceted approach that takes time. Ensuring that all schools have access to Mental Health professionals allows for a team of counselors, psychologists and social workers to provide therapy and crisis intervention to students all around. And most importantly making schools safe and nurturing spaces. Being able to create physical spaces in schools dedicated to the help of mental and emotional well-being will help provide refuge. When we invest in the mental and emotional well-being of our students, we plant the seeds of hope and resilience, allowing them to flourish and blossom into the radiant individuals they are destined to become.

As the sun rises and sets, we too experience the cyclical nature of our mental health journey, learning to navigate the fluctuations in light and darkness with grace and resilience.