“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” by Karyna

“Finding Clarity Amidst the Pandemic Chaos” by Karyna - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

Although the world-wide pandemic created unprecedented panic, concern, and major changes to nearly every aspect of life, the mental toll it took on me personally provided the clarity I needed to determine the exact path that I wanted for my future: to become a school psychologist. For me, clarity was the only good thing that came from the pandemic chaos.
In a matter of days, I went from a very extroverted student in the normal classroom setting to an isolated, lonely student staring at Zoom on a computer screen. While some students thrived with the lack of structure, I found myself feeling more depressed and stressed from the vague expectations and the lack of real person contact in my world. Prior to the forced Covid-19 quarantine, I was dancing five days a week; this passion came to a screeching halt, and I was left without the one outlet that normally helped me to cope with anything else that life threw at me. I convinced myself that everyone was feeling the same exasperated emotions, that this was just the “new normal” as all the adults in my life wanted to call it. But giving this a catchy name didn’t fill me with any confidence that things were going to be okay; on the contrary, it all left me feeling exceedingly empty inside and with nobody to talk to about the way I was feeling.
I did not know where to begin to address my mental health concerns and nobody in my life seemed to recognize my needs because everyone, adults included, was dealing with all the added stress of a world-wide pandemic. I turned to social media for help and there I found that I was not alone. For me, social media provided the outlet for my frustration and an empathetic ear to provide support. It served as the connection that kept me grounded in the fact that many other teenagers were also feeling as isolated and lonely as me. Eventually, I learned that I could post funny photos and creative videos that could provide me a break from the forced isolation as well as bring my friends together, even if the personal connections were temporarily limited to only virtual experiences. I began painting a giant mural on my bedroom wall, often face-timing with friends who advised me on vibrant colors and ideas for my creative endeavor. Through the use of social media, I was able to make the best out of the pandemic’s restrictive circumstances and was fortunate to also discover a new passion for the visual arts, which I intend to continue pursuing to balance the stresses of college life.
I want to become a school psychologist so I can touch the lives of children and teens and be able to assist them with their mental health concerns. By helping people cope with mental health issues, I can help set them up for successful adulthood by preparing them to persevere through anything life throws at them. Perhaps I will be able to use my experiences with art as an emotional outlet to develop programs in the field of art therapy for children. My educational dreams will take a lot of hard work, perseverance, and financial planning, but this scholarship would help me greatly and give me the necessary foundation to help other children and teens dealing with mental health concerns.