This song is about finding strength and community within those around you, reaching out to your support system and relying on others through tough times. It’s also a bit of a call to action, talking about how change starts in your life with yourself and you have a bigger impact on your community than you may think.
As I grow older and experience more on my own, I realize that my hopes differ from the goals my parents have set for me. I wish that their expectations for me weren’t so rigid, because I often feel as if I lose my individuality when I try to fit into them.
My entry explores the emotional and psychological landscape of an individual living with Alzheimer’s disease. Inspired by my grandfather’s experience and my grandmother’s role as his sole caregiver, the piece sheds light on the often-overlooked struggles of empty-nest elderly individuals.
Love. When this word is said, we often think of friends or family or things we enjoy. What we don’t always think about is the importance of reminding the people you care about that you love them. Everyone has their own ways to show love, but not everyone feels like they are being shown it. By showing or reminding someone you love them, you might be showing a little light to someone who feels like they are in the dark.
Lyrics:
All you really need is a little love
Give a little love
It not that hard
To show you care
Oh just give a little love
Show a little love
Dont make them feel like no one cares
Sometimes people feel like
Nobody cares and nobodys there
Sometimes people have a bad day
It’s nice to try to lighten their mood in some way
Sometimes life gets hard
And things get a little dark
Just show them some light
It can change a person’s life
All you really need is a little love
Give a little love
It not that hard
To show you care
Oh just give a little love
Show a little love
Dont make them feel like no one cares
Hurt people hurt other people
Sometimes that’s all they know how to do
Help ’em out a little bit
Show them what kindness is
Its really not that hard
To be a little nice
Theres so many ways
You can improve others lives
All you really need is a little love
Give a little love
It not that hard
To show you care
Oh just give a little love
Show a little love
Dont make them feel like no one cares
Love oh love
Sometimes all someone really needs
Is to be shown that they are loved
Love oh love
Just show them that they are loved
Give a little love
In February 2025, a Russian drone strike hit the protective dome covering the original sarcophagus over the reactor site of Chernobyl. With the upcoming rainy season, radioactive particles could escape and further infect the environment (and potentially, human life). I wish for peace between Russia and Ukraine. I wish for the shell to be repaired before it can cause lasting problems for our health and ecosystems.
I chose the word “seen” because sometimes people feel invisible or unheard, like they don’t have anyone to talk to. True friendship doesn’t always come right away – you often have to wait patiently. That was my experience in elementary school, where I felt alone and mostly turned to screens for comfort. But when I started middle school, everything changed; I made real friends who cared, listened, and truly saw me.
The scars below the chest signify a trans individual who was able to pursue their transition, despite the many hardships they undoubtedly faced. The eyes on the chest signify defiance in the face of adversity, staring back at those who scrutinize their identity. This statue shows that although many political and public figures may try to erase or belittle the history of trans people, we have always been here – represented in art, culture, and media. Trans people deserve to see their bodies represented and their issues spoken through art.
Something that helps me while I’m going through a tough time or feeling overwhelmed is gardening. Gardening makes me more patient and mindful, providing me a space to reflect and process emotions. The act of planting seeds and watching them grow, despite challenges, symbolizes resilience and hope and reminds me that, similar to my plants, I can grow and thrive even during times of adversity.
This song is about how I really struggled with my mental health issues a few months ago and was starting to lose hope that things would get better until certain people came into my life. Those people have now become a few of my closest friends and have made a huge impact on my life. They showed me that things eventually get better.
My anchor is digital media, specifically film and documenting. All of my life, I’ve always felt that every misfortune I’ve had to bear would forever be out of my control and that I had to live with that misery by itself, but my anchor and the new things I’ve discovered give me something to smile about and brings me comfort and a smile in hard times.