My name is Oneillia Anderson and I am a student at Chilliwack Senior Secondary. I love to cook, read, write and sing. I am an athlete and my favourite sport is rugby. I hope to purse a degree in Political Science and Sociology with the hopes of becoming a divorce lawyer or a social worker. I hope this project will give you insight to who I am on a deeper level.

Enjoy!

Over the past few years, I have struggled with my mental health. Currently I’m still struggling but I have overcome a great deal of sorrow and misery compared to previous years. Growing up, I was sheltered by my parents which caused me to be very reclusive and shy. I have always been a calm and collected person who had difficulty making friends. This difficulty has led to my suffering from anxiety. I was never able to express myself towards others without having a mental breakdown. I remember when I was chosen to be the flower girl for my uncles wedding. I was so excited during the practices however, on the actual wedding day, I suffered a mental breakdown and was inconsolable. Following this event, I had experienced several other mental breakdowns which affected my social life. I was bullied by peers, adults and even my own family members which led to depression and an increase in my anxiety. However I always kept a smile on my face wanting others to be happy. No one knew about my mental illness because I did not want to be a burden to others.

Upon moving to Canada, I struggled with making new friends and it took a toll on my mental health. I would spend my lunch hours in
the bathroom crying after seeing my peers interact but not being able to relate. This continued on for a couple of months until I decided to open up and introduce to my classmates. That day was a huge milestone in my life because I had overcome my biggest barrier in life; engaging with those around me.

Today, my mental health is way better and I have confided in others which took a huge weight off of my shoulders. I am still affected by my mental health but I am proud of the bravery and self growth that I have achieved that resulted in the improvement of my mental health.

Like I have previously mentioned, my parents sheltered me as a child which made me very shy and reclusive. Due to my quiet personality, I involuntarily became everyone’s doormat. I was incapable of standing up for myself whether I was being wrongly accused, bullied or being condescended by others. I did not know how to defend myself and I was very fragile. People were able to easy manipulate me because I was afraid of them and they were aware that I yearned to fit in. I have done bizarre things to fit in with others despite knowing wrong from right.

I was continuously emotionally, mentally and verbally abused by those around me, but my naivety convinced me that it was just tough love. I was a target for others because I did not have the courage to defend myself. I was unaware of how to protect myself and eventually, this lead to a lot of consequences.

Eventually, I decided to build up the courage to defend myself and my image. I was fed up with being everyone’s doormat. I was tired of excusing people’s harsh behaviour toward me and placing the blame on myself. Presently, I am a strong willed person who does not allow myself to be the target of others’ misery to be taken out on me. I am no longer a victim of abuse and bullying because I made the decision to become a withstanding individual.

The people closest to me would describe be as supportive, helpful, uplifting, kind, zealous, outgoing, empathetic and loving. I make sure the people that surround me are always showered by love from me.

Patience, Humility, Perseverance and Positivity are traits that have helped me grow as a person. I learned to wait for things as great things take time to happen. I never rush anything, instead I just hope for the best and keep calm. Humility is one of the most important traits that I posses. The quote, “the humblest calfskin suck the most milk “ is a very famous Jamaican quote that I live by day to day. The more humble I remain, the more blessings I will receive.

Having experienced the school system in two different cultures, I can say the school culture is amazing. School culture provides room for social interactions between students and colleagues and it also provides opportunities for students.

The school culture has taught me how to be more comfortable with meeting people, one of my biggest fears that I struggle with everyday. The atmosphere at school is very welcoming and accepting.

The school continually supports students through with everything they need and are always eager to help every student. I am very appreciative of all the staff at my school and are grateful for their help every day.

For my future plans, I have chosen to take an opportunity to start my life over (again) in Toronto. I will be majoring in Political Sciences to pursue a degree in the Bachelor of Arts. I am excited to start this new journey and meet amazing new people.

After my undergraduate studies, I hope to attend law school and successfully ace my LSAT. After my schooling i hope to become a social worker or a divorce lawyer. My passion for improving relationships and my love for children influenced me in choosing these as my primary careers.

To reach these goals, I will apply for scholarships and i currently have two jobs so I can support my parents with my tuition. Since I was granted early admission, I have already applied for housing and i’ve started to look at necessities that I will need for September.