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I can take this experience as something that can help me in the future, not as a block road but leads to accomplishing my goal.” The strategies for managing these in a challenge situation is to take a step back to reevaluate the state and to go into a quiet setting to meditate by focusing on your breathing, easing the cortisol levels in the brain into one centering around peace. I learn about my emotions surrounding cellphone use as one that is in a constant state of “what can I look for a source of entertainment today?” when I go on the bus and looking on my apps in my phone instead of thinking “What can I do something that is productive?” like reading a book. In the future, I can use my cellphone more mindfully by having less screen time with my apps and more in the present like participating in game nights with my family as opposed to watching YouTube.

 Volunteering at a local K-8 center was very gratifying to see how art can transform a child’s life in amidst of a stress situation such as COVID. The successes are to have the experience to see the affect art can do mentally like having an optimism outlook after a bad day. The challenges I would say is balancing school, work, while being included. I have to be good at my time management skills which I am bad at and so far, I am better at it. I was able to set a time with each activity and had a good result at the end. During a stressful time, the cortisol levels can increase like food insecurity or not having enough money for class materials such as a laptop when doing a project that’s work 50% of your grade. This is in reference to a scholarly article titled “Arts Education Reduces Stress Level of Low-Income Students” highlighting the affects the cortisol have on the minds of children when they do artistic activities. As quoted from the article “The researchers found that, at mid-year and again at the end of the school year, the kids’ average cortisol levels were lower after an arts class than they were after their home-room period. This held true whether the arts class was music, dance, or visual art.” Seeing children work as they use paint brushes to draw their favorite character and be happy at the complete result is joyful to see and with this pandemic happening, art can make a difference in a child’s life and not succumb to hopelessness.