[chlorophyll]

Username: WolfireX
Name: Patrick (Originally "Patty" or "Patricia", but name was eventually changed.)
Gender: Trans Male
What have they learned about themselves this year? (500 words): Pat finally realized that he didn't want to be a girl anymore. He had never fit in, never truly found interest in what others found interest in. Makeup, cosplay, anime, all of those things were never quite his cup of tea. He preferred to stay with the boys, play sports, video games & just more "boy-ish" thigns in general. At last, after long pondering, he chose to instead of being looked as weird, as being a girl; he chose to change that, and just be a guy. (77 Words) (Still a work in progess, wait for more!)
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[Spirit23Wolf]

Username:
Name:
Gender:
What have they learned about themselves this year? (500 words): res with how beautiful they actually are
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[justamindset]

Mark

[salfishmask]

MARKING

[wolfie,]

Mark ^^

[kuromi !!]

Username: ♡nebula♡
Name: Autumn
Gender: Genderfluid (any pronouns are fine)
What have they learned about themselves this year? (500 words): Autumn found out the reason why they felt different. They sometimes felt like they were a boy or girl or sometimes neither or all. Because of how they acted, sometimes like a girl, sometimes like boy, others thought that they were weird because to them they acted a little strange with the sudden likes/dislikes changing and hanging out with just girls or boys randomly. They found out that they were genderfluid! Autumn wasn't sure how to come out but eventually they did it and was a bit shocked at how accepting everyone was. They also learned that they were panromantic and asexual and came out about that too. Others then understood why they acted different and "weirdly" and got comfortable with it and helped them with changing and coping with his new, better self. This changed them in a big way and how they are comfortable and happy with who they are. (153 words!)
Extra (optional): ahh, cutie! If i did win which is highly unlikely haha it would be my first Kal! Btw, I'm pansexual and have a girlfriend ♡ (check my sig uwu)

[ghostie,]

username: rhysand
name: ilia
gender: non-binary
what have they learned about themselves this year? (500 words):

ilia was always a quiet child. they had few friends, and spent most of their time reading books. when they started middle school, ilia slowly gained a few more friends, and had a small but nice circle of them. everything was going well until grade nine. they had just started at a new high school, a different one from their friends. slowly, they fell out of touch. ilia's world was then rocked by the tragic loss of her grandfather to leukaemia. He was ilia's best friend, their entire world. With an absent father, ilia's grandfather was the only father-figure in their life. their mother did not cope well with the loss either, she was not longer herself. all this started to take a toll on ilia, and without the support of their friends, it caused them to spiral. ilia lived with undiagnosed depression and anxiety for a long time, until just this year. they met their unbelievably amazing best friend, who helped change ilia's life. ilia finally realized that what they were going through was serious, and they decided to book an appointment with a therapist. during that first meeting, ilia sobbed the entire time. they went back the next week, and the week after that and after that. ilia still sees the therapist today. ilia realized that their mental health was very, very important, and that no one should have to go through what they did alone. they learned that it's okay for them to feel sad or upset, and that things will pass. now, ilia is on their way to graduating with a degree in psychology, hoping to follow the path of their therapist to do their best to help others with the same issues as them. ilia has learned strength, resilience and hope. they hope to pass that on to others, whenever or wherever possible.

[308/500]

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[alyxmin]

this is the bleached pelt just so you know,,

Username: sass
Name: pastel
Gender: trans, male to female, they/them pronouns normally. demigirl.
What have they learned about themselves this year? (500 words):
it's funny how someone so colorful and so happy can be so sad all the time.

pastel was popular, that's for sure. not the popular girl you saw in movies though. the popular girl who smiled and complimented somebody's bag and always was happy. but they weren't happy. they weren't satisfied. they felt incomplete like there was a piece missing to them. a flaw in their code. but what was the flaw? what was the piece? they thought about that on a daily basis.

the more they thought about it, the sadder they became. they still felt like something was missing. they thought they had it all just a while ago, having accepting parents that understood their gender and sexuality, loads and loads of amazing friends, a nice house, money, everything. so why did they feel hollow? were they simply just, not good enough?

they felt so insecure. so unhappy. they hoped no one could tell that their laugh was forced, their smiles too wide to be real. their eyes normally bright and full of emotion turned dull and lifeless. nothing helped. they didn't want to open up, to get help. but eventually they did, they got pills for their depression, for everything. but that feeling of something missing didn't go away. it was still there, draining pastel's happiness away from them. they felt insecure about their pelt. they bleached their pelt to look lighter, to not be so full of emotion and happiness.

''hey um..''

pastel turned around to see a kalon.

''I wanted to say... why did you bleach your pelt to look dull? don't get me wrong, if you like it better, I'm not judging you, but... you were an idol to me, honestly. I didn't understand how you could have so many friends, so much color on your pelt. you probably inspired me to try to come out of my shell and talk to other kalons. if you could tell me, if it isn't too personal, why, I would really like to know.''

so pastel told them. blurted out their secrets. everything in their brain, every insecurity, the pain, the place they were in. the emptiness. the sadness.

and the kalon stayed. pastel became friends with them. the kalon helped pastel through their insecurity. through their pain. and slowly, pastel gained their colors back. they dyed their fur again to a rainbow pelt, added aspects of them on their pelt. displayed their pride of their sexuality, their pride of their gender. and pastel felt happy about it. they learned about themself in that one short year.

I found out what I was missing. I was missing my personality, my pride of who I was. I kept my emotions on the inside, and hid it so well I hid it from myself. I promise to everyone that I won't do that again. I'll talk about my emotions. I'll talk about sadness, I'll talk about my anger. I learned my lesson, and I promise I'll express my emotions.

500/500 words
also lil note: they now keep a notebook where they write about their feelings that day and talk to their friends about what they felt that day. helps them a lot.

[eltonn]

res w/learned that they are worth loving
Username: magpiie
Name: Candice Way
Gender: Female
What have they learned about themselves this year? (500 words):

I grew up believing my coloration was too gaudy, my fur too bright, that others looked at me and had to avert their eyes so they wouldn’t go blind. I hated that about me. They were only pretending to care, I told myself, they’re only nice because manners dictate it so. And I hated them for it, too. I thought the harsh kids were honest, the ones that told me I was ugly, that my pelt was disgusting, my body mishapen. I believed them. I tried to dye myself dull. I tried to straighten my fur, grow it out, cut it down, curl it. Nothing looked right. They still laughed. I still lied, telling my parents I was fine, smiling when asked how I was. Eat less, talk less, smile more. Buy into the falsehoods. Only when I found myself on an uncomfortable mattress, IV in arm and brother at my side, did I realize how wrong I was. When the nurse came in with a pot of flowers and a box of tissues, she asked me what was wrong. With tearfilled eyes, I told the truth. “I hate myself,” I said. And she leaned close and whispered, “So does my daughter.”

That was the day I discovered I wasn’t alone in this mess. I wasn't the only one. And that meant the world to me.
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[Hounder]

xxxxusername: bear?
xxxxname: mark samuel ashton
xxxxgender: masculine aligned nonbinary
xxxxwhat have they learned about themselves this year?: you don't have to hold onto things that hurt you
xxxxextra: