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April 1999: I was born at Yale New Haven Hospital where my dad, three older brothers, and grandparents came to meet me.

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April 1999: I was born at Yale New Haven Hospital where my dad, three older brothers, and grandparents came to meet me.

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August 2003: My first day of preschool at the congregational church in my town. I do not have many memories about preschool but I remember playing fun games and doing many outdoor activities and crafts. 

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August 2003: My first day of preschool at the congregational church in my town. I do not have many memories about preschool but I remember playing fun games and doing many outdoor activities and crafts. 

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September 2004: I attended the catholic school in my town, St. John’s, where I attended Kindergarten through second grade. My family did not practice Catholicism, but my mom wanted me to go to this school and I went until she realized how much I wanted to go to public school. The more I reflect on this experience, the more I realize my parents made the decision for me to go to a Catholic school whereas I had no say in my school choice. It has also made me reflective of my privilege as a little girl living in a middle-class family in an affluent town. My mother did not send me to the school because of religion but simply because she could.

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September 2004: I attended the catholic school in my town, St. John’s, where I attended Kindergarten through second grade. My family did not practice Catholicism, but my mom wanted me to go to this school and I went until she realized how much I wanted to go to public school. The more I reflect on this experience, the more I realize my parents made the decision for me to go to a Catholic school whereas I had no say in my school choice. It has also made me reflective of my privilege as a little girl living in a middle-class family in an affluent town. My mother did not send me to the school because of religion but simply because she could.

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August 2007: I transferred to the public elementary school right down the street fromme for the third grade. I had played many sports so I knew the kids from the teams we were on which made it easier to make friends. The majority of students in this school system were white so I was not exposed to many racial, ethnic, or cultural differences. Even when playing against other sports teams for soccer, basketball, and softball, it was apparent that I was surrounded by communities similar to my own.

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August 2007: I transferred to the public elementary school right down the street fromme for the third grade. I had played many sports so I knew the kids from the teams we were on which made it easier to make friends. The majority of students in this school system were white so I was not exposed to many racial, ethnic, or cultural differences. Even when playing against other sports teams for soccer, basketball, and softball, it was apparent that I was surrounded by communities similar to my own.

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August 2008: I entered the fourth grade at Old Saybrook Middle School were I would attend through eighth grade. I played a sport for every season and also joined the band and chorus. I really enjoyed my time in middle school and made long-lasting friendships here. 

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August 2008: I entered the fourth grade at Old Saybrook Middle School were I would attend through eighth grade. I played a sport for every season and also joined the band and chorus. I really enjoyed my time in middle school and made long-lasting friendships here. 

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August 2013: I attended the public high school in my town that not only my brothers went to but my mom and dad did as well. I continued to play sports, participate in band and chorus, and made many great friends along the way. I always found it interesting that My family has been here for generations. Even my great grandparents moved to Connecticut where my grandparents would attend school and continue to live. Many educators within the school systems grew up in this town as well and continue to live in or nearby this community. I had a feeling that I would remain in this community for a very long time, or at least end up back here someday.

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August 2013: I attended the public high school in my town that not only my brothers went to but my mom and dad did as well. I continued to play sports, participate in band and chorus, and made many great friends along the way. I always found it interesting that My family has been here for generations. Even my great grandparents moved to Connecticut where my grandparents would attend school and continue to live. Many educators within the school systems grew up in this town as well and continue to live in or nearby this community. I had a feeling that I would remain in this community for a very long time, or at least end up back here someday.

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June 2017: My highschool graduation was in the middle of June where friends and family came together to celebrate. I was very sad to leave because I love my hometown and the community as a whole but I was very excited to go off to college. Many students referred to this town as the “Saybrook Bubble” as we were closed off from diverse students, communities, and experiences. It was very nerve-racking to leave this small town we were all so familiar with, but we were also extremely excited for the new experiences to come.

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June 2017: My highschool graduation was in the middle of June where friends and family came together to celebrate. I was very sad to leave because I love my hometown and the community as a whole but I was very excited to go off to college. Many students referred to this town as the “Saybrook Bubble” as we were closed off from diverse students, communities, and experiences. It was very nerve-racking to leave this small town we were all so familiar with, but we were also extremely excited for the new experiences to come.

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August 2017: My family had traveled with me down to Washington, D.C. to help me move into the dorm rooms at American University. I was very excited to be here and could not wait to immerse myself in the college experience. For the first time in my life, I would now be in a community with students from different cultures, religions, and racial/ethnic identities. Not only was I excited to be a part of the diverse student body, but I was excited to immerse myself in the educational experience and all of the new things I would learn. 

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August 2017: My family had traveled with me down to Washington, D.C. to help me move into the dorm rooms at American University. I was very excited to be here and could not wait to immerse myself in the college experience. For the first time in my life, I would now be in a community with students from different cultures, religions, and racial/ethnic identities. Not only was I excited to be a part of the diverse student body, but I was excited to immerse myself in the educational experience and all of the new things I would learn. 

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April 2018: This was probably the most difficult time of my life. Throughout my freshman year of college, my mom had been battling breast cancer. While I was walking around campus with my friend, I got a phone call from my dad that my mom had been given one to two weeks to live. I remember dropping to the ground, sobbing, and going back to my dorm room where my friends comforted me. The next day, my brother and I got on a flight home to spend the last few moments with my mom. This event impacted my life drastically, but it also made me consider what is going on in the lives of other students and how they continue to endure. There are so many external factors that play a part in not just one’s educational experience, but life experience as well. This was a time of rebuilding myself,learning to endure, and how to grow as an individual. 

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April 2018: This was probably the most difficult time of my life. Throughout my freshman year of college, my mom had been battling breast cancer. While I was walking around campus with my friend, I got a phone call from my dad that my mom had been given one to two weeks to live. I remember dropping to the ground, sobbing, and going back to my dorm room where my friends comforted me. The next day, my brother and I got on a flight home to spend the last few moments with my mom. This event impacted my life drastically, but it also made me consider what is going on in the lives of other students and how they continue to endure. There are so many external factors that play a part in not just one’s educational experience, but life experience as well. This was a time of rebuilding myself,learning to endure, and how to grow as an individual. 

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May 2018: I had gone back to college after my mom passed to complete my finals, pack my things, and go home. Home really didn’t feel like home anymore, but I also did not want to be anywhere else. My excitement for college had turned into fear, I developed severe anxiety, and I had lost a sense of myself that would be difficult to ever fully get back. I felt like I had lost a part of my identity after losing a loved one, but this realization made me question if other students felt they have lost a sense of their identity based on their cultural, religious, racial, or gender identity. I was in an environment where so many students endured hardships on a daily basis but I only saw myself as the victim. My white privilege blinded me to the difficulties that others endure or have endured. 

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May 2018: I had gone back to college after my mom passed to complete my finals, pack my things, and go home. Home really didn’t feel like home anymore, but I also did not want to be anywhere else. My excitement for college had turned into fear, I developed severe anxiety, and I had lost a sense of myself that would be difficult to ever fully get back. I felt like I had lost a part of my identity after losing a loved one, but this realization made me question if other students felt they have lost a sense of their identity based on their cultural, religious, racial, or gender identity. I was in an environment where so many students endured hardships on a daily basis but I only saw myself as the victim. My white privilege blinded me to the difficulties that others endure or have endured. 

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March 2020: This was a time that changed lives for many, but my in-person college experience had now turned into fully virtual courses. I was limited in what I could do, where I could go, and who I could see. Part of me enjoyed this because it put my anxiety at ease as I did not enjoy going to classes, but I did miss the unlimited freedom I had that had become very limited. Students were expected to quickly adapt to a completely different style of learning while the lives of many were at risk. Many students became unmotivated, developed anxiety and depression-related issues, and felt isolated. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, educational institutions continued to demand the most out of the students. 

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March 2020: This was a time that changed lives for many, but my in-person college experience had now turned into fully virtual courses. I was limited in what I could do, where I could go, and who I could see. Part of me enjoyed this because it put my anxiety at ease as I did not enjoy going to classes, but I did miss the unlimited freedom I had that had become very limited. Students were expected to quickly adapt to a completely different style of learning while the lives of many were at risk. Many students became unmotivated, developed anxiety and depression-related issues, and felt isolated. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, educational institutions continued to demand the most out of the students. 

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May 2021: I graduated from American University with a Bachelor's in psychology. Although my graduation was online, I was very happy to have successfully completed my undergraduate college experience. It was an exciting time for myself and my friends as well. We were all looking forward to the next chapter of our lives, but I had also realized not all of my friends went down the same path. Some friends had dropped out of college to take time for themselves, some had dropped out because they did not feel college was right for them, and others could simply not afford to continue their education. This was a critical moment in the realization of my white privilege and the advantages that I have had.

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May 2021: I graduated from American University with a Bachelor's in psychology. Although my graduation was online, I was very happy to have successfully completed my undergraduate college experience. It was an exciting time for myself and my friends as well. We were all looking forward to the next chapter of our lives, but I had also realized not all of my friends went down the same path. Some friends had dropped out of college to take time for themselves, some had dropped out because they did not feel college was right for them, and others could simply not afford to continue their education. This was a critical moment in the realization of my white privilege and the advantages that I have had.

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June 2021: I was accepted into the American University MAT online program. I was very excited as I had finally found a career I was passionate about and this program was my number one choice. I was very excited to be the first of my family to go to graduate school, but there have been moments where I questionif I am making the right decision. Not only is graduate school an additional financial burden, but a social and emotional one as well. I am very thankful to even havethe opportunity to attend a graduate program, but I have questioned why pursuing a career to help others is so expensive and gives so little in return. 

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June 2021: I was accepted into the American University MAT online program. I was very excited as I had finally found a career I was passionate about and this program was my number one choice. I was very excited to be the first of my family to go to graduate school, but there have been moments where I questionif I am making the right decision. Not only is graduate school an additional financial burden, but a social and emotional one as well. I am very thankful to even havethe opportunity to attend a graduate program, but I have questioned why pursuing a career to help others is so expensive and gives so little in return. 