About Me
What is the meaning of education if you do not fulfill the best expectations of yourself with it? What is the pursuit of knowledge if not to aim beyond your dreams and expectations? If not to change the world? Just some of the many questions I would ask myself throughout my education, along with what am I meant to be? An artist? An author? A wildlife conservationist? A musician? So many options, in what feels like so little time—but let’s start at the beginning, where the questions first came to be.
“For still there are so many things that I have never seen: in every wood, in every spring, there is a different green.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien
I grew up homeschooled in the state of California, surrounded by the mountains and right along the coast. It was always hot and always dry—but I absolutely adored it. In studying at home, I learned not only to chase comprehension of the world around me but to be enthralled by all that there was to know. I was given a chance not merely to learn things from a desk but to go out and experience, by interactive means, all that I could dream of. My love for nature stemmed from my mom taking me out on weekly hikes and nature studies to paint and my dad and uncles taking me on explorations in search of lizards and bugs. I learned to love all creatures, including the creepy crawly, scaly, and slimy ones—to see beauty where many might fail to see it. I also developed a strong passion for marine life, with frequent visits to protected tide pools or trips to Catalina Island, where I would see pods of dolphins or sea lions from the boats. There were so many different ecosystems in what felt like such a small area, and I had the chance to experience all of it.
In the same way, through frequent visits to libraries and used bookstores, I developed a deep appreciation for literature and creative writing. I learned to express myself with world-building and character development and explored my imagination in ways I had never before attempted. Books became an unspeakable comfort for me, and to this day, I can open one and find nearly immediate peace. I would recharge or relax through reading, but also music. Day after day, for years, I would practice piano, deepening my appreciation for classical music and providing me with a different outlet for expression through playing music I love and composing my own works. Then, of course, there was The Art House. My passion for art began there, and my love for animals was strongly encouraged by my teacher, who would bring her dogs, rabbits, and tortoises to class every week. I took lessons for nearly seven years, and it truly did become a home for me. I learned to conceptualize, paint, sketch, and explore my artistic desires—I practiced with nearly every material one could dream of and had support whenever I faced a struggle.
"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." - C.S. Lewis
But alas, my life in California was not meant to be forever. At the beginning of my high school years, my family moved to North Carolina—which was a difficult but exciting change. I discovered new passions, like field herping and horse riding, but I also lost things I loved too, like the ocean and the Art House. Nevertheless, two years into living in a new state, I was given the opportunity to start college early as a dual-enrolled student—which was absolutely thrilling. Thus, I began my journey here at SPCC. I graduated high school in 2023 and will be graduating with my Associate in Arts this spring—after which I plan to transfer to Wingate University to pursue a major in environmental biology and minor in art.
