As a rising junior at The College of New Jersey, I have recently found myself in an awkward transition period from young adulthood to adulthood. Although I have always generally considered myself to be an independent and headstrong individual, I was not prepared for a lot of the challenges that college presents as someone who comes from a low-income background, and is the first in my family to attend college. From moving out and starting my own life, to navigating the professional and career world, it can be challenging to prioritize time for self-care and time management. I am grateful for the experiences that I have had the opportunity to overcome during the first half of my college journey, and am eager to push myself to grow even more.
On Leadership:
When I came to The College of New Jersey, I was ecstatic to learn about all of the leadership opportunities that come along with the College itself. As the former editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper and an honors student, I could not wait to apply for anything and everything I could. One of the difficulties that I encountered was failure and non-acceptance. I was heartbroken when I got denied from positions I was passionate about including Class President, Vice President of Inclusive Excellence, Panhellenic Executive Board, and the Executive Board for The College of New Jersey Democrats. I spent an excessive amount of time in self-doubt and questioning if I was capable of being a good leader anymore.
Why Rejection is Redirection:
Two years later, I am writing this a couple months after winning the election for Class President and am a member of the TCNJ Democrats Executive Board where I was elected as the next Programming Chair. Additionally, I was even appointed to the role of Deputy Political Director for the College Democrats of New Jersey. I think it is so important to recognize that sometimes people might be better suited for a role than you, and that your time will come. I believe that my experiences have reaffirmed the mantra of “what’s meant to be will be,” for me.
Internships & Jobs:
On my very first day at The College of New Jersey I landed a job as a dog-walker for my history professor at the time. My professor told me that his friend was running for Congress, and that we should stay in touch for job opportunities. That friend turned out to be Sue Altman, a former NJ-7 Congressional Candidate. This silly side-hustle singlehandedly launched all of my future opportunities for Political Science career-path, which led me to eventually intern for names like Congressman Josh Gottheimer, work on the Harris-Walz campaign, and even meet individuals like Senator Bernie Sanders, Vice-Presidential Candidate Tim Walz, the Chair of the DNC, Ken Martin, and Congresswoman AOC.
Get Out There And Just do it:
It’s time to stop waiting for opportunities to come to you. Go out into the world and find out what you love. For me, it was learning that spontaneous solo trips in Soho, New York are the cure to loneliness and despair. Whatever self-care looks like for you, whether that be reading a book, grabbing coffee and going on a shopping spree, or listening to your favorite songs, your story is your own to write. What is meant to be will be, so be the best version of yourself everyday, and do what you love.