I am a fellow American. This is how I respond when I'm asked where I am from, due in part that I've lived on both the east and the west coast of the United States. Honestly, I don't mind the question. It affords me the opportunity to share a little more about myself, as well as learn more about others. With that said, here is my story. 

I was originally born in Asheville, North Carolina, to a part-time minster, part-time salesman father and homemaker mother and I have one younger sister. I have always considered my family to have lived like gypsies. As long as I can remember, since I was child, we were always moving from town to town due to my father's job. We lived from the NC mountains to the NC coast and everywhere in between. It was this childhood upbringing, along with my natural sense of curiosity and adventure, which planted the seed of desire in me to want to move West Coast to Southern California. In fact, I have lived a large portion of my life in California, specifically Orange County, in order to pursue this dream of a new life full of adventure. However, in 2020, during the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, I ended up relocating back east to North Carolina, after my father had succumbed to a long-term illness. It was after his passing, when I realized that I wanted to live closer to my family who resides there. Yet deep down, I will always be a "Southern" California girl in every way. 

So, on to the specifics. I am a full-time shift supervisor and progressive leader for Starbucks, as well as a full-time student here at ASU. My major is a BS in Communications. It has been a part of my lifelong dream to complete my undergraduate education after earning my AS degree in Global Business from a local California college. When I am not invested in work or school, I can often be found hiking, camping, surfing "in California," or playing music with my mini shih tzu named Thor. I love nature and animals. I am also very passionate about the creative arts. I am also an amateur creative film writer, so I am very interested in anything film or art related.