What brought you to WYWLA? How did you feel when you were accepted?

When I was looking at middle schools, I had never really heard of WYWLA, and I liked it better than my other options. I felt nervous when I was accepted since I only knew one or two people as I was coming into WYWLA.

How would you describe yourself as a student in middle school?

I was educated and experienced in what I was learning. Some of the stuff that I learned I had heard of or learned before. This gave me confidence and made me feel like I was already kind of experienced in the topic, and because of that, I felt more educated.

Do you feel added pressure or experience any struggles being part of a first generation in your family to attend/ graduate from college? How did you overcome these challenges?

I feel sort of pressured since only one cousin on each side of my family has gone to college. I have overcome these challenges by pushing through and not giving up.

What advice were you given in your academic journey?

Take your time and double-check everything before you finish. Keep up with the work and keep up doing the little things in class, especially since some of the classes are a little more fast-paced and challenging.

What colleges have you thought about possibly attending/graduating from?

I’m thinking about attending multiple colleges in the state since it is cheaper and easier to travel to visit family and friends. I am thinking about going to North Carolina State University, Appalachian State, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wilmington, or East Carolina University.

Who currently forms your support system?

My parents, friends, aunts, uncles, Nana, and cousins form my support system.

Have you given thought to what you’d like to study and become professionally after you graduate from college?

I’m not 100% sure what I want to study in college, but I would like to be a dog trainer or animal breeder. Something to do with pets is ideal, since I love pets and don’t have any of my own. I want to work with them full-time because I enjoy them.

What will it mean to your family when you graduate from college? 

It will feel like a great accomplishment since some of the only other people in my family to complete four full years of college were my older cousins. Since not many people in my family has completed college, I will feel really good about it.

What piece of advice or words of wisdom do you have to WYWLA students who will be the first in their family to attend/ graduate from college?

Work hard to get everything done when it needs to be and feel proud of everything you accomplish in middle school and further. Do things that help you and challenge you, so don’t be afraid to take on things that are easy and helpful but also things that could be more challenging. Challenges can also help you.

What brought you to WYWLA? How did you feel when you were accepted?

When I was accepted into WYWLA, I felt a sense of belonging and joy. Something that brought me to WYWLA was the great opportunities it offers to its students.

How would you describe yourself as a student in middle school?

In middle school, I got good grades on tests and was determined to get good grades on whatever I was working on.

Do you feel added pressure or experience any struggles being part of a first generation in your family to attend/ graduate from college? How did you overcome these challenges?

In the beginning, I did feel a sense of pressure. However when I thought about it more, I realized it’s more of an accomplishment on behalf of my family.

What advice were you given in your academic journey?

Some advice that I got was to keep on track with what I wanted to accomplish and make sure I’m doing everything I am able to do in order to get to that point.

What colleges have you thought about possibly attending/graduating from?

Some colleges that I’ve been considering are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and Appalachian State University.

Who currently forms your support system?

People who form my support system are my parents, sister, and friends.

Have you given thought to what you’d like to study and become professionally after you graduate from college?

While I have not given it thought, there are many things and journeys I am willing to take to be able to figure out what I am passionate about doing in the future.

What will it mean to your family when you graduate from college? 

When I graduate college, I will be the first MacNabb in my family to go to college, so it will be a big deal in my family and mean a lot to them.

What piece of advice or words of wisdom do you have to WYWLA students who will be the first in their family to attend/ graduate from college?

Make sure that you know what you have to do to achieve what you are passionate about in your life and stick to it.