What brought you to WYWLA?  How did you feel when you were accepted?
This things that brought me to WYWLA were the strong community that is shared here, and the academics provided by WYWLA. At first, I felt very nervous about attending WYWYLA because I had no friends from my prior school, which meant that I would have to make new friends all by myself.

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

I would describe myself as social, kind, and intelligent in middle school.

Do you feel added pressure being part of a first generation in your family to attend/ graduate from college?  Explain?  Any struggles you’ve encountered?

I do feel some pressure because I feel as though the people in my family are very much expecting me to do well academically. One of the main struggles that I have faced is putting too much pressure on myself to try to be the best and just overworking myself in general.

You have two older sisters who have attended and graduated from WYWLA and are now in college. What advice have they given you in your academic journey?  

The biggest takeaways that I get from my sisters' advice is to pace myself and to take time off when needed or else I will just burn out trying to keep up.

How has their making it to college influenced you?

My sisters making it to college has helped me become more hopeful that I can follow in their footsteps, and it has also made me realize that although I may have struggles I will overcome them.

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

I have UNC Wilmington in mind when thinking about colleges I want to attend, or I would like to attend UNC Chapel Hill.

Who currently forms your support system?  

My main support system would have to be my older sister Jeralynn, and my best friend Jade. They have supported me through thick and thin, and I know that I can always rely on them if I’m going through a tough time.

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

Although I do not know what I would specifically like to do after I graduate, I am aware that I want to work in science that would help people when I’m older.

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

I will mean the world to my family when I graduate especially my parents, because they would have been able to see me grow from a child into someone ready to help the world.

When you face obstacles or challenges now, how do you overcome them?  

There are certain things that I do when I feel overwhelmed to help me relax, some of those include going somewhere in private and just relaxing myself or reaching out to someone that I trust.

Who are some people who have championed you throughout your life?  Who motivates and believes in you at WYWLA?  Who inspires you to achieve/ to soar?

Some people at WYWLA who have motivated me are my group of friends because they are very supportive and are always willing to lend a helping hand and let me know that I am smarter than I think I am. 

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

Some advice I would give to others who are first-generation college students is to make sure you save some time for yourself and to always remember that someone is always there for you in case you fall.