My name is Gabriella Pires, I am an 18 year old female in my first year of college at University of Rhode Island studying kinesiology. I have lived in Rhode Island my whole life, and with that I was hoping to experience my years as a young adult outside of my small state, but fate led me to stay in-state and attend URI due to financial challenges. However, I am proud to attend URI, because it has empowered me as a female in the health science field and has brought me closer to other strong and confident women. Going to school in-state, many of my classmates from high school also attend my university, however, joining a sorority allowed me to meet so many special and empowering women from all over who lift each other up. After just one semester of college, I feel like my mindset has grown immensely and I can finally start to imagine the bigger picture of my life. As a senior, applying to colleges was very daunting to me, because I had an expectation that I was going to have a picture perfect college experience, like the movies. I was really unsure of what I was going to study or where I was planning on going, but I knew I was interested in pursuing something in the healthcare field. After researching different majors, I settled on kinesiology because dancing competitively throughout high school showed me I want to pursue a career in treating sports related injuries. Dance has always had a special place in my heart, and I finally felt complete once realizing I could use my skill and knowledge I have gained in the studio within a professional career. While my goals are changing ever so often, I currently aspire to continue my bachelors in kinesiology and pursue a career in sports medicine, possibly by attending nursing school to become a nurse specializing in sports medicine, becoming a physician's assistant, or work as an athletic trainer. Regardless of what path I take, I see myself working in a clinical setting treating sports related injuries. This career is appealing to me because I see it as equally engaging and fulfilling, as I can foster love and care for the bodies of young athletes who misunderstand how to properly care for their bodies safely. This was an issue I witnessed a lot firsthand growing up, because I often saw how dancers treated their bodies poorly because they were not satisfied with what they were seeing in the mirror. This lead to lacking proper fuel for long nights at the studio, attempting unsafe tricks or pushing themselves too far, all common causes for injury. With that being said, I hope to one day have a successful career in the sports medicine field and to show young female athletes how to properly care for their bodies in order to be the most powerful women they can be.

Strong, confident and feminine, I admire Ilona Maher because she has paved the way for young girls to achieve whatever they set their minds to. Ilona is such a role model for girls supporting Team USA because she faces the world like a true girl boss. Ilona dominates in the world of rugby, Dancing With the Stars and social media, winning the hearts of young females all over the United States through her humor, heart and strength. Ilona is living proof that anything a girl puts her mind to, she can achieve. From her aggression on the rugby field or her grace on the dance floor, she teaches girls that working hard and staying dedicated pays off. I began to show my support for Ilona when I was charmed by her lively personality on TikTok, and once I was able to see how much of a powerful athlete she was by supporting her during the 2024 summer Olympics. Now, I continue to show my support towards Ilona by watching her dazzle the ballroom on Dancing With the Stars, always casting my votes for her. While there are many other athletes that have had immense impacts on the success of the United States in the 2024 Olympics, I truly admire Ilona the most because she represents being a strong women in more ways than one.

Every morning from 3rd grade to 5th grade my mom, my younger brother and I would get inside my mom's car, put in the 1989 CD and the first track, "Welcome to New York" would play before dropping my little brother off at daycare and heading to elementary school. 1989 has always had a special place in my heart because those were the first songs I remember falling in love with. Especially "Welcome to New York", because I thought it was fun and catchy as a young child and I was obsessed with the idea of living in a big city. While my version of New York may not be the city with "loud heartbeats" and "bright lights", I can acknowledge that I associate "Welcome to New York" as getting outside of your comfort zone. I can relate this song to my life now as I just recently started college, and I am getting used to living away from home and being in a new, unfamiliar environment. I am attending University of Rhode Island, the number one public university in New England, which has been a major adjustment considering overwhelming amount of students attending the university, all "searching for a sound we hadn't heard before". "Welcome to New York" romanticizes the idea of moving on to bigger and better things, as Taylor describes "everybody here wanted something more". Prior to college, I was thrilled for a new experience, ready to move out of my small town in northern Rhode Island. Now after being in college for about 2 months, I can feel myself starting to thrive and grow because I no longer feel tied down anymore. With the rerelease of 1989 (Taylor's Version), I was able to listen again to my favorite songs as a child with a new perspective. 1989 was no longer a fun and catchy album to listen to anymore, I really started to understand Taylor's experience growing up, experiencing the fun and admirable moments of growing up as well as the growing pains. 2024 has been the year of moving onwards and upwards, characterized by turning 18, graduating high school, starting college and leaving my hometown. "Welcome to New York" was able to perfectly illustrate the changes I was experiencing, by comparing life in a new city to life while transitioning into college. For that, I will forever be thankful for the impact 1989 had on me, starting with "Welcome to New York".

#1). Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I first heard about this book on TikTok and read it this past winter. This book will forever be one of my favorites because it was the perfect escape to summer during the winter. Within a heartbeat, this will always be my first choice because it was the escape. This book truly felt like it took me somewhere and it was able to alleviate problems in my personal life and transported me to Malibu in the '80s. After reading this book, I felt wise. I felt like I'd lived another life. That's a book I could read time and time again. #2). The Deal by Elle Kennedy. Although I have seen this book on BookTok, I don't think there are enough posts talking about this book. I was amazed when I first read the start of the Off Campus series. It was out of my comfort zone because it's more mature than what I normally gravitate towards, but this book was the gateway for me to read books that take place in college, and it allowed me to start romanticizing college. This book is the perfect escape because it is the perfect fantasy of a college romance. This book made me obsessed with the college lifestyle and I can't wait to explore my opportunities in college after reading this. #3). The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. I'm obsessed with this story and I think I always will be. I created such a connection with the characters and I think what made me fall in love with this book so much was longing for a connection like that. Summers have always made me feel lonely and depressed, and being able to live vicariously through Belly and the other characters made me begin to romanticize summer. Even though I won't ever experience the lifestyle the characters have in this book, I'm still obsessed with the story and reading it made me begin to embody Belly's confidence and admirability. #4). I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. This book broke my heart. I can't believe the girl I used to admire on Nickolodean could write such a heartwrenching story about her broken childhood. I'm glad BookTok introduced me to this incredible story because it completely changed my perspective on the lives of famous child stars. It allowed me to empathize with Jennette while also making me angry at the life she was forced to live. This book taught me gratitude for a "normal" childhood. This was a hard read, but worthwhile. If you couldn't already tell, my favorite stories aren't just my favorites because I saw them on BookTok. They are my favorites because they've shaped me into the person I am today. I feel the resilience of Nina in Malibu Rising. I admire the confidence of Hannah in The Deal. I obsess over Belly's life in The Summer I Turned Pretty. I feel for those struggling like Jennette in I'm Glad My Mom Died. These books aren't just a collection of words to me. They are stories; stories that I cherish and wish I could read them again and again and again for the first time. Thank goodness for BookTok because without it, I probably wouldn't have been introduced to these books.