I identify the most with Pam. I love to see her development arc in seasons 1 through 8 and how she slowly grows to have a stronger sense of self, gain confidence, and pursue the things she wants out of life. Being a self-proclaimed "people-pleaser", I am on this path and trajectory as well as a 30-year-old woman, and I am learning to stand up for myself much like Pam during the "Beach Day" episode and onward. The Office has shaped the way I view office politics, and figures of authority, and appreciate my coworker's quirks. Seeing Michael's development as the Manager, I can see my bosses more as people and less as untouchable demi-gods, who cannot be questioned or challenged. I am able to see the value of a coworker who's odd social tendencies might otherwise irk me, and have more patience if I treat them like Dwight. And of course, I try to treat those on the older end of the workplace spectrum with respect, because they might be just like Creed and I don't know what they're capable of (including being a gifted virtuoso who might break out a guitar and charm me with a song, on our last day of work). I regularly quote The Office both inside and outside of my workplace and love how the show highlights such a specific yet relatable facet of the human personality.

The biggest thing I've learned through recovery and my 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous is that my story, although important and valid, is not unique. I used alcohol, like many others, to self-medicate and numb my feelings of depression, anxiety, self-hatred, self-doubt, and fear of failure. I got sober on August 22, 2021, after a years-long battle with addiction, at the age of 29. I jumped in head first to a program of recovery and clung on to dear life to those around me to help show me the way to not only get "sober" but to become a person who felt worthy of a life beyond my wildest dreams. I found in time that not being unique in my battle also meant that I was no longer not alone. Recovery, to me, is so much more than the absence of a physical dependency on a drink or drug. Recovery is a community, it is becoming comfortable with discomfort, and truly becoming ready to accept life as it is. Recovery has allowed me to live my life differently, pursue previously unfathomable dreams, and be there for my friends and family in a meaningful way. In recovery, I applied for my Master's in Social Work, and have begun the work to help others in addiction in the future. Recovery has allowed me to fully learn: about myself and embrace the academic challenges of a Master's Degree. Recovery has given me the desire to live fully and accept life on life's terms.