Taught by all mothers around the world, my greatest financial lesson circulates around the saying that, "we have food at home". It was not until I weaned off from my college meal plan in 2019 that I saw the true deficits in my financial budgeting. I quickly learned that one of the pros and cons to living in a college town was the easy access to 24-hour drive-thrus. Temptation to grab a bite from one of these chains grew with each day, as I drove past a dozen on my route home from class. In the morning’s I would often buy a coffee out of mere convenience, a convincing transaction that my spending had been justified. It was not until the end of each month that I fell victim to the consequences of my over-spending and was hit with harsh reality that I could not spend more than I had. Budgeting entered my life in 2019 and revolutionized the way I viewed money forever. I learned to use coupons and narrowed down the grocery stores that had the best bang for your buck. Such a small change that yielded grand outcomes. I began eating healthier, saved time and money! I had transformed and truly became the epitome of “we have food at home”, a saying that I now understand. It makes me laugh to say that my mother was right all these years, but I must give credit where it is due. Coming from someone that previously used laziness and convenience as an excuse, there can always be a way to cut down costs and in my instance, eating at home saved me a fortune!

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world". This quote resonates heavily with me, as I have been researching and planning a medical trip with African Impact to Livingstone, Zambia. During my winter break, I would volunteer using my background in phlebotomy and basic life support to aid those in need and who lack the necessary resources to regulate their health. Healthcare acts as a basic fundament to protect others from an array of harm, a privilege myself and many I know have been fortunate enough to have all our lives. Having studied biology, pre-medicine, and now public health with a concentration in epidemiology-- I've learned that to help others, we need to be a part of that change. The pandemic has affected millions of lives and it has been difficult to sit and watch on the sidelines. With the financial help, I would be able to cover my expenses to travel to Zambia as a medical aid for 10 days. Aside from this trip acting as beneficial, I am so excited to learn from this experience; to learn about their culture, food, and lifestyle in Livingstone. It would truly be a dream come true and a gift to travel to Livingstone, Zambia. While contributing to the change I wish to see in the world, I am confident that as I would help others, my life would simultaneously be touched forever.

If prior to entering college, you had asked me whether I had a passion for education, I would have confidently replied, no. Looking back on my younger-self, I had this unstoppable force of a mindset that I should reserve my interests for only things medical. My sophomore year in college, I received a Canvas notification from my pre-medicine advisor, stating that a local non-profit was looking for volunteers to tutor teenagers struggling with school in the community. After hours of pondering whether I would be a good fit for this role, I decided to give it a shot and figured, it doesn't hurt to try something new! The day had finally arrived for me to meet my mentee, a super sweet girl who had immigrated at a young age from the Dominican Republic. I was assigned the role of a biology tutor but ended up helping in an array of subjects. I laugh when I think back on the relationship we had, because when we first met, she absolutely despised me. I completely understand where she was coming from now, as most of her life she struggled with trusting others and was often overlooked due to some differences from her peers. We would spend our time completing her homework and extra time on the subjects she did not perform well in. By the end of our time together, we had become quite close, and it was an honor to listen to her stories about her friends and family. To be let in on her gossip meant everything to me, as I became her confidante and contributed towards her growth of confidence. I admire that all along, she impacted me in ways that I thought I would only help her, a beautiful mentorship that taught me that learning goes both ways.

I was raised in an environmentally conscious household; one that composted, grew most of our vegetables, and was mindful of our energy usage. It was not until I moved into my college home with four other roommates that I had realized the impact my family instilled on me. As a college junior, I found myself itching with anxiety when lights or electronics were left on without a person occupying that space. Funny enough, this trait morphed into a joke within our household and through time, I saw my little changes become a way of normalcy for my roommates. This small but powerful correction helped me realize just how easy it was to educate others and contribute our share to our planet. I've come to find out that we live in a society that heavily dictates the health of our environment and being the person that I am today, I am mindful that the ways in which I act as a climate change maker tend to be on the smaller scale. The best that I can do are little changes to reduce my carbon footprint like, having a reusable water bottle and grocery bags or carpooling. It saddens me that great changes can only be made at the governmental and 1% level, a responsibility that holds too much damage. Therefore, I use my right to vote in every election. Change begins at the local level and exercising the right to vote is a powerful tool to make our voices heard, especially when it comes to climate change. Aside from voting, protesting legislation is a strong method that generations have used to advance change for our planet and with living so close to our Nation's capital, I can attest that these changes are heard and carry enormous impact along with voting.