I grew up in a small town in Upstate NY. It’s the type of place where last names get passed down through generations and the closest grocery store is 20 minutes away. I dreamt of cities and people who didn’t know my name. I dreamt of a fresh start.

I started playing hockey around the time that I could walk. I fell in love with the freedom of skating and losing myself for 60 minutes of a game. All my hard work paid off when I was recruited to play at Colby College.

My freshman fall, I declared a biology major. I thought I had my life figured out. I was going to go into Physical Therapy following my graduation. It was a safe choice, and one that eased some of my anxiety about life after college. I soon realized that my passions lay with people, their stories, who they chose to be, and how they expressed themselves. I switched my major to Psychology, still not knowing how I would use it. After taking a marketing class my junior year, all my interests started to align. Marketing was a way that I could create stories, study brands, and contribute to the ways in which they expressed themselves. I knew it was the career path for me.

In beginning the next chapter of my life, I can’t help but reminisce on the people and experiences that have created me, but I can’t wait for what is to come.