drenched you in a blissful warmth. It was days like those where I would bathe in the absence of age. I would spend hours in the backyard daydreaming and fighting my made-up monsters. Where the yard met the forest, there was milkweed sprouting. Sometimes I would find myself plucking a leaf and ripping it in half. I would watch the milky, sticky sap fall down my palm. Monarchs would flock to these plants and drink the nectar, fueling up for the long migration ahead.

In 2014, we picked up our lives and moved to Tampa, Florida. This was devastating for me. I always imagined growing up in that town and living the rest of my life in Minnesota. Worst of all, I left my family and friends behind. I had my challenges when it came to my schooling, it didn't make it any easier while trying to navigate a whole new social scene. For the next 7 years, I resented the move. I hated that we left. However, now -- 5 years later -- I am grateful that I was able to experience this new chapter. All the new experiences that I wouldn't have had because I was stuck in that flytrap town.

I graduated college in May of 2026 with my bachelors degree in journalism. In journalism, it is essential to create compelling stories to captivate audiences while still maintaining the publication's voice -- which is a vital component to marketing. It was difficult but I value a challenge that makes me all the better at my job. I am eager to bring that discipline to an agency environment where writing moves people toward something. A trained journalist is exactly what marketing demands.

And that is the most simplified version of how I ended up here... well for now. This is a placeholder for a more detailed version, haha.