New Beginnings.

My college plans were much like those of any high school graduate. Go to a university, graduate in four years, find a job that I am in love with, and start my life.

It's funny how things change.

After 3 semesters at Azusa Pacific University, an incredible semester abroad in South Africa, and two semesters at Santa Monica College where I worked to finish classes so I could transfer to UCLA this fall, I am preparing to start a 10-month stint with an AmeriCorps program called City Year which places 17-24 year olds in schools across the country in order to address the high school dropout rate that plagues America's schools and help get kids back on track to graduate. Thanks to UCLA's rejection letter, I get to do tangible things to help the city of LA, work alongside more than 200 amazing people who share a passion for change, and have a year to get a better idea of what I want to do with my life. So put THAT in your pipe and smoke it, UCLA. Powder blue isn't my color anyway.

This weekend I am moving into my new house downtown (located right in between USC and the Staples Center), and will be living with 13 other guys and girls who are also City Year corps members. The interactions that I've had in person with a few of my new housemates and my hours of very thorough Facebook creeping have given me reason to believe that this is about to be the greatest year ever. I'm on a rather roundabout route to a college diploma, but I am beginning to feel more and more secure about the decisions I have made to get to this point. I'm so excited for the things I'm going to do and learn this year. I'm excited for the friendships I'm going to make. And let's be real...I'm excited I won't have homework for a whole year. But mostly I'm excited for the opportunity to make a difference. On Monday, I officially start my year with Basic Training Academy which is a month-long training process that will get me prepared to start working in schools in September. I'm going to do my best to update this blog regularly. Until next time! Thanks for reading. :)


"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." -Douglas Adams