I love college. I can try so many things. I always wanted to do music so I started in audio engineering, but I was getting more interested in marketing—it’s creative and I’m a creative person. My uAspire advisor encouraged me to apply to the media and communication arts department, so I went through the whole application, and I got in. I was so excited, I texted her, “I got it!”

My advisor is amazing. I can text her about anything and she'll figure it out with me. I’ve had conflicts with schedules or financial aid and if I didn't have her advice or help writing emails, I wouldn't know what to do. She'll text me about opportunities and give me suggestions like “maybe talk to this person, apply for something like this.” And it's eye-opening because I wouldn't have thought about that stuff.

She also helped me apply for internships. I have to call the financial aid office and see if I can even work for a few months without it affecting my financial aid. It's not just about paying for college. It's trying to help my mom or buying books, transportation, and it all adds up. I've managed to take three or four-week internships and not affect my financial aid, but it’s difficult because I want to get that experience during college.

During the pandemic, my uAspire Advisor also helped me with the transition from in-person to online. I was so used to being on campus, seeing people face-to-face, and then I was missing out on all that. I had to just stare at a screen all day, it was hard to keep up the energy. I felt so disconnected, but she helped with that. Working with my advisor, I’m more organized, dedicated, and more relaxed because I have the support system that I need.