As I write this, I'm now back home for the summer. As I unpack my clothes, my postcards, and my photos from my dorm, I can't help but reflect on my first year of college.

Going into school, I had the added stress of completely moving out of my hometown in New Jersey with only two weeks to turn around and then move out to Boston. Additionally, I was the only person in my high school graduating class to choose Emerson, so I went in completely alone. Thankfully, things turned out okay, and I quickly started to feel at home.

I have loved meeting so many people with different perspectives, who came to Boston from all over the country. I have friends on the East and West Coasts, and what feels like everywhere in between. My favorite thing about college is that my career path involves so much storytelling, and the city around me is constantly radiating new and interesting stories.

I've met musicians, artists, and filmmakers who each have a unique passion for their respective crafts. It's been an honor to tell their stories through my own work, and to learn more about the intricate details that go into music producing and filmmaking.

Victory parades, protests, and marches have all made their way down my street at one point or another. I've captured confetti and smiles and picket signs and screams through my camera lens, in the thick of it in my corner of the city.

My new Boston neighborhood set the scene for so many memories and valuable experiences. Only my second week into school, I auditioned for a role as an on-air broadcast correspondent on a campus news show, and was lucky enough to get the position, becoming the only freshman on the cast during my first semester.

This was easily one of my most impactful experiences of my first year. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to work with such a talented and respectful cast and crew, who taught me so much about broadcast journalism in a single year. Never have I ever envisioned myself on screen, so this was a truly pleasant surprise.

I worked as a behind-the-scenes photographer on a film set. I joined a sorority. All of these things are things that were completely unexpected. College has pushed me from my comfort zone in the best way possible, and led me to so many new, positive people and opportunities. I look forward to more adventures in my new city, and to more continuous inspiration and challenges.