On home…

I live in Guilderland, NY with my mom, dad, and brother. I spend lots of time with my family, whether it's playing Clue for the hundredth time or watching a new TV show that just came out! 

I have a labradoodle named Rex. I’d wanted a dog my whole life, so I fell in love when we finally got him just three years ago! I also lease a horse named Dutton, who I met a little over a year ago. I love spending time with animals, especially Rex and Dutton!

On Emma…

Last year I was in ninth grade at a different high school. I had no friends in any of my classes and was too shy to try to make new ones. My mom suggested going to Emma in eighth grade, but I ultimately forgot about the option. In the end, I decided to take a tour in October of 2022. 

Immediately, I fell in love with the beautiful campus. I watched others going to and from class, talking and laughing with their friends, and I knew it was the perfect place for me. 

Now, I’ve been at Emma since September, and I’m a completely different person. At the beginning of the year, everyone was so friendly to me, and I came out of my shell surprisingly quickly. I met people who played the same sport as me, people who loved Taylor Swift just as much as me, and most of all, people who welcomed me without hesitation. I’d never felt so welcome and like I’d belonged at a place as much as I felt at Emma. I became so much happier and less stressed, and actually looked forward to going to school! It was, and still is, the best feeling to be at a place where I’m able to comfortably learn and grow without constantly feeling like I had to not be myself in order to fit in. 

I love Emma so much, and it is 100% the right school for me.

 

 

 

On horseback riding…

I’m passionate about horseback riding! I first started when I was five (breaking the rules because I was supposed to be six) and felt an immediate connection with the animals. Since then, I’ve had lots of highs, and even more lows, but I’ve pushed through. 

I met Dutton, a horse that I rode because I couldn’t ride the horse that I usually rode, in March of 2023. I was still learning things, and he was too since he’d only come to the barn a few months before. He taught me that I needed to get better at steering, and I was with him as he learned how to trot over poles, and later learned how to canter over poles. 

He’s been with me through moments of self-doubt (there have been a lot) and also during times when I finally learned a new skill and was smiling uncontrollably. He took me to my first show, and even though by the end of the day we were both wiped out, he still did perfectly. I have so much to thank him for, especially for putting up with me! He has taught me that to progress, sometimes you just need to take a break and have fun. 

 

On reading and writing…

I love reading books. Someday I want to have a published book. Recently I’ve been looking into the process and how some of my favorite authors achieve it. I love reading fiction and have so much fun writing it, but until the past two or three months I haven’t been super serious about it. I’ve been trying to come up with book ideas for a while now. Some have gone on for 10,000 words, some only 1,000. They range from dystopian and mystery to cheesy rom-coms. I usually get stuck after a while, but I try not to let it hold me back from my goals. I open up a new document and get started brainstorming another idea. I want to continue learning about how authors get their books published and keep on going with my writing habit. Hopefully, someday I will have a book published!

 

On Pintag…

I’m a super competitive person, so when I heard about Pintag, I immediately knew that it would be amazing. As I’m writing this, it’s the second week of the game, and I’m still in! It’s a stressful game, but worth it for the satisfaction you feel after pinning your person. 

I’ve got my friends helping me out, so I’m hoping to be able to make it a few more days! I love how everyone at Emma is so involved in the game, even if they aren’t playing.