Growing up in the South as a displaced Northerner, I always felt like I wasn't able to fit in perfectly anywhere. I felt like I was too loud, too opinionated, too "judgey-eyed" to survive in the land of the pines.

What can I say?

Born and raised in "that somewhat nice part" of New Jersey, my family was uprooted and moved to North Carolina when I was five years old. I began riding horses, quickly going from the leadline division, to riding in flat classes, to jumping small crossrails, to showing in the Short Stirrup division, to taking a Friesian over a 4'6" oxer, and then, suddenly, dressage.

I graduated high school. I moved up north for college at Rochester Institute of Technology where I earned a Bachelor's of Science in Biology and a Master's of Science in Environmental Science.

During my time at RIT, I participated in countless activities within my community, and did the same outside my immediate community, met countless life-changing people, and had the time of my life.

Loving everything green, dirty, and 100% natural, I hiked 700 miles of the Appalachian Trail in 2016. I go by my secret agent name while out in the woods, Bandit.

Now, I'm stepping out in the world as an adult who continuously fails to adult. I'm technically homeless, a horse owner, broke, and loving every moment of it.

This is my story.