When I was in 6th grade, one of my teachers helped me through a tough time with Family drama, and this 6th-grade teacher's name was Miss Shaw. Miss Shaw was very caring and gave me a safe place to express myself without judgment. Miss Shaw was a Math teacher. She would allow me to spend my lunch in her class to nap or talk whatever I needed. She is why I decided to become an Educator so that I can be that for another child in need of a safe space. I joined the military when I was 18 years old and completed eight years with an honorable discharge. It wasn't until after my deployment that I realized I had a passion for creating. When I returned to the states, I had a rough time adapting to odd sounds and things. Shortly after my return, I found my outlet in creating wreaths, scrapbooks, and items, and I found that creating help ease my mind and allowed me to relax. This is why I decided to get an art degree to learn more about something that brings me peace. I ended up at CSULB because since I've never lived by a beach, I thought about what it would be like to go to college on the beach and made it my goal to attend CSULB.