Graduating from barber school in the spring was a defining moment in my journey toward becoming a professional barber. During school I started working at a barbershop on the weekends. It was a stressful time as practicals and final exams started to wind up at school and I had to make sure I was showing my best work on the weekends. This opportunity has allowed me to grow from the skills I had already gained since I was around professionals all day long. Along with starting my career, I have also been able to move into the city of Boston on my own- a move that feels like both a personal and professional milestone. The road to this point, however, wasn’t always smooth. Barber school was challenging, both mentally and physically. Balancing the technical aspects of cutting hair, learning the art of grooming, and developing my customer service skills weren’t easy. There were days when the pressure of homing different techniques felt overwhelming, and I sometimes questioned my progress. But each challenge became a lesson in persistence and improvement. I quickly learned that success in this profession required lots of consistency as every client brings some new challenge. Besides the barber school journey, personal hurdles outside of work arose. Moving into the city was exciting but also intimidating. The pace of life in the city is a lot faster than I’m used to, and I had to adjust to the chaos that is navigating through the city and be able to get to work at an appropriate time. This forced me to get a consistent schedule to stay on top of all that. Besides that, being able to live and work in the Boston area has given me access to a vibrant community and endless opportunities to grow in my craft.
Jack Crawford - Bowdoin College
This past semester at Bowdoin College has been an incredibly enriching and dynamic experience. I continued singing with the a cappella group, the Bowdoin Longfellows, and remained an active member of the rowing team, which has been a significant part of my life since freshman year. I continue to play piano and contribute to the Bowdoin music collective, a group that has inspired and supported my musical growth. One of the most exciting developments has been starting a band called Kaleidoscope, where I am the lead singer and guitarist. We’ve performed five times over the course of the semester including a performance for Bowdoin’s President Safa Zaki. I’ve also begun writing my own songs, and we’re eager to perform as a band during the spring semester. Academically, I’ve been focused on Italian and music courses, preparing to declare my major this winter, in music with a concentration in theory and composition, along with a minor in Italian. I am incredibly grateful for the continued support of MVYouth, as none of these opportunities would have been possible without it.
Wren Christy - Middlebury College
This fall semester has been a semester of great learning, experience, and enjoyment. Throughout this semester, I have moved forward in my interest in Psychology and have declared it as my major. I am also considering a minor in gender studies as I have taken a number of courses in that area and find them relevant to my other studies. I have been able to take some fascinating psychology courses this semester such as social psychology and psychology disorders, furthering my interest in human nature and cognition. Outside of my academic schedule, I have been able to serve the Middlebury community by volunteering at the Middlebury Open Door Clinic. Working at the Open Door Clinic allows me to see the larger community surrounding the college and has helped me broaden my perspective on healthcare. Another huge part of this past semester for me has been spending a second year on the Middlebury women's cross country team. When I thought I couldn’t love it anymore, I found that the team this year has even more personality, fun and drive to love. Being able to help the freshman flow into their first year has been so much fun. With the bit of extra free time I had this semester, I have looked forward to summer internships and career paths. I have recently accepted an internship for this coming summer on the Vineyard. My goal for this summer was to come back to the Vineyard to continue helping the Island community as well as expand my horizons both by working with new people and having new experiences that push me to broaden my thinking. I feel that the skills I have learned through my college classes have encouraged me to become interested in helping the Island community and give back the knowledge that I have gained with just a bit of college experience. I am very grateful for the opportunities that MVYouth has given me and I thank all who are involved for your kindness and generosity. These past semesters have been full of amazing experiences and I can’t wait to explore more!
Eloise Christy - Middlebury College
My sophomore fall this year has been very enjoyable at Middlebury College. I live in a beautiful building called Pearsons that overlooks the Adirondack Mountains with one of my best friends, which has made this semester much more easygoing. I spent a lot of time this semester working on the internship process and figuring out what I want my major to be, which has contributed greatly to learning who I am and what interests me most. I have a newfound passion for environmental studies and am pursuing that in my future class this spring of social environmental justice. I also have spent a lot of my time and effort on my sport, track and field, running around our campus and through the trails around Middlebury and welcoming in and getting to know our new freshmen. This semester, I was enrolled in an American politics class, an ethnography of organizations class, an environmental and conservation studies class, and an art class. This group of classes was definitely challenging, but they helped me think in different ways and develop skills in areas like art, writing, analysis, and understanding how our country works. I declared my major in Political Science and I’m excited to explore what opportunities that will bring me in the future. In this major, the classes are difficult, but that’s one of the reasons I felt this major would be beneficial to me. When things are challenging, it makes me work harder at them to better my understanding and create my own thoughts on those topics. I want to thank and appreciate the MVYouth community for being so helpful and encouraging my learning. I am looking forward to my upcoming semester and continuing to work toward my major in Political Science. I have loved my time at Middlebury College, where I get to make lots of lifelong friends and be able to attend college in such an outstanding place.
Dyanna Burke - Spa Tech Institute
I graduated from Spa Tech Institute this past April. It was an amazing opportunity, and I am so grateful to have received help from MVYouth, to attend. After graduation, I went on to work on the island. I spent my summer, and fall (up until January), working as an esthetician. I love and enjoy every second I get to spend doing something I love and want to grow as a career. Recently, I have started college. I am currently attending Curry College. After spending some time gaining experience as an esthetician, and slowly building up my clientele, I decided to continue my education. I decided this because I felt like it was the right time, and for my future career. I am majoring in Public Relations. My goal after school is to work in Beauty PR. I am hoping to make connections with skincare, and makeup brands. I want to continue to work as an esthetician, alongside this. I will be continuing my esthetics career during the summers on MV. Hopefully one day (later on), I will own a spa. The transition back into school has been less stressful than I anticipated. I have met great people, fantastic professors, and readjusted to off-island living once again. I have been taking more GEN ED courses this semester (as it is my first). I only started college a week ago, so there is not much else I can say about my classes yet. So Far, so good! I am super grateful (even almost a year after graduating from Esthetics school), for the help and opportunity MVYouth and all the donors provided me. I am so excited to see what the future holds for me, and my career. Also, to see where I go in these next few years in college!
Evelyn Brewer - University of Southern California
My first semester as a sophomore at the University of Southern California has been a challenging semester but I saw a lot of academic growth. This was my first semester with a declared music minor so I had to find balance between my Occupational therapy major with my minor. Incorporating music into my academic journey has given me a creative outlet that complements my OT studies. I took classes such as physiology, music theory, piano, and MIDI sequencing, each of which offered a unique set of skills. From learning about music theory to exploring the therapeutic potential of music, I’ve discovered exciting intersections between these fields that can be applicable to my future career. This semester has also taught me the value of time management and self-care. Balancing rigorous coursework, extracurricular activities, and social life has been demanding, but it’s pushed me to grow and adapt. I’ve learned to prioritize and try to find a balance in all aspects of my life. In addition to academics, my friendships have been just as important and have made this such an enjoyable semester whether we’re studying in the library for hours or exploring California on the weekends. I've been living with five of my best friends this semester and it has been such a fun experience. From sharing and cooking meals together, late night conversations and being able to share accomplishments with each other it all has added so much joy into my life. I’ve also been able to continue my involvement in the university’s clubs, such as Share a Meal and the American Lung Association Club. This group has become an important addition to my life, expanding new friendships and also ended up being another rewarding aspect of being involved in this club. I've had such a great experience so far. I really want to cherish it. I want to thank MVYouth and the donors who have made attending USC possible. It means so much to me and I am grateful for all the opportunities and joy it has brought me.
Maggie Bernard - Northeastern University
This past semester has been my first fall semester here at Northeastern. Being in Boston for the fall has definitely been one of my favorite experiences. I got to carve and paint pumpkins with my roommates and now in the winter months go to many holiday markets on the weekend. This past summer I changed my path of study which is something Northeastern lends itself very well to. This semester was my first semester taking communications class and I can say that I very thoroughly enjoyed it but did miss some aspects of my psychology class so am considering adding it as a minor. I really appreciate how easy it is to change your path here if you feel that is the right choice for you. It allows you to not feel stuck and set in one channel. This past semester has been both academically demanding and rewarding, I deeply enjoyed all of my classes ranging from foundations of psychology to visual communication, while they have been quite tiresome and demanding at times they have also been quite rewarding in helping me put myself on the right path. I switched my major from psychology and criminal justice to sports media and communication, which I know is a drastic change however due to the opportunity Northeastern has with the co-op program I believed that this change was beneficial to me in order to let me achieve a co-op that I ideally want to do next summers/fall. Overall this semester has been filled with lots of good changes and discovery of myself which I believe is one of the most important parts of college not only to achieve your degree but to discover you as your own unique individual. It is ok if I changed what I was doing doesn’t mean I did something wrong just found something I was more passionate about.
Madeleine Bengtsson - Smith College
I had a great third semester at Smith College! I took a fascinating Spanish class – “Asian-Latine Cultural Encounters” – focusing on the relations between parts of Asia and the Americas. I also took an education class on the Learning Sciences, a Latin American Studies course and an acting elective. I’ve continued with the Glee Club – now serving on the board – and this year I’m one of the Social Event Coordinators for my house (dormitory building). With this position, I’ve hosted events such as a pumpkin carving activity and monthly movie nights, which have been so fun! I’ve grown so close to my residence community, through Friday Tea and my position on House Council, and I still immerse myself in Smith traditions. . . On Mountain Day this year, my friends and I went apple-picking at a nearby orchard! I also joined Smith Cheerleading as a fun, new extracurricular to get to know more people and stay active. We cheer at basketball games, and perform at a competition in the spring. I look forward to my next set of classes: “Portuguese for Spanish Speakers”, an education class centered around race, and the gateway to Translation Studies, among others. I’m a Spanish Major (prospective Education Minor), and the translations course would go towards a Translations Concentration, if I so choose to pursue that. I also loved being in the musical last year, so I hope to partake in some form of theatre again next semester. At Smith I have so many options, and the school helps solidify my academic and life goals. It’s due to the continued support of MVYouth and the generosity of my Vineyard community that I’m able to take such interesting classes, and participate in a wide array of opportunities at the college that I chose and love. I’m so grateful.
Nikeya Tankard - Connecticut College
Though I went into college thinking I would study English and Government, a great class taught me more than Government or Politics — It taught me that my desires for advocacy and engagement might be suited better within other frames and areas. I finished off the semester with a 3.75 GPA and excelled in classes American Studies, a more interdisciplinary examination of our American society through writing, art, music and media, and Fundamentals in two dimensions, a foundational yet challenging 2D art class. So, for now, I’m thinking of majoring in English and Art in hopes of going into the Creative Directing or Design fields. I also found great joy in dancing, an activity I never thought I’d indulge in again since covid, despite my 10 years of experience prior at our very own Rise VPA. At Conn I am in Dance Club and I regularly participate in other student performances. I have two coming up this semester, so please wish me luck! Other than dance I enjoy tasty morning matcha lattes at our many amazing student-run coffee shops on campus, afternoons on the green in between classes on those few sunny days we had this season, and study sessions with music, tea, and a lot of chatter in my room as the sun sets for the day. Despite my previous mindset based in predictability, planning, and order, I have learned over these past months to revel in the unknown. Rather than trying to plan out the rest of my life, I am enjoying taking it one step at a time as things more naturally progress. Some opportunities I look forward to for the near future are Conn’s study-away opportunities and expanding my job experience this Summer. All in all, I am so excited to indulge deeper into the range of areas Conn has to offer, and share my new skills and passions when I get back home all thanks to the great support and generosity of the Martha's Vineyard community and the MVYouth scholarship program!
Norah Prestley - University of Saint Joseph's
My first semester at the University of Saint Joseph was definitely something to remember. The expectations that I had set for the fall semester were not shown in the reality. I am currently majoring in nursing, so I had been warned by many people that I would struggle. They were not wrong. As I headed into college, I had a feeling that most of my time would be spent in the library on campus doing my homework, studying, and building some study groups. That expectation was 100% the reality, but it doesn’t stop there. I had expected that everyone was going to be looking for friends and everyone would have grown out of stupid high school drama, but that’s just not the case. Maybe, its different at other schools considering my school is so tiny, but making friends was my biggest challenge, and the drama was still present. I had begun to realize that everyone has their own clicks with people, and they aren’t particularly looking for more friends. This left me feeling quite lonely all the time. Most of my days were spent in my dorm room (alone), or in the library (alone). Now, this update isn’t supposed to be sad or lame, so let me talk about the good parts of college that I experienced. My school gives their students a wonderful privilege called “Woof Wednesday” and it’s all about having a bunch of dogs on campus on Wednesday’s and you just get to play with them and pet them. That was probably my favorite thing about my campus. Another wonderful thing about my school is the professors that I worked with. All my professors were so understanding and cooperative with me and they really took the time to get to know me and help me when I needed it. This definitely supported throughout my tough science classes. The academics are time consuming and hard to understand, but not impossible; and I couldn’t have done it without my awesome professors. All in all, some of my expectations were met and some were not. But, at the end of the day, I made it through; and I can’t wait to see what the spring semester brings me.
Jahzarah McIntosh - University of Michgan
Being able to study at the University of Michigan is truly a dream. If it weren’t for the continuous support of my family and friends back home and in other parts of the United States, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. I feel immense gratitude for those who have helped me, which pushes me every day to have the best university experience I can. I am currently part of multiple faith-based clubs at the University of Michigan and serving on the executive board for a consulting club. I also have discovered a new passion for computer science, and I plan on making that my minor. Our programming team even won an award for the game that we designed! I am looking forward to recruiting for competitive investment clubs next winter. Classes are not so hard if you study right! Ann Arbor is beautiful in the fall, and I love walking around or spending time with my friends spontaneously. The winters in Michigan are not as bad as people say, in fact, a part of me embraces the cold and cloudy mornings. It’s crazy to think about how much has happened and time has flown so quickly. To anyone listening or reading this, I urge you to never give up on your goals and never be afraid to ask for help. As a first-generation college student, it was easy to get swept up in myself and feel like I had to take on this burden alone. But that was and is never the case. My time at the University of Michigan has been both challenging and exciting, and I embrace that feeling with every new morning. My gratitude extends indefinitely.
Kimberly Marques - Rhode Island College
Everyone can agree that your first step in anything is never easy. Leaving what has been home for all my life is not easy. But Rhode Island College made the process easier. RIC is the perfect distance, I’m far enough to have my space, but close enough to go home whenever. Stepping on campus with tears in my eyes went from such a scary feeling to a feeling of comfort. RIC gave me the rural comfort from back home but also gave me a city for when it's time for a break. During my first semester away, I was able to experience such amazing yet scary experiences while being challenged both academically and emotionally. Though this semester came with many challenges, I couldn’t be more happy and thankful for going through those challenges. MVYouth gave me an opportunity to chase my biggest dream since I was a kid. MVYouth was something I didn’t think was possible for me. I applied with so many nerves sure that maybe I wouldn’t move forward, scared of what would come next. But I couldn’t thank MVYouth enough for the amazing opportunity and support. Though nursing school is far from easy, realizing that I’m one step closer is my motivation.
Rebecca Mandelli - Providence College
The school year started and I was full swing into the Providence College groove. I barely got to say bye to my parents and was already bombarded with the typical “where are you from?” and “what’s your major?” questions. Although I felt like I never had time to process anything due to the go go go of the first couple weeks, I still found myself upset and missing home. I love my roommates and they tried really hard to get me out of the room and to the various activities going on around campus. At this point school was picking up and I felt like I had finally gotten the hang of where things were on campus and I was starting to make different friendships. The third week of school I declared my double major and my minor, the work load definitely added up and I did feel like I was drowning for a good portion of the semester. But I kept telling myself that this is why I was here and that I needed to do this so I could be successful in my future career. Aside from school I tried out and became a part of the women’s club hockey team and through that I have made so many friends. I also am a part of Best Buddies and try to help out at the Special Olympics whenever I don’t have hockey. After Columbus Day I went back to school and tried to make the most of it until I would be back for Thanksgiving. I had friends visit me and I tried to get out there more. This past month I have fallen in love with Providence College and I don’t think I could ever see myself anywhere else. The school work is definitely challenging but my professors are so kind and helpful. I have also found a good groups of friends that I love to be around. PC is slowly becoming home and I can’t wait to go back next semester! I love Friartown!
Georgia Magden - University of Mississippi
I am currently on a gap year before I attend the University of Mississippi and so far it has been marvelous. During the month of September I continued my job at Vineyard Pilates & Bodywork and “helped” Annie Ollen (2015 MVYouth recipient) coach girls JV soccer (I think I did very little in the way of actually coaching). After that, I went down to northern Mississippi and have been gallivanting around with my grandmother ever since. My grandmother grew up and spent the majority of her life in the University of Mississippi’s college town and she has happily shown me all that this state has to offer. I’ve met influential Mississippi politicians, joined a Political Action Committee, gone to the royal ballet, met the former chancellor of the University, read a lot, attended Ole Miss athletics and music performances, helped my grandmother clean out her garage (no small feat let me tell you) and built a community I am excited to use during my time in college. Personally, taking a gap year has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has only reaffirmed my desire to attend this school and it has given me the opportunity to build relationships with people separate from the school community. It has also allowed me to recuperate from an incredibly draining senior year and ensure that I will be able to give my best once I actually get to college. I am incredibly grateful that MVYouth has allowed me to take this time off and the peace of mind scholarship affords cannot be overstated.
Olivia MacPherson - Bridgewater State University
I knew from the moment I stepped on campus that this was the place I needed to be to continue on in my career path. Now that the first semester is over, I can say it did not disappoint. I have gotten to join the poetry club, participate in events for my major, and meet a bunch of new people. I just wrapped up the first semester and am excited to start on the next. This semester I focused on my core credits for general studies, making sure I was on track with what was necessary to get to the next year. I especially enjoyed my class in sociology, and plan on taking more classes of this subject in the future. I even signed up for another next semester. Now that a lot of my credits are figured out, and I have either taken or signed up for all my first year core requirements, I will be taking a child study course. I am super excited to officially start classes for my major, and have even found an extra program that should help out with this. I applied for and made it into a program for next semester (and quite possibly beyond that), that while not necessarily part of the early education program, will be an incredible supplement to it. In this program called the CPDC (Child Physical Development Clinic ), college students work with children with special needs, helping them with fine and gross motor skills. The program meets at the gym, and I will be assigned a child to work with for the semester. I heard of this program when originally touring the school, and it was one of the factors That made me choose Bridgewater. The university is so welcoming, and It feels like there's an opportunity around every corner.
Josh Lake - Providence College
My first semester at Providence College has been full of amazing and unpredictable experiences which have allowed me to learn, grow, and adapt. As a Marketing major, I have been introduced to new concepts and strategies that I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about. Adjusting to this new way of life has been uncomfortable and rewarding. I have loved being exposed to new people, personalities, egos, and emotions which have provided me with profound perceptions regarding resilience and adaptability. One of the most beneficial experiences I have gone through so far was provided to me by joining the Entrepreneurship Society. I’ve had the privilege of listening to different Providence alumni entrepreneurs speak about their paths and participated in the Annual Elevator Pitch competition held by the Business School. In this competition, I pitched my business proposal for a basketball camp, Island Hoop Group, that I’m planning to start next summer with one of my best friends, Sam Zack. This experience provided me with the perfect opportunity to indulge in something uncomfortable and atypical. I received a great amount of constructive advice and knowledge regarding public speaking and opening a business through my personal coach and the judges. I have participated in a lot of intramurals such as Flag Football, Spike Ball, 3v3 Basketball, and 5v5 Basketball. I'm also a part of the Club Basketball Team which has kept the high school sport element alive; we practice two times a week and play other schools during occasional weekends. The Providence location has served me well, I’ve been able to take advantage of being in close proximity to my Dad who lives off island, allowing me to spend quality time with my eight year old brother. This semester has been full of transformative and unique experiences that I wouldn’t have had without this scholarship. Not a day goes by where I don’t feel such gratitude and love for this organization and our community. Thank you for your continued trust and support!
Gerry Kane - New England Institute of Technology
My first term went by very fast and was full of excitement. It felt very nice to be able to get off the island and be around a different scenery for a change. It was a little hard to get used to. Once I started to make friends and get to know my classmates, time started to fly by. Being so closed to Providence has made it very easy to make new friends and life never get boring. It was very cool experience to learn and hear stories from my teachers who have been in the HVAC field for decades. It made learning so much easier because of how much knowledge they had to share. I made the right choice going to New England Tech! At NEIT learning is very hands on, which is where I strive. Being from Martha's Vineyard, it was very nice being able to see this from a different perspective. I have tried out some of the different clubs that New England Tech offers including the golf club, the intramural basketball league and pool club. I was worried about going to college because school was never my strong suite but with the amazing teachers here and all that NEIT has to offer has really made me enjoy being here, want to pay attention in class and get good grades. It was very easy to get used to college, I really enjoy my schedule. It gives me time to get all my homework done and still have time to enjoy life with friends. I can’t wait for the next semester to start I can only imagine the experiences that I will have!
Greg Clark - New England Institute of Technology
I’m currently in the last couple week of my degree before graduation. I’ve enjoyed my time at the New England Institute of Technology, but I’m ready to move onto the next chapter of my life; beginning my career in the marine industry. Looking back on the last year and a half I couldn’t be happy with my choice in a Marine Technology degree, the broad range of subjects I learned about will be invaluable for my future career. From engines, to plumbing, to electronics, radar, and more I have a broad range of potential fields of work for my future. I’m currently in discussions with several companies about where I want my future to lead me. This week I’ll be touring and talking with the team at a major boat manufacturer here in Rhode Island that recently reached out to me. It’s not uncommon to be hired before graduation in my degree. I’m excited to see where the future will take me, and I’m keeping my options open! My passion lies in the electronics involved onboard ships, as well as smaller vessels. I still feel I have so much to learn, and choosing the right company to help me progress my learning is both a daunting and exciting step! I feel so thankful to the MVYouth scholarship for their assistance in helping me achieve my dreams! It truly has made such a profound difference in my life. They’ve been with me every step of the way, making sure I had the proper tools to succeed. Although I feel my educational journey is not yet over, they’ve helped me build a very solid foundation for further learning in my career.
Nick Carpenter - Northeastern University
I had a great time in the Bay Area for my first semester at Northeastern’s Oakland campus! I enjoyed my classes (Financial Accounting & Reporting, First-Year Writing, Introduction to Marketing, and Principles of Microeconomics) and learned a lot in and out of the classroom.I also enrolled in a one-credit course called Global Learning Experience, which was unique to the Bay Area. While the number of extracurricular activities was limited on the Oakland campus, I was able to attend speaker events such as the Tuesday Speaker Series for the Entrepreneurship Club (E-Club) and the Disrupt Speaker Series, which was for the FinTech club. Lastly, I participated in NU Oakland’s Husky Startup Challenge, in which I developed a product idea and created a slideshow covering everything from the problem the product solves to its business model. My product was an app that locates the nearest water refill stations on a map, which would decrease the amount of plastic waste used and save consumers money. Unique to Northeastern’s Oakland Campus were Experiential Treks (E-Treks), in which we each visited a nearby business headquarters in a group, ranging from Google to a local bagel bakery. I went to the Intuit headquarters in Mountain View and learned how different departments must come together to develop a product. My favorite part of being in Oakland was going into San Francisco. I went on an excursion to Alcatraz, which was cool to see and learn about the island's history. The restaurants we went to were amazing, and the distinctiveness of the neighborhoods is what made San Francisco a very fun city. My favorite singular trip off campus, however, was to Lake Tahoe. The scenery was amazing, and fortunately, it was warm enough for me to go for a short swim. Overall, I had a great first semester in Oakland. I had the perfect balance of learning in school, narrowing down what I want to do for my career, and having fun exploring the West Coast. Now that I am in London, I am even more excited to see what this city has to offer and travel to other places in Europe!
Emma Burt - Smith College
I swear I just left the island in August to head to Smith and now I’m already back for winter break. Smith has quickly become a second home. The Northampton community is very similar to that of the Vineyard which made the transition to college relatively smooth, though I still had my moments of homesickness. The amazing friends, professors, and community I have met while only being there for one semester have made me truly excited for the years to come. A huge part of my first semester was learning new study habits for college. I found my go-to study nook in the library right in front of a window so I could watch the lawn as I crammed. Before every chemistry exam, I would walk to a coffee shop with a friend and study before going to take the exam together. And any time I sat down to study I needed to start by doing all the New York Times Games. I found this really helped me to focus and meant I could procrastinate working just a little longer. At school I also made habits of going to the gym, going on walks, and practicing piano. It was nice to pick up hobbies that I did not do much in high school, while also keeping up my old hobby of singing via the Glee Club. Throughout the semester I was the subject of a friend’s assignments for her digital media class; posing for a photoshoot and acting in her final project short film, which is not something I could have predicted myself agreeing to a few short months ago. Next semester my course load is more challenging than it was this fall but now that I have settled in Northampton I feel ready for the difficulty. I am especially eager to take organic chemistry and an engineering class about sustainable energy since I have ambitions to work in conservation post-graduation.