"Don't bring up the past of a person trying to improve their future."

It's late on a Wednesday night and I just finished writing one of my personal statements for what is sure to be quite a few law school applications. To say I am feeling grateful would be an understatement and I just had to post to share my current thoughts/feels at this very moment. 

I graduated from ASU in 2011 and went almost straight into a career. Although many people go immediately into some type of graduate school, I decided that I was ready for the "real world" and vigorously began applying for jobs upon graduation. I spent three years in a field that I can honestly say I never imagined myself in, but am very grateful for the experiences learned throughout my growth in Retail Supply Chain/Compliance. I have since left that field, where as most of you know, I am now in a masters program studying International Human Rights and Social Justice in London. I plan on attending law school when I complete my program in September to one day practice Human Rights Law. 

It is in that sentence I often get the response, "Wow, aren't you going to be a little old to just be entering the work force?" or some variation of that pessimistic comment. I can't say that I haven't thought about it and it does sometimes bother me that it would be a bit later than most. HOWEVER, I am 24 years old! I'll have a BA and an MA before turning 25, and a JD by 28? That sounds pretty damn good to me, particularly in a field that I am passionate about. I can honestly say that one day I will have my dream job defending human rights on what I hope to be an international scale. How many of you can say that and if you can't why not? Make your dreams a reality.

I am so unbelievably blessed and grateful for the family and friends that I have, who no doubt continue to support me through all my spontaneous decisions (and cross-country/continental moves), that I just often become overwhelmed with emotion and sentimentality. I have had a great few weeks back in the states and plan to share more on my break soon, but from the bottom of my heart I am so grateful for all this life has given me and the opportunity to follow my dreams. I hope you're all around to watch me succeed and share in my successes, because I plan on doing nothing less! 

Shout out to my best friend, Maggie P., who has been there for every moment of my crazy adult life. No matter the distance, I will always have nothing but love for you Mags. Thanks for a great trip to TN and I can't wait until we can reunite again xo

Ten years from now, make sure you can say that you chose your life, you didn’t settle for it.