Despite writing countless articles about fashion, entertainment, and world news, I have never introduced myself properly on here! (besides the short bio at the top of my profile). Throughout the three years I have been a part of the Lafayette Ledger, I’ve mostly focused on writing about things I am passionate about, but it is finally time for people to get to know a little bit behind the most chronically online and celebrity-obsessed writer at Lafayette.
My Upbringing + Adolescence
I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, before moving to America at the age of 12. I always had a deep appreciation for literature and the arts, but at this point I had never tried writing anything. I was a big reader as a kid, and I spent my childhood reading different series such as Harry Potter, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I was also a huge fan of movies growing up. In Venezuela, watching things on DVD was still the norm even after Netflix became more and more popular here in America. Right in front of my apartment building, there was a store where you could rent or buy movies, so my mom and I would usually rent a movie every couple of nights and watch it together. Moving to America brought me a lot of changes; I went from spending time with my mom and family 24/7 to being mostly alone while my mom worked. Starting middle school right here in Williamsburg was definitely not the easiest, as my English was not the best yet. I would say the first time I truly felt comfortable speaking to people and felt a sense of belonging was once I started high school. I met some of my best, best, best friends my freshman year– Kaitlin, Aida, Lauren, and Safaa- and I continued to make more as the years went on.
My love for writing
As I already mentioned, I was a big reader growing up, but I never thought about writing until I took Journalism my sophomore year of High School. I rewatched Riverdale over the summer and I was honestly convinced I would be like Betty Cooper and uncover some crazy mysteries. Although the class was not as eventful as in the show, I learned a lot that year. Learning the foundations of journalism helped me discover that I enjoyed writing as a hobby, and eventually I learned this was something I wanted to do as a career. I have struggled with figuring out in what direction I want to take my writing. I have done essays, I have done articles, and I have written many scripts as well. As of right now, I think I want to solely focus on journalistic styles of writing, but that may change.
The Future
Senior Year rolled around wayyy faster than I expected. In my mind, I am still 14 years old, locked in my room due to a global pandemic, and having my first day of High School on a Zoom screen. In all seriousness though. I think I have had such a great High School experience. There have been many ups and downs, but I would not trade it for a thing. The college application process has not been easy and it has been insanely stressful. I applied to many schools but I thankfully got into my #1 school! I got into Emerson College’s Journalism program. It feels surreal to type those words. I am excited for what the future holds, and I will forever be grateful for the Lafayette Ledger, Mrs Wathen, my friends and my family for shaping me into the person I am today!
