Who am I

I grew up in Oregon. I consider it home, even though the majority of my life has been in other states. The Pacific Northwest has always been what I think about when I need comfort. Something about the forest’s and the rushing water that I would hike around to see is nostalgic. I am currently living in the Phoenix area, and find myself going North towards the pine forest to simulate that feeling every now and again.

I am a first generation graduate. My brother, sister, and I lost our mom when we were small and we had very little support to even keep us all in the same home. Our dad was never around and we still don’t communicate. After high school I found myself finding a job and sticking with it for a few years, until some of my friends started talking about college. It struck a chord with me and suddenly I felt like if they could do it, there’s no reason I shouldn’t try. When I started college I had little idea of where I wanted to go. Psychology felt like my calling for a long time and I started down that path. I finished my psychology degree in 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. As I got closer to the end of my degree I felt like I needed a change. As I dug through the several programs that my college offered I found User Experience. The more I read about it the more I was inclined that I found a way that I could apply the psychology degree I earned and still feel like I could make a difference. On a whim, I applied and found myself being accepted and registered in classes quickly.

As I began my User Experience Masters’ degree, I started looking for an internship. Given the massive shutdowns and economic change with the 2020 pandemic, that quickly became a problem with finding any internships. Most places had either a very limited number of internship positions available, or halted their programs entirely. All of my project experience comes from my education, which I am extremely thankful for. This is a hurdle I will soon overcome, when I find my place with a company.