As a black girl, living overseas for more than eight years introduced me to a challenging and transformative personal journey that enables me to embrace all of the parts of myself. My family moved from the U.S. to Australia when I was four years old. I was young, but not too young to notice the differences: Vegemite and Aussie Rules football instead of peanut butter and American football, driving on the left, and the July winters and January summers. ...

Of the more than 8 years I Iived overseas, the 5 1/2 years in China broadened my United States-centered perspective, and pushed the boundaries of what I thought I could do and who I would be. Those years in Beijing and Shanghai immersed me in a culture, language, and community that I continue to learn about, be keenly interested in, and keep as a central part of who I am. I want to continue growing along that journey at Penn’s College of...

Writing has been a passion of mine since freshman year. I used to write poetry by myself and for myself, until I discovered the Choate Slam Poetry Association. I decided to perform my poetry, along with write for other news publications on campus. Writing is not only a passion of mine, but it is also a stress-reliever. It is something I do on my own time, and I write about a range of topics – from body image to gun laws...