FRANCE- From 2011-2012, I lived abroad in France through the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. Traveling to France brought many firsts for me. It was my first time on a plane and my first time away from my small, suburban town in Pennsylvania. I was only sixteen. Growing up, I never got to travel, and family vacations were always spent going to the next state over. In France, I discovered a new culture, found new friends, and learned to adapt to an entirely new world than I ever thought imaginable. There was a lot to adapt to in France and culture shock was the biggest, from the food, to the family lifestyle, and to their schooling. When I returned to the states in May of 2012, I found that my maturity was not where it was when I left and it was even harder to reconnect with friends as I entered into my senior year of high school.

 

COLLEGE- In 2013, I moved from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania to San Diego, California to start college. I lived my first year on campus and again had to learn how to adapt. College was a new way of life: I had a roommate, ate pre-made food almost every day, and was once again far away from family. I had to start completely over making friends and starting a new way of life. I grew even more as a person. I met friends that ended up attending my wedding and met the person that ended up recommending the HTM major to me. It is those that I met my first year of college that helped me through my first deployment and who still remain dear friends to me even now in my senior year.

 

MARRIAGE & MARINES- I not only got married to my husband in 2014, but I also gave up a lot of my wants/self to the Marine Corps.  This major milestone in my life has been by far the hardest to adapt to as my role and responsibilities in life completely changed. I was not only a full-time student, but also a wife. Just as when I came back fro France, I found that I had matured to a level beyond my friends at the time. And my friends did change. Within the Marine Corps, I built a new family and having to say goodbye to them this past year has been very hard for my husband and I. My husband was honorably discharged this past August and is now pursuing his career as a paramedic firefighter. Life outside of the Marine Corps is also a new way of life that I am slowly but surely learning to adapt to as well.

 

HOSPITALITY- Within the hospitality industry, change is always prevalent. Within my experience as an employee and a student, I understand that there is a constant need to adapt to technological changes and trends. There are constant technological advancements, and as a Millennial, consumer engagement through technology is a must. I have adapted to reading more about current events, and am now subscribed to hospitality news. I oftentimes try out different apps on my phone to understand its advancement to the industry. I do not love technology and it saddens me sometimes to see how much it runs our society, but I also understand how important it is to accept and adapt some of these advancements to better business.

 

NORTH CAROLINA- My next big life change is in just a few months. I graduate college in December and then am on the move to rebuild a new life in North Carolina. After deep reflection, I came to the realization that I do not want to stay in San Diego. It was only a stepping stone. I now have the coping resources to pick up my life and rebuild it anywhere I please, and I find comfort in that. Through all of my experiences, I learned how to not fear change. I learned that change is what helps build character. You are never prepared for change and there will never be a perfect time to experience it. I relate a lot in my life to Eleanor Roosevelt’s, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” This is exactly what I have done and what I continue to do in all of life’s changes.