5-year plan
My 5-year plan after finishing high school was simple: graduate from college in 4 years then begin graduate school directly following graduation. It was easy for me to imagine a 5-year plan at 18-years-old. My toughest challenge in high school had been taming my frizzy hair. My first 2 years of college were very successful. I made close friends, was hired by my college as a writing tutor, and connected with teachers and administrators in the school district I wanted to eventually work in. I was right on track with my 5-year plan. During my third year of college, the mass shooting occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It was shocking and tragic for our country, and although I lived 100 miles away, I felt a very deep connection to the event. In the following months, I noticed that I would be on high-alert when I'd be out in public. I was truly worried for my safety. That April, I learned about the Boston Marathon bombing when I was in my college’s library. I immediately l