I come from an island that has two forks and all four seasons. On one end is the big apple; a place filled with the commotion of people always in a rush, bright lights and buildings soaring high into the air. On the other end is vast lands, filled with farms and sandy beaches, that reach towards the Atlantic Ocean and the tips of Europe. If this was not already obvious, this island is known as Long Island. A place where an adventure is always awaiting.
My landmark on this beautiful Island is smack in the middle of the two forks in a town known as Riverhead and a hamlet known as Aquebogue. I was born and raised in a loving home that sits on a small neighborhood and overlooks a farm. This neighborhood holds many memories and is where I met two of my closest friends, who moved into the summer house across the street when I was eight. I live in a 5-minute radius of the sandy beaches of the Long Island Sound, the Peconic bay and the Atlantic Ocean. My summers consists of long, full days with my toes in the sand and salt in my hair, with nights sitting around the campfire outside of my camper at Cupsogue Beach. I spend my winters, waking before the sunrises to beat the commuters rushing into the city to start their work days, so we can get to the ski mountains for the first lift.
Riverhead High School is where I acknowledged my passion for running. The track was a secondary home where I trained for cross country, winter and spring track all year round. The friends I made here became a family to me. It is where I learned how to push myself to be my best while encouraging others to be their best. The teachers and coaches at this school were some of the most genuine and encouraging people I met, all making me who I am today.
Through living on an island that is filled with vacationers and the city only a short drive away, I was lucky to be immersed in incredible architecture wherever I went. Through driving down, the roads of the Hampton’s lined with immaculate mansions I was able to recognize the importance of architecture in my life. Long island became such a notorious place to live and vacation on due to its location which drove architects to design and create some of there best work. It was something that always amazed me and with the support of my parents, I realized that architecture was the career that I wanted to pursue. It is a passion that my home will forever be able to inspire me and will allow me to add my own impact to the place I love the most.