Why Oneonta
I really fell in love with the campus when I visited here. I knew a couple of other people that committed and that went here, and it seemed like the obvious choice, especially for studying education. I actually applied during Free Apply week! I love the setting, being able to look outside my window and see the mountains and trees and foliage, even the snow on the ground. I like the seasons. I need change, I would get tired of the same thing all the time without the seasons. Another reason I went here is because I got a scholarship! My brother went to a private school and gave me this advice: You’re going to find your people anywhere you go, you might as well do it for a little less money!
My Activities
I’m a member of Alpha Phi Omega, the national service fraternity. We do a lot of community service, and there’s a lot of fellowship events where we can meet other people in the club and form connections. It’s a lot of fun.
Best Experiences
Meeting my roommates. I thought it was going to be harder than it was to make friends, but it really wasn’t. My roommate is also an education major, and I met her during orientation. She’s my best friend.
About My Major
My family is full of teachers: My mom, my dad and my brother! My mom’s been teaching 30 years. So it was around me my whole life. I was always at my mom’s school helping or hanging out, it felt very natural. I’m not 100 percent sure what grade I want to teach yet. But I like that I know there’s always going to be a field for it, that stability is something I love. And I love that I’m going to be changing lives. I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s absolutely true, knowing I can do things to help, I keep that in the back of my mind when I’m in a long class or having a hard day.
Favorite Class
I really loved my Education Philosophies class. My professor, Max Soule-Oneto, was the best, he made the class so much more interesting. That can totally make or break a class! He was awesome, and I learned so much about my major and where education came from and how I want to be as a teacher.
Fun Fact
Just recently, I went viral on TikTok. I just started making fun videos, not thinking anything would come of it, just for my friends and mutual friends. It took me a year to get 1,000 followers, but one of me dancing in a bathroom in Oneonta really took off, and it went crazy after that. Now I have 44k followers. It caught me by surprise because it’s just fun and I like to do fun things. I don’t consider myself an influencer or anything, I’m just some girl who speaks too much on the internet. But it’s funny being recognized on campus, that’s starting to happen!
Advice for Students
Get involved, and do the things that you want to do, regardless of whether or not you have to do them alone. Because you will find your people. But don’t depend upon other people to do it with you; push yourself, go alone, and find your people in those spaces.