After college it was time to return home. I could have kept my job in college, paid rent, and maybe made my way over to New York or Philly, but it wasn’t calling me. So I went back home. After college as a grad present, I went to Mexico with my family and my college bff Sarah (pictured). That was the last hamburger I’ve had with meat, and the last iPod I ever had (got it wet and it died, sad times).

When I came back home, I jumped right into a vegan diet, inspired by a college friend. To this day, ~11+ years later, I am still a vegetarian. The year after college I was motivated to lose weight, get a car, and get my first apartment. So I got a job first. In that job I had to walk and take 2 buses to get to work since I didn’t have a car, but I lost a lot of weight from the walking. I ended up saving over $10K for a car or an apartment, and I ended up blowing it all on a 3-month backpacking trip to Europe instead. Me and Sarah visited over 16 countries and it was a trip of a lifetime.

When I came home from my trip, my bedroom was gone. My mom lost her home and had to move in with my grandma, which was a big nope for me. I slept on some friend’s couches until it was time to give up and live with my dad, so I moved to FL in 2013. A year later, I had a new job, my first apartment with roomies, and soon there-after, my first “real” boyfriend (you know, an actual nice guy who’s committed).

I spent most of my 20’s building a life of independence for myself, focusing on my career, my apartment, and new friends and hobbies. Music and concerts were a constant for me, and living that Florida life wasn’t so bad.