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Elizabeth Knight, Rome, GA, IMG_1747, 5F0A9369-041A-49A8-A76F-1E086ECBCF8A…
Elizabeth Knight
SCHOOL
Study Abroad
I studied abroad in Austria for a short period of time. It gave me the confidence to pursue my goal of studying abroad for a longer amount of time, and it also showed me that there are a lot of things that I want to do in my life, like traveling.
Academics
I have always put a lot of pressure on myself academically to succeed. I also connect a lot of my worth to my academic performance. If I'm not doing well academically I feel as though I'm falling behind and am going to mess up opportunities I could be taking.
Clubs + Volunteer Work
I am one of the fundraising chairs for Relay for Life at JMU. We raise money for the American Cancer Society. Being apart of this org has made me feel like I am doing something impactful and has showed me to be grateful for what I do have, like my health.
ADD Diagnosis
I was diagnosed with ADD in 1st grade after over a year of struggles with letters, reading, and writing. Eventually I was put on medication and I was finally able to focus on my work. I went from struggling to keep up with my classmates to exceeding in my reading and writing proficiency.
FAMILY
Extended Family
My mom's side of the family all live in GA. We don't visit them much, and so I was always content with not being around my extended family and having small holidays.
My dad's side of the family live in AL and VA. Even though some are close, we still don't visit often. I am comfortable with my small family and have never had the "big family" environment.
Mom, Dad, and Houston
Mom 🔮
My mom guides much lot of who I am. Her opinions on my life both negative and positive have always directed my decisions. If she doesn't like something, such as an extended family member, than I would most likely agree. I've found that as she grows as a person, I do too, and I learned after going to college to think more for myself.
Houston ⌨
Houston: He's my older brother by a few years. He is very clever and funny. We weren't close until he went to college. He understands my issues with school and my friends the best. Although I don’t follow his lead all of the time, I do look up to him in some aspects such as how he is very carefree and doesn’t rush into decisions.
Dad 🌱
I was very close to my dad growing up. He has always worked a lot, usually every day of the week from 7 in the morning till 9-10pm. It isn't abnormal for me to only see him once every 3 days when I'm home, and usually only for a few minutes. It meant that I spent a majority of my time with my mom, and I looked to her instead of him for nearly all of my needs.
Pets
These are a few up of my past pets and my current cat. All of my pets played an important role in my life, but these have played the most recent role. When Alice passed away I realized that I have difficulty accepting death and I tend to compartmentalize it. However Henry passed away a few months ago and I was able to get through it relatively well, so I think I’m getting better around that topic. Olive was the first cat I ever felt responsibility for and has taught my to not get a cat in college 👍🏻
FRIENDS
College Friends
My college friends have helped me gain confidence in myself and have been there for me when I needed it. I am more willing to try new things and to challenge myself now.
Childhood Friends
My childhood friends taught me a lot of valuable lessons not only about myself but also about what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like. Although I had few best friends growing up, I had many people in my life who helped me grow out of my shell and who pushed me into new experiences.
My Best Friend
My best friend Grace and I are very similar people. Since graduating high school we have taken two different paths of our lives but we have remained best friends. Seeing her be sure of her path and her life, as well as her hardworking attitude has made me feel more confident in what I'm doing and that everything will end up the way it is supposed to be.
HOBBIES
Geneaology
I've been researching my personal genealogy for a few years now. It allows me to connect with family members that I never got the chance to meet and has made me feel closer to my family even though I don't live near any of them.
Writing
In my free time, I enjoy creative writing. I wrote my first book at 14 and I love doing it for fun. It grew me creatively and it became an artistic hobby that I felt confident in. Now it is a way I destress and express myself.
Geographic Areas
Williamsburg, VA
Growing up I never felt like I had a hometown because neither of my parents is from Virginia. Having no familial ties to my state and town always made me feel like I didn't fully belong in it. However as I've gotten older I feel like I belong there and less in other places.
Harrisonburg
Living in Harrisonburg was the first time I left my hometown. I know that living here has given me a lot of confidence in that I can take care of myself and that I can be away from home for long periods of times.
My Future
Study Abroad
I am hoping to study abroad for full semester in Germany. I think that it will help grow me as a person and allow me to have experiences I would otherwise not have. It is one of my main goals and a lot of what I'm working towards right now is for it.
Graduate School
I have always lived in a family where graduate school was simply the "next step" instead of an option. I base a lot of my worth on my academics and eventually getting a good job, and so trying to get into graduate school guides most on my academic decisions.
Pressure
I feel a lot of pressure to live up to my parents expectations. Whether intentional or not, I often put it on myself to do better than they did, even though they were incredibly successful. I see doing "not as good" as doing worse. It's one of my goals to stop focusing so much on that, and do what they want me to do which is focus on doing something that I love.
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Rome, GA
My mom and her entire family are in Rome. It was somewhat strange growing up feeling as though the rest of my family knew each other way better than I know any of them, but I've come to a point in my life where I can appreciate only have my parents and brother and my visits down to Rome.
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