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Olivia Sandberg, IMG_3093, IMG_1931, IMG_5130, IMG_4151, 76B23486-2357…
Olivia Sandberg
Family
Parents: My parents are my biggest influences and have shaped me more than anyone else in this world. I value their opinions and whenever I ask for advice from people I always follow what they suggest over everyone else. They have taught me to be strong, independent, and responsible which are things I am forever grateful for. They are my biggest influences and without them I would be nowhere near the person I am today.
Brothers: My brothers were my first best friends and we still have such a close bond that directs me in life. We talk everyday even though we all live in different states and are each others biggest support systems. Having them and depending on them so much has helped shaped me to who I am today because I know I always have two people looking out for me and having my back no matter the situation. Having an older brother has shaped me because he excels in everything that he does even with his deaf disability and it is something that truly inspires me. Watching him gives me strength and determination because my goal is to always be just like him which is something I strive for. Having a younger brother has also shaped me because I am his biggest role model and he looks to me from the biggest to smallest of problems and takes my opinion over anyone else's. He has taught me responsibility because I am always looking out for him and making the best decisions in my life that he can look at and be inspired from.
Jax: My dog has to me to love even without verbally communicating. He is a companion by my side at all times and has truly taught me the definition of love. He makes stressful times calm by simply being in my presence. He has also taught me patience because he does not always listen and I have to deal with his misbehavior without yelling or getting too upset. My dog has shaped me in so many ways and I cannot remember my life without him.
Extended Family: I have grandparents, cousins ranging from 28 to 2 years old, and so many aunts and uncles which is something I am endlessly grateful for. They have all shaped me in different ways but I think the one most common way is that they all showed me how to be loved unconditionally and how to love unconditionally. My cousins are some of my favorite people and have taught me how to have fun, relax, and that it is okay to depend on others when times get stressful. My aunts and grandmas have taught me how to be a strong independent woman who loves their family while also excelling in everything they put their mind to. My uncles and grandpa have taught me what it is like to be protected and have shown me that it is okay to wait for a perfect relationship to come into my life which has made me never settle for less.
Friends
Childhood Friends: The friends I made at four years old are still some of my best friends to this day. They have shaped me in many ways and we have helped each other grow into the young adults we now are. These friends have shaped me into knowing that the quality of friends is better than quantity. Although I am not still friends with everyone from my childhood, the ones that stuck around showed me that growing is okay and is something that is part of life and they are able to hold me accountable for my actions because they know me best.
College Friends: My college friends are the family I made after being alone 350 miles from my real family. They taught me how to love people you have not known for forever and how to find comfort in the uncomfortable. They brought me out of my shell and made me an outgoing person that I have not always been. They hold me accountable and love me endlessly and taught me balance in life from being motivated, to relaxing, to hanging out with friends, etc. The balance they have taught me is something I am so grateful for and has helped me become me.
High School Friends: My high school friends helped me through some of the most difficult times when I was learning my ways, following my passions, and figuring out what I wanted to do with my future. They shaped me into being a motivated person who has goals and goes after them even if it is scary. They taught me my strength and perseverance which are traits I have kept with me since coming to college. I could not have survived high school without these girls and I would not be who I am today if it weren't for the things they taught me and traits they showed me how to have.
Education
High School: I went to an all girls Catholic High School which I feel shaped a lot of who I am today. High school years are some of the biggest ones that shaped who I am today. I feel that by going to an all girls school my priorities were different from some others who may have went to a co-ed school because my main focus was always my schoolwork. I put a large emphasis on my work and my future during those four years which was also something my school engraved in us. They made sure every girl was ready for college and could go to the college they wanted to.
JMU: I feel JMU has also shaped me into who I am because it is a different atmosphere than what I was used to in high school. There are so many people here compared to my 83 person graduating class in high school. Along with it being such a big school there is much more independence and self reliance meaning if I want or need help with something I need to reach out to get it teachers are not just coming up to me.
Environment
New York: I was born and raised in Staten Island, New York which is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Living here definitely played a huge role in who I am today because I was exposed to a lot of different situations and people and I feel it made me more mature at a young age because of my awareness of many things that happen in the world. Along with that, it brought me some of my best friends who I still cannot live without talking to everyday.
Virginia: Moving to Virginia for college was a big adjustment because the way of life is a lot different here than at home in New York. People move at a much slower pace and are much friendlier which was not something I was used to and had to adjust to. Experiencing this new environment and seeing how different life is in different states was definitely eye opening because it showed me there was other ways of doing things in a day than what I was used to for the first 18 years of my life.
Phi Sigma Sigma
Social: By joining my sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma, I was able to meet my best friends in college and find a home at JMU. Along with that, it has changed me into a more social and outgoing person who has less social anxiety and I am now excited to start a conversation and meet new people. This experience has been one of the best things to happen to me in college because I feel it expanded a side of me I used to keep closed off because of anxiety and fears. I think I am better prepared for my future and will be able to excel in a job in the future because of the traits I have gained.
Responsibility: In Phi Sigma Sigma I have had two positions, Historian and Bursar or more commonly known as treasurer. These positions have taught me so much from responsibility, to leadership, to time management. My current role, Bursar, has definitely taught me the most about myself because it is an executive board position so there are many more responsibilities. I have learned how to work with others to get the best possible outcome as well as communicate with others when they haven't done something that needs to be done. I think this aspect of my position has prepared me for my future and changed me from who I was before this.
Sports
Running: This is something I picked up once I got into my sophomore year of college. I have always been a sport motivated person because I find it to be a good stress relief. When I got to college and was no longer a part of a team I needed to find something that still gave me the feeling of accomplishment that sports has always given me. I think running has given me discipline because I am no longer on a team so the only one to push me is me. It has changed me into knowing that I am stronger than I let myself believe and I am more capable of things than I thought.
Softball: Softball was the sport I played for my entire life, from the ages of 4-18. It was something I found comforting and shaped a lot of who I am. It taught me dedication, teamwork, time management, and strength. I believe playing softball for so long and at the highest competitive level available shaped me in more than just a sport. It also made me a better student because I kept the same dedication to the game as I did to my grades and always strived for perfection. I also became very good at time management which is a quality I am proud of myself for because college was not as difficult of an adjustment for me.
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