In June of 2013, I graduated high school- so eager to start college and dive into the field of veterinary science. I started my college journey at Suffolk Community College in Brentwood for a year to save money and raise my GPA up in order to transfer to a four year institution.

Suffolk definitely prepared me for the college world thanks to their renowned liberal arts program. When I started at Suffolk, I was expecting to graduate from their veterinary technology program as a technician. That was until I took an introductory psychology course and a communications course. Both courses were challenging, interesting and so engaging that I knew from my success in those courses  that I want to continue in both fields. That’s when I started looking for schools that could offer me a great program in psychology and/or communications in my efforts of becoming a psychologist specializing in the treatment of adolescents with eating disorders and depression as well as an advocate for mental health stability on college campuses.

In the winter of 2014, I started looking for schools to transfer to. With my GPA raised from a 2.8 to a 3.7 in a matter of semesters, I looked into psychology programs at almost every Long Island college that offered and with the whimsical hope of my nineteen year old self, Johns Hopkins University. But there was something about Farmingdale State College that always appealed to me whenever I’d drive past it on the 110, I realized how close it is to home, how much money I’d save in the long run if I got in and how far it’s come as a SUNY college. I remember my grandfather telling me how he attended the college when it was only the State College of Agriculture.

July 2014, I ge the BIG ENVELOPE in the mail confirming my acceptance to Farmingdale and I was happy as I can be. The next day, I spoke with the transfer advisor and  two semesters worth of credits were evaluated and I was accepted into the STS(Science, Technology and Society) Bachelor program. After taking more psychology courses and professional communications courses, I realized my skills in advocacy and public relations as well as excellence in psychology that I made an appointment with Dr. Janik-chairperson of the Professional Communications. Her devotion to her students was admirable and her knowledge made me eager to be officially majoring in Professional Communications with a concentration in psychology and I couldn’t be happier thus far with the opportunities it gave as well as being a student at Farmingdale.

While I was enjoying my academic journey at Farmingdale, the transition of sophomore year into junior year was troublesome, I lost a grandmother, battled an eating disorder which I’ve been suffering from for fourteen years but am two years in recovery.

My grades suffered because of the emotional distress. That’s when at the end of Junior year in December of 2015, I made a goal to start a club where students who are in mental, physical or emotional distress can find a safe haven where they can talk to their fellow peers without fear of being condemned and to walk back out on campus confident in themselves and feeling happier. They can also learn from their fellow peers how to spread the word about maintaining a healthy lifestyle off and on campus during their time at Farmingdale.  That’s where I and Carissa Pederson, a nursing student at Farmingdale started the Health Awareness Club. Carissa is the acting Eboard president of the club and I assumed the role of the Eboard secretary. We’ve reached out to two other students who have the same vision as us to make sure the Farmingdale State College community is in healthy standing thanks to the education we hope to spread with our club.

Starting a club that I hope will leave a positive mark on campus is the most rewarding achievement of being a student at Farmingdale State thus far. Knowing I can make a positive impact on a community and to engage in more student involvement through advocacy is all the more rewarding and will only ready me more for graduate school, becoming a better psychologist and shaping me into the person I am today.

I am a proud Farmingdale State College and I definitely reached higher!