About Me

The Past

 

As a Navy brat born in San Diego, I had the privilege to spend a portion of my childhood living in Naples, Italy. I have very vivid memories of the scenic locations, delicious cuisines, and life-long connections that my family and I formed. I remember spending hours gathered around dinner tables with family and friends exchanging humorous accounts with one another. Through these experiences, I learned the value of seeing life through the lens of others and the importance of building genuine connections.

 

Interestingly, my fondest memory of Italy may come as a shock. It wasn’t the places or food, nor was it the many Italian nonnas that pinched and kissed my cheeks (although those images will forever be burned into my memory). My most cherished recollection was receiving my first handheld video game console. This moment changed my life forever. 

 

While traveling across Europe for four years sounds like a dream, it was often difficult for me as a young child. It felt as though things were constantly changing. Connections that I made in school were fleeting and my sisters, being much older, lived very different experiences than I. Video games offered a sense of comfort and escapism that helped me overcome the feelings of instability and isolation. Although it was difficult to watch so many of my friends and their families get stationed to other bases, I knew that Pokémon and other gaming adventures we embarked on would tie us together forever. Gaming even helped me to make new friends and establish more connections after my family and I moved back home to San Diego!

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Music also played a critical role in shaping my early life. My passion for music really took off in high school when I joined percussion ensemble. I gained so much confidence through performing and learned critical leadership skills when I was assigned the role of pit captain during my junior and senior year. This experience eventually landed me my first job out of high school at my alma mater teaching music! My music director inspired me to branch out and learn new instruments as well as how to compose and record my own music. I now know how to play piano, guitar, bass, and ukulele. I occasionally dabble with the mandolin and violin, but I'll definitely need a lot more practice with my technique before I'm ready to record any bluegrass or folk music.

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The Present

 

I am currently a senior at San Diego State University majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications. It certainly has not been an easy road, but I am thankful looking back at all the trials God helped me to overcome to get here. Before transferring to SDSU from Grossmont College, I studied to become a nurse. After being in the program, it didn't take long for me to realize a very important lesson. I learned not to live for the glory and appeasement of others, but for the fulfillment of my own intrinsic value in accordance with my religious beliefs. I initially felt very lost and apprehensive when I made the decision to follow my dreams. I faced adversity and negativity that quickly spiraled into anxiety. As a strong proponent of personal growth and education, however, I never let these roadblocks stop me from adapting and creating a plan for my future. Faith, determination, and patience were pivotal to my success. Transferring during the pandemic has also had its own challenges, but going through this experience has only reinforced my resilience and fueled my purpose.

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When I'm not hitting the books, I'm gaming solo or with friends. Some of my current favorites include Animal Crossing, Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Monster Hunter Rise. I love building communities over Discord and meeting others who share my passion for games and music! I draw much of my creative inspiration from original video game soundtracks, of which my favorite composers include Yoko Shimomura, Koji Kondo, and Nobuo Uematsu. Additionally, I have been very inspired by the impact Riot Games has made in both the gaming and music industry in recent years. Riot has leveraged their music team to create effective marketing campaigns that draw worldwide attention to their popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). As a result, the company's music department has furthered my desire to become a marketer in the gaming and entertainment industries. 

 

Aside from video games and music, my other interests include cooking, traveling, writing, drawing, spending time outdoors, critiquing tv shows and films, and hanging out with family and friends.

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Here are some other fun facts about me:

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• I have a Holland Lop named Leia that I adopted from San Diego House Rabbit Society.

• I am OBSESSED with TEA! My favorites include Earl Grey, Irish Breakfast, Oolong, Jasmine, and Matcha.

• Pokémon LeafGreen was the first game I ever owned (bonus fact: I chose Bulbasaur as my starter Pokémon because of the game's cover art).

• My favorite video game soundtrack is "Great Fairy's Fountain" from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

• Some of my favorite bands include The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Strokes, Boy Pablo, Summer Salt, and Dayglow.

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The Future

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I'm excited to see where life takes me both personally and professionally. My dream is to bring my passions for video games and music to the entertainment and gaming industries. As a marketing analyst, I hope to apply my skills in market research, data analytics, and integrated marketing communications planning to help companies maintain strategic positioning and sustainable competitive advantages.

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