Humans of St. Thomas Aquinas College - STAC

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Humans of St. Thomas Aquinas College - STAC

Inspired by Brandon Stanton, "Humans of New York", Humans of STAC is exposing stories of humans in our diverse community. One photo story at a time...

Humans of St. Thomas Aquinas College (STAC) is featuring various kind of vision and creativity of stories by students and staff here at STAC. This page is inspired by Brandon Stanton, the founder of "Humans of New York", and started by Gabriel Yum to expose these breathtaking, reflective stories of many fascinating students and staffs, and create a photographic memories of St. Thomas Aquinas College. Humans of STAC is supported by STAC Therapeutic Recreation Club. Thanks for visiting Humans of STAC! For additional information or interview requests, please contact humansofstac@gmail.com

05/01/2017

"What do you spend time thinking about?"
"I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. The uncertainty that goes hand in hand with it is something that does not compare to anything else. Knowing that there are things that are beyond our control gives me a lot of anxiety but also pushes me to try to make better decisions in the present. When you are thousands of miles away from home, you become extremely good at evaluating the outcomes of a particular situation. And, more important, you start appreciating that what you call 'home' today might change in the short term. By leaving things behind, I have learned to treasure all my memories, all the moments that shaped me into
the person I am today. By admiring and reviving in my head the good occasions of the past, I become more optimistic about the future. Because there is nothing there to be afraid of, other than fear itself."

04/28/2017

"What makes you happy?"
"My parents, my brother, my relatives, and my friends make me happy. I would like to thank God for blessing me to stay happy and the people that I have met throughout my journey in life. Playing soccer and dancing also makes me happy. I have always loved the game of soccer since I was 5 years old. The reason why dancing makes me happy is because dancing allows me to express myself and feel good about myself. Science makes me happy because I love to learn about the environment and perform experiments. I find science so interesting and awesome because it stimulates my brain and I learn more about how the world is changing everyday. Ever since I was a baby, I always had a smile on my face. As I continue to grow as a person, I am always going to stay happy because my happiness keeps me going everyday and this allows me to stay positive during good and bad times."

04/24/2017

"If your life was a novel, what would the title be?"
"As a double major in English and creative writing, I’ve always wished I could live within the pages of a novel! If I were to chose my own title, I think it would be “Her Time.” This is inspired by one of my most favorite poems by an incredible poetess named Lang Leav. 'Her Time' would be the title of my own little novel because this is the time of my life in which I'm flying with the birds to reach my sun. It’s an awakening of sorts, a gentle rage swelling inside of me and growing day by day. My time here at STAC has been spent nurturing myself, surrounding myself with nothing but positive energy and inspirational people, and learning more about myself now than ever before. As a budding young woman, I've taken these past few years to find my voice and solidify my passion. I’ve fallen in love with the idea of spending my future working in the book publishing industry, and this is my time to work towards that dream. I want books to be what I do for the rest of my life. Not only does this title apply to me, but to all women, as well. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such empowering females who aren't afraid to stand up for their rights and speak their minds in this day and age. It's truly phenomenal. So this is my time. This is your time. This is, indeed, 'Her Time.'"

04/19/2017

"Can you describe your life in a six-word sentence?"

"'Everything has happened for a reason.'
I believe in the mystical, magical universe. The situations in my life never made sense at the time. But as life goes on, I realized that even when things don't make sense, it is necessary. This right now, this horrible, confusing time will shape the future. It has to happen, so something else can happen. Hopefully, something positive will come out of it. An amazing, wonderful time must also happen so you can appreciate it later when things seem more negative. You take the good with the bad and the happy with the sad and you just let it go. Give it to the universe and see what happens and let it come back to you. Every situation is one you can learn from. You have, but so much control of your life. You can plan and pray and do everything a specific way but something out of your control can change that. But it's OKAY! I tried so hard to believe that everything will work out the way it is meant to be."

04/14/2017

"When was the last time you listened to the sound of your own breathing?"
"Sunday morning. I went out for a long run. On my long runs, I won't use my headphones, I won't listen to any music. I like to hear myself breathe. I think that everyone has their own way of dealing with life, their own outlet or escape. A place where you can go and tackle different issues. Running has always been mine. Leaving my headphones at home forces me to just listen to my breathing and face whatever comes to my mind..."
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04/13/2017

"What makes you smile?"
"Music. My life basically revolves around music and performing, and I consider it my safe haven. Whether I am listening to the soundtrack of my current favorite musical or a random radio station in the car, I can just stop thinking about my day for a couple of minutes, listen to the lyrics of the song and just smile. The best is when a random throwback song is played and my friends and I just stop what we’re doing and scream the lyrics and laugh about how crazy we are at the end. My favorite band is Imagine Dragons and whenever I am in Romano or listening to the radio and they play one of their songs, I instantly smile because they are so underrated and only a few of their more popular songs are ever played. The ideas and concepts that are talked about in songs are just fascinating to listen to and picture. There is nothing more inspirational to me than listening to songs from musicals. Although obviously they are not reality, the messages behind the storylines are, and I can’t help but smile and feel a sense of security whenever I hear a cast recording or see a show. Being surrounded by others who share the same interests as me and appreciate music as much as I do is the best feeling, having instant gratification and putting a smile on my face whenever we perform. Music as a whole has helped me through good times and some extremely rough times as well, reassuring me that everything is going to be okay in the end. Music will always be a part of me throughout my life and I wouldn’t change my love and appreciation of it for the world."

03/30/2017

"What is your favorite song and why?"
"My favorite song is 'Carey,' by Joni Mitchell. It’s a song she wrote when she was spending the summer in Europe after having had a particularly bad breakup with her ex-boyfriend, James Taylor. When the song was written, she was staying on a small Greek island called Matala with a band of cave-dwelling hippies. At a local restaurant, she befriended a red-haired server named Carey, and she wrote him this song for his birthday. If you listen to or read the words, the song is about transitions and Mitchell’s desire not to get too comfortable in any one place. For me, the song brings back memories of college (where I first heard it). Like Mitchell on Matala, I knew that my college years were temporary and that I’d end up someplace else. But that didn’t stop me from laughing, toasting to nothing, and smashing my empty glass down with my friends."

03/21/2017

"'Plans are useless, but planning is essential' -Dwight D. Eisenhower. I feel that it is so applicable to every aspect of life. I am a very big planner. I plan everything from what I want to do with my life right down to what I need to do every hour of the school week. But, as the quote suggests my plans do not always go as expected. I couldn’t choose between a quote that describes me and a life motto because I feel that this quote does both. I plan as much as I can but in the end, life will always have things that pop up and surprise me. I have found that those surprises have turned out to be some of the best changes in my life. These are things I could have never planned for. When I came into college, I planned to take art classes, what I didn’t plan for was being asked to join SGA (Student Government Association), let alone become president, because the president was in my art class. I think sometimes people, myself included, get so wrapped up in their plans and executing them that in the end, the best things can come from plans that went awry. I use this quote as a life motto to remind myself to just sometimes roll with the punches."

03/20/2017

“What are you most passionate about?”
“I personally think I am passionate about a lot of things, especially my interests. I’m passionate when it comes to my faith, my culture, social justice, the well-being of humanity, and the arts. One thing that I am really passionate about no matter how well I do is performing. I love to sing. I have been singing since I was five years old in my church; since then my passion for it, grew stronger. I then, began to act in shows and skits. When I found out I can sing and act at the same time in musicals, I was thrilled. There were times I did not do my best but I always felt at home on stage. Sometimes you do not get comfortable for a while but I knew from the beginning I was meant to be on there. I sing for the joy of singing, not because I am the best singer. It kinda gives me an adrenaline rush in a way, the energy of the audience, the nervousness, the excitement, it makes me feel like I have a purpose. Performing arts is a tough area to get a career if you look at it money-wise and fame-wise, but you can perform anywhere, in a coffee shop, in a hospital, at schools, etc. It is what you make of it and how passionate you are at what you do.”

03/17/2017

"A moment that changed you..."
"A moment that changed me was the summer of 2014. I had high expectations for that summer and for my high school graduation. But unfortunately, I had many unfortunate events occur during that time and my 'dream' summer never came to life. During the week of my graduation, my cousin, Oneil passed away and I was devastated and broken by his passing away. The same night as my graduation, I flew to California to go to his funeral. Losing my cousin was my first experience of loss and death as an adult. It was not what I expected and what I wanted from that summer. I became further depressed when all my friends began to move on from high school and the summer and I was still stuck there, because I never gained closure and never was able to have the moment I so desperately felt I needed. As weird as it sounds, I am thankful for the year I was depressed because I got to know myself better. I thought I knew myself, but I never truly did. I was just going through the motions of life but not truly living the way I always wanted. That year made me a fighter and made me realize my happiness was in my own hands. No one was going to look out for my happiness the way I would. I promised myself to never be a victim again, a victim of circumstances or a victim my own fear. I promised myself to live life to the fullest and to live out my dreams. I wouldn't let anything hold me back anymore. Whether it was financial problems in my immediate family or my own fears, no person or thing will ever hold me back from my dreams. I think that's why I work so hard on everything in my life now. I have worked to create a life now, a life that I have always wanted to live. I also have learned that in life I can't wait for moments to happen I have to make them happen myself. I appreciate my life now because I experienced so much pain and loss, I wouldn't appreciate the good and the light without the darkness that was in my life for a year."

03/14/2017

"What is your favorite quote that describes you?"

"My favorite quote is 'And though she be but little, she is fierce' from Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' I think this quote describes me really well because I've always been a small person and people tend to underestimate me as a result. I've often been told that I can't do this or that because of my size. When people tell me this, I go out of my way to prove them wrong. I achieve whatever it is, big or small, and then go beyond. I don't like being told I can't do something, so I make it my job to prove to myself and whoever else that I am capable of more than they expect me to be. Just because I am small, it doesn't mean that I can't do the same things as everyone else. In reality, sometimes things are impossible for me to do, but as soon as somebody thinks or tells me that I'm not capable, it gives me determination to complete it successfully and prove them wrong. I've learned that you really can do anything you set your mind to."

03/14/2017

"What is something that one of your family members did today that make you happy?"
"Something my family has done that makes me happy is being with me when I needed them the most. My family has been at my side through all the difficult and good times. They have been a great support for my son and I. It is difficult being a single mom, a full-time student and working. I am grateful for them because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Through my years at STAC, they have been my pillars of support for every obstacle I’ve overcome by pushing me and believing me. They give me the strength I need to keep on moving to reach my dream of becoming a teacher. My family has taught me not to give up when things get difficult, but to work harder to achieve them. That is what I have done and thanks to them, I will be graduating in May. I will show my son that sometimes life isn’t easy, but sometimes obstacles are thrown at you to teach you new skills you need in order to grow as a person. You should never stop reaching for your dreams. As long as I have my family by my side, I’ll keep going after my dreams!"

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