Major

Secondary Education - English Language Arts

Hometown

Omaha, NE

CliftonStrengths ®

• Relator 
• Empathy
• Belief
• Communication
• Strategic

What is one thing you wish someone had told you before your first semester at Nebraska?

The only things that will get you through those 3am essays and monstrous finals are a strong why and a stronger sense of community. It is vital that you know why you're here and find people to support and be supported by while you're in college. Those two things a little work ethic go a long, long way.

What is your go-to way to reset during a stressful week?

Going to see my girlfriend! She's my rock and without her I wouldn't be nearly as put together as I am.

What is one small habit that helps you stay on track?

I was a chronic procrastinator for a long, long time (and I still am to some degree). Something that helped me this year was understanding the stakes of failure and what falling behind would mean for me. What that meant for me was doing all of my work in order of due date, not urgency. Of course that doesn't mean do everything day of, but if in the next 2 weeks you have 10 assignments, then do them in the order that they'll be turned in and space them out so as to not put more weight on your shoulders than is necessary. Nothing groundbreaking.

Where is your favorite place on campus to spend time and why?

The Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center! As black man at a PWI, one of the things that was hardest for me when I first got to campus was not seeing anybody that looked like me. The JGMC is home to several multicultural organizations and offices dedicated to making spaces for our students of all backgrounds. It is an all inclusive space filled with students who have turned the building into a real, supportive, uplifting, and fun community; a community that I credit for giving me the support I needed to stay enrolled here. 

What is one thing people are surprised to learn about you?

I have incredibly strong opinions about pens.