For the past 17 years of my life I have known nothing else besides how to be a student. As I enter my first year as a post-graduate, I have to essentially learn to redefine myself. "Hi, my name is Maria Ta and I am a graduate of Canisius College". Whoops there it is again. For some of us it may be easy to walk away from the grueling hours spent staring at a computer screen or the lack of sleep fueled only by a toxic combination of coffee, energy drinks and whatever snacks you can find at the bottom of your backpack. But for people like me, people who thrive off an environment of constant deadlines and not enough hours in day, a world without school is a world void of direction.

I can proudly call myself a nerd. Academia is where I find the most comfort. I listen to NPR way more than anything else on the radio and I would rather spend a Friday night scouring news articles than going out to the nearest bar. Don't get me wrong I still live the life of a 22 year old but there is something lack luster about not constantly pushing myself academically.

Education has been an extremely important component in my life which is likely why I have held it so close to my heart. My parents were both refugees making me a first generation American. My parents never had the opportunity to make education a priority in their lives so they made it their life's mission as parents to make it mine. Like any other child, school started off as a place where I got to see my friends. My parents were always hard on me to do my best. I still have very vivd memories of practicing writing the alphabet at my dining room table. As I grew older and entered the teenage years so too did the teenage angst follow. I started to test the limit with my parents but I never let my schooling slid. By this point my performance in school was my shining characteristic. I owned up to being the smart nerdy girl no matter how much "trouble" I tried to get myself in just for kicks.

College was where my learning became much more than the hours I was physically at school. I found people who also loved learning just as much if not more than I did. I found an institution that thrived off the ingenuity and drive of its students. I had found my home away from home. Now as a college graduate, I aimlessly search for the same feeling. I jump on any and every opportunity to continue producing work for my alma mater and now I actively look for creative outlets/networks to find those intellectually driven people once again.

If you ever get to know me, you will quickly find that I am a huge advocate for education. For the obvious reasons of my upbringing, I value whatever learning opportunities come my way but as (dare I say it) a full blown adult, I find that my parents gave me one of the best gifts in the world. I know that education cannot solve all problems, maybe not even most problems but education has the power to change lives. Strip a person of everything and they will still hold onto what they know, what they have learned. So change your life. Change the lives of those around you. Go out, learn something, and whatever you do don't ever stop learning.