When I was 11, my dad built a halfpipe in our backyard. We were living in San Salvador, El Salvador, and most of my time was spent outside—our school was outdoors, I would go to the beach every weekend, and biking around my neighborhood was one of my favorite pastimes. Our family had a collection of maybe fifteen skateboards, with…
Tag: Confidence
Being Myself Felt Risky—Until It Didn’t: How I Navigated Self-Acceptance and Authenticity
When I received my Wellesley acceptance letter I was filled with joy that quickly settled into fear. Joy came first from the fact that I was accepted to my dream school but fear because I would be leaving the “home” that I built for myself. Home, in this case can be seen physically, in terms of my family and friends,…