I got the opportunity to interview Maria Elias Sanchez and discuss her academic profile. We had a facetime call where we discussed our interests, school history, struggles and our future. Maria is a first-generation college student who is currently at GSU Clarkston. She previously attended the Alpharetta campus. She attended Central Gwinnett High School, did band as an elective and had a mix of bad and good teachers, depending on her relationship with them. During high school, she surrounded herself with a smart crowd. However, all teachers she had encouraged her to do her best. She is majoring in music to pursue a career in music therapy. Maria has a passion for music and helping others.

Three words that would describe Maria’s academic self are thorough, self-aware, and devoted. This stems from her busy schedule and heavy expectations from her family. She juggles work, school and hobbies and somehow manages to pull it off successfully. She will surely achieve her goals.

Like most students, Maria has had her own struggles in her academic path. She used to find herself burnt out lots of time with her busy schedule. During the height of the pandemic and virtual learning, she would skip lots of classes. There was also a lack of social interaction from being at home. She had a hard time pursuing her major due to an original lack of support from her family. This was a major stressor on her grades and motivation for school.

Going back to in person school helped matters on this end, as well as switching campuses. She enjoys the new environment and the teachers here. She is happily pursuing her goals and majors. In conclusion, by changing her environment to a more social scene, and moving to a larger campus have made a world of difference.