While this semester was certainly not how I envisioned my senior year to be, I have learned a lot and been able to find time for fun as I now enter my final semester at Barnard College. I spent this past semester at home taking my classes remotely as my school did not offer any in-person courses. I have begun writing my senior thesis for my American History major on Gullah cultural preservation at the Penn Center on St. Helena’s island off the coast of South Carolina. My family on my mother’s side is Gullah Geechee and we have a deep connection with the Penn Center, formally Penn School. In addition to my thesis, I was able to take some other great courses remotely including a Women and Gender studies course entitled Critical Approaches in Social and Cultural Theory. I also took a coding class in the language of Python and a Religion course in Black culture in America. While online classes were certainly difficult and it felt like I was already spending a lot of time on Zoom, I was also able to engage in some really great extracurricular activities. I was a part of the Barnard Student Government Association and will continue that role into the spring as the Vice President of Finance. I also was able to continue two of my campus jobs remotely. As a Barnard Student Admissions representative, I took over the Instagram page and gave virtual student experience presentations. As a Barnard Speaking Fellow, I was able to support my fellow peers remotely over Zoom. While I usually am involved in student theater, this semester I decided to take a step back however I did end up directing a 24-hour musical where the Black Theatre Ensemble wrote a spoof of the Cheetah Girls 20 years later and the next day we performed it virtually. It was my first time ever directing a show and it was so much fun! I am a little sad that my final semester at Barnard will also be virtual as I have chosen not to return to New York even though the school is offering in-person classes. I am looking forward to completing my senior thesis and taking my final courses while searching for a job post-graduation, as I hope to move to Philadelphia for two years before attending law school. I also recently begun working at the Green Room and will continue working there part-time next semester. Thanks to the generosity and support of MVYouth I have been able to have such an amazing experience at Barnard and learn so much about myself and the world around me. I am so appreciative of everything you do for the youth of the island community and for giving us opportunities to grow and explore!