Dear Graduation Girlie,
You are standing at one of the most exciting, most nerve-wracking, most significant thresholds of your life. I have been there. Let me tell you everything I know and everything I wish someone had told me.
Can I just say something first, before the tips and the lists and all of the advice? This season is incredible. I know it might not feel that way right now. It might feel overwhelming and uncertain and like everyone around you has it more figured out than you do. But you are standing at the beginning of something that is going to shape everything about who you become. And that deserves to be acknowledged before anything else.
Graduation season 2026, you are it. Whether you are walking across a stage this summer, loading up a car for move-in day in August, transferring to a school that finally feels right, or stepping into your very first real job with a badge that says your actual name on it, this is your moment. It is equal parts thrilling and terrifying and I want you to know that both of those feelings are completely correct.
I graduated from UNC Charlotte in 2020. Which, if you know, you know... There was no stadium full of family. No cap toss. No walking across a stage into the arms of the people who had cheered me through every late night and every hard exam. I graduated into a world that had gone quiet in ways none of us expected, with a diploma I had earned in conditions none of us had trained for.
Kind of funny now to think back on me standing in front of my living room TV in my cap and gown (because my mama insisted) 😂 with a paused PowerPoint the university sent displayed on the screen, posing like it was the grand graduation stage. Little did I know those photos would live to see another day… and yes, they’ll be featured at the end lol.
I'm so happy that you get the ceremony. You get the moment. You get to do this the full, loud, celebratory way it was designed to be done. Do not rush past that. Let yourself feel every single second of it. Now, here is my story. And then everything I wish someone had handed me before I started.
MY STORY
Let me tell you exactly what that first semester at East Carolina University looked like. Because I think it might sound familiar to more of you than you would expect.
I was a super shy girl. That surprises people sometimes because the woman standing in front of you now does not act particularly shy. But I was. I was eighteen years old, four hours from home, eager to be around music and vocal performance and communication — the things that felt most like me — but I could not figure out how to find my people. I loved my classes, and academically I was doing exceptional. But the connection piece, the feeling of belonging somewhere, of building a life in a place that felt like yours, just was not coming. And when that is missing, it becomes very loud.
I was in culture shock. That is the only way I know how to describe it. ECU is a wonderful school with a vibrant campus, but it was simply not my world. So what did I do? I drove home. Every single weekend.
With the exception of two that entire semester, I packed up my car every Friday and made that four-hour drive back to Charlotte. My gut was telling me something so consistently and so loudly that I could not drown it out with another weekend of trying to make something fit that simply did not. That gut feeling was more than homesickness. It was direction. It was telling me that my heart was home in Charlotte, not just geographically, but in the sense of where I was meant to grow, who I was meant to become, what environment was going to call the best out of me. And I am so grateful I listened.
So I transferred to UNC Charlotte. And I want to say this out loud for every girl who needs to hear it: that was the best decision I made during my educational career. Not because it was easy or comfortable or free from the fear of what people would think. It was none of those things. But following your gut, even when it is inconvenient, even when it means starting over, even when it means admitting out loud that you need something different, is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself. Your gut is not dramatic. It is data. Listen to it. Everything I built at Charlotte grew from that one act of courage.
I graduated cum laude with dual degrees in Political Science and Communications. And I walked into a career I built from scratch using everything those degrees gave me: analytical thinking, strategic communication, storytelling, advocacy, skills that show up every single day in marketing, in service, in leadership, and in this organization I have loved for twenty years.
This blog is for every girl in this season. The freshman. The transfer. The new grad. The one who is excited. The one who is scared. The one who is both at the same time and is not sure what to do with that. Grab your coffee. Every word of this is for you. ☕
"The path that looks the least like what you planned is often the one that builds the most of who you are becoming."
Everything I wish someone had told me before move-in day
Your major does not have to be your career — but your skills will be
I majored in Political Science and Communications. I now work in marketing inside the homebuilding industry. Those two things look unrelated until you understand that every skill I use daily: analytical thinking, strategic communication, storytelling, advocacy, came directly from those degrees. Choose your major based on what it builds in you, not just what job it points to. The job market shifts. Your skills travel.
Go to office hours — every professor, at least once
This is the most underutilized resource in all of higher education and it is completely free (kind of LOL). Office hours are not just for struggling students. They are for ambitious ones. Show up, ask real questions, and let your professors know your name. The recommendation letters, the research opportunities, the mentorship that changes your trajectory, almost all of it starts with showing up to office hours when no one else does.
Apply for every scholarship you are remotely eligible for
Every single one. The small ones. The ones that require essays. The ones that seem like long shots. Scholarship money does not require repayment and it does not accumulate interest. It is the only form of student funding that is completely and permanently yours. I will talk more about the Miss America scholarship opportunity below, because it is one of the most significant and most overlooked scholarship pipelines available to young women in this country.
Build relationships — not just a network
There is a difference between collecting contacts and building relationships. Relationships are built over time, through genuine investment, through showing up for people when nothing is required of you. The mentors, colleagues, and friends you build in college will be the most valuable professional asset you carry into every job you ever have. Invest in people before you need anything from them.
Get involved in something that has nothing to do with your major
A club. A volunteer program. A community initiative. Something that stretches you outside the academic lane and introduces you to people you would never otherwise meet. Some of the most important things I learned in college happened completely outside the classroom. Give yourself permission to be more than your GPA.
Protect your mental health like it is a class you cannot drop
Because it is. Your ability to perform academically, professionally, and personally depends entirely on the human being underneath all of it being okay. Use campus counseling. Build rest into your schedule. Know what restores you and protect it. Burnout in college is real and it does not care how ambitious you are. Take care of the person doing all of this. She is the most important investment you have.
🛏️✨ Dorm Room Essentials — The List Everyone Needs
Okay freshman girls, this section is specifically for you. I have been in those dorm rooms. I know what you think you need and I know what you actually need. They are not always the same list. Here is mine, real, practical, and a little fun. Save this. Screenshot it. Send it to your mama.
🌬️ A good fan — the tower kind
Dorm HVAC is unpredictable at best. A tower fan is white noise, airflow, and sanity all in one. Non-negotiable.
🔌 Power strip with USB ports
Dorm outlets are ancient and scarce. A surge-protected power strip with built-in USB ports will change your life immediately.
🛁 Shower caddy + shower shoes
Communal bathrooms. I cannot stress this enough. Shower shoes are not optional. Get a caddy with drainage holes and hang it anywhere.
🛏️ Mattress topper — XL Twin
Dorm mattresses are notoriously bad for your back and your sleep. A good memory foam topper makes the bed feel like yours. Do not skip this.
🧺 Laundry bag not a basket
Laundry rooms are usually not on your floor. A drawstring bag you can carry on your shoulder is infinitely more practical than a basket down three flights of stairs.
💊 A fully stocked medicine kit
Tylenol, Advil, DayQuil, NyQuil, Pepto, allergy meds, Band-Aids. You will be sick at some point. Having everything on hand is everything.
📎 Command strips — every size
You cannot put holes in dorm walls. Command strips let you hang everything beautifully without losing your deposit. Buy way more than you think you need.
🎧 Noise cancelling headphones
Invest in a good pair early. They will carry you through four years.
🌿 A small plant or diffuser
Dorm rooms feel institutional. One small plant or a plug-in diffuser with your favorite scent makes the space feel like yours. Your environment affects your mood more than you think.
📓 A physical planner — the paper kind
Apps are great. But writing down your schedule, deadlines, and goals by hand actually helps you remember them. Get a planner and use it every single week.
🍳 Reusable water bottle + snack stash
Hydration keeps you alert in class. A snack drawer with bars, nuts, and fruit was essential for me.
💡 LED string lights or a lamp
Overhead dorm lighting is harsh and awful. Soft warm lighting from a lamp or string lights makes your room feel cozy and is infinitely better for late night studying.
🧴 Over-door organizer
Dorm closets are tiny. An over-door organizer for shoes, accessories, snacks, or toiletries instantly doubles your storage without taking up any floor space.
Other Favorites: Backrest pillow, body pillow, mounted mirror, flashlight (your roommate’s schedule and yours may not align, and sometimes you’ll be getting ready in the dark!), mini fridge (if your dorm doesn’t come equipped with one), a Velcro body towel wrap (for comfy walks to and from the shower), a cordless handheld vacuum (easy to tuck away in the closet for quick cleanups), and a foldable drying rack (because dorm dryers are always occupied or you’ll inevitably have something that needs to air-dry).
Invest in your sleep environment above everything else.
The mattress topper, the fan for white noise, the blackout curtains if your windows get morning light, and the good pillow you brought from home. Your sleep is the foundation of your academic performance, your mental health, and your ability to show up fully for the four years ahead of you. Prioritize good rest. Your GPA will thank you.
What I know about starting over — and why it is not starting over at all
I know what it feels like to make a college decision, announce it to everyone you know, show up, and then quietly realize it is not right. I know the weight of wondering what people will think if you leave. I know the fear that transferring means you failed somehow — that you are behind, that everyone else has it figured out, that the path you took was the wrong one.
Here is what I want you to know: you are not behind. You are redirecting. There is no timeline you are supposed to be on. There is no version of this that requires you to stay somewhere that is not right simply because leaving feels like admitting something. The bravest thing I did in college was transfer. And everything I built afterward grew from that courage.
Trust the knowing. It is telling you something true. Go where you can grow.
Stepping into your first real job — what nobody tells you
Your first job does not have to be your dream job — but treat it like it matters
Show up fully. Learn everything. Build relationships. The reputation you build in your first job travels further and faster than you think. Every environment you work in teaches you something the next one will require. Nothing is wasted.
Negotiate your starting salary — every single time
The offer is not the final number. Research the market rate. Know your worth. Ask for more than they offer. The worst they can say is no and no is not a closed door, it is a starting point. Women who negotiate earn significantly more over their careers than those who do not. This habit starts now.
Start your emergency fund before you start your lifestyle
First paycheck energy is real. And so is financial vulnerability. Before you upgrade anything, build three to six months of expenses in savings.
Find a mentor
Not an official program. A real person who is further along the path you are on and willing to invest in you. Ask good questions. Listen more than you talk. Show up for them before you need anything. One great mentor in your first job can change the entire trajectory of your career. I know from experience
Contribute to your retirement account immediately — even a little
I know. You are twenty-two. Retirement feels fictional. The money you invest in your twenties is worth dramatically more than money invested in your thirties or forties because of compound interest. Even three percent of your paycheck. Start now. Future you will be overwhelmingly grateful.
What I learned earning dual degrees — and whether it is worth it
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends on why you are doing it and how you structure it. Here is what I know from doing it:
🎯 Choose degrees that complement each other
Political Science and Communications built skills that work together, critical thinking plus storytelling. Pick majors that make each other stronger.
📅 Map your credits early
Sit with an academic advisor every single semester. Know exactly what you need and when. Do not discover missing credits senior year.
⚡ Protect your GPA strategically
Know which courses will challenge your GPA and plan accordingly. Do not take everything hard in the same semester.
🏆 Let the honors be a byproduct
Chase the learning, not the Latin. Cum laude followed because I was genuinely invested in what I was studying. The distinction came with the curiosity.
😮💨 Give yourself permission to rest
Dual degrees are demanding. Rest is not a reward for finished work. It is a requirement for sustained excellence. Schedule it like a class.
The Miss America Organization is the world's largest scholarship provider for women — and it is available to you
I have been part of the Miss America Organization for twenty years. I have held multiple titles across both the teen and Miss systems. And one of the things I am most passionate about communicating to young women is this: the Miss America's Scholarship Foundation is not just a pageant prize. It is one of the most significant scholarship pipelines available to women in this country.
$1B+
AWARDED SINCE 1945
No. 1
LARGEST PROVIDER FOR WOMEN
All 50
STATES HAVE PROGRAMS
Local preliminary competitions like Miss Mount Holly are official pathways into the Miss North Carolina and Miss America programs. Scholarship dollars are awarded at every level: local, state, and national.
The competition is real, the training is extraordinary, and the scholarships are genuinely life-changing. I have watched young women use this organization to fund graduate degrees, launch businesses, and build careers that would not have been possible without the financial support it provided.
If you are a young woman between the ages of 17 and 28 who is curious about competing — this is your sign to look into it. It is not what you think it is. And it might be one of the best decisions you ever make for your education and your future.
Visit missamerica.org to find a competition near you. Or reach out to me directly — I would love to tell you everything about what this program has given me and what it could give you.
To every girl in this graduation season
Whether you are walking across a stage, transferring to somewhere new, or starting a job that feels both exciting and terrifying — this is one of the most growing seasons of your life.
I started at one school, transferred to another, graduated during a pandemic with two degrees, walked into a career with no clear roadmap, and built something I am genuinely proud of, piece by piece, choice by choice, year by year. None of it looked exactly like I thought it would. BUT all of it was exactly right.
You are going to be exceptional. Trust yourself. Work hard. Take care of you. Now go get it girl. 🎓🤍
"The diploma does not make you. What you build with it does. And you have everything you need to build something extraordinary."
