Angelina's Blog

  When I think about Jacqueline Novogratz’s idea of “redefining the geography of community,” the first thing that comes to mind is how small the world feels when you actually decide to care. Not in a surface-level, social-media way, but in that real, human way where you recognize that your choices, no matter the size, touch people far beyond your immediate circle. If everyone is part of this larger community, then my first step in making the world better has to start with how I show up for people. I’ve always believed that connection is one of my strengths, so maybe my contribution is to lean deeper into it: listening better, asking more questions, and treating every interaction like it matters. I imagine graduating and actually putting this into practice, maybe through marketing, maybe through global work, perhaps something I can’t even picture yet. But I see myself in spaces where people from different cultures, backgrounds, and languages come together, and I see my role as a bri...

  A Day in the Life Most of my days start the same way: rushing out the door, normally somewhat late. Today was no different. I kicked things off with WRIT 340, where I spent some time yapping and laughing. It’s the kind of routine that feels so normal now, but I know one day I’ll look back at it and miss how easy it was to start my day surrounded by familiar faces. After WRIT, I moved straight into my active part of the day,  golf, and then yoga. It sounds like a lot back-to-back, but honestly, it's super fun. I placed those classes in my schedule to allow myself to experience classes that are different from my typical ones . These little pockets of calm in between all the academic noise have become such a necessary part of my week. By the time I’m done, I feel like I’ve done something good for myself before the day really picks up speed. Once the workouts wrapped, I grabbed lunch with my friend and took a much-needed break before heading to BUAD 497 at 2 PM. Afternoon classe...

  My Botanical Friend: The Jade Plant The plant that I interact with most regularly is my jade plant, which sits on my desk in my room. Its botanical name is Crassula ovata, from the family Crassulaceae. The Latin word Crassula means “thick,” referring to the plant’s fleshy leaves, and ovata means “egg-shaped,” describing the rounded form of each glossy leaf. Commonly known as the jade plant or money plant, it’s native to South Africa and Mozambique, but it has adapted well to life indoors all around the world. Though it isn’t indigenous to Los Angeles, where I live, it seems perfectly at home basking in the California sunlight that streams through my window each afternoon. Visually, my jade plant is striking yet simple. Its small, oval leaves are a rich, deep green with a waxy sheen that catches the light like polished stone. When I water it, the leaves feel calm and firm, almost rubbery, but not in a synthetic way. It doesn’t have a strong smell, but when the soil is freshly wate...

  When I was younger, The Real Housewives of Atlanta was on once a week in my house because my mom had a love for reality TV. I’d sit on the couch next to her, pretending not to care, but secretly waiting for the next big argument or dramatic reunion moment. There was just something about it that pulled me in. At the time, I didn’t realize I was developing a love for reality TV. I just thought it was something my mom liked. But now, I see it was kind of our bonding time, laughing together, making predictions about who was going to fall out next week, or quoting iconic lines like “Who gon’ check me, boo?” As I got older, my interest only grew. I started watching various reality shows, including Love Is Blind, Big Brother, and Selling Sunset, among others. There’s something about seeing real people (well, semi-real) navigate relationships, careers, and drama that’s so entertaining. It’s like watching human behavior unfold in the most exaggerated way possible. Additionally, there’s a ...