Alexandra Bailey
Educational Foundation scholarship: Fralin Futures STEM-H Scholarship
Program of study: Science — Mathematics
Hey future self,
Sit down for a minute, I’ve got something I want to share with you.
Remember when you were the eager math geek at Virginia Western, about to graduate and take on the world? You were so excited to see what was in store. You loved Differential Equations and wanted to teach undergrad math. You had so many interests outside of school. Snowboarding, triathlons and cooking were some big ones, but everything interested you – and you wanted to try your hand at it. I hope you didn’t lose that eagerness to the world. I hope you’re still actively stepping out of your comfort zone, every day.
And yes, I get it, it’s scary. Things are going to happen that you can’t plan for – and that’s okay. You just have to roll with the flow, take it in, glean lessons from it, and then carry on, head held high. Remember that every moment, good and bad, makes you the best, unique version of you. Nothing extraordinary ever came from your comfort zone, so why not just see what happens?
I hope you’ve seen the Sierra Nevada Range by now, maybe with your brother. I hope you made it to Montana, maybe permanently; if not, that’s okay. I hope you still snuggle with your pup while reading a book and sipping a cup of chamomile tea. I hope you’re still doing triathlons. That task was one of the hardest things you’ve put your mind to – keep it up!
Hopefully you’re out of graduate school now. Teaching is going to be so worth it, I promise! Don’t give up on it – you’re capable of anything your set your mind to.
Go get ’em
Alex