Bikin’ & Buildin’

Hello everyone!

I am in my last year at the University of Florida (Go Gators!). After 3 years I will be graduating with both my Masters and Specialist Degrees in Counseling. I’m getting a dual degree in both Mental Health and School Counseling. My time in this program has been invaluable and I have made some amazing friends and had an opportunity to learn so much about myself.

I did not anticipate going to UF for graduate school. Being born and raised in Gainesville, I was ready to see other shores. But the Counselor Ed. program being ranked 2nd in the country, and getting to continue to pay instate tuition, I stayed around a bit longer. And I couldn’t be happier I did.

The first day of my orientation, a girl in my cohort said her summer plans consisted of biking across the county to raise awareness for affordable housing. As soon as I heard those words come out of her mouth, I knew it was something I had to do. Who knows how many hours I spend searching the Bike and Build Site the months after I heard about the program. I was a woman obsessed.

Now 3 years later I am going to be biking on the Southern route, all the way from my home state of Florida, to San Francisco, CA. And with all the places I’ve traveled, I’ve never been to the West coast.  So that certainly adds to my excitement.

And the cause of affordable housing means a lot to me as well. One day of the trip we bike through Gulfport, MS. where my grandpa lost his home during Hurricane Katrina.  I’m so happy we get to spend a week helping to rebuild the area in New Orleans that was effected by this storm.

So until June 10th, I will try to do my best to stay present, and enjoy the now, while balancing a huge excitement to start this new adventure.