What were your initial thoughts when you came to York? 

I wasn’t sure about York at first. I didn’t know why we went to chapel everyday, but I learned quickly that what matters is the thought that you put into chapel. If you go in with the right mindset, it makes everything good.

 

How would you describe the person you were when you first came to York? 

One thing that has developed is my overall communication. I finished high school here in America, but I still wasn’t very confident in my English. I started to really develop when I took my first English class here. At the end of my first semester, Dr. Hardy recommended that I be an English tutor for The Edge at the ARC. 

 

What is your favorite spot to be on campus and why? 

I love the library! The library has everything that you can need. There’s every type of space that you could need–a hangout space, quiet study spots, free coffee bar, computer lab–they have it all. I loved hanging out on the top floor with the big window, being able to look out over campus. I love being there… Plus the free coffee… Did I mention the free coffee? 

 

What were you involved in during your time at YU? 

I was involved in so many things at first because I had a hard time saying no. But I’ve grown in that way too, learning boundaries. I’ve done Greek Life. I’ve been involved in a lot of activities with our Student Government Association. I worked with Residence Life as an RA. Then I have my work study job as a tutor in the library. That’s a great job. I get to socialize while I’m working because so many people pass through and hang out in the library, stopping to talk and get some work done. I’m also on the esports team, which is what takes up most of my time. I competed in Overwatch, League of Legends, Valorant, Apex, and a couple of side games here and there. Each year, we’ve been able to make it into the playoffs. Last year, we won nationals for League of Legends, which I was the team captain for, and I’m pretty proud of that. 

 

What were some classes that stood out to you? Ones that helped you grow? 

One of the classes that I really enjoyed and grew a lot in was my English classes. Dr. Hardy was one of the first professors that I felt comfortable with. His class really helped me grow, helped me get out of my shell. I remember being in his class one day, and we were talking about our essays, about punctuation. I told him how we do that differently in Brazil. He jokingly said, “Look out the window, are we in America or Brazil?” Ever since, we have this fun, playful relationship which is awesome. You’re able to develop friendships with your professors. They can be your friends and someone you can count on. Tim Lewis was another big professor for me. I had some morning classes that I only woke up for because it was his class and I didn’t want to miss out on his classes, if I’m being completely honest. Instead of teaching a class straight from a textbook or PowerPoint, Lewis had the ability to explain a topic through real-world experiences. Nick DiToro was another business professor who was great at that. If it wasn’t for his accounting classes, before he retired, I probably wouldn’t have chosen accounting as my major. He would make class fun enough for people to better understand accounting and even grow to like it.

 

What were the biggest takeaways that you got from YU? 

One of the biggest takeaways that I got from York was don’t judge a book by its cover. The first time I got to York, I didn’t want to be here. There was so much corn everywhere. But I realized, almost immediately, that York was a special place. I wasn’t expecting the type of people that I found here, the community that’s at YU. Once you start growing into people and they start growing into you, it’s like being home. You find people that you can count on. The teachers know your name and they go out of their way to see how you’re doing and you don’t get that everywhere. 

 

What have you discovered is your purpose and mission after your time at York? And how did you realize what those were to you? 

I’ve found that my purpose is to help people. I told myself that I would never be a teacher but I ended up being a tutor. I loved being a tutor, but still don’t want to be a teacher. I did learn that I love the aspect of helping people. I was also given the role of RA (resident assistant). I learned from the opportunity to just be there to help others, someone to talk to, and to be a shoulder that people can lean on. 

 

What are your plans after you graduate? 

As of now, I’m planning on trying to find a job, maybe somewhere here in town. I’ve been in the States for a little over six years now. I miss home a lot, and I’ve been able to go home to visit a couple of times but I’d like to stay here in the U.S.