Post-graduation plans: Lydia will be starting as a research assistant at the Center for Social Development and Education at UMass Boston. Following that experience, she intends to attend graduate school to pursue a doctorate in psychology.
Major: Psychology
Key experiences: Lydia describes herself as more cautious before collegeāāsafety proneāābut sheās been supported here in ways that have pushed her growth. āIāve learned a lot about myself. ā¦ Iāve found friends that I really love here, friends that I connected with in ways Iād never found before,ā she says. And her academic advisors have supported her as well, āin not only my academic but also my personal life.ā
What she's taking with her as she prepares to graduate: "As I move forward, Iāll probably feel more comfortable in new situations; trying new things, falling in love with different things that I never thought Iād experience.
"If I could tell my past self one thing, I think Iād tell her to trust her instincts and take more risksābreak out of your shell! Be okay with failing! Get back on the horse and try again."
Hometown: Medford, Massachusetts.