I graduated from California State University in 2016 with a degree in journalism and a minor in marketing. Like all too many graduates, I found myself unsure of what exactly I wanted to pursue within the field of my education. I’d gained experience in multiple different fields, ranging from internships to paid consultant work, but I struggled to find something that was a natural fit. As a result, I spent a lot of my post-graduate life working as a bartender, rather than in a field relevant to my studies. As my frustrations with my post-collegiate options grew, I found myself longing for a career where I felt I was making a meaningful impact and doing work that needed to be done. Eventually, I decided to pursue a different path that had been rattling around in the back of my mind: teaching. My own experience as a student had its own challenges, but it at least impressed upon me the idea that quality education was a crucial service to society’s function.When I eventually took on a position as a long-term substitute, I got to work with emotionally disturbed students in a special education classroom. It was there I realized how direly the field of education needed understanding adults to help guide students through the challenges they face, especially those who come from unstable, insecure backgrounds. I soon applied for the MAT program at Rockford University, mere months before the COVID-19 pandemic would arrive to exacerbate these problems even further.