Last year I made my first documentary film as part of my graduate thesis project. Yes, I did this purely because it was required to graduate but it ended up being accepted into my first film festival. So not only did I get my masters degree, it ended up having a way bigger purpose than I initially thought it would. But just like my narrative short film, it came with its own set of challenges.

There were only a few things that I could've seen myself possibly majoring in, and those were psychology, astronomy, and film. Psychology showed me how people move through the world, astronomy showed me the world’s place in the universe, and film allowed me to capture the world. When it came down to choosing my major, I chose film: the one that allowed me to combine all my interests by creating fascinating characters and building worlds to tell a story.

I did it. I finally did it. After years of dreaming, I've finally graduated with my master's degree! What makes this achievement even more special is, the journey was so much more than I expected. I worked with some incredible people, had some cool opportunities, and even received a few awards. It's a journey that wasn't perfect and had its hardships, but in the end, it was all worth it.