THE JOURNEY OF GRADUATION IN TIMES OF COVID-19

And so, Graduation day came along. After a lot of planning, studying, and so much hard work, the big day came around. I have been acclaimed a Master in my field, Valedictorian in my class, and received other five awards, which is for sure much more than what I expected when I signed up for this learning adventure.  

All of that came with several months of dedication, nights unslept, reading, writing, researching, learning, which resulted in so many great discoveries and achievements. Today I see the entertainment industry from a more mature perspective. If I thought out of the box before, I do that today with ownership. I am confident that being innovative, creative, and disruptive is a must to strive and make a difference in this industry. Full Sail University taught me a lot, and for the rest of my life, I will be grateful for every lesson learned.  Thank you to my Professors and Full Sail friends for the support along this journey. Thank you, Heather Torres, Carmen Venegas, Steven Burnhoe, Noel Beaulieu, Dan Spellman, Bill Thompson, Kari Whalley, Eric Bartels, Eric Miles, Sankaya Hall, David Smith, Brandy Waters, TJ and all the others, you are exceptional and will be forever in my heart and best memories.

However, the most important lesson I take from this experience is to follow my dreams, to be brave and courageous, and that when I really want and believe in something, I have to persevere and never give up no matter how hard and difficult it may be. These are principles that I had inside of me, and this journey reinforced them to the highest potency. It is clear to me that if I didn't honestly believe in them, I would not have made it to graduation, much less with all the honors and awards conferred to me. I am so proud of all my academic achievements, but most of all, I am proud of myself, of never letting go, of keeping my focus despite all the difficulties that came up.

I knew that the decision to pursue the Entertainment Business Master of Science was a dream, and making it happen, was going to be the biggest challenge of my life. What I did not know was that the challenges that I expected when I decide to leave my life behind, move to another country and pursue a Master's Degree were nothing compared to all that was to come with the year 2020 and Covid-19.

In every aspect, these last months were a life-changing experience. Before Covid-19, I had time to make three friends Guilherme Canineo, Fernanda Lippe, and Phil Palen, and after that other two came along @Sana Alabbadi and Lucas B Franco. Suddenly, classes were online, family was online, friends were online, work was online, and every demonstration of love and affection was online. I was alone, quarantined in my apartment for an infinite number of days, weeks, and months. Silence became loud, and I had to fill in every space there was with laughter, smile, hope, and positive thoughts to keep emptiness, loneliness, and uncertainty away and to keep myself company. It was not at all easy; every day was a challenge and, at the same time, an encouragement to go on. Alone, I laughed and cried, but quitting packing my stuff and going back home to my comfort zone never crossed my mind. I persevered and worked harder each day. I knew I could overcome all the difficulties. I understood that to do so, I had to reinvent what was fun, what was boring, what was free-time, and most of all, I had to establish new priorities, and believe me, that was the hardest part.

The year 2020, together with Covid-19, had a way to make my Entertainment Business Mastery Journey even more unique and unforgettable. I made few but great friends, which I thank every day. I thank my professors, who had the patience to help me and guide me throughout my questions, inquiries, and doubts. Also very important, I thank my family for the unconditional support and my friends back home. They were all so far away, but always so present, never leaving me alone, despite the loneliness that life imposed on me.

After this year, I can assure you that one day after the other, with dedication and commitment, life will take you wherever you want!! If there is something that I would like to share with every person on the planet, it is: "Follow your dreams, don't look back, never give up, and look out for the bright side of every moment; because as worst as it seems, there is always one!!