My name is Juliana Thompsen and I’m a first semester freshman at Baruch College. I grew up in Suffolk County on Long Island in an area that could only be described as “suburbia”. Where everyone has a car, a two story home with the front yard, and a back yard with a pool and all the families that still have a small child own a play gym. I went to public school all my life, and thats where I met some of the best people in the world. My friend 
group, of which by senior year, composed of about twenty people was loud, tight-knit and supportive. We all consider each other like a second family. In high school I was captain of my school’s varsity badminton team for three years and the whole team worked their butts off. In my senior year, the girl’s team won county championships for the first time in my school’s history. The plaque I received from being part of the team is more prominently displayed on my wall than my high school diploma. Next semester I am transferring to the Fashion Institute of Technology to major in Fashion Merchandising.