In 1999, two different worlds collided at the sight of a mango tree in Jamaica. My father, a hustler, came across my mother, a newly naturalized US citizen visiting her home country. He’d been prowling for the ripest mangoes for his shop after parting from his tiling business and music career. My mother was previously embarking on her education journey in the USA, soon bringing him along with her. In 2003, those worlds coalesced in the form of a baby girl. Being a first generation Jamaican-American meant that every opportunity given to you has to count, as my people are known for “turning nothing into something” as many famously say. Learning of the pain and grueling work that it took to root a family in a drastically safer and more opportune environment meant that I had to make it count. No sole opportunity would be enough for me. I embarked on my educational journey with a focus in health science, which I’m continuing to finish with a level of ferocity that can only be catalyzed by the thought of my family back home cheering me on. Any videos, outside coursework, and even articles served as additional opportunities for me to learn more about my other passions such as entrepreneurship, marketing and media creation. In 2022, I even caught the attention of my dream platform, Pinterest, which led to me absorbing as much information as I possibly could on marketing, signaling and advertising. I could never choose any other heritage in my life, as my Caribbean ancestry is what has brought me to successes I would’ve never imagined as a wide-eyed and oblivious child. It was the grit of my grandpa, the strength of my mother, and the multifaceted nature of my father that got me here. All because I’m Jamaican.

Living a healthy life is important as it's the foundation for so many important outcomes such as happiness, stress reduction, and a longer lifespan. I noticed that improving my overall health not only came from maintaining a balanced diet, hydration, and exercise but also from non-physical efforts such as the improvement of my mental health. Creating a solid work-life balance and a manageable schedule significantly alleviated my stress, allowing for me to focus on the more conventional aspects of my well-being. As a brand-new college student, I made various financial decisions that compromised the money I could spend on my personal health. In turn, I noticed that I was consuming cheap junk food, was physically inactive, and rarely drank enough water. On top of these already poor habits, I was studying late at night, constantly having nightmares, and neglecting my mental health. This created a state of utter discomfort and dissatisfaction with my life, and I moved as groggily and miserably as I felt. I then realized that a multitude of unhealthy habits came together to create an unhealthy and dissatisfactory lifestyle. After hardships such as a decrease in grades, an unhealthy blood test result, and a turbulent social life, I knew I needed to change. My immediate course of action was to eliminate the sleep issues that tormented my mental state. I resolved this by reducing my sugar intake at night, which was the usual culprit of my prolonged drifting time. I also had to complete my assignments earlier or even on a more gradual basis so I wouldn't be inundated with various assignments at the same time. This helped me become more alert during the daytime, allowing for me to accurately plan my social interactions, work schedule, and school schedule. My nightmares also dissipated as a result. Ever since I found a way to balance these things, I found myself in a much happier mental state, making me more energetic and eager for new opportunities. In regards to physicality, I made a point to exercise at least 3 times a week, which gradually increased to 5 times a week as I squeezed workouts into my post-work and post-school schedule. Since my external physical health was on the right track, my diet was another important thing I knew I'd tackle. I started consistently taking my vitamins, drinking lots of water and tea, and incorporating lots of fruits, veggies, and protein into my diet. As I took on this approach, I noticed that my digestive system ran smoother, I was less irritable and I also had more energy. When I relied on sugars and processed foods for energy, I experienced an immediate energy burst with an abrupt crash. With my new diet, I felt myself gradually gaining and maintaining my energy, which helped me have a steady mood and carry out daily functions without extreme exhaustion. Encompassing all of these aspects led me to become the happiest and healthiest version of myself at the age of 19, a year in which fresh adulthood and college demands would often diminish those capabilities. It was surely a learning curve, and it especially became expensive as I eliminated the cheap filler foods for whole and often organic produce. Despite the expense, combining logic, trial-and-error and resilience improved the efficacy of my advances, and I hope to share this knowledge with others regardless of their age or walk of life.

Take note and write definitions of the things you don't fully understand first. When studying, we often make the mistake of reiterating and recording information we already know, and the more complex and confusing information often slips our minds. I noticed that when I took the time to fully grasp definitions or take note of what I didn't understand in class, I could refer back to it on my own time and actually get a better understanding at my own pace. I strive to implement this as I continue my journey through college, but I often wish I'd employed it in my high school years. Given this experience, I want to share my knowledge with as many people as possible in order to help guide them to success. My social handle is: @ssurraee (Instagram) and @ssurrae (Tiktok, Pinterest)

When the savory aroma of curried goat and mannish water no longer trails your nostrils, the pulsating reggae drums don’t vibrate against your body, or the house isn’t filled with dozens upon dozens of bodies, (usually speaking Patois amongst each other) you feel uprooted, or maybe even disconnected from a part of yourself. Transitioning from a Caribbean-American child to a “Southern Belle” tween undoubtedly came with identity issues, especially as an even bigger chunk of my identity was stripped from me during one of the most adverse periods in my life—the divorce. My father was definitely the pinnacle of my retained culture. My childhood with him was reminiscent of farmer’s market runs, blasting Marley reggae songs in the car, saying “Irie!” with every fist pump we exchanged, and singing along to his original reggae music from the 90s. Although I tried my best, my attempts at Patois would always make his side of the family laugh, and as I grew older and visited Jamaica less often, the little grasp I had on our culture soon diminished. No amount of sugarcane eating, jerk chicken seasoning, or even reggae singing could suffice for the culture I lacked. When I figured that I couldn’t possibly become more disconnected from my culture, the divorce occurred. Just two years after leaving my ethnic Boston neighborhood in which reggaeton could be heard from miles away and barbershops had every Caribbean flag imaginable plastered on their window panes, my parents divorced in a place that was supposedly the catalyst for our “new life”. When we moved to Georgia, neighborhood corner stores and farmers markets morphed into Krispy Kreme’s and KFC’s, reggaeton music turned into deafening, bass-boosted rap, and 5 chairs at the dinner table turned into 4. The legal barrier between myself and my more traditional Jamaican parent incited my manic efforts to seem more cultured than ever. I would scour the internet for dancehall and reggae songs from my childhood, religiously wear the island-inspired tees my father made, and I even begged my mother to put dreads in my hair. Overcoming my identity crisis became easier as I found myself enjoying more “southern” things such as chicken biscuits and rap music. Although it contradicted the elements of my upbringing, I felt more comfortable enjoying both parts of my identity simultaneously. In light of assuming my identity, I became content with the fact that I could enjoy ackee, saltfish, and green bananas for lunch despite the weird looks I’d receive, yet religiously enjoy Chick-Fil-A biscuits for breakfast like a “true” southerner. When approaching adulthood, I took charge of connecting myself to my culture and no longer relied on my parents (especially my father) or the distant memories of Jamaica to validate myself. Instead of constantly watching my mother make jerk chicken, I learned to season and cook it myself. Instead of waiting until seeing my father in order to hear reggae music, I found Spotify playlists that I genuinely enjoy. Most of all, although I enjoyed being complimented on my hairstyle, especially because it made me “look” more Caribbean, I learned to embrace my look when my now loose hair is in braids, twists, or even a bun instead. Embracing my differences amid the adverse events in my life was definitely a challenge, but it’s brought me so much more fulfillment than fitting in ever would.