What We Carry Forward

The Charles River at sunset, Cambridge, Massachusetts. August 2026.

It’s been a month since I left New York City and moved to Cambridge to start at Harvard. The change still feels a bit unreal. Harvard always seemed out of reach, so I never really thought I’d end up here. But sometimes life opens doors we never expected. The biggest shift for me isn’t just being here, but realizing this is my path, that I belong here now, and that I have a chance to make something meaningful out of it. I bring that lesson from New York, a city that taught me to stay curious and make the most of what’s around me. Over five years, I grew to love its mix of beauty and chaos, its history and constant energy, its busy streets and surprising moments of wonder. Whether it was a musician in Washington Square Park or a night at Carnegie Hall, I kept finding new reasons to love the city. New York is full of what people create and care about: art, music, food, performances, ideas, ambition. Somehow, it all comes together in just a few lively miles. Walking through its neighborhoods, I often felt the past beneath the present, as if the lives before me had left something behind.

But what stands out most to me are the people. The friendships and connections I made are what truly gave those five years meaning. As I get older, I see that places matter because of the people we share them with. We learn from each other, shape each other, and pass on what we’ve learned. Even a short meeting can leave a mark. I’ve learned this throughout my life, especially as an artist: we’re never really alone in the world. That’s what I’m bringing with me to Cambridge now, where I hope to keep paying attention, to stay open to new people and opportunities, and to make the most of wherever life takes me next.