Julia is a senior at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, studying Broadcast Media Production and Motion Graphics. She grew up in Exeter, New Hampshire and is a sucker for fall foliage. She loves hiking, mangoes, bucket hats, and secondhand stores. She feels incredibly grateful to have completed PGC 2019 and has learned so much!
What five words would best describe your PGC experience?
Creating confidence and impactful outreach
Think about yourself pre-PGC, just 30 days ago, and then think about who you are today. How have your changed? What have you learned about yourself?
“The amount that I changed is considerable, although gradual. Day one I wasn’t even going to go through with the challenge because it required posting a video on Facebook and explaining why I was doing the challenge. Not only did I not know why, but I didn’t even know if I actually wanted to. That first step was the catalyst for everything to come. Each challenge pushed me a little more into seeing how to interact with the world but also how I am able to interact with it to instill change. Confidence is key. I’ve gained not only that, but I’ve learned I am powerful! I desire to seek out change, compassion and education. My voice is a tool and a gift and I finally see how I can use it.”
What was the most memorable aspect of PGC for you?
“One part of PGC that stood out to me was just about a week ago. I had been making those infographic calligraphy drawings for a little bit and posting on social media a lot more than I ever had before. I opened Instagram a bit after posting another story and I had a message from my sister’s best friend from high school, Ann. Ann shared a message from a friend asking her “Do you know any environmental people? I have a question about plastic.” She reached out to me after seeing my posts for answers to his questions. I was not only the first person she reached out to, but I was able to answer his questions in an educated and thoughtful way. They were both super appreciative and I was shocked. It was when I realized I had the tools! I could make change by doing things I loved like calligraphy and video!”
After 30 days of bold and brilliant work and newly acquired wisdom, how will you best put it to use?
“Putting this new wisdom to work takes two different (but very predictable focuses): Changing within and Changing what’s around. The first step is challenging, but not as hard as the second. New practices have become habits and some changes are still a work in progress. Now that I know where I can improve my life, I will be taking those steps to vote with my dollar, reduce my waste, and continue to increase my confidence. This leads to changing what’s around. Yes, I have the climate action progress in place, but I also started a side project that I feel very passionately about. Reducing waste during Orientation and special events on campus is my way of building a more sustainable world and showing people how it can be done.I was led to this path by others and now I will lead by example.”
