Weekly Spotlight - Aaron @ University of Florida: Identity, Belonging and the Freedom to Be Yourself

In today’s episode, we speak with Aaron, a sophomore at the University of Florida. Born in Lima, Peru and raised in Miami, Aaron describes growing up in a largely Hispanic community, learning English quickly after moving to the U.S. with his mother, and enduring intense academic pressure that led to burnout and heated conflicts about leaving home. Unable to afford out-of-state options and facing guilt tied to his mom’s sacrifices, he chose UF and found freedom to be himself and build an LGBTQ friend circle. He describes balancing classes, internships, and a job at Starbucks, while pursuing public relations and journalism, and shares advice about exploring college while staying true to yourself.Be sure to check out other episodes in the My First Year series, wherever you get your podcasts.🌐Follow the series wherever you listen to podcasts and join our growing community at sophiamedia.co.▶️ www.youtube.com/@MyFirstYearSeries❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.Email [email protected] and share your own transformative first year with us.