Brianna: Future Doctor and Former Competitive Equestrian

Brianna & I *legally* drinking wine at a Pub!

When I first met Bri, I was surprised to learn how alike we are.

We both love coffee, have Greek relatives, and are terrified of heights. We both love cats. She has a playful and cuddly, big, fluffy black and white cat named Oreo and a tiny, independent, sometimes cuddly, brown tabby named Toonces. I like to think they would get along with my black and white snowshoe tabby, Jupiter, but not so much my flame-point Siamese, Milo: he tends to attack other cats, and not always in a playful way!

Besides the obvious and surface-level differences between Bri and me such as her being much taller than me and having shorter hair, there are numerous character variations I have taken note of, only known from engaging in more conversation with her.

Growing up in Maryland

I have grown up in the same town my whole life: a small town in northern New Jersey that no one has ever heard of. Although Bri and I have both experienced our childhood in the same place, her town differs greatly from my own.

Besides having recently moved last summer to Sparks, Maryland (20 minutes from Loyola), Bri grew up in Bel Air, Maryland: a medium-sized town, located in the middle of residential areas. She’s used to driving everywhere, as necessities such as stores and restaurants are too far away to walk to. There is a town center, a main street, and lots of farms. My suburbia on the other hand is defined by a main downtown, so tiny and close that it is a convenient walk away from my house.

Horseback Riding

A big part of Bri’s life was her experience with horses. When she first told me this fact about herself, I thought it was a bit funny that she’s so afraid of heights but does not fear riding on top of such tall animals. I have a step-grandma, living in New Hampshire, that has had horses her entire life until recently. Although I enjoyed riding the horses growing up, I remember on multiple occasions refusing to ride specific horses that made me feel as though I was too high up when I sat on them. I enjoyed sticking to ponies...

Due to the abundance of farms nearby, most of Bri’s elementary school peers rode horses. She began riding lessons herself when she was 10 years old. She never had her own horse, but she would ride horses belonging to “Flying Change,” the farm she received lessons at. As the years went by, she rose in the ranks, working up to new skills the more practice she gained. Walking, trotting, cantering, and jumping were some of the skills she attained over time.

Because Bri’s sister (who also rides horses) is a few years younger than her, they were able to participate in horse shows together. It was a way for them to further develop their bond whilst growing independently as they advanced at their own pace in training. Bri participated in competitive horse riding until she was 14. Middle school was a time comprised of more advanced shows, in which more difficult skills, such as jumping, could be showcased. At around 13 years old, Bri qualified for a championship and ended up coming in 4^th place overall for her division, riding a horse named Lady.

Although her last show was at 18 years old, Bri still enjoys horseback riding for leisure today. Her sister now trains horses, still guided by the same trainer Bri had as well. Horseback riding became sort of a family affair, as Bri’s mother took up lessons as well. Bri is incredibly proud of this unique skill she has and enjoys how this activity has brought her, her mom, and her sister closer together.

Having a Younger Sister

Close in age to herself, Bri’s younger sister, Emily, is 17, almost 18 years old. She’s quite funny, like Bri, but she appears to be much more extroverted than Bri. “She’s not a minimalist but a maximalist,” Bri described to me. “She always has her nails done, buys the biggest bottles of nice shampoo, and enjoys indulging in fake tans.” I asked, “So she’s a little extra?” and she nodded her head in agreement. Although they’re alike in some ways, Bri likes to describe her and her sibling’s personalities in relation to their parents: Bri is more like her mom, as she keeps to herself a bit more, and her sister and older brother are more like their dad.

My only sibling is my older brother, Niko. Like Bri’s sister, he is close in age to me, being only two years older. We are incredibly close, and both of us without a doubt, resemble my mom in terms of personality. Although similar in some ways, my brother and I differ greatly. For example, I have always been more of an academic, while he indulges in his creative side through music.

Biology major on the Pre-Med Track

Through studying abroad, I have enjoyed learning about everyone's major choices and the reasoning behind them.

Upon meeting the other Loyola students, I was surprised to learn how many of them are biology majors (and some even on the pre-med track). Bri is on the pre-med track (and I give her the BIGGEST props in the world for doing that). She described always enjoying science classes the most in school, and she had always seen herself pursuing a career in medicine. Like me, she is quite persistent and determined and therefore wants to follow through with her medical interests.

“Organic Chemistry I was the hardest class I've taken at Loyola,” she described. She told me that when she took it, Loyola just began running in-person classes again, thus the transition to this was jarring and difficult. Despite "Orgo I” (as she and many of her peers call organic chemistry) being quite the headache of a class, her favorite class has been Organic Chemistry II: she adored her professor and enjoyed his daily tangents about his own life stories, veering from class content for just a few minutes before getting back into the course material. “He made class fun,” she said.