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"Why Go Blue?" is a series that features alumni, their decision to Go Blue, and how that decision has impacted their careers and lives.

1. Were you accepted to other schools? Why did you say "yes" to Michigan?

I was! I had no idea what I wanted in a school or academics, so I applied to a bunch of state schools and smaller options. I loved the feel of the campus when I visited in the spring, and ultimately I decided on U-M because I figured a school that was big and well-rounded would support any path I chose for my studies.

2. What opportunities, post graduation, did U-M help you find?

I was a rabid Daily nerd (often referred to as the "Daily," The Michigan Daily is the student-run U-M newspaper) and that helped me network my way into an internship right after graduation.

3. How did what you studied at U-M impact your current career?

I majored in History of Art as well as Creative Writing (Residential College), but my Daily experience was effectively a third major, and that was most valuable in the short term as I worked my way to a journalism and publishing career.

Regardless of where I found myself after graduation, I worked as a freelance arts journalist, and in the past five years, I earned an MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts. I now manage the Print & Design Studio for the Enoch Pratt Free Library (Baltimore's public library system) as well as publish poetry, creative nonfiction, and criticism across a variety of publications.

4. Do you see other Wolverines out in the world ( i.e. not in Michigan)?

Absolutely. I recently spent some time at a rental house in California and when I got to the front door there was a block M on the knocker and a "Go Blue!" ceramic tile in the kitchen. I never met the owner but it was a good omen for what turned out to be a lovely trip. Wolverines are everywhere!

5. What is one piece of advice you'd give a soon-to-be Wolverine?

I have two pieces of advice, and they are in conflict with each other.

Be patient; U-M is sprawling with opportunity and discovery, and you don't need to figure out a major or a career or a life path right away. But also, throw yourself into opportunities and experiences as they come.

I took a semester off; I had huge plans and was also impulsive. There are a thousand things I would have done differently and yet I'm proud of where I am and I'd do it all over again.

Oh, and make sure you get some apple cider in the countryside and spend some time on Lake Michigan. And the Tappan Library is an extremely chill place to work during the summer.

6. What do you miss most about your time at U-M?

The Residential College — Ken Mikolowski and Leslie Stainton in particular. I wouldn't have the creative ethos I have today without them.