Erin elaborated more on her change of heart regarding her journey, “While I was attending BU, I survived challenging biology and chemistry classes, pulling the occasional all-nighter studying for exams. This was all in pursuit of the ultimate goal I initially set while attending Davie County High School.

“After I graduated from BU, a few things happened in my personal life that challenged me in ways I never could have anticipated. Suddenly, medicine was no longer my passion. I took some time, went back to school, and found other career interests.

“I never could have anticipated how happy I would be taking a completely different path than the one I had planned for and worked towards. I learned a lot about myself during this process, but the biggest thing I learned is sometimes plans can change and there’s no shame in following where the new ones take you.”

I asked Erin what advice she could give to rising seniors or incoming freshman, she replied, “There are many career paths available to you. Make sure you explore any and everything you find remotely interesting. Keep an open mind. Utilize friends, classmates, teachers, professors, neighbors, etc. to help you determine what may be interesting. Keep in mind that you can always pivot to something different in the future. Be your whole and true self.”