Have you ever felt like you know what you want to do deep down but you change your mind because of what others say? Well this is very similar to what happened with Annamaria! Annamaria is my older sister and she is one wise young lady. Annamaria has lived in Cochrane most of her life and is part of a big family being the oldest of 4 kids! She talks about the pressures of being the oldest child and always wanting to be a good example. She grew up with a busy lifestyle with sports, extracurriculars, and family commitments. Annamaria is very grateful for her parents as they gave her so many opportunities and raised their kids as strong individuals.
Annamaria talks about her school journey and all of the ups and downs that came along. She struggled in school when she was really young but after a while it all clicked and she did very well. When deciding what to do after highschool she did a lot of searching. She decided to take general studies at Mount Royal to test the water in areas she was interested in. She felt a loss of direction and tried to keep all her doors open. Annamaria contemplated many different careers and changed her mind more than 6 times.
She eventually decided on taking Food Science and Nutrition. She had a love for cooking but was told that is not a great career. This was something that was close to her interests as people were telling her to pick a more traditional career. She moved to Edmonton and attended the University of Alberta and everything changed. Now Annamaria had many mental health issues while living in residence, and goes into it more in our conversation.Even with all the struggles she learnt so much about herself and what she needs. Now Annamaria encourages others to take your time when deciding whether or not you go to university and to choose when you go. After a couple of years she got the opportunity to go to France and influenced her next decision to go to culinary school to follow her passion. Annamaria turned “maybe one day” into now! Traveling around Europe really helped her discover her identity and individuality. The last thing we talk about is the impact of Covid on her schooling and career.
If you want to get in touch with Annamaria or learn more about her you can contact her on Instagram @annmaria_novello !
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Sending love and joy your way!
Selina Novello