Fiona Sullivan

At eighteen years old I have flown over 190,000 miles. That is almost double the miles the average American will fly in fifty years. My frequent flier miles are something that I take great pride in. My life of flight began at the age of four when my parents became divorced, at which point my mother, sister and I moved to Lowell, Massachusetts and my father moved to Alexandria, Virginia. My sister and I spent almost every weekend for about eight years flying between Massachusetts and Virginia. Have no fear; this is not another boring story about the struggles of a kid whose parents are divorced. Most people perceive this experience of traveling between parents as a burden or a challenge; I, however interpret it as an opportunity to grow. Today I am a better, stronger person for it, and I am who I am because of it. From Logan to Reagan National, I’ve learned about both the larger scope of the world and about myself. My travels have shown me that I am strong and that I can conquer anything, whether it is Logan airport or landing a Presidential Leadership Scholarship at my first choice university. Through spending many Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings waiting on delayed planes, I have learned to love stepping out of my comfort zone, to buzz with excitement when meeting new people. Airport people watching, the best kind of people watching, has allowed me to embrace and accept all things and people that are different. The very experience that is accountable for who I am today is also what instilled in me the courage to step onto a plane and move 1,040 miles away from home to attend the University of Georgia.