Donna's Diary
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I Went Back to College 8 Years Later – Was It the Right Choice?
When I first left college in my early twenties, I had no clear vision of what I wanted from life. I wasn’t chasing dreams, and I wasn’t building anything. I was just trying to survive. School had felt like a box I was supposed to check off, a path I was told to follow. I didn’t have financial support, I didn’t have stable housing, and I didn’t have the luxury of being myself. I now realize how closely my experience mirrored that of someone raised in foster care—a sense of being raised well enough to stay out of trouble, but never really prepared for life outside the bubble. No one…
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Capstone Project
Reflecting on My Senior Capstone Journey: From Personal Stories to Empowerment As I prepare for my Senior Presentation, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey this Capstone project has taken me on. Over the past months, I’ve shared stories that were deeply personal, honest, and sometimes difficult to write. Each blog post became part of my growth and helped shape not just my project, but me as a person. I started with my mental health story in “Surviving, Not Just Existing.” It was raw and real—something I knew others could relate to but don’t always talk about. Then, I explored what happens after survival in “Personal Growth: Why…
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Who Am I And Why Am I Here?
“Oh, how interesting! I wonder how I can solve this and where it will lead me. I’m intrigued and excited to see how I grow in the process.” My name is Donna Melena. I am Deaf and use American Sign Language (ASL). The chances if you met me in person, you wouldn’t think of me as a disabled person. As soon as I started paying attention to you and you began to speak to me. My impulsive response but comes to me naturally in mind, and I began to move my hands up and gestured “DEAF.” I would usually have to gesture “DEAF” repeatedly to make it a point that…
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Goodbye 2020 & Hello 2021
Time has come! 2020 is about to be over. With the latest chapter coming up, I want to reflect on 2020 with the projects that I haven’t done before, which I share with you. I have lost count of how many times I have read many inspiring blog posts and found myself admiring their contents. I had my vision that continued to persist in my mind, and over time I decided to give it a chance. It took me almost over a year to play around with my blog before deciding on the launch date. A few years ago, I would always get lost on Pinterest and read the contents…
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My 27th Birthday Reflection
The only thing that mattered to me was to live to the fullest of my life. I no longer wanted to suffer. I want to show off my desires and hobbies and grow as much as I go. I invite you to read this journey with me and read this as much as I love writing and creating my own rules as I go in my life. Here are the twenty-seven life lessons I want to share with you. The day I turned twenty-seven, I wanted to take some time to share my thoughts about the life lessons I have learned. 1. Keep a documentary of your life. Whatever it…
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2021 Resolutions
So 2021 is here. Already? It is always up to people to follow this Happy New Year New Me tradition. I like to set goals for myself, and I already knew what I wanted to do with my 2021 goals since I have spent some time reflecting on my resolutions for 3 months before. There are some clouds in my life that I hope will pass, most importantly, my mental health. I have been struggling with the low moments because it does affect my personal life, so it was essential for me to set some goals that I want to see in the future. Even if I don’t complete my…
