GET TO KNOW OLIVIA

I figured I should take some time to introduce myself. After all, I'm hoping that you'll stay and chat a while. Connecting with your audience can be a challenge, but I hope after reading through this you'll feel like you know me a little bit better. Anyway, here goes nothing. If you like me, yay! Let's be friends!

Nice to meet you!

I'm Liv.

I am currently a senior at BYU (go Cougs!) majoring in Journalism. I got my Associates in Homeland Security in 2020, which I absolutely loved studying. Everything forensics, criminal psychology, and counter-terrorism studies is definitely my first love, but writing kind of took its place upon graduation. I'm not sure if pursuing grad school is in the cards for me, but stick around and we'll find out together!

As far as family goes, I am the second child of seven to two incredible parents. The boys were definitely outnumbered, two of them to five girls. We all grew up in Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. My parents were really into raising us in a non-traditional way. Whether it was starting up a farm, homeschooling us until my mom had baby number six, hauling us all out to renaissance fairs on the weekends, watching their girls win matches at wrestling tournaments, or putting us in traditional Bavarian dance, they were always up to something. But I credit my unconventional upbringing for a lot of my successes.

I was taught to love learning. Throughout my childhood, my mom wouldn't call us homeschooled. She encouraged what she called world-schooling. Which meant tearing headfirst through the stigma that we were sitting around all day in pajamas barely skimming through any learning material. There was no isolating ourselves or falling behind. We were thrown into different time periods down to the very food we'd eat, read classic novels, travel to historical sites and museums, play instruments, sports, get involved with theatre groups, and so much more along with keeping up with all the coursework of a traditional student.

By the time my parents did decide to put us in the public school system, I was in sixth grade. Let me tell you, it was definitely a Cady from Mean Girls moment. I made some friends and held out until I was fourteen though, and then started reaching out for opportunities that would take me far away from the crowded lunchroom and irritable tenured teachers I'd come to dread. I enrolled in a vocational technical school for cosmetology as well as my local college and started attending both of those along with a few hours of regular high school each day.

With cosmetology school came the opportunity for work at a nearby salon, which I adored. That lead to me spending a summer in Chicago interning at another salon, which was an incredible experience as well. By the time I'd finished with high school, hair school, two novels, and my first degree, I was seventeen and about to head out to Utah to pursue another. And I've been here in Salt Lake ever since!

These days, I spend a lot of time playing the long game. Work, side hustle, work, school, side hustle number two, work, and more work. I can't complain though, I love what I do! I love writing, blogging, and doing hair. I love what I'm studying and I love having a day job that makes it all possible. I'm incredibly lucky and beyond grateful for the opportunities that've lead me to this uphill climb. And every so often, I get to turn around and take in the view, and those moments make it all worth the effort.

In my spare time though, I do have a lot of fun. Hanging out with friends, hiking, going dancing, exploring the city for little hidden gem restaurants, and re-watching Clueless and Ten Things I Hate About You a hundred times over are just a few of my personal favorite lazy-day activities. Work hard so you can play hard, right?

Anyway, enough about me. I want to hear about you! Go to my contact page in the menu bar at the top of my page and send me a little bit about yourself and what you're looking to get out of Before the Book. I want to know you and know that my site meets your quality and content expectations. Feel free to always drop a comment beneath any of my posts as well. I love hearing from you and I'm excited to hear about your experiences, advice, and input. Thanks for reading along with me!