Who You Are

 Where do I come from?

Hi, my name is Sophia Tranguch and I was born and raised in New York City. Growing up in the Big Apple undoubtedly shaped who I am. I would not be the independent, outgoing, curious person I am today without my upbringing.

Where am I going?

After college, I want to move back to New York and hopefully work in marketing in the beauty industry. My dream job is to work on commercials and hopefully have one of my commercials air during the Super Bowl. 

How do I plan to get there?

I plan to get there by being open-minded and not being afraid of going after different opportunities. I also want to give myself permission to savor every little moment of my early adulthood and work on appreciating the journey and the experiences along the way rather than concentrating on the destination. 

​How am I like my parents?

I am like my mom because I am thoughtful and outgoing. When my mom struggles to communicate her feelings she shows me her love through thoughtful acts of kindness. 

I am like my dad because I am extremely organized and detail-oriented. My dad loves trip-planning and has every hour of each day planned out when we are traveling with him… Fortunately and unfortunately I do the same when I am organizing my days with classes, extracurriculars, and homework. 

How am I UNLIKE my parents?

I am unlike my mom because she loves waking up early and starting her day
before 7am. I aim to be a morning person but I love sleeping in...

I am unlike my dad because he loves running. While I used to run track when I was in middle school and still compete in triathlons to this day, I don’t necessarily love running (I much prefer the competition aspect of it all). 

Have you developed your own expectations for yourself? 

Growing up I was lucky to have parents who allowed me to be independent and find myself. Obviously, they value me getting a good education and having a successful life, but they mainly just want me to be happy. I feel like I put more pressure on myself than my parents do, and I am still learning to let myself relax and stay in the present. During the pandemic, I struggled with my mental health because I was constantly ruminating on my future. My dad would repeat to me the quote from The Shining, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” to remind me to implement fun into my life. Coming to college, I have been working on balancing work and play and becoming a more confident individual.

Who serves as a model for you of someone who lives life with great passion and personal responsibility?

One of my role models is my Nana. I admired how resilient and stubbornly strong she was. She unconditionally loved me and always taught me to love myself and give back to others. Before she passed, she broke her hip yet pushed through the pain because she wanted to be independent and walk on her own. I aspire to be as strong and loving as my Nana was.

What wild animal do you feel a special connection with, and why?

I have a special connection with dolphins. I have always loved being on the water and swimming and there is something so special about these graceful creatures. So intelligent and joyful!

Describe a significant childhood encounter with a tree or plant. 

For Christmas one year my sister and I were gifted rollerblades. We started practicing our rollerblading skills in the house, but because New York City apartments are small we wanted to test our skills outside on the sidewalk. Things were going smoothly until we were faced with trying to brake while going down a hill. I tried digging my heel into the ground to try to brake but I wasn’t able to slow down and then proceeded to crash into a tree… Now every time I walk past that tree, I am reminded of the first and last time I ever rollerbladed.   

Horoscope

Sun sign: Pisces

Moon sign: Aries

Rising sign: Gemini