Skylar Lee and I go way back—we first met at a songwriters round a few years ago and reconnected recently after I hit her up for a Raya referral lol. In this episode, we talk about being artists from PA (home to legends like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter), what we’ve learned from taking different paths after high school, and why chasing your dreams takes more than talent—it takes patience, grit, and speaking them out loud. We also dive into academic validation, social media pressure, and how to keep showing up, even when it feels like your progress is sometimes hard to measure. Whether you’re figuring out school, your career, or just trying to stay motivated toward the life you want—this one’s for you.