My Personal Experience In College

“Today is finally the day,” I thought with butterflies in my stomach as I hopped into my car and trekked forty miles to The University of Massachusetts Boston. Everyone’s first day as a college student is daunting and the nerves were definitely high that day. I was no longer attending a high school of a little over five hundred students, but rather a university with a total undergraduate enrollment of over twenty-two thousand students. This day was the start of a new chapter in my life and the University introduced entirely new opportunities for me to explore. Since the first day here, I have been submersed in a culturally diverse community that has challenged and allowed me to gain a new perspective of this world. The University of Massachusetts Boston is more than a school that I attend to gain a degree; it is a place where I continually learn and grow. I quickly fell in love with UMass Boston and only a few weeks into attending, found myself referring to it as my school. During my first year I was able to meet new people through my freshman success community and eventually form new friendships. Everything seemed to fall into place and my worries disappeared, but more personal challenge arose as the year continued on.

My first semester of college was in January I had just graduated high school in December and decided to attend Rappahannock community college for nursing. The road to the college I was attending was named route seventeen. Seventeen is a long stretch of windy, woodsy road that is known to be populated by deer. On the particular day of my accident It was pouring rain, the roads were slick with water so instead of taking my beetle convertible I decided to take my father's SUV. My boyfriend decided to accompany me to the college that day even though my parents did not know I had a boyfriend and I was not allowed to ride others in the car with me at the time.

This week has been one interesting, hectic experience. Every since I came back to my father’s place after summer break from graduating, I had did nothing but apply for Columbia Southern University. Afterwards, I applied for FAFSA to get government grants to pay for my college considering I was no longer in High School. During August, I did not anything the entire time until school started online. Whenever I received the Critical Thinking (Third Edition) book through the mail, I knew I needed to learn more responsibilities. First week of my online classes passed by and then everything started to form together.

I believe that the main struggle that I will face in college is becoming accustomed to a new way of life. Growing up in a small rural town in central New Jersey, I realized my area was not an accurate representation of the “real” world. Adapting to a new setting is a challenge that I am excited to take on and overcome. Additionally, the course load will vary from the one that I am used to. I was briefly exposed to this course load in a different environment during my summer exchange program at Oxford University, and I am excited to return to the rigorous courses. Most people would be nervous for the complete change to their life, but all I feel is the eagerness to begin my college experience and continue my growth and learning.

Being a college student who is taking 18 credits this semester as well as working 15 hours a week, I experience multiple stressors every week that I try my best to deal with. Two stressors I have dealt with the past two weeks are struggling to manage my time and arguing with my boyfriend.

“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory,” a quote by George S. Patton, quite accurately epitomizes the experience of my first year at university. After being offered the Rogers scholarship, I knew that I would have to work extremely hard to make the sponsors and the Canadian Lyford Cay Foundation proud. Knowing this, I accepted the task. With taking on this challenge came many difficulties, triumphs, personal highlights, and, eventually, goals for my second year.

I am a twenty one year old female. I come from an old school Mexican-American Catholic family. I grew up in a low socioeconomic community but we never struggled financially my father owns a construction company. I was privileged and fortunate enough to always have what I needed and wanted. I went to school in a Hispanic dominant district it was not very diverse the minorities in this district were actually the majority. Even the teachers were not so diverse we had a few here and there that were from different ethnicities but most teachers were alumni’s from this district. While I was in school I notice amongst my classmates how some of us were more privileged than others not just economically but academically as well. Academically I was always in GT, dual credit, or AP classes and I saw how we were given a better education. We were always challenged more, we even learned more things for example how to write an essay I had been writing essays since I was in elementary and some of my friends senior year that were just in regular classes were just about to learn how to write one. We were even pushed more to do apply for universities and colleges it felt like they had given up on the regular classes before they even had a chance to prove themselves. I never saw it as a privilege I was never grateful when I was in school I just thought that’s just the way things were I was not going through it and it was not affecting me. It wasn’t until the summer going into my senior

I have made many mistakes in my lifetime. I have struggled, I have stumbled and I have fallen Still, I refuse to let my past define me. I refuse to let my experiences bring me to my demise.

During my first week as a freshman in college, I was still wondering if I had made the right choice for myself. Intrigued if the major I had chosen was right for me, I decided to attend a workshop strictly for product design students. I wanted to meet people in my major and also get a taste of what I had gotten myself into. On my way to the event, I ran into a girl with short curly hair that seemed lost and looking for a specific classroom. I asked her if she was a freshman and, relieved, she replied that she was, wondering if it was my first time in that maze of a building too. The URBN Center is the building where all the design classes are, and accordingly, it has an intricate system of half floors that is eye-pleasing yet confusing to get around.

For many, college is a time of self-discovery. It is a time where many find their calling in life, their spouse, their passion, or their student debt. Some may go so far as to call it the best time of their lives. While there is potential for me to eventually look back on my time at the University of Arizona with similar fondness, for now, I have more pressing issues than finding my soulmate, like finding my next classroom along with many other stressful situations. So far in my limited college experience, the major stressors in my life are religion, academics, and social interactions; however, there are several ways I have found to manage these situations.

I expect this year to be difficult. I come from a small town and UNCC is huge in comparison, and not just in terms of population. The space between my dorm in Witherspoon and the Student Union is about the length of my hometown’s main street. To say I am experiencing culture shock is an understatement. I want this year to be fun, be enjoyable, but I know it is going to be hard, especially during the first semester. There is a steep learning curve to even being here, not even considering classes, just being here, just getting here, it has been and will continue to be a challenge. I have never been away from home for more than two weeks at a time and this past Friday marked my first two weeks here. I have never felt more homesick. My family is trying to help, but I am a first-generation college student and we are all in the dark as to how I am supposed to scale this mountain. I am only here because of the generosity of others and hours of hard work. I spent middle school and high school with my nose pressed into books, understanding that I would never be talented enough for an athletic scholarship. In my spare time I worked, worked because my family did not have enough money to send me anywhere. I earned scholarships and I got here and I knew that college was going to be hard academically, and that I would have to work, but even before the real work has begun I have been slapped in the face by something much worse, loneliness.

I never in a million years imagined that I would be a sophomore in college at Forest Park at seventeen. I imagined myself at McKinley surrounded by a bunch of seniors trying not to catch the dreaded senioritis. College wasn't on my mind when I was handed a letter containing the greatest opportunity that I've had and possibly the greatest I will ever have. I was chosen to be a guinea pig for a new upcoming program that would allow juniors in high school to take community college classes on campus instead of attending their old high school. Participants were enrolled in both their old high school and at Forest Park but would only take classes on campus. They were allowed to have the freedom to do after school activities and sports at their high school. The program would allow participants to graduate in two years with a high school diploma and an associate's degree completely free with no strings attached.

I stumble, missing a step. A little lightheaded is all. Maybe I should’ve eaten more for breakfast. I walked up the steps and attempted to push open the door even though the sign clearly read pull. I murmured to myself, “Why do I have a math class at 7:45am?” This was a routine for me during my years of high school and I often felt miserable as a result. Although I felt as if I was in hell every morning high school has been a captivating experience for me. It has certainly had its positives and negatives and many confusing experiences in between. Overall, I feel as though I have been suited for not only college, but also life as a whole. High school has taught me many things, both academically and subjectively. It has revealed my true colors, both good and bad, and as a result, has built many aspects of my character as well as define my success as I enter my first year of college. My experiences at A.C.L.A have shaped me into the person that I am today.

I still remember that hot sunny day in India when I was sitting in a boring assembly, when one of the alumni who came from the the United States of America after finishing his studies gave an inspiring speech about his life in the United States. He talked about the American dream and freedom in the country that inspired me to come in the states to further my studies. At that moment I decided to accomplish my goals and start to finish my bachelors degree in the United States. Knowing that the road I picked will be full of hurdles, I still decided to stay focused and dedicated to get a good quality education. When I was sitting in the flight to the United States, I had a completely different image of the US but when I stepped out of the flight on to the US ground I saw the reality of the US. I saw all the openning doors of opportunities lined up for me. First few months in America went great; everything was going normal and America seemed to turn out like the place I saw in the movies and T.V., but suddenly things took a different turn and I started to see the true face of America.

College is often called the best time of your lives but it is also the first time you are left alone with new experiences. Some of these experiences are good ones you will keep for life and others are one that teach you valuable lessons. These experiences often can either make or break people depending on their level of responsibility and accountability.