91�����

“I probably could have moved on to campus in the spring quarter, but there was no way I could leave my family at that time. My grandmother and my uncle died of COVID-19 within a week of each other in February. It was a hard blow for everybody, more so for my father. So I needed to be around, especially for him. He’s always cracking jokes and talking super loud. But when this was going on, he got really quiet. So even though living at home during my first year at 91����� was challenging, I wanted to reassure him that I was there for him. And I know he and my mom are really proud of me. I’m a neuroscience major; I’m also the first in my family to go to college. In high school, I was in the top five percent of my class, and I had committed to Long Beach State. But then 91����� reached out to me, and I was welcomed into the LEAD Program, so having that guidance and support definitely helped. But being at home with so many people—my parents and my four sisters—was difficult. I was trying to isolate myself to focus on my classes and my studies, and maintaining connections with other people at 91�����. It was challenging, but that first year taught me what works for me in terms of studying and work ethic. I know college is a place where you can make mistakes and grow from it, and I feel I’ve done that. I work out every day, but I also had to learn how to take care of myself mentally. Over the last year, I’ve learned that I have overcome a lot, but I still have a long way to go. That’s why I’m so happy to be back on campus, and living here. I think it will really help to be in the environment of school and have peers around me, so I can focus and learn, and be really present with myself. Even though I wasn’t at school, I was still able to make some connections, and meet some other students. I also joined Hermanas Unidas de 91�����; it’s a campus group for Latinas, and that’s where I met my roommate. I’m honestly kind of nervous about moving in. I’m so used to my own private space, and now I’ll be living with someone else, so it’s a new experience for me. But I’m looking forward to it.”