Hola!
I am beyond excited to write my first post! (It’s ironic, isn’t it, since this is the “I’m First blog”). But, on a more serious note, let me introduce myself. My name is Aurora Sanchez, a sophomore at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona (yes, it’s hot there), and I am a proud Latina from Mexican parents. My major is biology on the pre-med track. I have recently declared two minors in theology and global studies. In addition, I am studying Spanish for the healthcare certificate. The realization that I am now a sophomore and halfway through the first semester hasn’t quite sunk in. But I plan to reflect on my freshman year and what helped me get through it, along with some amazing mentors who assisted along the way.
Freshman year was a rollercoaster. What I mean by this is that it has many twists and turns every month. But guess what? I survived, and so can you! As someone attending college far away from home, I often struggled with homesickness, but I was fortunate to find an amazing support system on campus. One of them being my groups of friends that have really helped me grow as a person and in my faith. I will say finding friends in college isn’t too difficult, but one thing I really had to work on was my shyness. I resolved this once I realized that, as freshmen, everyone is in the same boat and nervous, so there is nothing to be scared of. That’s my first tip: don’t be shy and talk to others around campus, even if it’s complimenting their outfit. Trust me, you can make friends with small interactions. I also found my support system in the Take Flight Program and the CCE. The Take Flight program specifically served as a pre-orientation program for first-generation students. Throughout this program, I was able to learn more about resources for us and tips and tricks for college. It was an amazing program where I was able to meet friends, staff, and mentors. My transition would have been difficult without this program, and I wouldn’t have known about campus support for first-generation students. My second tip comes from the Take Flight program, which asks for help. Although this may seem simple, it would surprise you how many of us rely on ourselves and our skills. However, I learned this lesson last year and am now incorporating it into my life. It can be as simple as going into office hours and asking for extra help. As someone who gets scared of doing this, you start to realize that professors are there to help you. They enjoy when students come and ask for extra help because it shows initiative.
Along with Take Flight, I was able to learn about the Center for Cultural Engagement, also known as the CCE. This place has truly made me feel at home. Multiple events, including Dia de Los Muertos, Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations, global festivals, and many more, have contributed to this. These events have not only reminded me of home due to the events themselves but the food and music too. My freshman year, I always went to as many events as I could for both Take Flight and the CCE. I really enjoyed my time doing this and was able to learn a lot along the way. My third tip: get involved with clubs and activities on campus that you enjoy. Through the CCE, I was able to find a mentor that has helped me grow more into a leader. His name is Mr. Javier Bustamante. I was able to apply for a job at the CCE this year and got it! He has truly been a very helpful resource through navigating college and being first generation. He has given me many opportunities to grow and slowly helped me develop more leadership skills. One of these opportunities is this blog post! This year there are more mentors at the CCE that have been an amazing resource too. Their names are Mrs. Maria Cuadera and Mr. Javier Oliver. Both of them are always very welcoming and willing to chat about anything, which makes me feel more comfortable and open at the CCE. Here’s another tip: cultivate relationships with campus staff who can serve as your mentors. Since working at the CCE, I’ve seen how much they put into events and how willing they are to help students.
I have truly enjoyed most of my classes on campus so far. Even though being a biology major can be difficult at times, it is always very rewarding to learn more every day and face the challenge head-on. A personal favorite is my Spanish for Healthcare classes. Before coming to college, I always knew that I would be integrated into learning more about healthcare in Spanish. This is because, although I grew up speaking Spanish, I didn’t know many of the proper medical terms. As someone interested in the medical field, when I saw the Spanish for Healthcare certificate, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue. I’ve completed SPAN 207/208 and am currently enrolled in 277. These classes are my favorites because they are interactive and enjoyable! Many times after my long day in the lab, I would go to class, where I genuinely enjoyed learning about the human body, medical assessments, different diseases, and many other topics. La Profesora Mrs. Jennifer Maxwell would always have lots of energy, make the class engaging, and have us speak as much as we could to practice our Espanol! I was also able to learn about Costa Rica, which was an 8-day international clinical practice. Mrs. Maxwell encouraged me to apply, and I became the only freshmen on the trip! It was truly an amazing experience that I will keep recommending to others. Another tip for you: study abroad if possible. Consider studying abroad for a semester, summer, or even a week. You can apply for numerous scholarships at your own college or from external sources. For me, I only had to pay for my flight and personal expenses in Costa Rica. The experience itself was really cool. We had an amazing balance of working hard at clinics and helping conduct health assessments while also having free time and learning more about the culture of Costa Rica. My favorite part of this trip was working with all the kids we got to see. They brought so much joy and energy to us. On this trip, I was also able to grow a relationship with upperclassmen and the chaperons. One of them is Profera Maxwell, who continues to be my teacher and has introduced new opportunities for the upcoming school year. My last tip for now is: network with teachers and upperclassmen. You never know what opportunities they can bring or the advice they can provide to help you along your college journey.
Well, that’s a little bit about my freshman year and some of my personal tips for how to survive freshman year as a first-generation student. One thing that I will keep emphasizing is to step out of your comfort zone in college and ask for help, no matter how small. I am still working on some of these tips myself, but I am confident that they will improve with time. I hope these tips help you too. See you next time!