Change is beautiful- or at least that’s how I believe it should be perceived. I understand that the fear of something new and unknown can be intimidating, but that is nothing compared to the many positives that come with it. Regardless, change is inevitable… so what does it take to view it in a more positive manner? This mindset has definitely manifested my life so far. I have never wanted to stay stagnant in life and I love the incredible opportunities that change brings, and how much you can grow as a person!
This isn’t to say I’m not sad about certain things, like how I had to leave my freshman college MMC in NYC. It was definitely a hard decision to go upstate because I truly loved MMC itself, but I definitely needed to go through a change. I’m willing to feel sad temporarily so that I can feel proud in the long run.
I transferred upstate for my sophomore year and junior year (although, because of the transfer I lost majority of my credits) and guess what? I had even more amazing memories and experiences. Truly, no complaints. However, once again life got in the way, and I unfortunately had to withdraw. A few months later, I moved to Ohio with my love, and a year later we got the best news ever. We were becoming parents, leading to us moving to Miami.
To be fair, I don’t regret a single thing. Every single journey has been incredible, and I cherish each memory. I feel like I have discovered so much about myself in these different “eras” of my life.
When I went to college 5 years ago, it wasn’t much for personal reasons as it was more so to please my mother. The pressure we feel as first-generation Hispanic kids to attend college is overwhelming, especially since we do see all of the hard work our parents do to give us the privilege to have the opportunity to learn. I definitely see that more now, but that isn’t the reason that I am returning.
I’m definitely in my selfcare era (look out for more articles on those topics!). I love giving and being there for others, but it’s time that I took control back and focused on my own life. When I withdrew, I always said it wasn’t the end of my academic journey. I always wanted to return and finish because school itself (or learning) wasn’t the reason why I left. I love to constantly gain knowledge. I feel so prepared to put all of my energy into learning and immersing myself in a community that will help me get closer to my goal of working in my career of choice. Not only did I remove myself from toxic environments, but now I have a much stronger support system, and even a baby boy cheering me on- filling me with more and more motivation by the day!
