Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, It’s not!

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

Education has always been Emphasized in my family, I have always viewed a higher education
as my “Golden Ticket”. To what you might ask? A world of freedom, the ability to create stability.
Starting college at CNM as a Pre-health Science major went a lot slower than I had originally
anticipated, I couldn’t believe all of the extra courses you were required to take, it drove me crazy.
After a semester at CNM I knew a community college wasn’t for me and that while I envision myself
helping people perhaps a career as a nurse wasn’t for me, my next logical option was to apply to UNM
and take my rightful place as a Biomedical student at UNM. Unfortunately, things weren’t going to
happen as I had planned, I applied to UNM but a few weeks later I was informed that the university
wasn’t interested in having me as a student, a devastating blow as I hadn’t made any alternative plans.
This rejection (as I felt it) pushed me to want to leave Albuquerque, I applied to multiple universities
and colleges around New Mexico with the intentions of concentrating on a STEMs degree, all of
which I was accepted to finally selecting Arizona State University.
ASU was a different and amazing experience, moving to Tempe, Arizona was the absolute
best, while it was expensive and I had to take online courses until my residency kicked in I had a great
experience, but unfortunately that too wasn’t meant to be and after three semesters the Biomedical
program was converted from an engineering degree to a humanities degree, something I didn’t want a
degree in I thought to myself “Well at least you have enough transfer credits for UNM to accept you.”
Transferring to UNM made me change my mindset, I now had more opportunities for
internships, scholarships, and placement within a STEMs facility along with the “luxury” of living at
home while I completed my degree. everything was finally coming together I was so excited to finally
be able to learn in a classroom with actual access to an instructor. Alas the first day of classes start, the
same day I was to start my first day of work, a small panic set in until I fixed my schedule at work. I
never really wanted to work and go to school but unfortunately that’s how things were coming
together, I thought I could handle fifteen credit hours and a full- time job but sadly I was wrong. After
the first three weeks I started experiencing major anxiety and I started to become overwhelmed, at first
I attributed this anxiety to a linguistics class I was having a hard time keeping up with until I dropped
the course and my anxiety seemed to be getting worse to the point where I was experiencing physical
symptoms as well. What was going on with me, I couldn’t figure out why I was drowning but I was. I
finally took a step back, reflected on my past experiences, and came to the conclusion that my anxiety
stemmed from my time in elementary and middle school, I knew I was strong and the only thing I’ve
ever wanted was a chance to higher my education and I’ve finally been given to chance but my body
and mind were betraying me I wasn’t going to let anything get in my way. I gathered myself as best as
I could and reached out to ARC (an organization on campus dedicated to helping individuals with
disabilities) and with help from ARC we reached out to my instructors to let them know my situation
and we also created accommodations that would hopefully help me get through the semester. While
this wasn’t something, I wanted to do I knew I needed the help and surprisingly my instructors were
all very accommodating it was a breath of anxiety free air.

Despite still experiencing anxiety it’s starting to go away and I’m becoming more open and secure, I
know that I have the support I need to succeed and the only obstacles to hinder me would be the ones I
allow to hinder me but I’ve come too far to let anything hinder my ascension. I look forward to
prospering at UNM while overcoming my fears and anxieties, I have so much to offer my community
and I won’t let anything stop me.