Berkeley is an experience. Being a woman of color has played a huge factor in my socialization on campus. The community as a whole is not diverse. The amount of underrepresented Minority Subtotal in 2015 was 15.8%. Having to navigate a campus with Professors and Graduate Students that do not look or act like you do has been challenging and different. At first, I was embarrassed to attend office hours or ask questions because I feared I was not smart enough or that I got into this school because my low-income school was “too easy.” The first time I went to office hours, I was shy and embarrassed. Who am I to expect an adult employed by such a great university would humor me and listen to my questions?
It wasn’t until I built a support system
It wasn’t until I built a support system