First and foremost, my parents wanted me to have greater, different, and better opportunities than they ever had. I am a proud first-generation, Mexican-American Chicana, oldest daughter of a migrant family who came from Mexico to America in their youth. They worked in the fields all over California from Orange County to Santa Cruz County until they settled in Yolo County. Growing up, I lived in Colusa County in Northern California where one of the biggest sources of income is related to agriculture.
With that said, the only counselor I came to know was my high school counselor. She helped me get into my classes, gave me information about different colleges, planned trips to universities, and rallied for the students of color. She also knew about different resources as they were limited since I lived in a rural area.
Moreover, when I attended Sacramento State, I experienced culture shock because the University was bigger than my town, was significantly more diverse, and it was the first time moving away from home. It was overwhelming at times, but nonetheless, I learned to embrace it and was determined to graduate. I soon discovered that there are many different types of counselors that help different populations. I immediately sought after the California Assistant Migrant Program (CAMP) academic counselors who significantly helped me get …show more content…
In reality, it was a difficult journey as I gained employment and the transition was not easy as my grades reflect that in the fall of 2013. However, I quickly learned time management and how to prioritize which allowed me to become more involved on campus. For some of my peers, college was expected of them as their parents had gone to a University and graduated. But for me, it was different, as my parents did not have the opportunity to finish high school because the need to put food on the table was a higher
With that said, the only counselor I came to know was my high school counselor. She helped me get into my classes, gave me information about different colleges, planned trips to universities, and rallied for the students of color. She also knew about different resources as they were limited since I lived in a rural area.
Moreover, when I attended Sacramento State, I experienced culture shock because the University was bigger than my town, was significantly more diverse, and it was the first time moving away from home. It was overwhelming at times, but nonetheless, I learned to embrace it and was determined to graduate. I soon discovered that there are many different types of counselors that help different populations. I immediately sought after the California Assistant Migrant Program (CAMP) academic counselors who significantly helped me get …show more content…
In reality, it was a difficult journey as I gained employment and the transition was not easy as my grades reflect that in the fall of 2013. However, I quickly learned time management and how to prioritize which allowed me to become more involved on campus. For some of my peers, college was expected of them as their parents had gone to a University and graduated. But for me, it was different, as my parents did not have the opportunity to finish high school because the need to put food on the table was a higher