With just three short years of college thus far, it has been life-changing. I’ve learned so much from my academics, as well as about myself. College has pushed me down and beat me up. But that gave me the opportunity to come back up stronger. I feel like I have so much to say on the topic of college. Being undocumented (or rather DACAmented) and a first-gen student has put a good amount of pressure on me, I’ll admit. But I’d rather go through this first and figure things out myself than have my siblings take on this burden. When it is their time for college, I’ll let them know wassup.
Coming from a low-income household, I really need financial support for college. The amount spent with each new quarter is plenty, with online programs complementing class instruction that needs to be purchased—that adds up. Not to forget having to renew DACA every two years with a cute $495 renewal fee. And, learning that I wasn’t able to get any federal aid or be eligible for certain scholarships just because it read “US Citizenship required” was draining. Figuring out financial aid was one of the most stressful things I have experienced at school. I made a good amount of trips to the financial aid office, and it was nice to know that both the DREAM Act and my school had my back.
There are a few resources that have come in handy to alleviate some of my regular expenses in college. I was able to take advantage of the books that can be found online for FREE, tee-hee-hee :). Thankfully, UCI’s FRESH Center, a resource center that promotes equitable access to basic needs, was also able to contribute to my financial aid throughout each quarter because of unmet needs. I also utilize their food pantry on a weekly basis which greatly helps with grocery shopping. They even have a program offering meal swipes! I applied and got plenty for myself. Because of the FRESH Center, much of my stress is heavily relieved. There are other resources on campus, like sponsors to cover tutoring fees or allow the lending of Chromebooks and more.
Being independent wasn’t something new, but it is something that was reemphasized in college. Coming from a Latinx background and being a part of a culture with strong family values, it was hard being away from home. I remember wanting to leave home so bad because I wanted to be away from the walls that had seen the good and the bad. But let me tell you, once I got to UCI, I cried for six weeks straight during my first quarter because I was homesick. The distance, however, resulted in me having an improved relationship with my family. From this, I really started to reflect on my mental health and learn to take steps to improve it. Then, I saw that even though my family was miles away, they were still my support system for when I needed a reminder of why I was in school in the first place. Honestly, having this experience realigned my priorities to put me and my family (or loved ones) first. Don’t get me wrong, I still care about people in general, but all I can say is my focus has been shifted to just realizing what is actually important in life.
Adjusting to being a college student was also an eye-opening experience. I knew my status and background were unique to me, but it really didn’t hit me until college. There were people who talked about studying abroad, and when it came to me being asked if I would, I said no. Some people didn’t even understand or know what it meant to be undocumented when I mentioned it to them. Certain mannerisms from people were worn on their sleeves, allowing me to deduce whether I wanted to commit time and energy to a friendship with them. But college was also the first time I’ve ever been around this many undocumented students, all with unique stories. I’ve been exposed to undocumented students even in graduate school! Some are in law school, while others are in med school, and these people have shown me that education doesn’t stop in undergrad. These people have shown me that in the face of adversity, they persevere and find ways to get to where they are at. That, in a system built mainly to cater to White Americans, POC are able to make it further than before.
I am in awe at what the students of my community (and other minority groups) continue to accomplish. There is more to say about my experience thus far, but I’ll leave it at that. I always tell people to never compare their struggles with others, to never minimize or dismiss what they feel. Their emotions are valid. My struggles are unique to me, and they have made me a more resilient person overall. Life is wild and moves fast. What I would like to tell anyone and everyone is: it’s okay to make mistakes. How can you possibly learn anything at all if you don’t make mistakes? Things don’t always get easier but YOU get better (my cousin emphasized that to me).
Good luck to incoming first-years, you’re about to experience some of the best changes in life.
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Osvaldo, a.k.a. Ozzy (he/him/his), graduated from Pasadena High School in 2019. He is currently a third-year student attending the University of California, Irvine as a Biological Sciences major. As a first-generation student under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the college application process was a mystery to him. CAP had been such a big support to him in high school and has continued supporting him throughout his college years. He remembers each and every one of the CAP affiliates ALWAYS being welcoming and more than happy to help with any question he had. He knew he could always confide in and lean into CAP for information about college as well as emotional support. Ozzy is honored to be part of this year’s Advisory Council and looks forward to supporting CAP programming and students in any way that he can. He is eager to share his college experience and discoveries with others. He sees this as an opportunity to give back to CAP for what they did for him, to give back to the PUSD community, and finally, to obtain more leadership and mentorship skills for whatever is to come ahead.