Success is a product of how we invest our time. The efficiency of time management is crucial to academic survival, in yet, I have learned that it can be applied to much more. Three months ago I left my family in hopes of someday bettering our future. Once being here at Linfield I began to adjust to a new way of life; one that oddly enough was centered on me. This was new to me, only having to focus on myself, very different from life back home. Back home I not only had to manage my life but also help manage that of my younger siblings. Therefore I quickly learned how to balance my activities with the essential needs of my family. Many times this meant pushing back some of the activities I enjoyed because there simply was not enough time to do both but here, everything is different. My schedule revolves around what I want to do, I decide what’s important. If I want to work hard to get a good grade I can, if I want to place a greater emphasis on socializing I can do that too. I was often told by my teachers and mentors, ”college is a time of independence,” they were right! It’s a time to focus on who you are as a person and who you want to be.
While this new way of life sounds like something I should love, there is still that thought in the back of my head worrying about who has taken on my responsibilities back home now that I’m away. Being away from home can get difficult at times because as a member of my family, I want to be there through the good the bad and the ugly. However as I mentioned life is a balancing act, I know this. Every day I make an effort to try and contribute to my family while still enjoying my life here on campus. While, yes, at times it has gotten challenging to be away, I know I have an amazing opportunity that lies before me here at Linfield. If I ever want to help others accomplish their goals, I must first, accomplish my own. Having recently had an opportunity to speak at a M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) High School Leadership Conference, I became inspired. I found the amount of driven youth striving for a college education to be so uplifting. Their fire allowed me to realize the massive potential we have as students. Today is the day you build tomorrow and having the opportunity to be a student at Linfield…. Oh the possibilities!