Mexican American, Female, Immigrant Parents, Zero Education, first-generation college student, Low Income, I Want More.
“Keep striving. Keep growing. Keep searching for opportunities until you can no longer dig,” my mom says.
“Don’t make the same mistakes.”
“Prioritize your schooling.”
Not only does my mom lecture me on that every single day, but she actually cares about how my day went and what I learned. She cares about my education! And being a Mexican American female, I think that many parents out there could care less about the future of their kids because they are so damn ignorant.
Luckily, my mom isn’t one of them. I thank her for not being ignorant and for supporting me every step of the way. She knows the obstacles I’ve had to face and most of them, I’ve had to face them with her and my two sisters.
I recently started the process of transferring from Santa Fe Community College over to the University of New Mexico.
Here’s the story of why I’m switching schools:
I started out as a college freshman at a local community college located in my hometown, Santa Fe, NM. At first, I hated the idea of attending a community college because I knew they didn’t have my program of interest (journalism, btw.) I was fed up because of that and I was not looking forward to it. On the bright side, I saved a TON of money.
Fast forward into my spring semester, I knew it was going to be the last of it. I completed most of my basics and so I started sending all the paperwork needed in order to become a transfer at UNM.
This is where it got complicated.
My mother is not a U.S. citizen or green card holder; therefore, she doesn’t have a social security number or an ITIN.
UNM started bugging me because they didn’t see my mother’s name on the 2015 tax forms. And yet, they kept asking and asking for verification.
It didn’t matter how many documents I filed or how many letters I wrote to them, they wouldn’t get rid of the holds on my student account.
So, I was like, “are you fricking kidding me!?”
I just want to go to college.
Why do you have to make it super complicated?
I have zero money for college. I’m poor. My parents’ income is below $20,000.
How much proof do you need?
I fixed it but it took months.
The important lesson that I took from this was that I can’t sit and expect someone or god to fix everything for me. I have to find a solution because I am the one going to college. I am the one who decided to do this.
I am not a giver upper. I want more. I want a life that will be better for me and my future children. I want five kids. I obviously have to make good money and it will work out because I am going for a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Journalism and who knows, I might go to grad school for my master’s in Creative Writing.
One thing I do know is that I want to be happy and financially stable.
I will break the cycle.
No more ignorance.
Be the change.
