In our own words
In our own words
By: Dana Martin
Every year, parents send their students away to college with dorm furniture, new sheets, and expectations about life away from the nest. Each June, Bakersfield Life identifies several outstanding high school seniors heading off to college and profiles their achievements and plans for the future.
From the 17 outgoing graduates profiled in June, we were able to catch up with 12 of them and get a firsthand report in what they have experienced as incoming freshmen at four-year universarties. Did they get homesick? Was college life what they anticipated? Did they maintain those perfect grades?
Here, they confess it all… in their own words.
Derrick Chan
UCLA
High School: Highland
Is the “college life” what you expected?
The college experience is a huge growing experience. It also feels like a fresh start. I spent much of the time during the first month of school meeting new and interesting people. It takes one out of his/her comfort zone and to go out and make friends. I got to meet people that had lived in different states, countries, or other parts of California. Hearing their stories, experiences, beliefs, and views really broaden my own horizons. I remember one of the first nights a group of new friends and I discussed controversial topics for hours. The social aspect of college is definitely how I expected it to be and more!
How many “all nighters” have you pulled for course work-related studies?
I think my count for all-nighters is at three or four. My craziest day was having only four hours of sleep for 60 hours. I was awake 22 hours (working, going to class...) then slept two hours, stayed up the next 24 hours, followed by two hours of sleep and then finishing off with about 14 hours of that third school day.
Most of you are straight-A students. Have you received your first bad grade in college? How did it make you feel?
I sadly had to accept my first Bs and Cs on tests in my academic history this quarter. They were a quick awakening and humbling experiences. They served as a strong motivation for me to improve next quarter.
How often do you come home? When you do come home, how has the family dynamic changed?
Before break, I was only able to visit for Thanksgiving. It was nice to know that my parents had missed me, and interesting to realize that the house is cleaner without me. I quickly realized that after arriving at my clean home that I was the one who disorganized it in the past.
Allison Wiener
UC Santa Barbara
High School: BHS
Do you get homesick? If so, what do you do to fix that?
Yes, I did get homesick in the beginning. My new friends and I counted on each other for a good talk (over coffee on the beach) when one of us was missing home. We also went to the gym a lot. I'm lucky that my brother is in Santa Barbara. I visited him a lot in the beginning. When I was missing home, it helped to get involved in fun activities on campus. I joined the "Hall Happiness and Birthday" committee to make our dorm cheerful.
Were you surprised by the work expected in college? Do you feel you were prepared for it, or did you need to re-evaluate your study/work habits?
I wasn't necessarily surprised, but I will tell you the grading is a lot harder, expectations are higher and the work load is heavier. I developed good study habits in high school, but it is still hard to turn down a nice day at the beach when you have class work to do.
How often do you come home? When you do come home, how has the family dynamic changed?
I've been home quite a few times this quarter to visit my boyfriend who leaves in January. Our family dynamic hasn't changed, and my family treats me the same.
What was the most surprising (or difficult) aspect of living away from home?
Moving in with strangers and using a community bathroom. Being sick away from home is no fun either.
Describe one funny experience you had in college so far.
The birthday party we had without the guest of honor. We planned a birthday party in our hall for a fellow Gaucho from Russia who had never had a birthday celebration, but the plan to get him there wasn't well-executed. The room was decorated, we baked him a cake, and he ended up being whisked away to UCLA by his frat. We laughed so much that night - turned into a really good girl's night.
Courtney Velasco
UCLA
High School: West
This is about your first day on campus. How did you feel when you were finally alone in your dorm room?
When I was finally alone in my dorm room I was partly relieved and partly overwhelmed. I felt like I was officially at UCLA. I knew that my dependence on my parents ended as soon as they walked out the door. So when my parents left me to go home, besides being sad, I was ready for college life to begin.
Is the “college life” what you expected?
"College life" is more than what I expected it to be. I knew it was going to be a lot more work than what I was used to in high school, but I wasn't prepared for all the opportunities to have fun. There's almost something every night that you can do in LA. I had to learn to prioritize my time in order to have fun while still doing well in my classes. Also when people go out they don't necessarily drink and party. There's a lot more to college than alcohol and studying.
How many “all nighters” have you pulled for course work-related studies?
I have yet to pull an "all-nighter.” I usually start doing work for my classes days before the due date because I can't really do work after midnight, and I can't take the stress of doing work last minute.
How often do you come home? When you do come home, how has the family dynamic changed?
The first time I came home was for Thanksgiving break and it was almost as if I had never left. My little sisters went back to telling me about all their daily woes. My parents still treated me as if I was independent enough to take care of myself. The only thing that really changed is the fact that my little sister took over my bedroom, so when I come home it's a bit of a mess trying to find room for me.
Vinny Oddo
UC Santa Barbara
High School: BCHS
Is the “college life” what you expected?
Your teachers try and warn you about college life but no one can prepare you enough until you experience it on your own. With lectures of 800 students, the teachers aren't exactly your closest friends, and it's up to you to remain on top of things. Being in college fosters even more responsibility. It's so easy to go off and do whatever you please, hang out with friends, stay out super late, and abandon your school work; it's at that point I realized, "Dang it, I actually have to act like an adult now."
Most of you are straight-A students. Have you received your first bad grade in college? How did it make you feel?
My first bad grade in college was devastating. I was a straight A student in high school, so you can imagine my reaction when I got a 49% on my calculus midterm in college. I was so angry. I thought, "This isn't me. I don’t get these grades! I’m going to fail college!" But you learn from your mistakes and realize that everyone there is just as smart and going through the same thing. You can't expect perfection in the first few months but you learn how to pick yourself back up. At the end of the quarter I ended up with a B+ in calculus!
How often do you come home? When you do come home, how has the family dynamic changed?
Besides Thanksgiving, I only came home once. It’s funny to come home because my brother and my sister take over my bedroom and my side of the bathroom. I have to explain, "Hey guys I still live here, I’m just gone for a while." They think I’m never coming back or something!
Abril Martinez
The Art Institute of California
High School: Ridgeview
This is about your first day. How did you feel when you were finally alone on campus?
I actually started in the summer quarter. It was less than a month after graduating high school that I had to take off for college, so I was really nervous, and hadn't had the time to let it sink in. The day that I had to leave, I was so scared I would get the wrong exit or use my parking pass wrong and not be able to park properly. It really was a unique experience driving two hours for the first time by myself. Yet I felt so free, so liberated, and for the first time on the way back home at night, I cried because I was so proud of myself. I was going to the college of my dreams, and nothing, not even distance or money was going to stop me. People thought I wasn't going to make it into art school, that it was going to be phase I passed through, but here I was, going to not some art school, but The Art Institute in Santa Monica.
Were you surprised by the work expected in college? Do you feel you were prepared for it, or did you need to re-evaluate your study/work habits?
I would suppose I didn't feel ready, because I transitioned to an art school, where art classes are no longer electives, but requirements, and English and math have become the electives. So it was a complete turnaround for me, but thankfully I took all of the art electives I could in high school, so I was more prepared than others. However the work is so much different from any other places. There is really no way to "cheat" in art, save for plagiarism, but there are so many inspirations being provided that copying someone's work is impossible. There's no calculator or spell/grammar check I can rely on when I need to be in a hurry. Here I have to spend hours making sure each background I do is right, and if there's a smudge anywhere, I have to start all over brand new. Although this is grueling work, I absolutely love it.
Brian Williams
BYU
High School: Frontier
Is the “college life” what you expected?
Some things about the college life are as I expected but a lot of things were different. Classes are definitely tougher than I had anticipated and it took me several weeks to get back to a point that I felt confident in my abilities as a student. Going to a conservative school I was not surprised to find that almost all of my peers were Republican; however, I was surprised to find that many of my professors were not. Despite feeling that my classes were challenging I was also pleasantly surprised to find that I was able to find myself at the top of my classes.
Most of you are straight-A students. Have you received your first bad grade in college? How did it make you feel?
I did get my first bad grade on a test. Physical Science, my first test, I got a 77! A 77!! I was mortified. Since I hadn't been in school long, I was already starting to think that maybe I wasn't as smart as I thought I was. In retrospect, I've decided it was for the best because it was a great wake-up call to say, "Hey, you're gonna have to study harder if you want to get good grades in college!"
What do you look forward to when you come home?
HOME COOKING! I don't know about the rest of the students, but my mom is an incredible cook. When I lived at home my mom made me breakfast, lunch, and dinner…EVERY day! (I'm spoiled I know. But who's going to complain about a perfect mom?) Anyway, it isn't that I don't get enough to eat up at school, the quality just can’t compare.
Christina Apple
CSUB
High School: North
This is about your first day. How did you feel when you were finally alone on campus?
I actually stayed in Bakersfield for college, but, when I had to leave my house and say bye to my mom I was terrified. I had about three emotions come over me: Fear, excitement, and happiness. About half way to school another emotion came to me. PAIN! I was in a car accident on the way to my first day of school. I totaled my car and had to be taken to the hospital. I missed my whole first day of college.
Were you surprised by the work expected in college? Do you feel you were prepared for it, or did you need to re-evaluate your study/work habits?
I was prepared for the work load that was given to me in school but because of my job I had to really work on time management to get everything done and turned in on time.
How many “all nighters” have you pulled for course work-related studies?
I really have not had to pull one of those yet. I believe the latest I stayed up doing an assignment for a college course was about 3 a.m. It turned out the teacher had sent out an email saying it was not due for another two days but my email was down and I did not get it.
Most of you are straight-A students. Have you received your first bad grade in college? How did it make you feel?
Yes, I did get my first bad grade in college. It made me feel horrible but now I just want to try harder next semester.
Fabian Sanchez
USC
High School: Golden Valley
This is about your first day. How did you feel when you were finally alone on campus?
Being alone in my dorm for the first time was surreal. I had anticipated this moment for a very long time. I realized all the hard work I’d put over the years had finally paid off and I was truly happy to be fulfilling my dream of going to a great university.
Do you get homesick?
I always thought I would get homesick often, but that is not the case. I miss my family and friends, but it is not until I am back in town that I realize how much I missed being home.
Were you surprised by the work expected in college? Do you feel you were prepared for it, or did you need to re-evaluate your study/work habits?
What surprised me was the length of time between each assignment for each of my classes; I was used to having homework all the time. My work consisted of lots of reading early in the semester, so I did not feel overwhelmed; I was very carefree. Once mid-term exams and deadlines for papers loomed closer though, I began to study more and work harder for my classes. I started wasting so much time and working on getting everything done.
Describe one funny experience you had in college so far.
Moving day was pretty hectic: students plagued the lobby of our dorm building trying to use one of the two elevators. I brought my siblings and cousins to help me move in. Working like an assembly line we got everything up to my dorm on the seventh floor; some used the stairs and some the elevators…it was funny seeing the girls panting once we were done and chilling in my dorm.
Nicole Banister
Georgetown
High School: Stockdale
Is the “college life” what you expected?
The "college life" is actually not what I expected. I personally thought everyone was going to be "bigger" just because they were older, and I thought everyone--especially at Georgetown--would be really distinguished and mature. That is not the case. Honestly it's just like high school but everyone lives together. The nerds are still nerds and the jocks are still jocks. College is really fun in a big city like DC though because on the weekends I just hop on the Metro and pick a new stop to explore. The city's great and there's so much to do if you find it, so it's fun having the freedom to go and find out cool stuff about my new home.
How often do you come home? When you do come home, how has the family dynamic changed?
I can only come home for big holidays, so it was great being back with my family again. The only thing that changed was that my brother got my old room and I had to move into his room, and that was kind of hard because when I came back none of my posters were up and because I didn't decorate the room it just didn't really seem like it was mine. However, after being there, I realized that being with my family was what I truly consider as "being home," so as long as they're there with me, everything is fine with me.
What was the most surprising (or difficult) aspect of living away from home?
The most surprising and simultaneously difficult aspect of living away from home is getting used to people on the East Coast. East Coast kids have really different clothing styles, attitudes, and everything they do seems to be so darn fast. They need to take a tip from us West Coast kids and chillll.
Dominic Gallegos
MIT
High School: Garces
Were you surprised by the work expected in college? Do you feel you were prepared for it, or did you need to re-evaluate your study/work habits?
I knew coming in that the work was going to be difficult, but that doesn't mean that I was prepared. Several lectures here covered material that other students knew from high school, while I had never heard of such concepts before. But the great thing about MIT is that collaboration with other students on assignments is pretty much necessary for success, and we are always willing to help each other out.
Do you get homesick?
Honestly, there's no time to get homesick here. We're all too busy with our classes to miss home.
How many “all nighters” have you pulled for course work-related studies?
Only two "official" all nighters so far, but there have been several nights when I have stayed up fairly late. Thursday nights were the worst since my physics and chemistry homework assignments were due on Fridays. In fact, getting more than five hours of sleep in any night during the week is usually wishful thinking. But weekends result in more sleep, sometimes.
What do you look forward to when you come home?
Definitely not having to worry about work.
Describe one funny experience you had in college so far.
One such experience was my first time doing laundry. The funny part? I forgot to put in the dryer sheets. The sad part? My friends and I argued about the physics of static cling for an hour.
Amber Rossi
Cal Poly SLO
High School: Liberty
Is the “college life” what you expected?
College isn't exactly like I expected. The fact that I am living on my own is nice because I have more freedom. But I didn't expect to have so much free time during the day, and it was kind of weird having a night class.
Do you get homesick?
I do get homesick a lot, but that is what's nice about living only two hours from home. When I am homesick I Skype or call my family and friends and talk to them that way during the week and I go home quite a bit on the weekends.
What do you look forward to when you come home?
When I come home, I look forward to seeing my family, friends, and my dog the most. Also, it doesn't hurt that I get to sleep in my own bed and I don't have to share a bathroom with 20 other girls either.
What was the most surprising (or difficult) aspect of living away from home?
The most difficult aspect of living away from home is being completely independent. I still have to call my mom and ask questions for what to buy for certain grocery items, laundry detergent, carpet cleaner, etc. I also had to ask her for questions about my bank account and how to mail packages. My brothers are no longer around to help me with questions about my computer. Also, if I got lost driving I used to call my dad for directions, but now he can't help me since he doesn't know the San Luis Obispo area as well. My dad isn't around to help me with car trouble problems either. Erika and I are slowly learning how to be self reliant, but there are some things you wish you had your family to help you with!
Erika Rossi
Cal Poly SLO
High School: Liberty
Do you get homesick?
I actually don't get homesick that often. If I do I simply just call my mom or dad and talk for a few minutes.
How many “all nighters” have you pulled for course work-related studies?
I have had to pull a lot of "all-nighters" because I tend to procrastinate on most of my bigger or harder assignments but I always get them done and catch up on sleep the following day.
How often do you come home? When you do come home, how has the family dynamic changed?
I really don't come home that often. Of course I miss my family but being away is why I went to college away from home in the first place. Very few of my close friends chose to go to college in Bakersfield and my boyfriend and sister are with me at Cal Poly; therefore, I only go home to see my parents and brothers. I choose to go home only when I haven't seen them in a few weeks and when I don't have a lot of studying to get done because whenever I go home I find it very hard to concentrate on my studies. For the most part, my parents let me do what I want now. I think they have accepted that I'm growing up and they are letting go a little bit. They are letting me make my own mistakes and figure out who I want to be.
What was the most surprising (or difficult) aspect of living away from home?
The most surprising aspect of living away from home is how much different life is, I feel like I'm living two separate lives. I have the town I grew up in, my old memories, and most of my family in Bakersfield. But then I have my new friends, the new memories I've made, and a new and exciting town with parts still needing to be discovered in San Luis Obispo.