When I first stepped on campus at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), I was a nervous first-generation college student, trying not to show the disappointment of not getting into my dream school.
However, after spending time at UC Los Angeles and participating in the intercampus visitor program, which allows UC students to spend a quarter or semester at another UC campus in person, I realized that UCR felt more like the right match for me. UCR is more in tune with my ideals, especially in terms of community, values, campus culture and its landscape with its homey size and greenery.
When I first started UCR last school year, I carried so much hope, anticipation and just as much uncertainty. I didn’t know if I would find where I belonged or live up to my expectations. I didn’t have the answers, but I knew I was ready to grow.
That growth didn’t happen overnight. It started slowly with new experiences, late-night thoughts, reruns of “Gilmore Girls,” and with small moments that changed me in ways I didn’t even notice until now, standing at the edge of graduation.
In my first article for The Highlander, which happened to be for the Opinions section, titled “The death of new and iconic scary Halloween figures is bittersweet,” I explored how horror movies were changing and how fear evolves in someone. In retrospect, that article was about more than pop culture. It reflected the bittersweet process of letting go of old ideas and embracing the unfamiliar. In so many ways, that’s exactly what college has been for me: facing change with curiosity, even when it’s scary and different.
UCR has been the beginning of everything for me. And now, as I prepare to leave, I already miss it. A large part of me wishes I weren’t graduating as early as I am, so I could continue to experience UCR as an undergraduate, but the other part of me is grateful for the time I did have here and excited for what’s next in life.
I was accepted into UCR as a political science major and have no regrets. I knew from the start that I was passionate about understanding how political systems work and how to create meaningful change in them. But it wasn’t always a straight path. After taking PBPL 001 with Professor David Brady, I seriously considered switching majors.
A part of me still wishes I had double majored in public policy because that course opened up the world of policy by understanding how to create and understand legislation. For a while, it felt like a better fit. But something about political theory kept calling me back.
That “something” found its place in POSC 005, Political Ideologies, with Professor Bronwyn Leebaw, where political theory challenged me to dig deeper into the “why” behind politics. Now, as I take POSC 196A, Moot Court, with Professor Peter Mort, I’m sharpening my argumentation and public speaking skills in ways I never imagined I could do when I first arrived at UCR. Each of these courses helped me build not just my academic foundation, but my confidence.
Then came my decision to minor in feminist studies, spawned from my women and culture and political ideologies classes, I realized I wanted to learn more about the feminist lens and how this perspective views the world. One of my favorite courses is GSST 175, Gender, Ethnicity and Borders, with Professor Elizabeth Rubio, who has helped me think more critically about identity, power and intersectionality. Overall, I think my love of political science and minoring in feminist studies allowed me to really enjoy my major by fully understanding the framework of intersectionality and how that affects our political systems.
Reflecting on my time at UCLA, I was able to achieve a lot, including various political ideology courses from early American political thought, jurisprudence, electoral politics and a Chicano studies service learning course where I volunteered with California Public Interest Research group (CALPIRG), which focused on environmentalism in lobbying campaigns. At UCLA, I learned a lot, and for that I am eternally grateful.
However, the things outside the classroom made my college experience unforgettable, especially at UCR. The Highlander gave me a place to grow as a writer and share my voice. I later joined HerCampus, which taught me the fundamentals of writing I was struggling with and helped me find my true voice. Each article became a mirror reflecting who I was becoming and what I cared about. HerCampus gave me room to write with heart, to tell stories that felt personal and raw. Through both media organizations and their lovely editors and staff, I found my community, purpose and pride.
I also threw myself into student life. I participated in Scotty’s Fair last year with my friends (which I absolutely loved!), engaged in many campus events from last year’s Maker’s Week to club expos and everything in between. While these events may seem like just calendar items, they were moments of joy, growth and connection. They reminded me that UCR is more than a university — it’s a vibrant community.
Becoming a UCR Traditions Keeper — completing a list of unique UCR traditions — was one of my proudest accomplishments. It gave me a reason to explore every corner of campus and participate in activities I might have skipped. Each tradition became a little thread in the larger story I was weaving here. One of my fondest memories, thanks to the UCR Traditions Keeper program, was exploring Downtown Riverside from the Food Lab to the Riverside Main Library.
When college life felt overwhelming — and trust me, it did — my hobbies were my sanctuary. I restarted knitting, took up crocheting and started binge rewatching “Gilmore Girls” since my first fall quarter. They weren’t just fun distractions from the 20 units I took per quarter to graduate two years early; those small rituals helped me stay connected to myself, even during the busiest, most stressful weeks.
Balancing classes, writing clubs and a personal life was never easy. I had many moments of burnout and tried different plans to recover, including taking a break during week three or 7 every quarter, though this was a bit reckless in hindsight. Every time I fell behind or was tired, I came back stronger. UCR gave me the space to worry and figure out how to breathe, which is unique to this college campus.
Everything I’ve done here — every class, every article, every late-night cram session and every spontaneous need for ice cream has made me who I am. I came in unsure of my place in the world, and now I’m leaving with a clearer vision of what I want to do and why I want to do it. I plan to fight for equity and justice as a Constitutional lawyer. I want to continue writing, speaking and advocating in ways that matter.
So, thank you to UCR and its wonderful community from the very bottom of my heart. Thank you for accepting me, challenging me and helping me become someone I’m proud of. Thank you for giving me friends I’ll always cherish, professors who expanded my knowledge and made me want to learn more and memories I’ll hold close forever.
A very special thank you to my brother Ricky, my sister Brianna and my mom Anna for always pushing me to do my best. Thank you to the best advisor I have ever had, Bryan Barker, for helping me take the classes I really wanted to and helping me graduate early. Thank you to everyone on The Highlander. You all do so much, and I deeply appreciate it.
This goodbye is bittersweet — just like that first Highlander article — but it’s also beautiful in a sense, because now I get to carry UCR with me, wherever I go.
From a scared freshman to a confident graduate: I made it.
I’ll never stop being a Highlander at heart — it’s in my tartan soul now, woven into every part of who I’ve become.
