Monday, September 26, 2016 Student Spotlight: "Changed" by College
During my freshman year of college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I remember feeling very unsure of myself and who I was. In high school I felt like most 17 year olds do, that I “had it all figured out.” I did not expect the transition into college to be difficult in the slightest, as I had a good support system and a plan: I was going to major in psychology with minors in Spanish and gerontology, and pursue medical school.
My major and career choice have not faltered in the slightest — if anything my passions for what I am studying have only grown through the years. While my overall academic and professional ambitions have not changed, I believe that who I am has undergone a complete transformation.
Within the first few weeks of college, someone very close to me at the time expressed to me that “Lincoln (read: UNL) changes people.” I remember feeling very offended at that statement. I didn’t feel any different. What did this individual mean? Was this meant to be defamatory in some way toward myself, my friends, or my chosen institution of higher education?
To this day, I don’t really know what they were getting at. I do however agree with them now. My college experiences at the University of Nebraska have changed me — but for the better! I think something that a lot of students don’t realize before they come to college is how much will change in these four years. Friends move away, some relationships end, you encounter situations that force you to grow up, and it becomes necessary to figure out who you are and where you want to go in your life on your own.
I don’t remember where I heard it, but the best advice I have ever received is “You are an average of the five people you spend the most time with.” I love this saying for so many reasons. It reminds me that I am in control of the kind of person I am, and the kind of person I want to become. I also like it because I think that it can apply to more than just your group of close friends. Obviously, people you spend time with influence you in a number of ways, but so does the work you do, the books you read, the things you are passionate about, and more. I often think about the people I am surrounded with and make sure it aligns with who I want to be. It helps give me direction and stay focused.
My name is Carmen Ochoa, and I am now a senior, studying psychology with minors in Spanish and gerontology. It is my goal to work as a geriatrician in an underserved Spanish speaking community. During my four years at Nebraska, I have learned so much, and all of my experiences here have exponentially “improved my overall average.” I have received a great education in the conventional sense, but have also gotten to learn about myself as an individual. I think that is what makes your college years so unique: it is when you really start to become “you.”
Through a variety of endeavors, I have come to the realization of what makes me “me:” I have learned about how important diversity, understanding, and acceptance are to me through a backpacking trip to Europe and my own cultural background. (My father immigrated to the United States from Mexico as a young boy, and he and my grandparents' story has made me passionate about issues in this country regarding immigration.) I have learned how important staying well, in all senses of the word, is to me and my community through serving as a Wellness Advocate for my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, and through working at the Dental Clinic on campus. I have learned how truly passionate I am about helping the elderly, in all aspects of their lives, through internships at AseraCare Hospice and AARP, my employment at Roper and Sons Funeral Home, and my close relationship with both sets of grandparents.
I am grateful and excited to know that there is a profession out there that will allow me to incorporate all of my biggest passions: Spanish, psychology, and geriatrics into my everyday life. I hope to serve as a resource to seniors who may not always have had access to quality healthcare throughout their lives; and I am grateful to the University for giving me the opportunity to foster those passions to develop both professionally and personally.
From my close friends to my involvement on campus, and through my various forms of employment, everything in my life that I choose to be a part of is intentional. I am so thankful for my time at the University because it has taught me who I am, what I value, how to be a leader, how to work together as a team, how to get along with others, and how to work hard to achieve all the goals I have set for myself. I am proud of all of my experiences and my accomplishments— I am proud to say that UNL has changed me.