Adriana Diego Garcia (Oakes College, Neuroscience, '22)

Motivation for College: My motivation for college is seeing my hard-working parents do everything they can to make sure I have all the materials needed for school whether it is providing notebooks or clothes or money for food. Seeing my parents reflect on their childhood dreams they didn’t have the chance to achieve also motivates me further to achieve my career goals. Not just for myself but for them. 

Resources that have supported your success: The EOP Bridge program helped me transition from high school academics to college classwork. The two-week program also allowed me to become accustomed to a new environment, eight hours away from home before the start of the school year. Not only did I get to learn the campus, all its beautiful trees and animals but I also met my best friends. Apart from the holistic emotional support, MSI has been a huge help to me in my classes. Being a first-generation college student, I am the first in my family to make it past a high school diploma. When I am struggling in a class, it can be intimidating for me to be honest with classmates or the professor. At MSI there are student tutors who teach you all the tips and tricks and motivate you with practice exams for you to excel in your classes. 

What worked best: Asking for help can be extremely intimidating especially when knowing that other students are understanding the concepts taught in class. But with time, I have learned to ask for help from TAs and my professor and other classmates. I had to learn that everyone comes to college with different knowledge and that’s okay because I am here for a reason. And if that reason is to learn, grow, make new experiences, academically challenge myself, then so be it!

Wanted parents/guardians to know: Your support is all that matters. Being away from home is a difficult phase to get through but once we all know that we are trying our hardest every day and still thinking about you is when we learn that everything will be okay. Whether it’s the stress or the distance or feeling homesick, it’s always reassuring to know that it’s the parents and guardians rooting for your success.

Some advice I can offer to parents: Being the eldest of the family, it was important for me that my parents realize it is time for me to learn to be independent and take care of myself. It’s not me trying to be the furthest away I can, it’s me making the best and right decisions for myself. You knowing that is all that matters at the end of the day. Also, reassuring me that everything is going to be okay and all the hard work will pay off in the end is the best comfort to receive.