HaU BLOG Posts
The first day I arrived at UCLA, watching my mom drive off and leaving me here, has been one of the most nerve recking experiences in my life. It was all me. Me in this huge university, this huge city, this new journey; it was a new beginning. Scary right? I’m sure I’m not the only who felt this way. I found myself under a lot of self-doubt and constantly thinking “Why and I here?” or “I’m not smart enough for this”, and it took me a few quarters and meeting wonderful girls in HaU to help me pull myself out of that hole of negativity. Keeping my head up while at UCLA has been extremely difficult, but definitely not impossible. And I tell you all: always believe in yourself. You are capable and you are here for a reason. Now, whenever I start feeling like I don’t belong or like I’m not good enough, I always tell myself one of my biggest mottos: When you feel like quitting, think about why you started. We all have dreams and aspirations in life, and although it is a daily struggle to keep aiming for them, I will never give up because I think back to my parents, working hard in the fields to help me get to where I am today; I think back to my two little sisters, who look up to me and always give presentations in class of how their sisters goes to UCLA; I think back to my purpose for coming here, and that makes it beyond worth it every day and any day.
Sometimes, you just have to pause and think back... We are all powerful in our own way<3 Much Love, Odalys Barajas
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HaU Conference 2018. One of the first Hermana events I attended last year during my first year here at UCLA was the statewide conference. Going to the conference with so many other mujeres poderosas is such a beautiful thing to witness and be a part of. Every time I come out of conference, I feel so inspired and motivated to make changes in this world. Although there is a lot of ugly in the world, HaU is one of the organizations that are moving forward through the storm. Coming to UCLA I thought I was never going to find a group that I could belong to. Never did I think that I was going to meet such strong women and be lucky enough to call them my friends. Being a transfer at UCLA, it took me a while to find my place here. The transition from community college to a university was difficult and there were times when I didn’t think I was going to be able to make it. I joined HaU towards the end of my Winter quarter, and I was instantly welcomed with open arms and an endless amount of support from Hermanas. I have never felt so comfortable in my own skin here at UCLA until HaU. I know for a fact that if I didn't have HaU, I would not be able to get through this institution alone. This organization has shown me how to be strong, resilient, and chingona. Joining HaU has been one of the best decisions I have made at UCLA, my time has gone by way too fast, I can't believe I'm already graduating. However, I know that when I come back to visit HaU de UCLA, I will always encounter Mujeres poderosas and chingonas <3
At 16 years old, I learn the power of community. It was the first time in my life where I felt imprisoned by my legal status. The words" you have been denied acceptance into the program due to your legal status" resonated in my ears. The program I had spent weeks attending interviews for, had basically said that my undocumented status defined who I was-no amount of hard work on my end, could change that. I became involved with various organizations that empowered marginalized communities. The Puente program won a special place in my heart. I was exposed to Pachucos, LA school walkouts, and Chicano movements that transformed my attitude towards my legal status. Being Undocumented wasn't an inconvenience, it was a stepping stone that helped me find my purpose in life. I realized that mi gente es xingona, podersosa, but most importantly, Resilient. A passion grew inside of me. A passion to give back to my community for the security it provided me all these years. It became my goal to encourage our people to embrace the beauty in our culture. To encourage one another to reach our maximum potential and give a helping hand to those in need. Aqui empieza la ruta de una mariposa- learning to accept her flaws and her struggles, but always with her head held high for in her veins runs the blood of her ancestors. Those who sacrificed their lives so she could have a chance of a better tomorrow. To you, I owe my life. A ustedes les dedico mi volar.
From one Mariposa to the other <3 My resolution for my fourth year has been to live in the moment. My third year was easily my hardest year at UCLA. I found myself trying, and most of the time struggling, to balance a lot, as most of us can probably relate to. Between academics, work, organizations, professional development-- it can be hard to catch a break. Last year I definitely let myself fall into a vicious cycle of getting things done, worrying about tomorrow and not enjoying the day I was currently living.
Don’t get me wrong though, it’s extremely important to plan ahead. Think about your future and think about what you can do now to prepare for it. However we need to try our best to not let that consume us. Balance is key. We need to find the balance of planning and living. Being in my last year at UCLA is such a bittersweet milestone. I get to see most of my planning actually come to fruition and get to enjoy it; and that is exactly what I want myself to do. Time never waits and I’m painfully aware of that fact. The past five months have been filled with so many beautiful moments and I know the next four will be more of the same. I am still looking to the future and preparing for post grad life but I want to enjoy the moment I’m in now. So putting that into action, I am investing in myself and all the things I love. Sometimes that manifests as hitting up everyone around me just to go on a shopping adventure or as me letting people know I need a night in where I can sleep early and recharge. I just want to take advantage of the time I have here and live it to the fullest. I’m reminding myself to spend time with the people I love and to do the things that make me happy, because these moments are fleeting but are giving me lifelong memories, nonetheless. I used to be a really shy and quiet person growing up. I never let many people into my life because I was very introverted and enjoyed having a small circle of friends. Sometimes I felt like this was a big problem because it would prevent me from pursuing things I always wanted to do or accomplish. I thought this was going to be an ongoing issue because every time I tried to be more out there and take part of different activities on my own I always failed. I guess I was afraid of not being able to make friends or that people wouldn’t like me/ judge me. Once I had made my decision to go to UCLA I knew it was time to change that but sadly nothing changed during my first year. It wasn’t until my second year when I pushed myself to join HaU and things were starting to look up. I met a lot of people that were so kind and welcoming. I became so close to many girls and made the greatest memories with them. I learned a lot from these friendships and experiences and as the time went by I noticed I have become more open and social. Maybe to some it wasn’t as noticeable but to me I really saw the difference in myself from when I started college. Look at me now though, I made it to steering and that was one of the biggest accomplishments I’ve done. It was never something I saw myself doing but I am so glad I did, thanks to my big who always believed in me and encouraged me in running for it. I’m proud of where I’ve gotten to now. I even learned to love myself, although there are times when I feel down, it is nowhere near how I used to feel at my worst. I honestly see myself doing big things in the future especially things that really put me out there in places I never saw myself doing before. And I am so excited to take that next step in life. One thing I learned that will always stick to me is always expect the unexpected and be ready for it, no matter how bad or intimidating things may seem there is always a good outcome from it all.
As senior year quickly approached, I started reflecting on my past experiences at UCLA. I have grown tremendously since my first year and it is crazy to think that in a few months, I am going to be out in the real world. Although this is a scary thought, I am also filled with great sadness that I will be ending such a beautiful chapter in my life. I am thankful for Hermanas Unidas for playing such a huge role in my college experience and I will forever keep Hermanas in my heart. That being said, my goal for these next two quarters is to live senior year to the fullest and really take the time to appreciate the spaces that I find myself in. I want to really enjoy these last months I have left with y’all and my hope is that everyone also cherishes these experiences in college because time really does fly… Con mucho amor, Noemi <3
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AuthorThe following posts will be from your fellow Hermanas. Archives
March 2024
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