Reflections from A First Year: Back to School

On Wednesday, August 11th, my family and I drove from Silver Spring, Maryland to move me into campus for my first year at UNC-Chapel Hill. Leaving my family and friends behind after being virtual most of my senior year in high school was something I honestly did not know if I was fully prepared for, especially after this past year with COVID-19. Unlike previous summers, this one has been the ultimate summer of change. Having just recently moved to Maryland from Pennsylvania where I had lived most of my life was a true adjustment in itself. It made coming to UNC a bit more nerve-wracking. To my surprise, so far, although hot and humid, this move has been extremely positive.

Since coming onto campus I have fallen more and more in love with the school and know that choosing UNC was the right decision for me. The new family I have come to find here in the short time I have been on campus is one I already know I will have forever. Coming to campus as a Latina, it was important for me to find spaces in which I could not only express but celebrate my Puerto Rican identity. Here at the Carolina Latinx Center, I have come to meet, and am now a part of, such a welcoming familia where I know I will grow and make lifelong connections. In the time I have been here I have felt a sense of being at home already. As the days go by my excitement for this place grows more and more and I cannot wait to see where these next four years take me. Go Heels!