Coming into my freshman year of college, I had tons of questions and preconceptions. I questioned what it would be like to live with people other than my kinfolk. I pondered the thought of what kind of student I would become. These uncertainties were only the surface.

Although, amongst all of my thoughts and ideas, I had one firm conviction: I was going to push my limits when it came to my academics and extracurriculars.

September would lay the groundwork for me as I started to get a feel for my classes and college life. The main thing I can say about September was that the newfound freedom from my family back home, felt amazing.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my family with all my heart, but there’s something I found so exciting about going out, living life and making my own decisions.

After I had become more familiar with my classwork and further acquainted with my roommates, I began to look outside the classroom for things to do. Journalism was and still is, the career path I want after college. So I figured it only made sense to join the school newspaper.

I knew I had a profound passion for writing and news, but I had zero training under my belt when it came to journalism. That didn’t matter to me. If I was going to do this, I was going to put everything I had into it and learn along the way.

After writing my first article and seeing it get published, I became motivated to continue writing for The Cougar Chronicle.

Mid-October came around and that’s when everything hit. Classes were in full swing, the assignments were flying in and writing essays became second nature. It might seem ridiculous to say it as a wee freshman, but I was absolutely booked between my academics and writing for The Cougar Chronicle.

This was everything I wanted ‒ an academic environment that would push me to prioritize my time and put in work. My motivation to succeed didn’t sway the slightest when things began getting heavy. I made it a goal to chase a perfect GPA, write two to three articles per edition and eventually pursue volunteer work.

We’re now in the final weeks of the semester and the standards I’ve set for myself are still being met with efficiency. On top of that, writing for The Cougar Chronicle has given me a sense of belonging within the university. The editors I typically work with (shout-out to Madison and Karen), have really helped me come into my own as a staff writer.

Ultimately, I’ve come to love being a student here. I honestly don’t know if CSUSM will be the college I graduate from, but I’m looking forward to the remaining time I have at this amazing university.