What I’ll take with me
ByI want to reflect on what I learned and gained from this rollercoaster of an experience. I’ve compiled 20 things that I’ve picked up as a college student in these last four years.
Subscribe
Subscribe to The Daily News
I want to reflect on what I learned and gained from this rollercoaster of an experience. I’ve compiled 20 things that I’ve picked up as a college student in these last four years.
In our society, youth equates to beauty, but it shouldn’t be such a prominent point where it leads to fear. We need to stop ranking women by their age, looks or physical appeal. Women are more than the year they were born or their “fading” youth.
I am so grateful for the leadership roles I have, but I am so tired of the emotional labor that comes with them because I am a woman.
Notes in class? Yes. Notes on life? Working on it. With that in mind, I compiled a list of 21 things I’ve learned in my first 21 years.
Coming back to concerts after being away for years, it feels like people don’t remember how to act.
Based on my own experiences, the accommodation system in place for students with learning disabilities in elementary and middle school in the U.S. operates under the assumption that adults understand the experiences of the students better than those needing accommodation. There is a lot to be improved upon with the current system. At its core, it excludes the ones who need accommodations.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I wanted to share how being a first-generation Latina in college has led to a unique journey filled with both challenges and opportunities. As a trailblazer in my family, I’ve faced the exciting — and often overwhelming — task of navigating the contemporary educational system in America while still finding ways to embrace my cultural identity.
Even when the suffering isn’t always outwardly visible, there’s still the weighty baggage of pain that is oftentimes shouldered by those with invisible conditions. It’s important we keep an open mind so the people who are already feeling alone don’t become more isolated.
I have numerous friends and family members of the opposite gender who have shared their struggles with body image issues/eating disorders with me. It’s heartbreaking. However, the fact that men are hiding their struggles for the sake of hiding vulnerability may be even more so.
I don’t want to be stressing out about when I can fit cooking into my already hectic schedule. I recognize food is a necessity, so I must consume at least something, but I don’t want to be constantly thinking about it. Meal prepping has been a lifesaver in that regard.
I am feeling burnt out. But this is not neurotypical burnout I am feeling, this is autistic burnout. The truth is, I am living in a world that is not built for autistic people with overloaded schedules, too many demands and a lack of taking care of basic needs.
When there is a cat in my life, I feel better. They bring me joy that is more apt than any television show, movie, hobby, class or even some people can bring me. And this isn’t just something that I feel either. I am not alone in this.
I am a fangirl. I am a girl who is a fan of something. But the way people say it, with a judgmental tone in voice and an eye roll, they say it in a way that insinuates that it’s “cringe” to be a girl who is a fan or is passionate.
I have apologized for many things. Things I had absolutely nothing to do with. And if I had a nickel for every time? I’d absolutely be rich. There is a tendency to apologize for things that we have no control over. And I want it to end, or at least for the narrative to change. Not just for my sake, but for the sake of others.
Today, we are faced with a religious enthusiasm that seeks faith to serve a foundational role in government. Politicians and judicial leaders are more heavily interweaving their beliefs into places they don’t belong. There is no religious test to hold office, so why allow religion to intersect with the crucial legislative action that affects every citizen?
In February of this year, many of Roald Dahl’s famed children's books were re-released in Britain, but not without some rewrites and revisions first. Should we be updating any and all literature, especially posthumously, for readers today? Is it pushing a certain agenda that not everyone stands on common ground with? Or, could measures of censorship even be promoting an all-or-nothing mindset?
Every year, The Daily News assigns a grade to the outgoing Student Government Association (SGA) executive slate based on how effective it was in accomplishing its goals, along with its impact on the Ball State community. This year’s slate, RISE, consisted of Tina Nguyen, who completed her second term as President of SGA and Vice President Monet Lindstrand, who will be returning as vice president in the 2023-24 school year. RISE ran on the main points of increasing diversity, improving campus transportation, increasing awareness for sexual assault and raising student wages.
Now, I can say I take tremendous pride in being Mexican-American. I take pride in showing people that even though I don’t look like what society perceives as an average Hispanic, that doesn’t make me any less Mexican or less American. I take pride in being a first-generation Mexican-American. My parents gave up a lot in their life to give me a lifestyle in America, and I am not afraid to show people my heritage.
We are not supposed to be perfect. We are not supposed to never fail. Making mistakes is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve walked away with so many valuable lessons because of it.