Being (Engaged) at CU

What is your favorite memory from your time at CU Boulder, so far?

I think the best memory so far is definitely the beginning of coming to CU Boulder because that set the stage for what it’s like to be at CU. I was a part of this “camp” through the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information (CMDI) called Pathways to Excellence, run by a staff member named Dave Martinez. He helps basically anyone who’s a first-generation student, any different minorities or part of the LGBTQIA+ community in CMDI meet each other.

I got to live on campus for two weeks in the summer, and I really enjoyed getting to know those people and acclimating to campus before I fully moved in. It helped me get a leg up on knowing different locations, places to eat at the C4C, and we got to explore Pearl Street Mall as well as The Hill. I got to know CU and I made a lot of fun memories through that. 

What is something you would like to accomplish before your graduation?

I don’t want to make a big impact just because I feel like that’s very ambitious of me to do. I’d be happy if I’m able to, but I want to just have a helping hand in welcoming new people. I work as a Journey Leader mentor through New Student & Family Programs, where we help with student orientation. We have this term called “lollipop moments,” which is just one little gesture that doesn't mean too much for yourself but can mean a lot for another person. 

It’s called a lollipop moment because someone gave [a lollipop] to a student who was about to leave college on the first day because she was very worried about the experience and felt like it wasn’t for her. He gave her a lollipop where then she felt comfortable, because he did an icebreaker, to get to know another student. It meant a lot to them, and they even got married and invited the person who gave them the lollipop to the wedding. In a TED Talk, he talked about that situation where he didn’t even realize that was such a big impact, but it helped someone feel more comfortable on campus. 

So, I want to help [students] through that process through little, small moments. Whether or not I find out that it actually meant something to someone, I hope to be a welcoming person and be someone that I would have wanted for myself when I was first coming to CU Boulder. 

What life lesson have your experiences here taught you that will be valuable beyond CU?

I think I learned two main things. The first is through academics and through my on-campus jobs, which is how to time manage and structure your own projects. I did learn a lot when I was virtual through high school during COVID, but I really got a kick start of full-on independence here as well as full-on self-managing, orienting different tasks and organizing things.

I think I also have learned a lot about how to meet new people. I’ve always been trying to develop that skill. I feel like coming into CU Boulder not really knowing too many people and just being in a school of so many different students seemed very daunting at the start, but I was able to learn how to interact with people, break the ice by introducing myself and find my different communities here. I feel like that definitely helps out for when I’m an adult, when it sometimes might be harder to find different people because everyone has full-time jobs. So, learning how to manage things independently, as well as how to find different communities, has been very helpful. 

What one word describes your role or a quality you bring to our campus community?

I think my word is definitely “energetic” because I feel like that applies to a lot of different areas. When I’m meeting new people or when I’m trying to make new friends, having that energy so that I can interact with people and have those positive feelings so you can bond. As well as through my jobs, I do a lot of work through Career Services as well as New Student & Family Programs, where I’m helping with orientation.

I’m the first person there for a lot of different circumstances—when new students and their families come in, as well as handling talking to employers or maybe students who are nervous about an internship fair or career fair because they don’t know what it looks like, and just through my classes in talking to new professors or students. I have to keep up with a lot of energy and feel energized myself even if there are moments when I’m tired because it helps with optimism, positivity and a greater outlook. It helps to build a better relationship with other people as well.

Do you feel like this word encompasses all your contributions, or is there more to share?

I feel like [“energetic”] sums up a lot of what I have to offer and what I do because I personally like being busy. I appreciate and like being involved and filling up my time because I don't want to be sitting in my room doing nothing for a long period of time. Having that energy really helps me, and it connects me to opportunities and people with interesting backgrounds and perspectives. 

I think definitely having energy is not always a requirement—I went through training when becoming a Journey Leader. Having optimism and energy doesn’t always necessarily mean that everything is hearts and daisies and flowers or that you always have to be smiling because there are those moments. But I feel [being energetic] definitely is an assistance when getting through the tough times. I think for different circumstances when you don’t have energy, having productivity, being creative or finding different outlets of being social [can help] but doesn't necessarily have to be in an extroverted way. 

Just getting to meet other people through finding a career through CU Boulder, having different internship opportunities or building different relationships (with professors, for example), I feel like having that aspect of being social can help as well as just having a growth mindset to situations, since there are times that can be up and down. Having the growth mindset definitely helps out—it’s called, I think, the “W-Curve” which is basically going through transitions where you go through the highs of a honeymoon when coming to CU Boulder, for example, and the lows of culture shock. It’s like a rollercoaster so I feel like having that growth mindset when you make mistakes or when you feel down can definitely help as well. I think those elements all help out through the process of being at CU Boulder.