- [Veronica] Okay.
Hi, my ...
I can't.
Hi, ul..aaa!
My name is Veronica Beltran,
and I'm a first generation
college student.
I was really nervous to go to college,
but my family was really excited.
They were also really scared because I was
the first one ever in my
family to go out of state,
and even leave family to go to college.
Coming from high school to college
was a big culture shock for me.
I adapt really fast in places,
and that's what made it so easy.
It was hard being away from family,
so I had to really
communicate with my family,
and just have a bond with them so I could
potentially not get homesick
and want to go home right away.
Early Connections, it's provided
for the first years, and
you can do it into your
sophomore year and carry it on.
Basically, this program gives people with
diverse backgrounds a chance
to fit into a program,
and get a head start in the school year
by coming in a day or two early,
and getting to meet people
that could potentially
be mentors, because you
do get a peer mentor.
They help you build a community
within your first year.
Thinking that I could be
one of the first people
in my family to graduate
is really exciting anytime.
I know that graduating
from college will be
the proudest moments of my parents' lives,
because they were also
close to finishing school,
but they just didn't get there.
It makes really proud
that I made it this far.
Being here, it definitely
reminds me that no matter
how hard it gets, you can keep going,
and that's kinda why I'm here.
(soft orchestral music)
