I was a New Yorker and development always meant gentrification to me. So, during those conversations, I'd voice my concerns to no avail. They were concerned about building, not gentrification. I realized I couldn't do this kind of work: go into a city and recommend reforms to then leave without having to live out the results of my recommendations. Who was I to tell them right from wrong?

The summer put me in a whirlwind and I entered senior year without any back up plan. I slipped into education unexpectedly, and I fell in love with the industry. I learned sometimes, moments of despair are just that: moments. You may not expect it, but sometimes things just fall into place.

The best part wasn’t just about academics. It was about solving real world problems, and realizing I had the potential to contribute to something bigger. The energy and difficulty of this experience made me more confident, focused, and excited about the future. I walked away from it not just with new skills, but with a sense of purpose and the drive to keep pushing myself.

Over all the main lesson was being involved as much as possible.

I have come to realized that I am capable, competent, and need to give myself some grace in the spaces I enter sometimes. I was chosen for a reason, and I constantly remind myself of that to limit the amount of pressure I put on myself. This experience showed me another phase in my life that I can nurture as I enter a brand-new professional pursuit. I am a work in progress, but I strive for progress. That's a win for me.

As a Liberal Arts major I am provided with much flexibility to explore or disengage from topics as I feel necessary. I found that it would be the most strategic to take the intro courses for each required area of study to complete a Liberal Arts degree, and diving further into topics I would find more interesting after completing the intro courses. It was through this method that I discovered my burning love and passion for both social sciences and media and film.

Another key component to my success at Kingsborough was the connections I had formed with my professors. I have never received concerning marks throughout college and I still prioritize engaging with the professor during office hours at least two times a semester. It is through these connections that my professor has a more holistic picture of who I am and what my passions are as an individual. This has made all the difference in finding references for the competitive programs I have been applying for.

I feel through my built self-confidence, being a liberal arts student, and building strong connections with my professors that I have gained a stronger sense of myself and have excelled in coming back to college.

While Programming VP was supposed to take the lead and I was there to assist or divide tasks. When I tried to communicate he just said that he has his own life, has his stuff and I am just blaming him. This kept happening until the start of this month when I decide to bring this matter up to our supervisors and clearly talk.

After, I learnt to set boundaries, say no and do what is my responsibilty to do. Let other people see the consequences as it cannot go on like this. So I stooped his part and now I am much better with my stress.

It ended up turning into a series of personal essays that I performed (also had never done that before lol) and it turned out to be a really moving piece of work. I learned that it was important to trust myself, and to not try and force myself to fit the role that other people have imagined for me. I could have tried to create something that felt inauthentic to me in that moment, but instead I took a risk, and it turned out really well.

In addition, I gained a clearer understanding of the difference between undergraduate and graduate-level writing, which served as valuable preparation for the rigor of senior college work. This project not only strengthened my analytical thinking, research skills, and academic writing but also deepened my appreciation for how personal narratives can enhance academic research and inspire meaningful dialogue.

Marco Alvarez