The NTSA - President 2023-2024

While I am a Los Angeles native, my family moved around a lot for my father’s job. We lived in San Diego when 9/11 happened, and this proved to be a tumultuous period of my life. My parents divorced and my mother, brother, and I were left almost homeless. We moved to San Jose, CA with my mother’s family where I finished high school and had lofty dreams of attending colleges like NYU or Sarah Lawrence. Given my mom made just above the poverty line, we did not qualify for benefits or assistance, and I remember FAFSA telling us that my mom would need to dedicate over 60% of her salary to my education. 

So instead, I started working, and eventually climbed the corporate ladder throughout my twenties. I was fortunate enough to get a job with the company my mother worked for, and I thrived in an office environment. I moved between Long Beach, Los Angeles, and then Garden Grove while working full-time and taking community college classes here and there but never consistently or with a plan. I initially wanted to study art history, then business, and then settled on psychology, which was my initial major of choice back in high school. School was not my priority, but I was encouraged by many friends and family to continue. During this time, my mother had moved for a job and I spent several years living with and caring for my grandparents. Up until this point in my life, I had always made sure I was looking after someone or depending on someone else.

As someone who many have described as a go-getter, fear held me back from so many things. I feared failure, and I feared being on my own and facing the world. Once I moved out of my grandparents’ home I was on my own, and this left me with the need for a purpose and a mission to help overcome my fears. I returned to community college full-time and pushed myself to do my best and see this through to university. The pandemic hit around then and while it threw things into chaos for a while, was probably one of the best things for me. I thrived in school, I enjoyed studying, and it was convenient to work and study from home. When it came time to transfer, those feelings of fear and dread came over me knowing that I’d have to make some big changes. I’m a big creature of comfort, but change is always necessary for growth. 

I applied to a short list of schools and guaranteed myself to CSU Fullerton. This meant I’d stay where I was and mean the least amount of resistance from me. I got into UC Davis also and was rejected from UCLA. UC San Diego was the last decision to come through and left me in shock and elation. Not only was I admitted, but they also offered a financial aid package to offset my tuition costs to help me since I did not qualify for other forms of aid, short of private loans. Even with all this laid out before me, I was afraid. I had made it this far and what if I failed? I’d let myself down and everyone around me. I’m so old, what if I don’t fit in? I’d be humiliated. I’d have to move far away to San Diego (it seemed far at the time) rather than stay in my safe little bubble in Orange County. 

I made the decision about one month before classes started. I had to hurry to find a place to live and move all my junk. It was such a stressful period but again, I thrived, and was fortunate enough to find our community on campus. Meeting my fellow board members has been a privilege and blessing which has improved my university experience and left me with lifelong friendships. Starting the NTSA has brought me, and us, so much joy and although stressful at times, has given us a feeling of home and support for each of our unique experiences. I hope that this legacy continues and grows to create a meaningful space for our members on this campus. 

And finally, my words of advice are to not let fear decide for you or rule you. Achieve that dream, go after that goal, and become that person you dreamed of becoming. Being at UC San Diego at this point in our lives puts us on a magical trajectory that it’s never too late. You can always wonder what would have happened if you made another choice, but you will never have to wonder what if you never did anything. Volunteer, get involved on campus whether it’s student organizations or government, and put yourself out there. Step into and own your non-traditional student status, you never know who is watching and who you are inspiring. 

~Courtney