Why I Chose to Study Away in California
I wasn’t exactly sure how I would ever go about the college application process; I just knew that I wanted to get a higher education. My mother reminded me many times that she came to this country so that her children could have one thing: opportunity. College is just that—many opportunities compiled into four exciting, challenging, thrilling years.
So I wanted to take advantage of these opportunities. I got an email from my school’s entrepreneurship department advertising a class that would take us over to San Jose, California, just five minutes from Stanford University, to meet with different industry leaders. I jumped at the chance, especially since I had always wanted to cross the country to visit Google and see California for the first time. I clicked on the application link, entered a few pieces of general information, and wrote a short 250-word response on why I wanted to take the class. For me, the reasons were abundant. I wanted to continue learning after the spring semester had ended; I wanted to travel and apply the knowledge I’ve been learning for years for one of the FIRST times ever. I wanted to learn about entrepreneurship outside of the classroom in a region (Silicon Valley) internationally known for the risk-taking mindset and incredibly successful companies started there. A few days after applying to the program, I received an email saying I’d been accepted. For the first time in my life, I’d be jetting over to California!
I had one of these opportunities shortly after my first year of college at UNC-Chapel Hill. Through the Shuford Entrepreneurship Program at UNC, I journeyed back to Chapel Hill after a one-week summer break to study the history of Silicon Valley. For the first three days, I sat in a classroom learning about the history of Silicon Valley and why It became a fertile area to plant the seeds of business. Then, my class flew to California for one week. There, we visited companies such as Google, YouTube, Intel, Airbnb, small start-up companies, and private equity companies. We also had many dinners in a variety of different places to meet professionals from all industries. It’s completely different than sitting in a classroom; stepping out into real companies and seeing the work environment is a whole other feeling.
In the end, we had one paper to write (not bad for a three-week class) on what we learned from visiting the companies and having discussions in class. Going to California ended up being one of the best opportunities I’ve taken on. For me, applying to the class was like climbing out onto a limb, but it’s those experiences that help us grow.
If I have any advice, I’d say to reach out and subscribe to different newsletters for organizations you’re interested in. Here at UNC, each major has its own email newsletters jam-packed with opportunities and networking events. Apply for these experiences. Look for national organizations online tailored to your interests and sign up for their emails. There were times when I believed I wouldn’t get accepted but ended up finding so many new friends, connections, and experiences.
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Vivian is a 2022 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she majored in statistics and analytics. She supports efforts for the revival and celebration of traditional Latino culture in the US through Soy Latino Como Tú, helps support undocumented students through Pupusas for Education, and serves as the founder and president of Paving Your Path to College. In her free time, she can be found appreciating and partaking in all things dance.
