Hang in there!

             A variety of sources constantly make an effort to encourage students to apply and attend college or a university. I cannot stress enough how important continuing your education is. With an education you will get a higher salary, develop amazing networks, and advance professionally. I am extremely proud of Latinos who have decided to attend college, but their college drop-out rate is still a concern of mine.

 Many Latinos who attend four-year colleges or universities, which are usually in rural areas, are Latinos from the inner-city, and they are sometimes known as urban students. Whether or not an inner- city student feels at home or welcomed by their new community becomes a deciding factor for whether or not the student will continue their education. Culture plays a huge role on how comfortable a student will feel on campus, thus, one thing to mentally prepare for is a temporary culture shock.  If you are an inner-city student entering college in a small town or rural area, you will be faced with a culture different from what you are accustomed to. The Latino population on campus may not be as large as you expected; you may not find authentic Latino food; and, the pace in which people move and schedule time may be a lot slower or faster than you’re used to. 

At first it may be intimidating to be so far from home. You may become self-conscious of how your culture differs from the one that surrounds you. The good news is that the power is in your hands. As an inner-city Latino/a, you have a great advantage on campus, because you are used to dealing with more than one culture whether you realize it or not. You’ve been exposed to a diverse group of people, ideologies, personalities, and habits. In other words, you are very likely to be “worldly” even if you never left your city! You are also very versatile: coming from a Latino background (http://blog.marieladabbah.com/?p=286) I’m sure you’ve learned how to adapt to different situations and people.  Many students feel the need to assimilate so as not to stand-out. However, I have witnessed that those who maintain their cultural beliefs and practice them and share them peacefully on campus are well appreciated by professors, non-Latino students, and organizations.

My biggest advice to Latino students is to leverage your background and express your viewpoints in the academic and social realm. I am not suggesting you become a radical or extremely eccentric. Simply acknowledge that you contribute to everyone’s college experience, you may open up a new world to students, and it will help you discover new things about yourself you did not know before. After gaining confidence and accepting the way your background fits in with your new community, home may not seem so far. Choosing a college and getting accepted is the hardest part. Once you are in, inevitably, obstacles will come about once in awhile, but that will happen in the real world as well. Do not be shortsighted. Think about the benefits and perks an education will afford you and stick it out!