Hello Everyone, 

I hope March is going well for all of us 😊 

I know it has been a very busy, but exciting month for me. This week alone I have done so much. While it has been stressful at times, I absolutely would not have it any other way. I consider it a huge privilege to have so many commitments and to be so involved with Stan State 😊  

A year ago our campus went remote, and distance learning became the new norm. I remember being upset, not only because I just loved being on campus and knew I would no longer be able to visit campus so easily, but also because I was looking forward to showing up to the annual research competition.  

Well, fast forward a full year since then, I am so excited to share that I participated and was nominated to apply to serve as a delegate to the larger CSU wide research competition. If I choose to apply, I will get to represent Stan State at the annual competition that brings together all the CSU campuses and its student researchers to showcase their findings. Normally, this would take place in-person in Southern California. This year, the competition will be happening virtually and whether I participate or not, I am simply excited to share that I DID THAT and have the option of doing so! I never thought I would one day actually be able to do something that, because stage fright and public speaking fears, but time has a funny way of making us step out of our comfort zones 😊  

My research focus is on Basic Needs and Academic Outcomes. I have basically been looking at how the Basic Needs Program here at Stan State helps students academically. I felt so grateful I was given the opportunity to present on a topic that means so much to me. Not only was I able to elevate the conversation of food and housing insecurity to the campus community through this research competition, I was also given such a huge experience to add to my resume/CV for when I apply to PhD programs! It was a grow two plants with one seed’ type of thing 😊  

I’m so grateful Stan State has given me this experience, who knows if I would have been granted this elsewhere. There were both undergraduate and graduate students involved, which I appreciate because I learned so much.  

If you’re thinking about wanting to do research, either in STEM or in the social sciences and humanities, or both, know Stan State is a university that can grant you the opportunities to partake in work that means something to you as well as a stage to showcase your work to the campus community and elsewhere! 😊  

Greetings everyone!

Welcome to the best month of the year (in my humble opinion) 🙂

March is always one of the better months for me. I associate it with the start of a new season and a fresh beginning! Last year may have been the only exception, because this time a year ago, the pandemic was in its beginning stages in the U.S. I still vividly remember being in class a year ago today! Fast forward a year later, here we are: Stan State serving as a point of point of dispensing (POD) site for the COVID-19 vaccine! I love that for us!

It’s been such a long year, and I hope we’re all being patient and kind with ourselves. Let’s face that we are not who we were a year ago. We’ve been under constant stress to not only accept this pandemic as part of our lives, but as well as under the pressure to learn how to live with it. Unfortunately, I know this acceptance is much easier said than done. Something as simple as walking through Stan State’s green and lively campus pre-pandemic is something I do not want to view as a thing of the past. I know better days are coming, and reminding myself of this will be one of my goals for this month.

While I, and my blogger colleagues, may be on our way of out Stan State, so many folks are in the beginning stages of this new life! Some of the better news to keep the momentum going includes the California State System anticipating a return to in-person instruction come this new fall term. That is extremely exciting! What are some of your personal goals to complete to keep your energy going?

Some of my own personal goals for this month to keep myself with positive energy include:

• Taking my dog on a walk a few more times a week than normal
• Establishing a concrete skin care routine bc chile…. She is always needed
• Finishing my literature review for my thesis
• Making major progress on my graduate content analysis study
• Including more Stan State visuals for the blogs

On Tuesday I will be at Stan State for our monthly Food Distributions. I will definitely take advantage of the time to capture some really cool content!  Here’s to March everyone!! I hope it’s a good month for all of us 🙂