Vanessa Bazille
Vanessa Bazille is grateful for the help and support she received from her high school advisors as well as Bottom Line, a non-profit organization that is nationally recognized for helping first-generation students from low income backgrounds get to college. Without their help, it would have been really difficult for Vanessa to navigate through the college application process.
Many people can see the disadvantages of being a first-generation college student. Vanessa, however, sees it as an advantage. “You’re kind of forced to grow up a little faster than everybody else so you’re going to already have this form of independence coming into school that a lot of other people don’t have. It’s definitely a benefit.” Being a first-generation college student has made Vanessa feel as though she is unique compared to the rest of her peers. “I feel like I got a running start before everybody else with the whole life thing and being on your own. I grew up earlier. It was hard. My parents were there with me throughout this whole time, but I still had to do everything myself and had to realize that they’re not always going to be there to help.” Vanessa wishes to get a college degree so that she can have her own family and provide for them as well as give them the things she wished she had when she was younger. Not only does she see the college experience as a chance to get an education, but also as a way to grow as a person. |
“College is about personal growth and the experience alone can grow a person, so I feel like that’s something that is necessary.”
Like many other college students, Vanessa has a job during the school year as well as a different job when she goes home for winter and summer vacation. Vanessa sees working as a very favorable attribute.
“Building a good work ethic is really important to me. I feel like people my age who aren’t working or have never worked lack a lot of life experience. I’ve been working retail my whole life. The customer service aspect is frustrating, but I have learned a lot about patience from it. Work isn’t just for money, it’s for building your character.”
A significant obstacle that Vanessa is working on dealing with is handling her anxiety. She has been suffering with this since high school and college has elevated it. She is learning how to cope with it and is using college resources such as the Wellness Center to learn and grow from it.
Vanessa is majoring in English with a concentration in Journalism and wishes to get into the writing and broadcasting field later on in life. She is confident in her future since UMass Lowell offers many opportunities such as internships and co-op experiences.