FALL 2019

Enrolling in classes at a university is one of the first big steps students take toward their future career. Whether students are interested in business or art, making the decision to pursue a degree is an important and valuable form of self-investment. CSUEB welcomes all new students who have a desire to improve themselves and provides resources and services to best assist in the process of earning your degree. I have been going to CSUEB for five years, and it was the best decision I ever made.
I moved to the Bay Area in the Fall of 2014 from a small town in southern California with little knowledge of my surroundings. I packed all of my stuff into my 2005 Mitsubishi and waved goodbye to Palm Springs with a very detailed plan for my college career. Little did I know that my well-outlined plan would actually result in three major changes and a couple of withdrawals on my transcript. I think I was just naive to think that I wouldn’t change that much when I moved to college, specifically CSUEB. For the first time, I was on my own in an unknown place where I knew I could begin to learn who I actually was.
As much as going to college gave me the opportunity to learn, it also gave me the opportunity to be taught life lessons. My professors taught me a lot, and I absolutely commend them, but my peers taught me the most about myself and my new life. I didn’t know one single thing about living in the Bay Area until the people around me introduced me to all the beautiful, exciting things that are available here. La Victoria’s orange sauce, bacon-wrapped hot dogs outside of concerts, and CREAM sandwiches, just to name a few.
More importantly, people in the Bay Area taught me what community is and how powerful it can be. The people I met at this University taught me that there is power in unity, and having people around you who understand you is a very welcoming feeling. Whether you are from the Bay Area or from any other place around the world, you can expect there to be a place for you at CSUEB. Whether it is your first year in school or your third, you will still find a space on campus that accepts you.
Your experience at CSUEB will be one to remember. The friends I have made will be around for the rest of my life, and the connections I have made will propel me into the workforce. Going to college can be stressful and anxiety-inducing, but attending a university like CSUEB can make it easier.
Sincerely,
Jessica Irerra
Editor-in-Chief
The Pioneer Newspaper