Running head: JULISSA HUERTA

Life Story Narrative: Julissa Huerta

Samantha M. Ng
Loyola University Chicago

JULISSA HUERTA

My name is Julissa and I just started my first semester of at Northern Illinois University.
I was born and raised in Glenwood, Illinois, a suburb outside of Chicago. Growing up, I only
imagined what college was going to be like from the movies and TV shows I watched. No one
in my family went to college and I will be the first. My entire family, including my
grandparents, aunts and uncles, immigrated to America from Mexico about 25 years ago. When
they moved to the United States, the most important thing was getting a good paying job. My
mom got her associates degree in information technology when I was little so that she could get
a better job. My dad didnt even graduate from high school. My parents divorced before I was
born and my dad left my family. So, my mom had to earn enough money to raise me and my
little brother and two little sisters. My dad came back into my life when I was in high school and
has been financially supportive since, but we still dont have a close relationship. Im incredibly
close to my mom and she has been a role model for me.
I never really talked about college with my family. Most of my family members went to
get different degrees and certificates when they were older, just so they could get better jobs. My
uncle Alex and cousin Monica both went to college the normal wayright after high school.
Monica is only a few years older than me so I learned a lot about college from her. She is the
one that made me want to go. I wanted to get out of my hometown and meet new people.
Growing up in Glenwood was pretty good, Id say. Its not the nicest neighborhood, but I
liked it because all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents lived near me. Glenwood is
also not the nicest neighborhood, at least compared to our neighbors. Mostly rich, White
families live in the two towns next to us, Homewood and Flossmoor. My family moved across
the street so that we could go to the nicer high school. Homewood-Flossmoor High School had
everything. There was a pool, tennis court, golf course, nice classrooms and new computer labs.

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The teachers were also really nice and helpful. I would use their tutoring centers a lot after
school and they encouraged us to go to college.
I liked my high school a lot and the friends that I made. I was mostly friends with the
Black and Mexican students. A lot of the White students were really rich and I didnt have that
much in common with them. My friends were similar to me, where they also lived in Glenwood,
and somehow snuck their way into Homewood-Flossmoor High. We actually didnt really hang
out with the other students. Even our classes seemed like they were divided. I was mostly in
college-prep classes, where the White students were mostly in honors classes. I really liked one
class though, which was forensics because it felt like I was solving mysteries. Besides that, I
was involved in some groups, like the Animal Rights Group, but most of the time I hung out with
my friends after school.
During my senior year of high school, I knew I wanted to go to a four-year college
instead of a community college, which a lot of my family members wanted me to do. Especially
my mom and grandma, they wanted me to go to the local community college. I think they
wanted to me stay closer to them and live at home. But I really wanted to move out of my
moms house. Community college would have also been cheaper, but I also wanted to get my
business degree out of the way as soon as possible. My grandma also didnt understand why I
would go so far away for college. She always believed that it was most important for girls to
find a good husband. I remember when I was little, my grandma would always tell my cousins
and I what kind of man we need to marry and what it means to be good wives. But thats not so
important to me right now because I feel like Im really young and I want to have fun. I thought
college would be the way to get this fun, especially moving out of my moms house.

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This past summer, I was still deciding between Roosevelt University and Northern
Illinois University (NIU). My first choice was Roosevelt because I wanted to live in the city and
their campus seemed really cool. I always enjoyed visiting my cousin who lived in the city and
theres so much to do on the weekends. I was really close to going to Roosevelt and I even met
with advisors and went to orientation. But it was too expensive for my family and Roosevelt
didnt give me enough financial aid. So, I decided to go to NIU at the last minute. It wasnt one
of my top choices, but it didnt hurt that my high school boyfriend at the time was also going to
NIU.
So far, Im not sure how I feel about NIU. It kind of feels like Im in high school again
but Im just not living at home. The classes feel like my high school classes where we just sit
and listen to the teachers. The only thing different is that we get a lot more homework and less
time. Right now, Im a business major. I chose this major because I think it will be the best way
for me to find a job after I graduate. I think Id like to work for a corporation but Im not sure
what specifically Id like to do. Im hoping that with a business degree Ill be able to make a lot
of money and help support my family. This semester Im taking a few business administration
classes, English literature, and a math class. I like my English literature class the most because I
enjoy reading the books and having discussions with the whole class. My least favorite is the
business classes. They can be really dry and boring sometimes. Im also having a hard time in
my math class, but NIU offers a math lab where there are tutors to help me. I think the biggest
difference between high school and college are the classes. No one tells me that I have to go to
class every day and there is so much more homework. I need to really work on my time
management, especially because our classes dont meet every day like high school did.

JULISSA HUERTA

The NIU campus is not what I expected my college campus to look like. It doesnt have
the big open quad or student center like they have in the movies. The buildings look like grey
cement-blocks. There is also not that much to do in the town of DeKalb. On the weekends, Ive
been to a few fraternity parties but other than that, there hasnt been too much to do on campus
or around campus. NIU has offered some programs for freshmen but Ive only been to one or
two events. It doesnt seem like many students go to them. My cousin recommended that I try
to get more involved and join some student organizations, but I just want to settle in. I also just
got a part-time job at the Guess store so Ill be working on the weekends and some Tuesdays and
Thursdays when I dont have class. Im hoping to make more money, especially for going out on
the weekends. I think I will apply to be an RA next year because then I can get free housing.
I live in the dorms with one roommate, a Mexican girl who is also from Illinois. This is
my first time living with a stranger but so far its okay. We get along really well and shes nice.
Another big change from high school and NIU is that I get to meet a lot of different kinds of
people. Ive made friends with people in my classes and dorm from all over the world and
different backgrounds. I hang out with a lot of people from the Middle East and Ive met people
with different disabilities in my classes. Im hoping to hang out with them a lot more and learn
about their backgrounds.
When I first moved to school, I was really excited and happy. Of course, my mom was
really sad but its not like Im very far from her. I can go home on the weekends whenever I
want because its pretty close. I also talk and text with my mom and other family members all
the time, and theyve been very supportive. But my aunts and grandma are always telling me
that community college is still an option. Id like to see how this semester goes then I will

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decide. Although Im not sure if like NIU or not, I would still like to get my business degree as
soon as possible so I can start working.
My boyfriend and I also broke up a few weeks ago. Its been hard being on campus
knowing that he is, too. But this has been helping me become more outgoing and meet more
new friends. I like college because I feel a lot more independent. I like having the responsibility
of going to class and living on my own. Although I do miss my family, I would still rather have
this freedom. I can choose to do whatever I want, whenever I want. Im hoping that my time at
NIU will get better but I am also keeping the option of transferring schools open.
Julissas Story
As a first-generation and low-income student, it is evident to see what barriers J. Huerta
faces in the college world. It is also clear that J. Huertas family, immigrants from Mexico, have
impacted her experiences in education. J. Huerta, being the first person in her family to go to
college, relied on her older cousin Monica who recently graduated from college, for information
on what it is like to be a college student. Clearly education was very important to her family,
seeing that they moved homes just so they could go to the better public school. However, there
still lie some deeply rooted Mexican traditions. For example, her family did not understand why
she would be moving out of the home. In Mexican tradition, the children live at home until they
are married. Another example is her grandmothers views on a young womans role,
emphasizing the importance of finding a husband, rather than achieving a career.
Since this is J. Huertas first semester at college, there is still much room for growth. She
is enjoying the freedom of living on her own and meeting people from various backgrounds.
However, J. Huerta is having difficulty adjusting to NIU. She does not feel very connected to the
campus, which might be due to the fact that NIU does not have that typical college campus

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feeling. She is also very focused on having a degree just to get a job, even if its a major that she
is not passionate about. She has also already found a part-time job at a retail store, despite only
starting classes a month ago. This is not uncommon for first-generation, low-income students.
Although she wants the college experience, J. Huerta also needs to focus on the finances that
impact her life.
J. Huertas story is important for student affairs professionals to remember. Personally, I
chose to write about Julissa because she comes from a very different background than me. My
mother achieved her bachelors and masters degrees in business. My family is in the uppermiddle class, where a college education was strongly emphasized, if not required. I also went to
a private university, where the makeup of the student body differed greatly from NIUs. Julissas
experience was something I have read about in books and seen on the television, but hearing
about her story directly has taught me to remember the different stories every student brings with
them to college.