On the volleyball court, one of Emiliano Rosales’ favorite parts of the sport is blocking. He plays recreational volleyball on campus, so not everyone who plays can put up a strong hit. But when he has the chance, he loves rising above the net and feeling the contact of the ball against his palms before it falls on the other side.
Rosales picked up volleyball last spring year after his first two quarters at UC Davis were nothing like he thought they would be. He had never worked so hard in his life academically, and his grades made him feel like he was failing.
“I'm very prideful like most students that get into UC Davis,” said Rosales, currently an economics major in the College of Letters and Science. “They're at the top of their class. They rarely needed help or were basically independent. My first quarter I was expecting it to be the same and when that flopped, it was like a slap in the face. Something had to change.”
Right now, Rosales is a peer mentor with the Student Transition and Retention (STaR) program, which bridges the gap from high school to college for first-generation college students. He said that the program played a big role in how he reinvented himself a year ago. Today he gives back as a peer mentor and supports first-year students who face the same challenges he did.
Recognizing the struggle as a first-year student
Rosales joined the STaR program when he first arrived on campus. From his very first experience with STaR, Rosales felt at home. He enrolled in the program in his first fall quarter and enjoyed it so much he enrolled for both winter and spring. A special highlight were the peer mentors who hosted regular events open to everyone.
“I loved going to the events because this was where I felt safe,” said Rosales. “This was where I felt like I could be true to myself. I didn’t have to try to switch my personality or match a certain vibe. I could just be who I am authentically.”
While he enjoyed his time in the STaR program, Rosales describes his first year at UC Davis as chaotic. He was struggling academically. He saw his friends around him doing well but couldn’t seem to make any progress himself. It made him wonder what might ultimately happen if he couldn’t improve.
Would he drop out of college? The idea was a blow to the pride he felt when he first stepped on campus. As a first-generation college student, he felt extra pressure to succeed.
His health began to suffer. He was depressed. He was skipping meals to the point that his roommate noticed and asked if he needed help.
Rosales decided he would ask for help, but knowing where to start wasn’t easy on a campus with so many other students. UC Davis is home to over 30,000 undergraduates, almost 14,000 pursuing majors in Letters and Science. It was overwhelming to even know where to look.
He decided his first stop would be his instructor in the STaR Program, Mike Valenzuela, mainly to talk to someone about his situation.
Reaching out made a difference. Rosales was able to get back on his feet and the rest of his first year improved. His grades recovered. He began exploring switching majors to sociology. Over the summer, Rosales applied to become a STaR mentor and was accepted.
“I'm thankful that I'm able to now continue as a mentor,” said Rosales. “It really helps distract from what's going on right now by being able to give back to current first years. I see myself in most of them, if not all of them, in some shape or form.”
Opening up to new experiences in the spring
As a STaR mentor, Rosales has guided first-year students through problems he himself encountered just a year ago. He’s helped them realize they need to ask for help when struggling academically, socially or emotionally. Rosales is proud that he’s now in a position to help.
“Having someone come up to me feels good because they feel that I have enough credibility to be someone that they can reach out to for help, it feels really fulfilling,” said Rosales.
Rosales said that spring quarter is the best time to open up. It was last spring that he first picked up recreational volleyball on campus. For him, the regular games are fun and also provide a positive outlet for stress. So has focusing on his artwork. He said that campus clubs are another great option for connecting with new friends and trying something new.
“At the beginning of the quarter, just feel free to start trying things out,” said Rosales. “That’s kind of what college is for, just to reinvent yourself and find out what you truly like to do. If you haven't done so in the last two quarters, now would be the best time.”
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