By Valeria Gomez, Fellow Class of 2018
University of Denver Daniels School of Business
The biggest lesson I have learned this year is that every day is a new opportunity. Every day gives us the opportunity to start, whether that be to start over, start changing, or simply to start. This year has been the most difficult year of my life and I am most proud of my resilience. My ultimate goal is to become an attorney so that I am able to have the opportunity to give back to my family and to my community, to whom I owe so much.
Two days before the start of my sophomore year, I was in a fatal car accident that stole the life of my friend and forever changed my life. I had never confronted death closely before – much less someone my own age. I suddenly realized that nothing in life is certain, and began grappling with grief, depression, anxiety, and survivor’s guilt. I previously had an innate faith that things were going to work themselves out because I felt that I had a purpose, but the accident and death of my friend took that away from me. Although I continue to struggle with overcoming all of these emotions, I realized that I had to move forward and fight through in order to achieve my goals. I was in a state of shock for months and sometimes I would break down in the middle of class, but I continued to show up. I still cannot put into words how I was able to get through those first few months, but I know that the biggest reason was because of my support system.
My mother has taught me the value of persistence and empowered me to chase my dreams no matter what. The day after I told my Law School Yes We Can mentors about the accident, one of my mentors came to visit my mother and I just to see me and reminded me of everything I had to live and fight for. My mentors are a vital piece of my support system because they are people who are like me, have been through what I am going through, and are doing things that one day I hope to achieve. I am so grateful for them, because I know that whatever challenges I face, I will not go through them alone. They are advisors, friends, role models, and my champions.
The start of the new year brought me hope, goals, and motivation. Having goals is a form of having faith; having faith in the future, yourself, and your dreams. I began to feel more confident in myself and my coping mechanisms, and then a global pandemic broke loose. Coronavirus disrupted any sense of normalcy I was beginning to feel. Living through this pandemic has felt like a surreal reality, which is a state that I very much existed in after the accident. Transitioning to online school has been more difficult than I anticipated, as those feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and depression tried to seep back into my life, as they have with many other people whose families have been affected.
There have been many times that I have wanted to give up because frankly, it would be easier than having to go through the process of healing, adapting, and learning who I am after a series of traumatic events. However, I am committed to addressing my grief. It took a long time for me to accept the fact that life goes on. We have no choice but to move forward by adapting to the circumstances we endure. This is when it is most important to remember that every day is a new opportunity to try again.
As a first-generation Latina student, I am accustomed to being underrepresented, but I will not conform to that. I come from generations of poverty and an immigrant family pursuing the American Dream. I have learned that life is uncertain and fragile, and everything can change in the blink of an eye, but for that very reason, we ought to be thankful for all successes, even those that seem insignificant. I continue to be committed to pursuing my goal of becoming a successful Latina attorney to serve my family, community, and to open doors for others, and I could not do it without the support of my loving mentors who accompany me every step of the way.
