I moved to San Juan not too long ago, hoping to be closer to Edinburg and start a new chapter in my life. I had this whole vision in my head of how the semester would play out, what it would feel like to finally be here. But within a couple of weeks, that vision fell apart. I’m still confused, still hurting and, honestly, a little numb after all the tears I’ve already let out.
Life here has been lonelier than I expected. I live in a house in a new neighborhood, and I go to classes on a campus where I don’t really know anyone yet. The silence gets heavy sometimes. I cook dinner for myself, eat alone, and walk around town with no one to share the small, everyday moments with. My closest friends are back in Brownsville or off at schools far away. I thought moving to the upper Rio Grande Valley would feel like a fresh start but, instead, it’s been isolating.
Still, these last few weeks have taught me something I didn’t see at first. That, even when you feel alone, you’re not completely alone. There are always people who care, who are willing to listen, who remind me that I matter when I forget.
I’ve found that in Student Media. In the newsroom, surrounded by coworkers who root for me, I’ve found something like a family. They see what I’m capable of, they push me to grow, and they’ve shown me I don’t have to get through this on my own. Even if I don’t make friends in every class or every club I try, I know I belong here.
And maybe that’s enough. One safe place, one community that makes you feel at home again. A reminder that even through the tears, I’m not facing this chapter of my life by myself, at least not anymore.
