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Student Body Sories
By: Matt Munoz, Bakotopia Editor
Description: A collection of rants and raves from the campus brave. Part of an ongoing Bakotopia series!

Topics: Campus Buzz, College Stories, Bakotopia, Bakersfield College, csub, BC, Bakersfield, Campus Life, Student Body
Posted by Bakontributor Mon Oct 29, 2007 18:20:18 PDT
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Student Body Stories
A collection of rants and raves from the campus brave. Part of an ongoing Bakotopia series!


By Matt Muñoz, Bakotopia Editor

Being in college is like living in purgatory.

After four years of high school, you’re still at the “bus-stop” of life - waiting for your ride to show up and take you to your dream job where you will exist in utter bliss for the rest of existence on earth.

OK, let’s cut the BS and ask the real questions.

Why anyone would want to go through years of taking the same classes you took in high school? Are you insane? Do you have to go to college to get a great job? How am I supposed to pay for all this stuff? What about my friends? Was “Animal House” based on a true story, and how can I sign up?

Now, if you’re reading this shaking your head, or nodding in agreement, you know that college life is not high school. There are no laws saying you must attend classes, or even sign-up for college at all.

College life is what you make of it. It’s not all fun and games, but it can be (maybe) if you play your cards right and stick to your plan with a little room for the occasional slacking. I mean, you are human right and parties are essential for “keeping your mind right.”

The following short stories are real-life experiences from students currently on the road to higher learning. While you’re reading, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many students share the same pains and pleasures of campus life as you do.

Money is what makes our schools go round, and I’m you’ve done more of your share of paying the piper. Parking fees, books, etc. It can be torture.

So why do thousands of Bakersfield students submit to the college beast every year? Everyone has a different motive for going to back to school.

To try and find out, Bakotopia posed the question “What is your college story?” — and our readers responded.


By Jannie Villan, BC - Bakotopia.com contributor

I am a re-entry Bakersfield College student who probably could be considered a Lifer because I’ve been here so long!

I’ve been at BC for so long my English teacher walks by and comments, “You’re still here?!”

My very first semester was in 1979 when I was 19.

Well needless to say I haven’t attended every semester since then, but some days it seems like it! I’ve changed my major a couple of times through the years according to what I was involved in at the time and most recently settled down to declare a digital arts major. I’m about to graduate from Bakersfield College (finally) and transfer out to CSUB (unless I could figure out a way to go to Cal Arts Valencia?). I am particularly interested in computer animation and movie-making.

College life has it’s ups and downs, and mostly I enjoy myself. However, this semester has been a struggle for me because I am taking big, heavy gen-ed required courses, three of them, and no art classes. So my journalism class has been my “fun” class this semester.

I try to balance life out a little each semester with a “fun” class. Sometimes the fun classes are even more demanding because you put more of yourself into them - which is what I’ve tried to do here. Have a good day!


By LucyM, BC - Bakotopia.com contributor

Hi! I’m a student at BC, and this is my second semester.

I have not yet left the “Animal House” life I think. I don’t have much to say about the campus. It’s really OK, but not much to do so far. I’m sure it will get better.
Financial aid? It was hard to get. I had to follow many steps, but I finally qualified this semester. I’m in now! My first semester was really cool. A lot of friends were here with me. Now I’m pretty much left with one.

Classes are going well. The way my life has changed is that now I’m on my own. It’s really not too bad, I support myself. I understand I have to work hard for what I want. I don’t wanna give up and I don’t think of dropping out, not yet!

What is the cheapest place to eat near BC? I can’t think of one... Mc Donald’s, maybe?


By Gonzosfist, BC - Bakotopia.com contributor

After I became a father it was quite clear that I needed to go back to school.  With my mentality I would not be able to hold onto a job unless it was something I wanted to do. It was time to either s**t or get off the pot.

I had been planning to enroll in only one or two night classes. I figured two nights a week wouldn’t be too hard. But after enrollment was done, I ended up in three classes and having to attend four nights a week. I didn’t think I would be able to do it - I had been on educational hiatus for some five years. On top of school I already had to work about working full time, having twin baby boys, spending time with my wife, as well as writing part time for a small local magazine.

“But hell, I could do this,” I told myself. “I have had busier schedules!”

Thus, the semester started and I was nervous about not being able to handle the routine of work, school, work, home, work, school, work, home - and on and on... the circle goes never ending, never resting. Tests came and went, and miraculously I’ve been able to pass all of them fairly well. Homework assignments came and went, and I was able to meet those deadlines on top of my article deadlines.

Then after some time my car quit working - damn! How can I get to school without a car? I didn't have time for the bus and I didn’t have the money for a rental. Luckily, by the grace of the galaxy, a dear friend offered to take me to school and wait a little longer after her classes were over.

After getting my car repaired I’ve had to wait for insurance to go through, which for some reason is taking an excruciatingly long time. It seems like ages ago that I began the process. Yet my friend continues to drive me to class, although some days I have to test my luck and drive uninsured to class.

That is as far as I can go for now. The only moral I can deduce from this writing is to know who your real friends are. No! That is too cliche, too phony, too yellow. Okay let’s try something else. I got it... damn, I lost it. I’m not a profound enough thinker I guess.


By Juan Torres, CSUB - Bakotopia.com Contributor

Now that I into my fourth year here at CSUB I would never expect it to turn out the way it did.

About three years ago I would never have expected to be a part of the campus newspaper and learning so much about how the campus works. Even more surprising is that I would grow so much from being a part of the fraternity Kappa Sigma.

Being apart of the fraternity and the newspaper has helped me come out of my shell a great deal and see that Bakersfield has so much to offer.

My first reaction to coming here was not a very exciting one. For one thing this was my back up school just in case I didn’t get into schools I had applied to - which happened. My first quarter went OK for the most part. My second quarter was different, though. I saw a table in the Dorothy Donahue hall about starting a fraternity. I took the flyer and went to the first information meeting. I liked what I heard so I decided to give it a shot.

After attending a couple of planning meetings and meeting the first initial group of guys, I was unsure if I still wanted to do it. Something told me to stick with it, so I did.

Some of my most memorable memories with the guys was on my 19th birthday. Some of us decided to attend a fundraiser for a sorority. Even though it was a fundraiser, it was special for me because I was able to share it with my brothers. One highlight of that night was when we did a line dance called the “Tonto.” This dance is known from the TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” when Will and Carlton do together. We also did that at the Greek Week talent show, which was a blast.

I also have fond memories being on the newspaper. When I first approached the newspaper, I felt a little overwhelmed. Over time I have grown tremendously as a writer and discovered another talent: photography.

There are so many stories that stick for me as both a writer and photographer. The first one is when high school students walked out and marched to CSUB. Seeing the story come together in front of me was pretty overwhelming yet exciting - especially when I was able to follow up on it and cover the May 1 protest at Yokut’s Park. Being able to meet different people and get up on that stage for a minute left me in awe.

Another memory that I have from the newspaper is being able to attend the recent Lakers game here in town. It is still sinking in that I was near professional athletes who I can watch on TV. As close as I was, all I can say is, “Wow.”

With these two things in my life, my thoughts on CSUB, Bakersfield, and life in general have changed.

Things for the most part are what you make it. If something is going bad for you, you can either let it beat you down or keeping working towards your goals and not let it get you down. When one door may seem to shut, another may open that could lead you to exciting possibilities - if you are open to them.

FOR MORE COLLEGE STORIES, SEARCH KEYWORDS: 'CAMPUS BUZZ'

*Originally printed in Bakotopia Magazine issue 14, 11 - 2 - 07
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