Photos courtesy of Paulina Perciat (SHA’23)

Student Voices

How a Change in Life Plans Led Me to BU

An international student reflects on her path here and how a pivot brought her to Boston.

I grew up in a small conservative town in the south of Mexico called Mérida. It is one of the safest cities in the entire country, where most residents enjoy an amazing quality of life. Pretty much everyone knows each other and your friends from kindergarten become your friends for life. While it is very common to go abroad during college, it is not typical to leave Mérida after high school. 

During my high school years, I realized I did not want to stay in Mérida for college. Of course, there was no chance I would leave the country, that was not even in the picture. Mexico City was the place where I was dying to study for college and eventually work. My goal was to attend Ibero University, which is just outside the heart of Mexico City. The idea of moving to a city that is nine times the size of Mérida had me constantly waking up with excitement during my junior and senior years of high school. While the idea of moving away from home had me jumping with excitement, my mother, however, did not want me to move to Mexico City. She did not believe I was mature enough to live by myself at the age of 18. Still, she told me that if I was able to land a scholarship I would have permission to go. Looking back, I realized she was testing me to see if this whole “Mexico City” thing was a whim or if I was being real. 

During my senior year, I got the news. My high school principal called me into her office. I was being offered a 100 percent scholarship at Anahuac Mayab University, located in Mérida, for my grades. Everything became complicated. How could I deny such a scholarship, but also how could I betray my dream of studying at Ibero University in Mexico City?  

After a stressful semester of indecision, I accepted the scholarship. Still, I always had in mind that I would transfer to Mexico City as a sophomore. When the day arrived to start my paperwork, my mom was reluctant to let me go. Instead, she suggested I go abroad to Boston University in the United States for a semester. This was not part of the plan. I did not know a single person in Massachusetts, and no one I knew had ever been abroad to Boston before. I knew how bad the weather could get and I was terrified, especially coming from one of the warmest cities in Mexico. 

After several discussions with my mom, she gave me an ultimatum: it was either Mérida or Boston. Not wanting to stay at Anahuac Mayab, I reluctantly packed up to start my six-month journey in Boston. 

It only gets better from here. My semester at BU’s Metropolitan College (MET) was unbelievable. I had the opportunity to take any classes I wanted. Digital Photography and Food Marketing were my favorites, and I was shocked how much I could learn in such a short period compared to my previous classes. 

After going home for spring break for my sister’s wedding in March 2020, I received an email from BU letting us know that classes would be held remotely until April due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was so frustrated; I was having the time of my life in Boston, learning and making new friends every day. 

The next fall, I started hearing that Boston was slowly recovering, implementing strict guidelines. I called one of my best friends and I asked her if she would like to rent an Airbnb for a month and live in Boston while doing online classes from Mexico. She said yes. We were as happy and fulfilled as we could be. We asked each other: why not stay until December? So we did. 

Every day during the fall 2020 semester I would go for a run to the Charles River and feel incredibly grateful. That semester I had a friend visit. As I showed her around the city, she asked: “Why are you so obsessed with this place?” I responded, “Because I have come to realize that I am the best version of myself here.” After hearing myself say that, I realized I had to stay. I Googled the deadline to apply as a transfer student to Boston University, and of course, it was that same day. I locked myself in my room and completed the entire application. 

I was home during winter break when I received the great news that I was admitted as a transfer student to BU’s School of Hospitality Administration. To transfer halfway through college, as a junior, was not a simple decision to make. However, after giving it time, I came to realize that it is okay when we do not follow “the plan” we have for our future. When we embrace uncertainty, we open ourselves to unexpected experiences. That is what life is about sometimes. 

This is now my third semester at Boston University School of Hospitality Administration and I could not be happier. While I have to admit that my classes have at times been extremely challenging, the outcome has always been astonishing. Each semester is incredibly different. Every time I look back at my journey I only see growth, amazing memories, and preeminent stories to tell my grandchildren someday.