A September to Remember

By: Kyla Tejero

 

And just like that, it’s September! Happy Fall! I cannot believe how fast not only this month, but how fast this whole year has passed by. It feels like we are still in March when the at-home quarantine was placed! I am sure many of us, especially us students, are adjusting to our new routines. School is in session and many of us, myself included, are getting back into the groove of attending classes, working, and spending time with our friends and family in our free time. Parents or even family members continue to work and to relax at home, as the COVID 19 pandemic continues to persist. Hopefully and in due time, we are able to have access to a vaccine that will allow all of us to return from where we were at before COVID 19. In three short months, we will be welcoming in the new year of 2021! Can you believe it? Let us hear from our four featured college students for this month! If you would like to be featured, please email me at tejerokayla@ gmail.com.

Carmela Aldea says, “As a Fil-Am college student, I want to get involved and make as many connections with others by participating in multiple clubs and pursuing leadership roles while maintaining good grades to fully take advantage of the opportunities that my parents had worked for me. Post-graduation, I hope to have gained ample experience and knowledge to allow me to positively impact others through physical therapy. My goal is run my own physical therapy clinic to help support my future family and sustain connections with my patients.”

Chilo Llamas says, “As a Fil-Am college student, I want to establish a successful career in software engineering and continue to learn more in this fi eld of work. I’ve always had high expectations for myself, so whichever company I end up with, I want to be regarded as an essential worker there. I want to be able to take care of my family, and be able to provide a comfortable lifestyle for us.”

Erika Terrado says, “As a Filipino American college student, there’s this standard of pursuing what your parents want you to do. What I hope to achieve in the duration of my years throughout and after college is to follow my heart and pursue what I truly want to pursue on my own terms. I hope to fi nd myself and discover and fulfi ll my true potential, I hope to fi nd peace in the many things I’ve endured in my past, and I hope to contribute to changing the world for the better.”

RJ Turija says, “For the next few years, I plan to do the best I can to exemplify a Filipino-American student. My goal during my time at UIC is not only to be outstanding, but to make an impact on the Filipino- American community in Chicago. After I fi nish my education, I want to become a physical therapist, who people can rely on.”

Chilo Llamas
Senior
University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign
BS Computer Engineering

RJ Turija
Freshman
University of Illinois at Chicago
Integrated Health-Studies

Erika Terrado
Sophomore
University of Dayton Ohio
BS Nursing and Graphic Design

Carmela Joanne Aldea
Sophomore
University of Illinois at Chicago
BS Kinesiology Pre-PT