Mary’s Comments (group member since Jan 03, 2014)

Mary’s comments from the LMU First To Go Community group.

I can definitely relate to Cedric's feeling of not wanting to go to UDC. In my home town, most of the people who go to the local JC either never finish school at all or end up being several years behind in their schooling.

My own experience was a mess, I would never want to go through that process again. My family felt the need to input their opinion at every turn. It was impossible for me to please everyone. Originally, I wanted to go to a small Catholic college in Georgia, however the school shut down due to lack of funds. My father emphasized the fact that he would not allow me to continue to live with him if I chose to go to community college and having just moved to Los Angeles, I was terrified to disobey his wishes. On the other hand, my mother's side of the family insisted that I go to a school that was in line with their value system rather than going somewhere that may have forced me to defend or re-evaluate my own opinions. In the end, despite the fact that my family was proud of my acceptance to LMU, there was and continues to be whispers about how I will afford school and why I am choosing to pursue graduate school in a "useless field" (Psychology).

As I prepare for graduate school, I fear that similar process will take place. I already hear frequent opinions about where to go, rather than finding a school that will fit my needs. So if I had to do it again, and as I move into a process that seems similar to my family, I hope to be able to drown out the opinions of my family and do what is best for me. I have never regretted my decision to attend LMU, I wish that the process of getting here had been drastically different.

Due to the fact that we held a discussion in the LIBA 170 course prior to the starting of this book, I was really interested to see how the book would draw the connection between the title and what takes place in the book. The Scholars gave excellent possibilities for why the book was titled A Hope In the Unseen.

When Mr. Taylor recited the bible passage to Cedric, I found this moment to be incredibly impactful. Not only do I believe that the message applies perfectly to Cedric's situation as he struggles to navigate the world in which he finds himself. I think it is a powerful message to each and every one of us as well. I think that we are all constantly trying to navigate a new world, particularly our own first gen college experience.

In my experience since starting LMU, many contradictions that are expressed in the book and also that echo things that Erick stated in his previous post. Being from a small town, most people were not strongly encouraged to continue their education and I spent the majority of my time in high school in classes that students put little to no effort in. I have also seen many friends who have the potential to achieve so much, simply settle for the path of least resistance. In my own experience, my desire to pursue a higher education has been met with adversity and encouragement simultaneously. Going to college was an expectation placed in front of me early on, but when push came to shove, my family was incredibly upset when I chose to go to a private school.

For these reasons, I think it is important to remember that, "The substance of faith is a hope in the unseen."