Maria Andrea Aguilar is graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences this month, and she took a not-so-traditional path to her Spanish degree, completing the requirements in just two and a half years.
Aguilar said that she has always known what is she capable of, and she always try to meet her goals.
“I knew it would be possible for me to obtain my degree in less than four years, and therefore I had to do my best to do it,” she said. “I am currently engaged, and would love to start a family soon, but I knew getting my degree and finishing my education was a priority. Therefore, I pushed through it so that my fiancé and I could graduate together and move on to our next step in life.”
She said that she knew it was going to take a few full-time summers and a huge overload of classes each semester, but said she was up for the challenge.
Completing her degree in two and a half years required taking about nine credit hours each summer, and 18-plus credit hours most semesters, including one 24-credit hour semester to fulfill all the requisites for graduation.
“It also took a lot of organization, because many classes have prerequisites, therefore every semester I was on top of seeing my adviser and checking Lobo Trax to make sure that I was on schedule with all my classes,” she said.
Aguilar said managing the overload was very difficult, especially while maintaining a job. She was able to get through the classes through a lot of organization, she said.
“Every week I would make a schedule allowing me enough time to rest, do all my assignments and still be able to hang out with family and friends,” she said. “I also had a lot of encouragement and motivation from my family.”
Aguilar is from Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico. She moved to the United States when she was 12 years old and lived in Socorro for a few years before attending New Mexico Military Institute for high school. She said she loves playing golf and staying active. She currently works at Baca & Howard P.C. as an accounting intern.
She said UNM served as a great stepping stone for her future.
“The staff was always willing to help when I had any questions or any troubles,” she said. “My teachers were always understanding and willing to lend a helping hand. UNM allowed me to obtain my degree in a quick period of time, which I will always be grateful for.”
She suggested that students take as many classes as they can without stressing themselves out.
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“Your freshman and sophomore years will be your easiest classes, so just get into a routine and you’ll be just fine,” she said.
She also recommended having study partners in each class.
“Throughout all my classes, I realized that I was doing better in classes where I had a studying partner. I tried to take the classes with my friends that I could, because I knew that if we worked together we both would do better,” she said.
She said that she also visited CAPS a few times, especially when she had trouble with the homework.
“Also, asking the teacher for studying suggestions for the exams was very helpful. However, I believe having a study partner in each class is crucial,” she said.
She and her fiancé will be moving to Portland in January, she said. She plans to pursue a Master of Science in financial analysis and accounting at Portland State University.
Aguilar said that graduating in such a short period of time was difficult, but well worth it.
“It gives you a head start in life and in your career,” she said. “It puts you a step ahead of everyone when it comes to achieving your goals and dreams.”
She said that even though most people will say that she missed out on “the college experience” because she was doing a lot of homework and studying, she now has enough free time and a stable job to do all of the things she may have put aside in the past couple of years.
“If I could go back and change anything, I wouldn’t change a thing,” she said.
Sayyed Shah is assistant news editor at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at assistant-news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @mianfawadshah.
