Imagine feeling a weight on your shoulders that bears down deeper and deeper until you can’t do even the simplest tasks.
That’s what burnout feels like, and for many of us, we don’t have to imagine it.

When I am with my family in public, we are often asked what language we are speaking, or where we are from. The most common guesses are Russian, Polish or Latvian – none of which are correct.

For most of my life, I never thought about what it truly meant to be a first-generation college student. Where I grew up, a person who was a first-generation student was as common as a person who breathed air – until I came to UCLA.

Most of my time at UCLA has been spent either on Zoom or the 405 Freeway.
Alumni, fellow students and professors all congratulate me as I near the end of my academic journey.

“What is your zodiac sign?”
This question has found its way into more of our daily conversations as astrology, a method of predicting events based on celestial bodies such as constellations or planets, has surged in popularity in recent years.

“Diego, you’re not an only child? You literally never talk about having siblings!”
And so it begins.
To make things clear, I do have a sibling – a sister who’s three years older than me.