Christian Moreno is a third year double-major in Hospitality and Tourism and Spanish. Christian is from Washington and is a first generation college student, he mentions how he was the first in both his mom’s and dad’s sides to graduate from high school. He’s a Residential Assistant in New West who likes to go on adventures and explore new places especially in a state like California where he goes to the beaches, Los Angeles, and loves to try new foods. Moreno also enjoys working out: boxing, weight lifting, and running. His music tastes ranges from reggeaton, Spanish, Cumbias, Hip Hop, and Rap.
HCCLU: What are you most looking forward to this academic year?
CM: Definitely starting my new major, getting an internship and getting myself out in the field even though I already do that here on campus. I never really thought about it until recently, but dealing with residents and issues in their rooms, it all parallels with one another and I never really thought about it in that manner.
HCCLU: What are you involved in on campus?
CM: Student Support Services, I was a Pres Host, Delta Sigma Pi, and I am going to be a tutor in the Spanish Department.
HCCLU: What do you intend to do with your major in the future?
CM: Originally I wanted to do business but then I realized I really enjoy working with people and I felt business was too corporate for me. Hospitality and tourism has the best of both worlds. I like interacting with people and being social, as well as doing event planning and logistical stuff.
HCCLU: Who do you think has impacted your life the most while you’ve been a student here?
CM: Diana Hernandez and Andrea Delgadillo. Diana has come so far at such a young age: working for Admissions and just seeing how professional and very articulate she is. It inspires me to be at her level once I graduate. She’s someone that’s had a lot of obstacles as well but still does her thing, being an achiever. Diana is sweet and I admire how hospitable she is, whenever I go to her office, I feel like I’m walking into my own home. It’s like that feeling you get when you go home to your mom, very comfortable and a safe environment. Andrea Delgadillo, she graduated this past Spring, double majored in French and Marketing; she was able to achieve and find success after graduation. I plan in following in her footsteps. She’s someone who has been there for me even through my roughest times here at CLU. She has pushed me; I always have her unconditional support. She’s someone who I greatly admire. I admire her support in making sure all of her friends are taken care of; she puts others before herself regardless of whatever is happening or going on.
HCCLU: What has been your best memory throughout college?
CM: For Spring Break I drove down home to Washington with my best friend, we drove around the West Coast. We went to San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Redwood Forest, and Portland. This had been one of the things on my bucket list. We tried so many different foods and saw the different geographical features along the way.
HCCLU: What are some major differences between California and Washington?
CM: Obviously the geographical location causes a lot of culture shock. Also, in Washington I am used to having the actual four seasons versus here it’s really one constant season all year long. It’s different for me because I’m used to the seasonal change. It makes an impact, because you do get sick of all the sunshine. Sometimes you want a cold and rainy day or you get really excited about flowers blossoming in the Spring. You don’t get excited about the new changes. I do love the sunshine but I just miss the changes about the environment around me, I’m still getting used to the constant overall weather. The culture is different, I came from a little rural location, like a little farm land, where the population was about 40,000 then coming here, where it’s more modernized than what I’m used to. The people and traffic are different. California is a lot crazier when driving, which gives me anxiety. It still shocks me how many highways I have to go through in order to get to one location, like it feels weird for me to look up locations to get somewhere.
HCCLU: What’s your favorite thing about California?
CM: How diverse it is, as a Latino and being first generation, there’s so many opportunities that have arisen for me here. The bigger need to help the Hispanic community here. I’m looking forward to finding opportunities to help and do some community service. I want to continue serving as a role model to students, I worked for Upward Bound over the summer, I was an RA for them where I served as a leader for first generation students and encouraged them to be the future leaders. I love being able to try different type of foods and meeting new people, it fascinates me. I have become culturally educated because of the different people I have met.
HCCLU: How does it feel knowing that you’re at the halfway point of your undergrad?
CM: Not only does it make me nervous, but happy to see how far I’ve come. With all the obstacles, especially politically that have risen; it makes me happy, besides the barrier I have faced. I know I will finish strong.