Name: Mónica B. Ocasio Vega
Major: Comparative Literature
Hometown: Cabo Rojo
How are you feeling about graduating and embarking on a new adventure?
Well, graduating from UPRM turned out to be very different from what I’ve expected. First of all, because when I graduated from high school I pretty much knew what people I might see around campus and I had a vast idea of what life as an undergrad might’ve been. But now heading off to do my masters at Maryland is a completely different experience. Mostly because I don’t know anyone (so that kind of scares me), but also because I have this sense of anxiety/ excitement just to see what waits for me over there. Hopefully in ten years I would’ve had the opportunity to make a contribution to the literary world by being part of conferences, publishing and editing works that partake in social matters.
You are a committed athlete yet you don’t belong to any team or organization, how do you keep yourself motivated throughout our hectic semesters?
Haha, this is a question I’ve gotten more times that you would think during this last year. The thing is that I started running approximately four years ago, so I have been developing the discipline of training, studying and working simultaneously. Running is a priority for me, so during those hectic times in the semester I always keep in mind that one thing beneficiates the other, meaning that running helps me be more focused when studying and vice versa.
What do you wish you knew as a freshman?
I wish I knew the importance of networking and building strong bonds with people from my field. From professors to other students, some of these people genuinely want to share their knowledge and help people succeed.
How has leading an online magazine and a team of students impacted you?
What I like the most about co-leading Her Campus UPRM has to be the amazing people I have had the chance to meet. By leading a team of diverse writers, I’ve gotten to know the uniqueness students have and I’ve learned to put others’ opinions before mine.
How did you choose Comparative Literature as your major? When did you know you were a feminist?
I chose to study Comparative Literature because of two things: first, because I wanted to step out of the constructed box in which, apparently, all the options to have a job involve science. The second reason is because I was fascinated by the ability words have to change the world.
When I came to el Colegio I started knowing and reading about Feminism and its struggles, that’s when I realized that I needed to actively contribute to the improvement of women’s situations in any way possible. This is mainly why I decided to join Laura with the establishment the Her Campus chapter at UPRM, because this magazine provides college women with a space to share their college experiences and identify with each other.