I graduated.
graduation day - May 11th, 2024
It was around this time last year that I finished my degree. I wrote the beginning of this post some months ago hoping to finish it by the time the one year anniversary of my graduation came around. So here I am a year later, so much has changed, but lets look back for a little.
I’m so grateful to have had an education because it helped me discover myself. My dad, Netzi, and my mom pushed me to continue school even when I felt uncertain after high school. At first, I considered going back to Mexico to get my bachelor’s degree. I even toured schools and took exams to secure financial aid, but my English and Spanish weren’t strong enough for a full scholarship. In the end, I got some great advice that helped me realize staying in the U.S. was the smarter choice—and deep down, I knew it too. I started college at San Diego Miramar College, and I remember looking around, disassociating from my reality, thinking about the negativity people had toward community college. But I loved my time there—free tuition, talented professors, living at home, working, and saving money. When the pandemic hit, I was even more grateful I hadn’t gone to a four-year university. When it was time to transfer, I applied to many schools, and to my surprise, most accepted me: San Marcos, Arizona State, Long Beach, San Diego State, USD… I don’t even remember the rest! I was torn between San Marcos and SDSU. USD’s beautiful campus tempted me, but I knew neither USD nor San Marcos had strong art programs. That realization came partly from research, but mostly from a crafts class I took in my last semester of community college. The instructor was incredible—she taught me paper mache, weaving, and wood carving. I’d never had formal craft instruction before, and I fell in love with making conceptual work. It became an outlet for things I couldn’t express otherwise.
During the pandemic, I experimented a lot, especially with beading. I’d found a bag of secondhand beads at a thrift store before everything shut down, and I taught myself peyote stitch, making jewelry just by experimenting. My crafts professor encouraged me to keep working with my hands and even suggested I explore jewelry at SDSU. I had no idea they had such a renowned program. Her advice gave me clarity. I didn’t switch my business major—that would’ve added years to my education—but I decided to take jewelry classes alongside my degree. I enrolled in drawing and 2D design to meet the pre-requisites, but I still needed 3D design before I could take actual jewelry courses. Then, one fall, the Jewelry Club held their annual sale. I bought a necklace, and at checkout, I met Sondra Sherman, the head of the jewelry program. We talked about the piece, and she noticed a beaded square necklace I’d made. She asked if it was mine—of course, I was thrilled someone recognized my work. When she asked if I’d considered taking jewelry classes, I told her I still needed 3D design. To my surprise, she offered to waive it. All I had to do was email her, and the next semester, I was in my first jewelry class.Looking back, this story makes me smile. Everything unfolded the way it needed to for jewelry and metalwork to become part of my life. I kept pursuing my Business Administration degree, though I briefly considered switching majors. Instead, I settled on a minor in Applied Design. Through jewelry, I met an amazing group of women who gave me confidence, drive, and community. College also connected me with friends outside my major—people I know will stay in my life for the long haul. Now, I have direction and a path to keep walking.
I hope you enjoyed learning about my education journey. Celebrate with me—this feels like a huge accomplishment. Like, yes, I have a whole business degree and a minor in Jewelry and Metalwork.
thank you for reading, with love, fern ✤
