Devanie Vargas (12) is starting a new exciting chapter after high school. After graduation, she will be attending California State University, Monterey Bay, where she plans to major in Biological Science. She will also be moving to Monterey and living on campus for her first year of college.

Vargas said one of the main reasons she chose CSU Monterey Bay was because she received a good scholarship. The scholarship helped make college more affordable and made her feel confident about choosing the school. Even though CSU Monterey Bay was not her dream school, she said she is still very excited to attend. She likes that the campus is close to the ocean and says there are a lot of fun things to do around Monterey.

As graduation gets closer, Vargas said the experience feels bittersweet. She is excited to graduate high school and start something new, but she also knows she will miss being at home with her family and friends. Like many other seniors, she is looking forward to the future while also thinking about all the memories she made during high school.

Varga also shared that she feels nervous about starting college because it will be her first time living away from home. Even though it may be scary, she is excited to meet new people, experience college life, and work toward her future career in science.

“I am super nervous and scared about living on my own and not having my family there for me when I need them. I am also super scared about getting homesick too,” said Vargas.

With graduation around the corner, Vargas is ready to take the next step in her education. Her hard work and dedication has helped her reach this point, and she is looking forward to everything at CSU Monterey Bay.