372: The Truth About Non-Linear Paths in Grad School with Bianca Alba

372: The Truth About Non-Linear Paths in Grad School with Bianca Alba

===

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: [00:00:00] What happens when you follow all the rules you were told that would lead to success, and then your path still turns out completely different than expected? For many first gen students, the story that we're told about education and careers is deceptively simple. You gotta work hard in school, get the degrees, land that coveted job, and then eventually everything will fall into place.

But the reality is a lot more complicated than that, especially when you're someone who doesn't have access to resources like financial safety nets, especially when you're someone who has to work multiple jobs, or even if you're someone who's trying to build a stable future for yourself, when previous generations didn't have that.

Today I'm joined by Bianca Alba, who is going to share with us all about her [00:01:00] non-linear grad school and career path. Bianca is the founder of This Latina Travels, a global platform, amplifying the stories of first gen Latinas who dare to see the world. Born in Bolivia and raised in a single parent household.

She has now traveled to six of the seven continents, and brings over a decade of public service experience, shaped by her public health background. Her work is living proof that access, representation, and courage can turn dreams into destinations. In this conversation, Bianca shares what it looked like for her to work three jobs while completing her master's degree, the realities many first gen students face when navigating higher ed, again, without financial safety nets. We also talk about career instability even after you've done everything right, and how community and purpose [00:02:00] can help you rebuild when your plans suddenly change. Our conversation is about moving beyond survival, forced resilience, and learning to give yourself grace when your path turns out differently than expected.

Let's get into it. Here is my conversation with Bianca Alba. Welcome to the award-winning Grad School Femtoring Podcast. The place where first generation BIPOC students and professionals can listen in on inclusive grad school stories and gain practical tools for sustainable success. This is Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu, a certified coach, consultant, author, and speaker.

I will be serving as your femtor, providing you with insider knowledge to help you thrive in grad school and [00:03:00] beyond.

Welcome back everyone to another episode of the Grad School Femtoring podcast. Today we are talking about all things, taking a non-linear path in grad school, in careers in your life, just really owning and embracing that. We have a really incredible guest today. And we're gonna start with the first question, which is that as we know from your bio and just from getting to know you a little bit better, you're someone who openly identifies as first gen as working class Latina, and you own that.

You took a non-linear path to grad school, which I think is so interesting, and also I want other folks to hear more about it. So can you tell us a little bit more about that path of going from undergrad to taking time off and then later going back to school and what was happening at the [00:04:00] time? What was shaping each decision at every step?

Bianca Alba: Yes I am a proud first gen Latina from Cochabamba, Bolivia, and I grew up in a very working class family. So for me school was always like equaling success like I owed it to my immigrant family. I'm an immigrant myself. So when I graduated with my bachelor's, being the first in my family on a full ride like that to me was a huge accomplishment. I had no student loans. I knew that okay now that I got the degree, I needed to go and get my dream job, but what I didn't know was that you needed to go do more schooling. I think that's another thing many people don't talk about, at least in my time, I never envisioned going back to school. I thought just my undergrad check. Let's keep it moving. That's it. So I have my bachelor's in science and community health, I immediately figured out that, yes, having your master's degree is definitely a blessing, and it will open other opportunities. So when I was working in a nonprofit [00:05:00] role, my supervisor who became my mentor, was the one who really pushed me to look at the opportunities of grad school, because to be honest I had no idea to the fact where I didn't even know that for grad school there was no Pell Grants. So when I applied and I was like, oh wow like you have to pay everything out of pocket. There's no grants. There's no nothing. I had to really sit down, and pause and think about is this worth it? Is this something that I wanna burn out again? Because let's be honest being first gen, it's a lot. You're not only just going to school. You're managing family obligations, probably two to three jobs, and just figuring out this life or this education component. When I went back to school I decided to go back to my alma mater which is George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia, because they also had the opportunities of like graduate assistantships. That's how I ended up going back to school, because I went back to my alma mater. I had a really good graduate opportunity as a job, and I just realized that it's okay to take [00:06:00] different paths, and it's okay to be delayed. I didn't see it as a huge delay because I still was within my career and stuff but I knew that it was designed specifically for me.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: Thank you for sharing a little bit more about your backstory of going to college, but not necessarily planning to go to grad school. 'Cause some folks will go, and they're in college, and they already have that in mind. And it's so funny because I had the complete opposite experience when I was in college.

I didn't think there was any other option other than grad school. I was like, oh, no one's gonna hire me with an English degree right out of undergrad. I need an advanced degree. I just think it's interesting how, we can go and have a college experience and still have very distinct experiences based on our majors, based on student orgs, based on our mentors, et cetera.

But you said, okay, so you went into the job force and reality check, wait, in my field, I actually need to go back to school. You have a [00:07:00] supervisor who's very supportive and you have some of that guidance, and this is what happens a lot actually with folks that I work with who are considering the master's degree, is they work really hard and they get in and then they have to face the numbers and they're like, oh no, I have to pay for it out of pocket.

Or do I have to take student debt? And then you said there's no Pell Grants, like what do I do? How did you navigate that process? Because I know that you worked multiple jobs, but how did you navigate that ongoing tension, that so many first gens experience between being in survival mode between the pressure to do academically, having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, having to protect your wellbeing while you're at it.

So I guess I'm curious, if you can share a little bit more about that, but then also because you have so much wisdom and experience, if you can share what you wish grad programs better [00:08:00] understood about students who are first gen and working class.

Bianca Alba: Oh that's such a loaded question In the best way possible, but looking back now I reflect on that time period and honestly it was survival mode. I worked three jobs, which is even just crazy saying out loud, and not just three regular jobs. I worked as a graduate assistant during regular hours. During the weekends, I was a server, and anybody who's been in the restaurant industry knows that it is no easy job. You are on your feet 9 to 10 hours a day. And then, I was also a concierge at an apartment complex and I used to work the night shifts. So from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. When did I sleep? I don't know. Sleep was definitely a blessing, and I realized that I needed to do this because again I didn't have a safety net. And to answer the question, that's what I wish grad programs would understand that not every student has financial safety nets. My safety net was myself, and I did not want to graduate with $30,000, [00:09:00] $40,000 to my name. I worked so hard for undergrads to be paid for. So even till that day, after working for two years in the regular world like I had no debt to my name. So I was like I just did not want to graduate and be embedded with all this debt. And there's nothing wrong with debt. I think that's the other thing that I didn't understand back then. Maybe that would've helped me relieve that survival skill mode, but I also don't regret everything I did, because I feel like that taught me so much stuff for the future, but I do wish that these graduate programs did understand that. Everybody comes from different financial needs. Something as unpaid internships should not exist especially in 2026. There is so much money, now that I know, coming from Collegiate University that I'm like oh my God, they could at least provide a stipend for all these graduate students. We're here studying for these programs. This is the minimum that they could do. So I wish that grad programs knew more of that. I was lucky that I feel like my program, George Mason, if you look it up, it's a very diverse [00:10:00] school. I think our professors have so much empathy and understanding that I feel like I got that, but I know so many people who don't have that. I realized that's something that I was very blessed and grateful for, but I do wish more grad school programs had professors had staff members that were more empathetic, that had more structural support.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: You named the reality of having to be on survival mode, having to sacrifice and having to hustle to make it work financially. You know what's interesting is that, I had a different, yet very similar experience, so different in that I went to a PhD program and it was fully funded, but it was in Southern California with high cost of living. The stipend was a joke, and I still had to work three part-time jobs to make ends meet, to avoid taking on additional student debt beyond what I had from college. I just wanna name that because I think that's one of the realities that institutions [00:11:00] struggle to support students financially.

Even when the program is considered fully funded, it still doesn't match with the rising cost of living and inflation, et cetera. So I appreciate you naming that, like you said, these programs did not provide a safety net for me, and because I'm working class, I couldn't rely on family or inherited wealth.

And instead you said my safety net was myself. And I think a lot of folks will relate to you saying that because they're probably feeling the same way right now. And I agree with you that it's unfortunate that we're needing to take on additional opportunities that sometimes there are requirements of programs, like you said, the unpaid internships, I see that can be the case in some master's programs and it's just so much harder to get funding, so much harder to find scholarships, fellowships, but one of the things that I know for you made a big difference in your experience because a lot of students get [00:12:00] pushed out before they even finish, is that you had supportive mentors. You had supportive advisors, and I wonder if that was something you were on the lookout intentionally before you applied or if that was just your luck that you happened to work with really incredible professors. happened there?

Bianca Alba: That was a mix because remember this is my alma mater, so I went there during undergrad, and I was very involved. I joined a Latina sorority. I joined every minority club that you can imagine. So I knew all the offices. People knew who I was. That was really helpful that I knew staff members, but I also feel like I did get lucky. My program in public health within my university was just so diverse. I actually did do research, and that's something that I always talk about, especially with like mentorship. I tell people when you apply for stuff do your research. Look up these institutions. Look up these professors. I don't know how it is now, cause I haven't been in school for a while, but back in the day they had the rating, right? I used to go on all that [00:13:00] stuff, because you're paying right. You're paying for this education. So I do want to have people that I can relate to or can teach me to the best of their ability. So I did feel like doing my research helped me, but at the end of the day, too, those are things that are out of your control, but also it opened my eyes to the possibility of there is amazing professors out there. You just have to also do your research and see where that takes you.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: I agree, and you'd be surprised how few people will think, oh, let me take a second here to look up the faculty and the programs that I'm listing. They're just looking up their top programs based on, oh, I'm just gonna go to Harvard or Stanford, Ivy Leagues or big name schools. Or they go based off their favorite football team, you name it, or what's close to home, which I get. You have to be in proximity sometimes to family, but very few of them will actually go and look up the faculty and try to find people and even reach out. I know it's hard, but like reaching out, talking to them just to get a [00:14:00] sense of is this person gonna be supportive because like you said, it's an investment.

It's an investment of time, energy, a lot of money. And they're not just choosing you, you're choosing them as well. So thank you for bringing that up. Another thing you're bringing up in this conversation is this idea of embracing that non-linear path. And in doing that, a lot of times it means that you take a different timeline or a more extended timeline. And so I'm curious, why is it important for you to share or to normalize taking a longer timeline to complete a Master's degree, especially for our audience, students of color, first gen students, low income students.

Bianca Alba: Yes, I think first thing is to acknowledge the cultural pressures that unfortunately our culture places on us, right? Especially as women we're told we need to go to school, we need to get the job, we need to get married, we need to have children to equal success. And I'm just like [00:15:00] on who? Who invented that? I think that's the same thing with education, unfortunately. For undergrad, I was always embedded in my head that you had four years. The time is ticking and that's it. Thankfully, I did that, but I changed my major three times, and I remember the stress of all that. I wish someone would've just told me, no, Bianca, it's okay if you do one extra year. You'll figure it out. For grad school I knew one, like I mentioned earlier, my schedule was all over. I needed more time. I could not finish this program in two years. And I learned that it's okay, because there's so many people, especially in your grad school program, that have different paths, that have different settings. Actually it was something beautiful that I really liked about my program. You had people who'd been in the public health world for 20 plus years or you would have somebody who had just graduated or somebody who took a little break like me. So you realize then and there, that okay like everybody's path is different and taking longer actually allowed me to stay in the program [00:16:00] instead of dropping out. That's something that I also talk about a lot, because if I didn't take those breaks, if I didn't take that internship or if I didn't take classes that semester I don't know how I would've survived. There was no way. To acknowledge that and to realize like it's okay if your path is different because there's no right or wrong.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: I completely agree with everything that you shared, and I'm glad that you pinpointed that for you, it made the difference between dropping out or staying in the program, and so having that extra time can make or break someone's ability to finish, not because they can't finish, but because they need different circumstances to make it possible.

If you're craving focused time to make meaningful progress on an important project you've been putting to the side, I wanna invite you to my Compassionate Accountability Retreat. This is a two day virtual retreat, desire for graduate students, academics, and other professionals who [00:17:00] wanna supportive space to work, reflect, and move forward on their goals.

During the retreat, we combine structured work sessions with coaching prompts, reflection exercises, and community support. Participants often use this time to make progress on dissertations, writing projects, grant proposals, and career planning. It's a calming and focused environment that centers sustainable productivity and compassionate accountability.

Upcoming retreat dates are March 20th through 21st, May 29th through 30th, August 28th through 29, and December 11th through 12th. If you'd like dedicated time to move an important project forward, you can learn more at register@gradschoolfemtoring.com/retreats.

You didn't say anything about feeling bad or feeling ashamed about taking extra time, but that's something that comes up a lot with my grad student coaching [00:18:00] clients is that a lot of them, because they have families, they have full lives, they have jobs, they have so much going on, they are taking longer than other people in their program and in their cohort, and they feel bad about it or initially they might feel bad about that extended timeline. But for you, you didn't name that. You didn't name the shame. So I'm curious, was there any shame and if not, what contributed to you feeling good about taking that extra time?

Bianca Alba: I don't feel like I had enough time to even feel like shame, to be honest, because I was so busy and wrapped up. I was still heavily involved with my sorority, leading the projects in line still of my campus. I feel like I had barely time to breathe and even think, because grad school itself is hard. I'm over here taking these classes that are hard, but I love them, because this is what I signed up for it. When you're in grad school I always tell people it's like your baby. You are really interested in this, because one, you're really paying out of pocket, but two this [00:19:00] is what you're interested in to move forward in whatever you decide to do in your career. So I just didn't have the time to to feel shame. I think what came afterwards when I started my full-time career, I think that's when it hit me maybe a little. Now that I have the degrees, now what? I need to figure it out and stuff, but during grad school I don't think I felt shame, because I was just trying to survive, and that was my biggest motivation.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: Yeah. What I'm hearing you say is that you just didn't have the time to slow down and really process what was happening, 'cause you were just go, because of that, maybe you didn't have the opportunity to even acknowledge whatever your feelings were at the moment. So shame wasn't a clear feeling that came up, but it sounds like that might have come up a little bit later, which is a good segue to talking about what came after the grad program.

You have told me you landed [00:20:00] your dream job, and yet you still experience instability, for lack of better words. I'm curious, whatever you're comfortable sharing about your career, experiences about this instability and about how this translates to, whatever insights you wanna share with the audience about resilience, about career development, about this idea of what it means to make it, especially for those of us that are first gen, 'cause we get so caught up. I used to say this, and maybe it's true to some extent that as a millennial, we got screwed over in many ways, 'cause we were told do this and this, and a lot of us, the good students, we did this, and this. And it didn't line up, like the outcome was not what was promised. But I know because I work with Gen Z, that continues to be the case. We hear this messaging around, work really hard and then you'll get the job. But there's no such thing as [00:21:00] security in this world. No matter what pathway you take. So anyway, I'll let you speak 'cause I, I feel like this, it's a opening up a can of worms.

Bianca Alba: Yes, I feel like this is like the perfect question for me right now with sharing my story. I'm an open book now. I feel like I've always been but now more than ever because of everything that recently happened. It's so important to talk about this. I think about that phrase the dream job, and I don't know if you've ever seen that quote, or if your community has seen it. It's like this woman that says, I don't have a dream job. What's a dream job? And I think about that cause I'm like, yeah, who dreams to work? Not me. Not anymore. Do I enjoy now what I do with my business? Of course. But back in the day my job was literally so stressful. I say that because I loved what I used to do. I worked with the federal government. Right after my master's degree, I got into a fellowship program with the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and that was the dream job. That was the golden ticket to public health. So when I [00:22:00] entered, what I didn't know was that it was a GS 5 so it was the lowest position of the federal government with a master's degree, and I had to pay for my relocation. So I started in New Mexico. I grew up in the DC, Virginia, Maryland area, the DMV area. So imagine me packing a Penske truck, literally moving across the country, putting it all on credit cards cause I didn't have this money after grad school, starting at a 25K salary job, but I knew that this was my ticket in. I knew that this was the only way that I was gonna get into the government. Cause I didn't have family members within the government. I didn't have the family members or the connections. So when I did land that job, I thought, listen this is it. I'm good. I'm gonna be set for life, because this is gonna be a career- growing job. I have all the benefits, the best healthcare. Fast forward to COVID, where yes, CDC in the forefront, and as much as I [00:23:00] loved this job it also broke me. I was working 80 hour weeks. I wasn't taking any time off. I was in the forefront because I was Spanish speaking. I didn't have kids. I wasn't married, so they would send me everywhere. When I'm talking everywhere I was in JFK the airport. I was in poultry factories in Salisbury, Maryland. I was in the southern part of Puerto Rico doing education awareness. Was I living my dream? Yes, cause this is what I studied, right? This is what I gave my oath to, but I wasn't living. I was surviving, and that's how I started my podcast This Latina Travels, because I was like I needed something that was not work related. Fast forward to now and specifically last year, I was working for a different federal agency, and because of everything going on within the government, my job was one of the many thousands of jobs that was taken. So no notice, no nothing. I was the only one in my team, because I'm based here in Puerto Rico, I got let go. And [00:24:00] until this day like we're still fighting, trying to figure out, what's gonna happen, but they gave me my severance. They gave me my final letter. It's official. I'm not with them anymore since last year November. But look, somebody who went to school, who got her master's who did everything right, started from the bottom and then to the top, literally, I was right under leadership, and it got taken away. So I just wanna rephrase that there's no job that's guaranteed. If I had known that 10 years ago, I don't think I would've been so hard on me, because that's I think what's really hard that I reflect back in my beginning days of my career, I was just so hard on myself. I wanted to be perfect. I wanted to make sure that everybody knew that they could count on me, and whether that's like working extra not getting paid. That's not okay, and that's not what I want for my community. We deserve to get paid. We deserve to be in those rooms. And equally, there's so many people who are in these leadership positions, and you're like how are they in these positions? So if it's anything, I [00:25:00] use that as motivation to continue going, and always put yourself first cause that's another thing that I wish I could go back and just tell myself, you're gonna be fine, but take that time off. Take those moments for you, and it's okay to say no, too. You don't need to say yes to everything, because at the end of the day you're gonna be getting paid the same thing.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: Wow. Two things that stand out were, when you said that no job is guaranteed, because you're right, you did all the things. You landed the job. You moved up. You were right there, up there with leadership, and then no notice, it gets taken away. I know there is this myth of like certain jobs provide job stability, but that is not necessarily true. Even for me. I primarily work with academics and they want to get a tenure track job and they think, oh, if I'm tenured and I'm a professor, I have job security for life.

There's a lot of departments that are [00:26:00] getting completely dismantled right now, and people and jobs are going with it. I'm glad that you're naming this reality even though it's a harsh reality and even though it's your lived reality, that's one part of it. The other part of it that you didn't name, but I think that is the other side of the coin, is that some of us sacrifice so much for our jobs in the name of excellence that then we end up burning out or getting pushed out. And I'll say that speaks to my direct experience of feeling like I needed to leave my job because I felt pushed out. I didn't have the support, adequate support, I needed accommodations, et cetera to do well. It was making me sick and sicker every moment. So I just wanna name those two realities.

But I think this is the big takeaway of don't be so hard on yourself. I feel like a lot of folks are gonna resonate with that part. Because a lot of times what these things happen, in your case, getting let go, in my case, getting [00:27:00] sick, a lot of us internalize it. We make it mean something about ourselves like, oh, I wasn't good enough, or, oh, like I did something wrong.

But in actuality, it's just naming something greater than us, which is systemic, which is structural. And I think that's what you're getting at when you're saying, don't be so hard on yourself, because even if you did the best. You could still have things pulled from underneath you. So thank you for reminding us that.

I think that's so important. And the other thing that I know is really important to you and your work, is community. And that's what has kept you going, and that's part of what you started with This Latina Travels, and I know that's central to your work right now. I would love to hear more about This Latina Travels, and I would love to hear more about, you know, your thoughts on relationships, on community, and how this has supported you in your current phase of life and career.

Bianca Alba: [00:28:00] I truly believe this when I say community really is everything. For me it has become that bridge between where I'm going, what I'm doing, and just who I am. When people ask, what are your strengths? I feel like I'm the connector, because I know so many people but authentically, and that's the other thing, having community is because you work hard to build that community. I've been building This Latina Travels I wanna say for 10 years. I didn't know it was called This Latina Travels 10 years ago, but I was building that, because I just knew, how important it would mean to have people, and this past year's reflected that. Like when I shared about my job loss, when I shared about all these uncertainties, knowing that there's people who don't even know me, who are from other places to reach out and tell me like I understand what you're going through that happened to me too, or vice versa, like just being empathetic. I didn't even get that from my own supervisors or my staff members. I got that from strangers and that just goes to show how important [00:29:00] community is, because we can't do this world alone. Whether we like it or not. I consider myself a strong independent woman, but I need community. I need people and This Latina Travels started as that. It was started in the midst of a pandemic. I wanted to do something that was not COVID related, cause I was working with CDC, so I started it as a podcast, but little did I know like that it would turn into this big thing that it is today, and when I started it I just wanna share my story, cause I feel like everywhere I travel it's only me. I would go to these places and there was no other Latina, there was no other person of color on these tours or even just solo traveling. I would always find other type of women traveling but it'd never be a Latina, and so I would always wonder what is it? Is it because they don't know how to get there or is it because they don't see somebody that looks like them. When I started doing my podcast episodes, that's when I started realizing that was it. People just want to see other people who look like them. Representation does matter in every [00:30:00] aspect of life. When I started the podcast, I learned that there's travelers all over who wanna go to places. And then I was like you know what? This could really be something. And this is me just building it while I was working full time. Something also that I really strongly suggest to our community is while you're still working or while you're still doing something build that emergency fund to the side. I knew public health will always be in me, but I knew that I had to build my emergency fund in case something happened. I was building that on this side, and because of that and because of my job getting laid off last year, I felt secure to do my business full time. Because I'm not making my six figure salary that I was before, but I'm finally living in my purpose, right? I am finally doing something for me. And I think for the longest time when I was working with the federal government, I wasn't. I was doing something to meet those criterias, to meet that evaluation. Now finally I'm building something, and not just for myself, but for [00:31:00] my communidad. The fact that I have students coming in next month to Puerto Rico to learn and to build on knowing of what the education component, the community service component, of Puerto Rico, that to me is beautiful, and that's the community that I'm building and that's what I want to continue sharing and to get other people to also build that, because I think once we have these conversations and knowing that there's not one linear path and that's okay. I think you just need to be a good person but also build that community, an authentic community itself.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: The main thing I heard there was the importance of building something. So in your case, you built up that emergency fund, you built up This Latina Travels before you even knew it was something, right? It reminds me of taking agency and taking back control and doing something for yourself and for your community, and I love that.

As we get close to wrapping up our conversation today, I'm curious if there was any other question you were hoping I would ask you [00:32:00] or if you have any other closing words.

Bianca Alba: I think my biggest closing word would be I am proof that there is no linear path to be valid and I think you are too, and people who are probably listening to this, and that's okay and to give yourself grace. Being in school is tough, and to top it off if we're first gen. So give yourself grace and just know that you are doing it and that's what matters. When I was in grad school my one thing that kept going in the back of my mind was a professor told me, you know how in the rear view mirror of a car it says object is closer than it seems, that kept going every time when I would go to a class, when I would finish an exam, when I would finish a semester, I'm like my graduation date is closer than it seems. That stuck to me, so I just wanna share that with somebody because you are closer to the finish line than it seems.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: I love that. For our listeners who want to support your work, how can they stay connected with you?

Bianca Alba: Yes, you can follow me on every [00:33:00] social media platform, but I'm mostly active on Instagram @thislatinatravels. If you go to my website thislatinatravels.com. You can sign up for my free newsletter. I send out one newsletter cause I barely have time, and that shares just tips and tricks on places to visit, what's going on in my life, and how you can also travel the world, but most importantly, I always tell people connect with me DM me, tell me you heard me on this podcast and anything that I can do to support your community, whether that's a travel tip whether that's an answer to, Hey, I don't know where to eat in Puerto Rico, I'm an open book, so please send me a DM.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: You sharing that reminds me that maybe we need a part two of the podcast, so you can share some travel tips, or traveling on a budget or something along those lines, because I had someone else who was a guest on the podcast. Her name is Diani Hall, and she talked about traveling and digital nomad and being a freelancer, and that was a really [00:34:00] popular episode.

I remember people messaging me about it, and so I know there's an interest there. So just note to self and if y'all agree with this, and if you're listening, shoot us a message. DM us to let us know I want a part two, so that way we can do it.

Bianca Alba: Oh my God, yes, I could start off with, actually my first big trip was because of a program that I didn't get to do as an undergrad, and I ended up doing it and that's how I got to South Africa. So that could be like a little insight, but yes as traveling started before grad school so it's totally possible.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: I love it. Thank you so much for being here with us today, Bianca. I really appreciate you and I love this conversation.

Bianca Alba: Thank you for having me.

Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu: One reminder I want to leave with you today is that there is no single timeline for success. Bianca's story reflects so many realities that first gen students experience: working multiple jobs while in grad school, navigating a program [00:35:00] without a safety net, feeling that intense pressure to prove yourself professionally, and learning that even when you do every single thing right, the things that were supposed to lead to stability, life can still happen. Instability can still happen. That makes it even more important for us to take care of ourselves, to build community, and to create space for the things that bring meaning and joy in our lives. I hope this episode reminds you to keep giving yourself grace. Being a first gen student and professional often means that we're navigating new spaces with a lot less access to resources, support, et cetera. So the fact that you haven't given up on your dreams already says a lot about your strength, your determination, and all the amazing assets you bring into every room that you step in. So now as I wrap things up for today, I wanna leave you with one more [00:36:00] question.

What expectations about success or timelines are you carrying right now, and what would it look like to offer yourself a little bit more grace along the way? Thank you so much for listening, and as always, I'll talk to you all next time.

Thanks so much for listening. If you liked what you heard, here are three ways you can support the show. The first is to make sure you're subscribed and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. The second way is to get your copy of my free resource kit linked in my show notes. This kit includes tools, worksheets, and curated podcast playlists to guide you through applying to and navigating grad school.

The third way to support my show is by joining my email newsletter where I share key takeaways and additional resources. Thanks again for listening, and until next time.