Arrajanee: My name is Arrajanee Rivera and I am a TransferJax peer mentor. Joining me today is our guest who would like to share their experience with us.

Rebbeca: Hi, my name is Rebecca Heiselman and I am a transfer student here at NAU and thank you for having me here.

Arrajanee: Of course, I'm happy to have you here. So we're going to start off with some questions. Our first question of the day is, what is your favorite memory being at NAU?

Rebecca: Gosh, I think one of my favorite memories is actually involving what we did here at the transfer lounge. There was an event held where transfer students get to go on a hike to Sedona. That was amazing, I loved it a lot.

Arrajanee: Oh my goodness, that sounds so nice. I know they recently just went to Sedona again this semester. Unfortunately I wasn't able to go but I heard great things about the trip. Is there a favorite moment from the trip that still stuck with you?

Rebecca: I think there was a lot of beautiful view kind of moments. There was a moment where a couple of us got a little separated, not too much from the rest of the group but we stuck in groups of three so it was fine. We came across what looked like a storm wash. If it was storming there would have been a waterfall. We stood on that for a while and saw some really beautiful things.

Arrajanee: Oh wow, that sounds like a really good lookout that you found.

Rebecca: I like to take pictures of flowers and the flora so I got quite a couple of unique flowers on the trail too.

Arrajanee: Oh nice, I love flowers too. I like to draw flowers.

Rebecca: Same.

Arrajanee: Our next question is, what made you choose NAU and why did you transfer?

Rebecca: I was going to community college since 2016 and I was going part time. Almost every semester there was an event where all the major colleges of Arizona would get together and pitch why we're the best college, why should you come see us. NAU had the lowest cost price by well over $1,000 compared to the other major colleges. It seemed like they had a really nice atmosphere and history and I went on three different tours that were scheduled through my community college and I loved it each season so I'm like, yeah this is where I'm going to go. I like it.

Arrajanee: Oh that's really cool that you got to test it out in different seasons as well and not just in its beautiful best time of the year.

Rebecca: Someone slipped on ice in front of me and I still came.

Arrajanee: Oh that's the best selling point right there. You're like, I sell the most dangerous moment, I'm good.

Rebecca: Yeah, I got over it.

Arrajanee: And the tuition is a big selling point here at NAU, huh?

Rebecca: Yes, definitely. Especially with all the transfer scholarships.
That was the major thing too is there was the transfer scholarship, there was the first
gen kind of scholarships. I got quite a couple of them. I don't remember them all but beyond that there's also the Blavin Scholarship that I am now a part of that is hosted here at NAU and I was hoping to get into it and I finally did.

Arrajanee: Congratulations.

Rebecca: Thank you.

Arrajanee: Our next question is, what made you choose your specific field of study and what do you plan to do with your degree?

Rebecca: What made me choose my field of study? So I want to go into comics and animation later on in life but I've already worked with print shops and actually a magazine company down in the valley for a year or two so I have graphic design experience and it's something I'm really interested in. I love the Adobe Suite and that's like the standard in the industry. I always wanted to be the person, like if I can't do comics and animation I want to be the person that sits behind the desk and makes all the pretty flyers and be like look isn't it cute? Look they put it up on a big billboard. That'd be amazing. So I was initially going to go for strategic, not strategic communication, maybe that was the one but I changed majors last minute so I'm on the different career path, like I'm on a different path with my degree so I'm doing the, yes it is strategic communications with emphasis in advertising that I'm doing.

Arrajanee: Oh cool, that's really cool.

Rebecca: Yeah, thank you.

Arrajanee: I feel like that would be a really cool experience to just point at a billboard and be like you guys see that?

Rebecca: That's mine, I made that.

Rebecca: Exactly, that is the dream is to finally make something that goes at least on a billboard.

Arrajanee: That's so cool.

Rebecca: I'm so excited to make that.

Arrajanee: So you mentioned an interest in animation a little bit. I recently learned about how the process of making like an anime or an animated series works and it's a lot of work, a lot of steps.

Rebecca: It is a lot of steps definitely and one of the big advices that I keep seeing or people have told me is when you're making a portfolio or if you want to get into it, find your niche, like yes, like dabble in everything because you want to be that person where like hey someone calls in sick. You can do storyboarding or hey you can do the rough animations or stills or the background. So you want to study everything but you have to find something that you're passionate that you can repeat over and over and over again. Like hey do you want to do all the lining? Hey do you want to do the coloring or the like shading, things like that? Cell shading is difficult especially to make it fluid and motion with everything else. So I really praise people who can do the cell shading part because it's hard to pull it off proper.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah, I bet because I feel like that's where things would go wrong is when motion starts to get involved.

Rebecca: Motion is so difficult to animate and like draw like just practicing like having a human figure walk from like one end of camera frame to another can be a challenge. Even if you don't say have them walk from one side of the frame to the other and they're just walking in place, a walk cycle is the best way to practice motion as well as the typical oh have a ball drop and hit the ground and mess with proportions and size and making it feel like there's an impact.

Arrajanee: Wow, do you have your niche area yet or are you still dabbling?

Rebecca: I'm still dabbling, still got to do a lot of self-teaching at this point. I think I really want to do is like the background art or like the prop art that they put in and things like that that the characters will interact with. That'd be so nice. I got really good at animating grass in the background.

Arrajanee: Oh nice.

Rebecca: It doesn't sound that fancy but getting the grass to blow with the wind can be a little tricky.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah like Studio Ghibli, like their films I've noticed they have really great backgrounds.

Rebecca: Oh I love them. I'm heavily inspired by them. Their art is beautiful and I can't wait to see the new film.

Arrajanee: Oh me neither. It is so exciting. Can't wait. So our next question is what is your favorite spot on campus to study at?

Rebecca: My favorite spot on campus is actually two locations in the Klein Library depending on what I'm doing. For the first three semesters I was going to the second floor. I believe it was like the computer lab or the writing lab that's up there and it's like this far corner right next to like the window where you can look out. It's really beautiful during winter to just sit by this old-fashioned window outside of like this brick building and like there's a tree and it'll catch the snow and it's just nice. No one goes up there that often. I run into a person who's going for their doctorate. He's like in his 70s so I just I hang out with him. We do our hard work and that's fun and then recently I've moved down to the first floor in the back room called like the studio and I sit in there because they have all the Adobe products. I don't know how many students know that yeah you can do your Adobe assignments at the Klein Library in the studio.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah they have like the maker area back there as well.

Rebecca: Yeah so there's a makerspace up front and in the back it's called like the studio and back there there's also a room where there's supposedly a green screen called like the one button room.

Arrajanee: Yes, yeah.

Rebecca: I tried to use it.

Rebecca: I don't know how it works.

Arrajanee: I went over there once and I asked about it and whoever's working told me that oh you just like push a button and it's supposed to like be ready to go you just stand in a spot.

Rebecca: Nope. It seems like we couldn't figure it out. We're like okay uh we're just gonna leave. Probably because we were very tired and we couldn't figure out the controls. There was like a remote. Maybe the remote had the button. We were trying to use it. It only turned on the monitors and that's it.

Arrajanee: Oh no.

Rebecca: That's it. For like the couple of semesters I only thought you could use Adobe products at the communications building and they're like um ALM room. They're like their media lab. I thought that was the only place but now I'm super happy to know that my like the client has it because it's just quieter. There's a lot of gamers in that one other spot.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah yeah and it's like if you're not um like that far north of campus it's closer than going to the comm building and stuff.

Rebecca: Yeah it's a little bit closer. Technically it's closer because like I currently I'm living at the Hugo Flagstaff that's literally right behind the Klein Library.

Arrajanee: Oh nice nice.

Rebecca: So I just cut through between the Chick-fil-A and then I'm there.

Arrajanee: Easy little walk.

Rebecca: Super easy.

Arrajanee: Nice that's good to know.

Arrajanee: Well we can move on to our next question. What are your feelings on being a transfer student and how do you feel about it when you first came to NAU and how do you feel now?

Rebecca: So what was the first part of that?

Arrajanee: So the first part would be what are your feelings on being a transfer student?

Rebecca: My feelings about being a transfer student? For quite a while there I was feeling a little uncomfortable that I was an older student because I'd be partnered or sit next to kids that were fresh out of high school and I got stuck at community college for way more than four years. So I'm right now I'm 25. That's not a big age gap per se but it feels like when everyone's a party goer and I just want to do my homework and lay in bed. So there's like that little like difference in age and that really changes the dynamics especially when trying to make friends and connections with peers. It can be a little difficult.

Arrajanee: Yeah I can understand that. The age gap can be a little challenging sometimes because even though it doesn't sound like that big of a gap it's like I feel like this is a big part of your life where you're like changing and evolving a lot. So I feel like when you're your later 20s you're more like stable and then when you're younger 20s you're more like all over the place and want to do a lot.

Rebecca: Oh my goodness like I used to live at the Jack apartment. Oh my god there's so many parties there. My window was right above like that bar that hangs right over it. I would face like the owl cafe and right across the owl cafe is a place where you can get alcohol so every weekend you betcha. And there was like that party bus that would go down that street and I'd hear them partying and I'm like yay I know it's the weekend you don't have to remind me. 

Arrajanee: If only I could get sleep tonight.

Rebecca: Yeah sleep please that would be great. But I think another thing that like adds into it too is technically your brain isn't fully developed until you're like late 20s like 25. Like my brain is done I'm good. I can now drink all I want and do my own damage. But I think like with the younger kids they're still figuring things out. They're like their brain isn't fully developed and they don't know who they fully are yet. So they're allowed to be a little crazy so I can forgive them. Once you get to my age though I can't forgive the party. Don't wake me up.

Arrajanee: And then the second part to this question is how do you feel about it or how did you feel about being a transfer student when you first came to NAU?

Rebecca: I was excited. I was happy to get away from home. It was a difficult situation at home to say the very least and NAU was just far enough away for me to get away from that and actually have some more fun experiences.

Arrajanee: Nice. That is nice. It is nice to get away from home because I'm away from home too. And it's different. Like you never really think about when you're at home how much freedom or more freedom it kind of feels to be away from where you're like comfortable.

Rebecca: Yeah because I grew up my entire life in the valley from Phoenix to all the way to Surprise and then for a while we lived in Peoria. Just like that general area. The atmosphere doesn't really change that much maybe like a better neighborhood or a worser neighborhood would happen but it's all kind of the same. Two hour drive and then you get to see beautiful pine trees. Actually gets cold here. My biggest thing is if you're in the cold you can always put more clothes on but if you're in the heat you can only strip naked so many times.

Arrajanee: You can still end up dying of heat stroke like it's crazy.

Rebecca: Oh man it's so bad so definitely the weather is great here.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah that's my favorite thing to say too. I prefer cold weather because it's just bundle. Bundle up.

Rebecca: I have like nine blankets on my bed with all my like stuffed animals. There's just enough room for me. Just enough.

Arrajanee: It's gonna be cozy and warm. I have a fuzzy sock collection just because also I love having just the warmness. And then our third part of this question is how do you feel about being a transfer student now?

Rebecca: I think I feel mixed feelings I suppose. I'm happy I still did it but again it's the I don't really connect with a lot of the newcomers and things like that. Although I'm happy that I got moved into a place with roommates my age.

Arrajanee: That's good.

Rebecca: So at least one person there is my age but the other two are mature and understanding and not party goers. So like I'm still happy for the move. I'm happy I did it and it's gonna help me in the future because with the degree I could get so many more job opportunities. So many things that I couldn't do without it would be possible. Because I look online all the time at the jobs I want. Bare minimum is a bachelor's and I only have the associates so.

Arrajanee: It's kind of like a necessity.

Rebecca: It's kind of a necessity.They say oh college is optional. I'm like not in this economy. It is not optional unfortunately. So I recommend high school students think about where they want to go and just go and do it because you don't want to be stuck in a situation like okay so my sister she's several years older than me and she's worked in retail for as long as I can remember. Probably like my entire childhood she's worked retail. And she was a manager. She got bonuses and things like that. But recently she had to quit because it was so draining for her mentally. So she finally made the change to go be a teacher because that was like the only job that she could get. It was so she was like a preschool before school teacher right now. She's doing great but she had to weigh the risk of taking a major pay cut because she tried to get other jobs other jobs that had similar pay to what over the year she was able to get. And just because she only had her high school degree she couldn't get any other jobs. Not even she even tried to apply for the governmental jobs and she couldn't get those either. 

Arrajanee: Yeah yeah it's it's unfortunate but it is true that you have to go to higher ed and stuff if you want to make like competing wages basically.

Rebecca: Yeah if you want to compete like if you find even a trade school will give you a higher leg up in economic situation because my family's gone through ups and downs of being extremely poor and homeless and the verge of being homeless and we're staying at a relatives because we got kicked out. That was a cycle. And it was because both my parents also only had high school degrees. No one really aside from me and my twin ever tried to get a higher education. Now my sister like my twin she's a she got her degree a couple years ago so she has her bachelor's and right now she's working with a ship company where she works in an office and is making quite well for herself because of her degree. I always think it's super important. Even if you go to community college first to save money and then you transfer to a university to get the bachelor's that's like in my mind like the best plan.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah that's a great plan too. I recommend that as well if you're unsure. If you're uncertain of your major or the path you want to take. Commute college is a great place to knock out your pre-reqs while dabbling in different things before you make the big commitment of university.

Rebecca: Yeah especially if you're like in the arts oh my god it's so cheaper to just do the art sections because I got all of my art 100 art 11 art 12 all of my little art classes I took fairly cheaply at community college where I'm pretty sure it's a bit more expensive here so.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah.

Rebecca: Get some of those art ones out of the way while you can.

Arrajanee: On to our next question. What types of programs departments or people have helped you throughout your transition?

Rebecca: Definitely the transfer lounge helped me a lot for the first like two semesters. Stopped coming to visit you like last semester. I'm so sorry guys. But it was the I'm all alone I don't know anyone. But hi I'm here to make connections and do stuff and thank you for giving me a scholarship attitude. So I was really involved with the transfer scholarship and things like that. Another thing that I had to use was online like the on campus counseling at the health center because I'm not going to lie that like the first semester towards and really hit me hard and I was having an emotional breakdown and multiple professors told me to go see someone So and I did and they gave me some resources so that was helpful it was nice and then there was also I believe there was like I can't remember the name of the group but there's a group of students that get together in the HLC I believe once a week that they self like help counsel each other.

Arrajanee: Oh wow 

Rebecca: They just talk through your feelings, and that helped for a while too because mental health is important and im all alone for the first time and in a different enviornment and its cary.

Arrajanee: I agree that the HLC has some great programs and departments in there, especially the mental health programs, they offer even I believe group counseling and things. 

Rebecca: Yeah there's again I don't know if it's the group counseling or a different group together but there's someone on the second building they have their own office and students just get together and you can talk about what's upsetting you or what's difficult for you right now and everyone's there to help you it was really useful.

Arrajanee: Like a support group.

Rebecca: Yeah it was a support group essentially it was useful I recommend people to if you're feeling those feelings go talk to someone. 

Arrajanee: It's great advice especially when you're new to the environment.

Rebecca: Yeah and then with people who've helped me a lot his name is professor Gregory Layla. If you're a history major or guys if anyone's thinking about being a history major take his classes. He's amazing he's super nice super chill and I believe he's also being an advisor too so he can help you find some classes that you're looking for what you want to do. He's nice.

Arrajanee: Nice that sounds cool. Now we're gonna move on to our this or that segment so it's just gonna be like a little bit of a rapid fire this or that thing. So our first thing is do you prefer North Campus or South Campus?

Rebecca: North Campus because everything I need is here. South Campus confuses me.

Arrajanee: That's a good answer I kind of agree with that because I live near North Campus too so I'm like this is my hub. And then morning classes or afternoon classes?

Rebecca: Do I have to pick one? Like can I say sometimes morning classes are better than afternoon but I like afternoon if it doesn't get in the way of my other personal things because like I just can't do night classes but I'm forced to do one this semester.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah evening classes are the worst. I've left that one out of the question I forgot to bring it in but we all know that's the least favorite.

Rebecca: I think everyone can agree that the evening classes are unless that's the only option like for me you don't take them.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah it's like not even the professors want to be here that late.

Rebecca: Yeah so I guess I like afternoon classes because then I can sleep in.

Arrajanee: Oh yeah everyone loves that. Sun or snow?

Rebecca: Snow.

Rebecca: It's so pretty.

Arrajanee: It is so pretty.

Rebecca: I was like last semester during the spring I was the first footprints on campus period because I didn't know classes were canceled. I'm just like this was my first experience with snow period. It was up to my ankle like up to my knee actually.It was up to my knee and I was just walking and tretching through. I'm like oh it must be early. I'm sitting there well where's where is everyone and it's like oh I guess I have to walk home now like I was not afraid. I walked everywhere. I didn't mind it because I didn't have a car so everyone else was complaining about the snow and stuff and their car and I'm like I just walk.

Arrajanee: I relate to that because that's me. I don't have a car so I walk everywhere. I remember calling my mom and being like mom the snow is taller than me like the plowed snow and stuff.

Rebecca: Oh yeah the plowed snow was awesome and I made quite a couple snowmen on my way home every now and then and someone would destroy them but I wouldn't care.
I was so determined though like I want to do it this next time that it snows. I want to make a war on campus with little snowmen like make a battlefield.

Arrajanee: That'd be so fun.

Rebecca: I don't know if it counts as a prank or if I'm allowed but it's just snow.

Arrajanee: I feel like no one would mind because I've heard of people building all kinds of snow like igloos, snowmen on campus.

Rebecca: Yeah.

Arrajanee: Have fun.

Rebecca: I will make a battlefield.

Arrajanee: That would be so much fun.

Arrajanee: But yeah snow's cool.

Arrajanee: I feel like it looks like powdered sugar when it falls especially at night in like the lights.

Rebecca: The night lights are beautiful. So I took the Amtrak last semester to go to California to see a friend who had been in Saudi Arabia for like a year so we're like gonna go see you. I've never met you before in real life but we're gonna go see you and you probably won't unalive me. It's fine. So we so I went on the Amtrak and it was an 11 p.m. pickup. It didn't pick me up until midnight but it was beautiful out because it was so dark and the lights hit the snow so it was illuminated in this like orange haze and like like it's like foggy and hazy and the train made its little horn sound and it was coming through and it was like a movie scene of like the beautiful rushing through and like the snow pile. It was beautiful.

Arrajanee: That sounds beautiful.

Rebecca: Like even if you don't have anything like to do per se get on the Amtrak at a night time during the snowfall. It's beautiful.

Arrajanee: I'll have to do that. Check that out. Oh and then our last question is walking or riding the bus?

Rebecca: Walking. Just a lot of walking. It's good exercise.

Arrajanee: Yeah I like I feel like it's relaxing a little therapeutic.

Rebecca: My first semester if I had an appointment on South Campus I walked the 32 minutes because I didn't know if I was allowed to take the bus.

Arrajanee: You're like ah how do I do this?

Rebecca: Yeah.

Arrajanee: I relate to that.

Arrajanee: I still to this day I'll still try to walk as far as I can before the bus. Like if the bus ends up meeting me then I'm like okay maybe I'll get on but if I end up getting there without the bus I'm like okay no problem.

Rebecca: Yeah no problem.

Arrajanee: Well thank you so much for joining us today. We appreciate you coming in and sharing your transfer experience with us. It was great to hear your story and you had wonderful advice to give today. So I just want to say thank you again and I believe that's the end.

Rebecca: Yeah no but thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it and everything that the transfer lounge has done. Thank you.

Arrajanee: Of course, Thank you!