Lauren: Welcome back to the Transfer Talks podcast. My name is Lauren Eisel-Yocum. My pronouns are they, them, and I'm a Transfer Jacks peer mentor. Joining me today is our guest who would like to share their transfer experience. Go ahead and introduce yourself. Zachary: Hi, my name is Zachary Rodriguez and my pronouns are he, they, and I'm a Transfer Senior. Lauren: Well, great to have you! Zachary: Thank you so much for inviting me. I appreciate it. Lauren: Yeah, of course! So to get started, I think we're just going to do this or that NAU edition. So let's pick a few. So, I'm just going to rapid fire a couple at you. You ready? Zachary: Yeah, sure. Lauren: All right. The Dub or the Hot Spot? Zachary: The Hot Spot. Lauren: Nice. Morning classes or afternoon classes? Zachary: Afternoon. Lauren: Yeah. Zachary: I'm not a morning person. Lauren: That's super fair. Fall or winter? Zachary: Fall. Yeah. Fall. Lauren: Nice. And walking or riding the bus? Zachary: Both, actually. Lauren: Okay. Sweet. Zachary: Yeah, because I have classes up at North Campus, so I prefer taking the bus, but for everyone else, it's just walking. Lauren: Okay. Gotcha. Yeah. NAU campus is pretty walkable, so that's pretty nice. Sweet. All right. So, we're going to get into some questions. Zachary: Sure. Lauren: All right. So my first question for you is what do you like about campus slash the NAU environment in general? Zachary: Well, I really like how it's real calming to be up here... Lauren: Yeah. Zachary: ...It's totally different from where I'm from. It's because I live in a casino town, so I'm used to the ring-a-ding-a-ding of all the slot machines. Lauren: Yeah, for sure. Zachary: So having it be a lot more quieter is really, really nice. Lauren: Awesome. Zachary: And the weather is so different, too, because, you know, I'm from the desert, so it's 100 degrees every year round. Lauren: Mhm. Zachary: So, having the nice, cool fall weather and then going into winter, it's super nice. Lauren: Yeah. Gotcha. And where are you from? Zachary: I'm from Laughlin, Nevada, right outside of Vegas. Lauren: Oh, nice. Okay. So, that's what you mean by the slot machine. Nice. Well, I'm glad you chose NAU, so we're a good campus, for sure. What's your favorite memory from being here at NAU? Zachary: I think my favorite memory of being here was when I signed up for the Super Smash Jacks club because I'm really big into Super Smash Brothers and fighting games. Lauren: Oh, nice. Zachary: I'm really big into that. So joining that club as well as just going to different events. I wasn't really a social person, so I became more social now. You know, going out there, going to the events, doing the different things. So it's real nice. Lauren: Good. Zachary: It's a change of pace, yeah. Lauren: Yeah. So, have you been into video games for a while? Zachary: Since I was yay high. Lauren: Nice! Hahaha. Zachary: I'm 26 now, been playing since I was three years old. Lauren: Okay. Nice. Zachary: Yeah. Lauren: Awesome. Well, I'm glad you were able to find that community here. Zachary: Yeah. Lauren: Sweetness. And what made you choose NAU and leave home? Zachary: So I initially, this was right before COVID happened. I had just graduated my community college over in Bullhead City, and I was left with two choices, either do I continue my schooling or go get a job. But when COVID happened, obviously, it was real difficult to decide what I wanted to do. So I had applied for a few jobs, didn't really get them, and then I applied for NAU and continued my schooling. Lauren: Yeah. Zachary: Right after that, so I just... Lauren: Nice. Zachary: ...that's what was my driving factor to come up here and finish my schooling. Lauren: Awesome. And what are you studying? Zachary: Creative film and media. Lauren: Awesome! Zachary: I had graduated with an associate's in liberal arts, but I noticed it wasn't really a liberal arts in general. So, I thought, well, I did broadcasting, I did videography. So, I just went with creative film and media, it kind of encompasses everything together. Lauren: Gotcha. And what do you see yourself getting into with that? Zachary: So I'm really big into the more audio side of things. So like sound design, post-production, a lot of like also video editing... Lauren: Okay. Zachary: ...I think is what I'm really looking forward to. Later down the line, yeah. Lauren: Cool beans. That sounds like a really good plan. Zachary: Yeah. And I'm staying here after I graduate. Lauren: Oh, okay. Zachary: Yeah. Lauren: Cool. And what are you planning to do just around NAU? Zachary: I was planning on probably moving out to another apartment and then just get continuing my life, you know. I think I'm finally ready to finally move on with my life. So I think after school, I'm going to stay here. Lauren: Awesome. Zachary: Yeah. Lauren: That's exciting. Yeah. Flagstaff is such a cool town too, in general. Zachary: Yeah. Lauren: There's tons of stuff to do. Zachary: I don't want to leave all my friends out after two years. Lauren: Yeah. For sure. And let's see. We're going to move into like some more serious questions. Zachary: Yeah, sure. Lauren: All right. Cool. So what was your experience like at your previous school? And what was your experience like to transfer here? And how are they different? Zachary: My previous school, our classes weren't really in-person classes. The majority of it was online. And at the community college, there were more adult adults than my age because I was just, I was, I believe 19 or 20 when I first started going. And it was like, I don't know, anyone here, everyone's way older than I am. It felt kind of isolating. I'm not going to lie. It was, it wasn't the greatest feeling. Lauren: Yeah. Zachary: But then after I was able to transfer, after I got my associates, I'm like, finally I'm in a place where I have people my age to hang out with. And it's... Bullhead City is not the greatest place to go to. But I mean, I had to get it done. So it was more of a, it felt more like an obligation to me rather than me trying to, you know, get my associate's degree. Lauren: Mhm. Yeah, for sure. And you feel like NAU has just been a much better fit. Zachary: Much, much, much better fit. Yeah. Lauren: Awesome. Well, I'm happy to hear that. Who was your mentor, if you don't mind me asking? Zachary: It was, I forget her name, must have thought, I'm really sorry. Lauren: Gosh, no, you're totally fine. Zachary: Jennifer, I believe it was last year. Lauren: Yeah, she's awesome. She's a cool mentor, for sure. I got to meet her a little bit before I came in. So nice. What are your feelings on being a transfer student? And just like, how do you feel about it, you know, between like when you first came here versus now? Zachary: When I first came here, again, I think it was the same feeling of just feeling isolated. Lauren: Yeah. Zachary: Like, I'm coming into a new place, don't know anybody. You know, like I said, I'm 26. So, that age gap of like, you have the younger crowd and then the older crowd, I'm kind of smack dab in the middle. So, it was really hard to try to get to know anybody. I can only name like five people on one hand who I actually would talk to on a regular basis my first year here. But now I have a full circle of friends who I could go hang out with, go work on projects with. And it's a lot better now than it was when I first came in. Lauren: Nice. I'm glad to hear that. Yeah, I'm also a non-traditional student, so I definitely like resonate with that. Zachary: Mhm. Lauren: Just, you know, that initial feeling of isolation, but then like really finding your community and your people and, you know, finding your place. Zachary: Yeah. Lauren: So it's definitely a process, though. Zachary: It is a process. It takes some time, but it'll get better. Lauren: Right. Zachary: Yeah. Exactly. Lauren: Awesome. If you could go back and change anything about your transition, is there anything you would change and what would it be? Zachary: You know, I think the one thing I would change if I were to go back when I first came here is try to put myself more out there instead of just being isolated in my room after my classes. I feel like if I had stuck my foot in the door and be like, hey, you know, I have this to offer and that to offer, I feel like it would have been a lot better for me. But now better late than never, you know. Lauren: Right. Right. Yeah. I think that initial step, like putting your foot in the door, like you said, and just trying to put yourself out there can be the hardest part. Zachary: Mhm. Lauren: But definitely, like, once you've done that, once you've passed that hurdle, I feel like it's a little bit, it gets a little easier. Zachary: Yeah, it is. Lauren: And what do you wish people understood about, like, the transfer experience? Zachary: Um, it's not as isolating as it seems. You know, I'm going to go back to my original point. The transfer experience to me, while I felt like it was, it really isn't. And I feel like you'll have the same amount of the same amount of...I don't know how to put this, actually. The same amount of gratitude, let's put it, is if you were coming in as a freshman for a four years. Lauren: Yeah. Zachary: You're going to have these experiences. You just have a shorter time, but you're still going to have all these meeting new people, doing your classes, you know, going out to the certain events. Yes, it is a shorter time, but you will get to enjoy it. It just takes time. Lauren: Yeah. Yeah, for sure. That's great advice to for, you know, all the transfer students out there, just knowing that it does take time, but you get there. Right. Zachary: Yeah. Lauren: Awesome. Was there anything else like you kind of want to just share and, you know, put out there in the world? Zachary: Well, I think, like I said, it just it's going to take time. Lauren: Right. Zachary: Everything takes time. And especially if you're coming in as a freshman or coming in as a transfer, you're going to find your you're going to find your people... Lauren: Yeah. Zachary: ...You're going to you're definitely going to find your people. And I found mine here, so. Lauren: Awesome. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Zachary, for joining us today. Zachary: Yeah, of course. Thank you so much. Lauren: Yeah, we appreciate you coming in and sharing your transfer experience. Zachary: Thank you so much for inviting me. I really do appreciate it. Lauren: Yeah, of course. Great to meet you. Zachary: Great to meet you, too. Thank you so much.