For a lot of us on the Viewpoints staff, community college wasn’t our first choice. We grew up thinking that if you didn’t go straight to a university, you were already behind. So when we landed at Riverside City College, many of us felt uncertain, like we were settling for less.
We weren’t.
Some of us came here after being accepted to major universities but couldn’t afford the cost. One of us had to turn down UCLA for engineering because of financial barriers. At the time, it felt like a loss, but now we see it for what it was. It was a necessary decision that ended up opening doors we didn’t know existed.
Some of us weren’t ready to leave home yet. Community college lets us stay close to family, keep a job and work toward our goals at a pace that makes sense to us. Programs like the Promise Program made college affordable and helped us stay motivated. That kind of support gave us room to focus on learning. It took the stress off of financial troubles.
Some of us came to RCC lost. After a lifetime in sports, one of us had no idea who they were without their team, but the school gave them space to figure that out. They started in psychology, switched to journalism and haven’t looked back since. That freedom to change direction without judgment is something we’ve all valued.
Universities might lock you into a path, but RCC lets you explore until something clicks.
For those of us returning to school after taking a break, this was a reset. We weren’t just here to get through our gen ed requirements. We were rebuilding, and RCC made that possible with its variety of classes and career pathways. It felt like we were choosing our future, not following someone else’s checklist.
What has surprised us most is the community here. Whether in class, athletics or the newsroom, we’ve found connection and purpose.
Being part of this student-run publication built our confidence and reminded us why we love storytelling in the first place. It’s something we didn’t expect to find at a community college, but it’s become one of the most meaningful parts of our experience.
There’s a kind of pride here that’s hard to explain but easy to feel. People talk about “The Dirty Riv” like it’s just a nickname, but it says something real about this place. We work hard. We make things happen. We don’t need fancy buildings or a massive campus to prove our worth. We show up, get things done and take pride in where we come from.
RCC wasn’t the dream some of us had when we graduated from high school. But it became something better. It gave us direction, support and the space to grow into who we’re becoming.
It gave us a second chance, or in some cases, a first real one.
We didn’t settle. We started where we needed to be. And for us, that made all the difference.
