{"id":39,"date":"2026-09-18T19:23:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T19:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/fall-2026-volume-7-issue-3\/zuniga-stopped-following-the-plan-to-find-her-path\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T23:48:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T23:48:52","slug":"zuniga-stopped-following-the-plan-to-find-her-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/fall-2026-volume-7-issue-3\/zuniga-stopped-following-the-plan-to-find-her-path\/","title":{"rendered":"Zuniga stopped following the plan to find her path"},"content":{"rendered":"

Evelyn Zuniga was working in tech support before she knew that role existed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since few other families at her apartment owned a computer, the preteen got used to troubleshooting printer problems and explaining Microsoft Word to neighbors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was the one teaching them everything, and I really enjoyed that,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zuniga little imagined this after-school hobby would become a full-time hustle \u2014 or the journey she would take to get there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finding her own path<\/span><\/h2>\n

Since no one else in her family had ever pursued college, Zuniga struggled to find her path. She gravitated toward what felt comfortable, promised good pay, and was easy to explain to her parents: healthcare.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI chose it on a whim because I felt like all this pressure, like I needed to already know what I was doing,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Portrait

Evelyn Zuniga, applications programming student<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

In fall 2023, Zuniga enrolled at San Jacinto College. Although she didn\u2019t arrive knowing how college worked, she learned how to navigate it after countless meetings with advisors and online research.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more than a year, she wrestled with feeling stuck, trying both nursing and radiography programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was scared of trying something new,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, Zuniga took a gap semester. What changed her direction was bingeing YouTube videos about Python and coding language \u2014 and remembering her past technology troubleshooting experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

One night it hit her: \u201cI need to stop putting myself in a bubble and just branch out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

San Jac\u2019s online applications programming degree caught her attention, so in summer 2025, she enrolled in the program.<\/span><\/p>\n

Asking for help<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even as Zuniga found a better fit, she still couldn\u2019t shed her anxiety. Was she ruining her future? Was she \u201ctoo dumb\u201d for this?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt felt like the other students already had some sort of knowledge of technology,\u201d she said. \u201cEven though they were starting from zero, I was starting at the negatives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As anxiety piled up, Zuniga turned to San Jac\u2019s mental health counselors for support. They gave her space to share her fears, then showed her how to navigate spiraling anxiety and shift her thinking pattern.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time I thought I wasn’t good enough, I thought to myself, \u2018Then why not be good enough?\u2019 And I would put that energy into my assignments and into trying to learn as much as I could. I started to not be hard on myself because everybody has challenges.\u201d — Evelyn Zuniga, applications programming student<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cEvery time I thought I wasn\u2019t good enough, I thought to myself, \u2018Then why not be good enough?\u2019 And I would put that energy into my assignments and into trying to learn as much as I could,\u201d she said. \u201cI started to not be hard on myself because everybody has challenges.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Professors also encouraged her. One technology instructor \u2014 hashing out a challenging project with her one-on-one \u2014 reassured her it\u2019s OK to ask for help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think people feel they won\u2019t get the support doing online classes, but if you reach out, you will,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Making room for what\u2019s next<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"ApplicationsIn the applications programming program, Zuniga is learning the ins and outs of languages like C++, JavaScript, and Python. But even while learning how to design, code, test, and debug computer programs, she expresses her creativity by designing webpages.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In her practicum course this fall, she assists with diagnosing and solving tech tickets. \u201cQuestion the obvious\u201d is always her first line of attack.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to observing San Jac\u2019s techs and getting hands-on experience herself, Zuniga hopes to land a help desk role after she graduates this December. The College\u2019s game design program is also on her radar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a creative side, so I would de\ufb01nitely like to get my associate in game development,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Embracing the journey<\/span><\/h2>\n

San Jac wasn\u2019t just an affordable community college. It’s where Zuniga explored, changed direction, and got support.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Two years ago, she was scared to try new things. She felt she had to stick to the plan and excel at everything she tried.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since then, Zuniga has learned to relax and be content with the journey rather than the outcome. It\u2019s the same advice she would give someone else: Be OK changing the script.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThink about what you like and what makes you happy \u2014 not what would contribute the most to society, make others happy, or look the best,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you ever feel too dumb for anything, go ahead and try it. If you fail, just pick yourself back up and try again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn more about the applications programming program<\/b><\/a><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By Courtney Morris<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Evelyn Zuniga was working in tech support before she knew that role existed. Since few other families at her apartment owned a computer, the preteen got used to troubleshooting printer problems and explaining Microsoft Word to neighbors. \u201cI was the one teaching them everything, and I really enjoyed that,\u201d she said. Zuniga little imagined this… read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":75,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,1],"tags":[],"article_type":[],"class_list":["post-39","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-applications-programming","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nZuniga stopped following the plan to find her path - Fall 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 3<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/fall-2026-volume-7-issue-3\/zuniga-stopped-following-the-plan-to-find-her-path\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Zuniga stopped following the plan to find her path\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Evelyn Zuniga was working in tech support before she knew that role existed. Since few other families at her apartment owned a computer, the preteen got used to troubleshooting printer problems and explaining Microsoft Word to neighbors. \u201cI was the one teaching them everything, and I really enjoyed that,\u201d she said. 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