When I was about five years old I wanted to be a firefighter because I went on a field trip to a fire station. A few years later I started playing soccer and swimming and thought I could be the next Katie Ledecky. In my middle school years I contemplated a teaching career as I loved math at the time, but throughout all of it, I stuck to playing soccer and trying other sports like softball and flag football. In high school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do as a career; I started taking soccer more seriously and wondered if I could possibly make it pro. It was then that I started becoming interested in watching and really learning the terminology and logistics of the sports. In my senior year of high school I still didn’t really know what I wanted to do as I applied to colleges. I did well in computer science classes so I made that my intended major. Later in the year, I enjoyed an engineering class so much I ended up deciding on an electrical engineering major instead.

Sasha Funes, Spring 2023 Editor-in-Chief of The Corsair

Three months before my graduation, the pandemic hit and we stopped going to school in person. We were only supposed to be gone for two weeks, but weeks turned into months. My mental health declined greatly and despite being accepted to a UC, I chose SMC instead. I wouldn’t have to leave home or my sisters behind, I’d save a ton of money, and though my family wasn’t onboard with me going to a community college when I got accepted to a university, ultimately the choice was mine and I was trying to prioritize my mental health. I got off to a rocky start, failing two of my four classes in the first semester, while investing the majority of my time watching the World Series and was able to see my team win the 2020 World Series. Dropping out crossed my mind very frequently after my first year at SMC, but I wanted to be the first in my family to graduate college, so I stuck with it.

In the fall of 2021, I was contemplating switching majors to journalism, but something was stopping me. I couldn’t figure out what. After an hour long talk with a stranger, I made the decision to switch majors to journalism to become a sports journalist and I’ve not regretted it. Since making the switch, I’ve made it on the Dean’s Honors List, completed all requirements for an AA in Journalism, joined the Corsair and was Sports Editor in my first semester, and am now fortunate enough to be the Editor in Chief in my second semester at the paper. I know at The Corsair I’ve found my place, my voice, and something I’m willing to get out of my comfort zone for. I can’t wait to see what new opportunities this semester will bring, and I’m most definitely excited to work with a brand new group of people.

My Journey to the Corsair