Elevate: Yessenia Vargas

Timothy Webb (00:13): Thank you all for joining us today here on Elevate, broadcasting from the Razorback Camper Sales studio. This National Park College podcast highlights a different nighthawk with each episode. We'll talk about their journey, challenges, key moments of success, their moments of elevation, leveling up, and overcoming. (00:34): I'm Timothy Webb, your host, and I'd like to welcome Yessi Vargas to the program. Thank you so much for joining us today. Yessenia Vargas (00:40): Thank you. Timothy Webb (00:41): So, Yessi, how long have you been here at National Park College? Yessenia Vargas (00:45): This is my second year here at NPC. Timothy Webb (00:48): Okay. And what is your position here? I heard you have many positions here. Yessenia Vargas (00:53): Yes. So I'm the team captain of the women's soccer team. I'm also the president of the Cultural Diversity Club, and I'm the secretary for the NAMI Club, which is the National Alliance of Mental Illness. And I'm also an at-large representative of the SGA. Timothy Webb (01:12): What's the SGA? Yessenia Vargas (01:13): It's the Student Government Association. Timothy Webb (01:15): Oh, okay. Wow. Do you ever sleep? Yessenia Vargas (01:19): Yeah, surprisingly I do. Timothy Webb (01:22): Okay. So what are some of the challenges of some of those positions? Yessenia Vargas (01:26): Well, honestly, it's time. Just sometimes I forget that I have to be here, and then I'm like, "Oh God, I'm all the way on the other side of campus." So I just be running around. Timothy Webb (01:38): Yeah, I bet. I bet you are. So as the president of the student government, what are some of the myths about your job? Yessenia Vargas (01:48): So I'm president of the Cultural Diversity Club. Timothy Webb (01:51): Oh, I'm sorry. Yessenia Vargas (01:51): Yeah. Timothy Webb (01:51): Yes. Yessenia Vargas (01:53): I'd say myths would be just the amount of responsibility and work I have to do. It's a student-led organization, so I don't do everything. It's like me and the other members of the club, and as well as the advisors. I guess the myth would be just the president doing everything, and that's not true at all. Timothy Webb (02:14): So it's a team effort. Yessenia Vargas (02:15): Yeah. Timothy Webb (02:17): Yeah. What brought you to National Park, and what were some of the obstacles that you had to overcome to get here? Yessenia Vargas (02:23): Well, what brought me here? Last year, I got recruited to play soccer- Timothy Webb (02:28): Oh, nice. Yessenia Vargas (02:29): ... with Coach Tello. Unfortunately, he left to go coach somewhere else. But yeah, I got a scholarship to play here and I guess an obstacle was the distance because I'm from Texas and it was like a seven-hour drive. And also the money. Just my parents and my family back home, we don't have much. So it was a struggle to figure out a way to pay for the college and everything, but with help of the scholarship and loans and just FAFs and all that, I got it worked out, so yeah. Timothy Webb (03:05): That's awesome. When you got that scholarship, how did it feel? Did it- Yessenia Vargas (03:08): It felt great. Timothy Webb (03:09): Yeah. Yessenia Vargas (03:10): Yeah, because before getting that scholarship, I honestly didn't know what I was going to do if I wanted to take a gap year, if I wanted to keep playing soccer, but thankfully when I got that offer, I took it as soon as I could. Timothy Webb (03:25): Yeah. So, out of all your positions, which one is the most rewarding and what rewards you the most about it? Yessenia Vargas (03:33): Honestly, I'm going to say being the team captain of the soccer team. I think what's most rewarding is just being respected by others. I really love the relationships I've built with several girls on the team, and scoring goals, playing games, just playing soccer in general. It makes me really happy. And being in a team with good people, it makes me even happier. Timothy Webb (04:02): Yes, yes. Yessenia Vargas (04:03): Yeah. Timothy Webb (04:04): I'm a basketball player, and so I know what you're talking about when you have that connection with your teammates and everything's clicking. It just feels so wonderful, and it feels easy, doesn't it- Yessenia Vargas (04:13): Yeah. Timothy Webb (04:13): ... when you get that sense of ease to accomplish your goals as a team. Yessenia Vargas (04:17): Yeah. Timothy Webb (04:18): So that's wonderful, yeah. Is there anything that being the captain of the soccer team has taught you that you can take with you or you wish other people might know as well? Yessenia Vargas (04:31): I guess it's still teaching me a lot to this day. But one thing I really did struggle was having a voice and believing in myself and being the captain and just having the other girls support me and give me good advice and everything. I feel like being the team captain was just a blessing in general. I really like being that person that people go to when they need answers, being the person people go to in general for anything. I like to be that person. I like listening to others and giving advice. Timothy Webb (05:14): That's good. Yessenia Vargas (05:15): Yeah. Timothy Webb (05:15): Yeah, yeah. So what are some of the achievements that you're really proud of that you've accomplished in your short, short career here? Yessenia Vargas (05:23): Yeah. Well, last year I can proudly say that I was the first goal scorer in NPC history. Timothy Webb (05:34): What? Yessenia Vargas (05:34): And I was the top scorer last year as well. Timothy Webb (05:36): That's awesome. You were the first National Park soccer player to score a goal? Yessenia Vargas (05:42): Yeah. Timothy Webb (05:44): Wow. Wow. That's going to stay. See, that's yours forever. Yessenia Vargas (05:46): Yeah. Timothy Webb (05:47): That's history. Yessenia Vargas (05:47): Yeah, my name's going to be somewhere. Timothy Webb (05:49): Yeah, that's amazing. So you said you're from Texas. Where did you grow up? What was your childhood hometown? Yessenia Vargas (05:57): So I was born in Houston, Texas, and I grew up in the southwest part in a little town called Fresno. And then coming here, it was just different. Timothy Webb (06:08): Yeah. Is there one specific difference you can reach to, or is there something that's sticking out in your mind? Yessenia Vargas (06:18): Well, it's kind of like, it's not something serious, but the way people drive. Timothy Webb (06:23): Yeah. Yessenia Vargas (06:24): Yeah. Back in Houston, people, they be driving fast. And then here it's slow. People are calmer here, I'd say, because it's a lot of trees and nature. And over there is cities, and I feel like people here are more connected to the nature. And then over there, people are really just going from place to place. But me personally, I've always liked nature. So when I came here, I felt good. I was like, "Oh wow, I don't see this at home." I don't see mountains at home. So yeah. Timothy Webb (07:06): That's awesome. So do you have someone in your life that was a really big influence, and can you tell us how they impacted your life? Yessenia Vargas (07:16): I'd say my mom. I've learned a lot from her growing up. She's taught me how to be a strong woman. She really inspires me because I feel like she is one of the strongest women I've known. She's always given me the best advice, even though most of the time I didn't really listen to it until it was too late. She's the reason why I've learned my lessons because even when she told me, "No," and I still went and did something and I learned from that, I'm like, "Okay, she was right." Timothy Webb (07:53): Yeah. Yessenia Vargas (07:53): Yeah. Timothy Webb (07:54): Well- Yessenia Vargas (07:54): But I think that's everyone. Timothy Webb (07:55): Yeah, I think so. I think you're not alone there. Yeah, I'm sure my mom would agree with that. Big thanks to the moms putting up with their hard-headed kids. You have a favorite childhood memory you'd like to share? Yessenia Vargas (08:07): The first time I ever visited Mexico, I was probably five years old. I think that's one of my favorite memories, simply because it's a whole other country. It was my first time meeting family members that I didn't even know existed. It was fun. And I'm the only girl in my family. I have all brothers. So when we all came down there and they met the little princess, I felt like a princess. Timothy Webb (08:36): Yeah. Yessenia Vargas (08:36): Yeah. I was treated like one. Timothy Webb (08:38): That's awesome. What would you give your younger self as far as advice, if you could? Yessenia Vargas (08:46): Probably listen to your mom. Timothy Webb (08:47): There you go. You done said that, didn't you? Yessenia Vargas (08:49): Yeah. Timothy Webb (08:49): Yeah. Listen to your mom, boys and girls. Okay, other than the things you have going on here at National Park College, what are some of your hobbies? Yessenia Vargas (08:59): I really like to paint on canvases. I like painting cartoon characters, anime characters. I enjoy it. I really do. Just drawing and painting. Timothy Webb (09:12): Is there any painting you have in mind that you're most proud of? Yessenia Vargas (09:16): I just now painted Patrick Star from SpongeBob. Timothy Webb (09:20): Oh my gosh. Yessenia Vargas (09:21): But I feel like it looks cool. I make my paintings look a little trippy. So I paint the characters, but I add details to them, if that makes sense. Timothy Webb (09:31): Yeah. Yessenia Vargas (09:32): And I really like how they look. I'm trying to have my whole dorm room full of my paintings. Timothy Webb (09:37): Yeah. What drew you to painting? Is that just you like creating the art, or what is it specifically? Yessenia Vargas (09:44): Well, since I was younger, I've always liked to draw and everything, but now it's a form of meditation, I'd say. It calms me. It's very calming. It's very therapeutic to paint. I'm really only focusing on painting, so I don't really have any other thoughts all in my brain. It's calming, and I feel at peace when I paint. Timothy Webb (10:07): Nice. Nice. Yessenia Vargas (10:08): Yeah. Timothy Webb (10:11): I don't know, maybe you can relate to this, but I've often said after I get done painting something, I was like, "It makes me feel good to know that I've made something that will be here after I'm gone." Yessenia Vargas (10:18): Yeah. Timothy Webb (10:18): I don't know why that is, but it does. Yessenia Vargas (10:21): Yeah. Yeah. That's actually a good... I feel good after finishing something and then everyone else compliments it, or, "Can I have this painting?" And I'm like, "Okay, it's going to be there." Timothy Webb (10:32): Right. Right. It's a little struggle through the process, but then once you're done, you feel good and it's like, "Hey, this'll be here." So what's your future plans? Yessenia Vargas (10:42): Well, I recently just switched my major to social work. I feel like that'll be a faster and better way of becoming a therapist, because I want to be a therapist. I also want to keep playing soccer, so hopefully I get something worked out and play at a next-level soccer team and continue studying. Because, honestly, if the opportunity comes, I would love to play professional soccer. Timothy Webb (11:11): Right. Yeah. Yessenia Vargas (11:12): Yeah. Timothy Webb (11:12): Absolutely. We'd love to root you on in that for sure. So, Yessi, do you have any advice you'd like to leave our listeners with, any quotes or mottoes you live by? Yessenia Vargas (11:22): Yeah, actually, yeah. Just know that you belong in this moment. Just to go with the flow of life. Don't force anything. What you want will come to you. Just be patient. Believe in yourself. Love yourself. Connect with others. Spread love. Timothy Webb (11:42): That's nice. Yessenia Vargas (11:43): Yeah. Timothy Webb (11:43): That's really good. That's really good. Okay, so if you could talk to anyone in history, who would it be and why? Yessenia Vargas (11:49): Anyone? Could be anyone? Anyone? Timothy Webb (11:51): Anyone. Yessenia Vargas (11:51): Okay. So for this newer generation, I guess you would know who I'm talking about, but there's this rapper that passed away in 2018 and- Timothy Webb (12:02): What was his name? Yessenia Vargas (12:03): ... he went by XXXTentacion. Timothy Webb (12:05): Okay, yeah. Yessenia Vargas (12:06): I really like his way of thinking. Yes, although in the beginning of his career, he wasn't seen as a good person. He eventually changed, and I saw that he went through a spiritual, a little awakening, and if I could talk to him, I would ask him so many questions. I just really liked the way he thought about different things and how he went about things as well. And he's a perfect example of people can change and they can change for the better as well. Timothy Webb (12:43): Can you name what his way of thinking was that you really are drawn to? Yessenia Vargas (12:48): His way of thinking? He was just very straightforward, and he tried to be as positive as he could, despite all the hate he got, gave advice to everyone. He would just post on his story and he would say like, "You're not alone." And he also spoke through his music, so, yeah. Timothy Webb (13:11): Yeah. Well, Yessi, thank you so much for joining us today on Elevate, and we've- Yessenia Vargas (13:15): Thank you. Timothy Webb (13:15): ... really enjoyed having you. (13:18): And thanks to all of you for listening to Elevate today from the Razorback Camper Sales studio. New episodes are released each Thursday. Special thanks to National Park College and The Sentinel-Record for making this podcast possible. Until next time, this is Timothy Webb reminding you that every day is a chance to elevate.