From self-doubt to self-belief

Britney Erazo radiates resilience and positive energy. Raised on Long Island by a single mother, alongside two sisters, Erazo is the first in her family to attend a four-year college.

Arriving at Binghamton University wasn’t without its challenges. Erazo recalled her initial reaction to campus and all the successful students around her.

“I didn’t think I was worthy to be here,” she admitted. “But then I reminded myself that I worked my entire high school career to get into a good college.”

The moment of arrival was surreal — coming to a new environment where she didn’t know anyone. She spent her first three semesters grappling with feelings of inadequacy and impostor syndrome.

“I’d look at people and think, ‘They don’t look like me, they don’t have the same background,’” she said.

She noticed how easily some students accessed resources, while she hesitated to even seek tutoring — something for which she’d never had the opportunity before.

“I’d put myself down academically,” she said. “I didn’t think I was worthy.”

A major turning point came through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which Erazo described as life-changing. Her time spent working with EOP staff made her feel supported and helped her develop a pattern that worked for her.

“Working with EOP showed me how to actually grind,” she said. “They put you on a schedule, a template you can carry throughout your college career.”

That structure helped her develop study habits and a sense of discipline, while also providing her with a network of support and encouragement — people who clearly cared about her as a student and as a person.

“EOP has been my biggest support system,” Erazo said. “I can bring them the good and the bad. It feels like family every time.”

From her first days on campus, she found guidance in counselors and staff who became mentors. Ryan Mead, assistant director of academic support services and programming, helped her find on-campus jobs and navigate academic hurdles, while EOP Director Karima Legette became her go-to for pep talks before (and after) exams.

“Karima gives the most inspiring speeches,” Erazo said. “After a tough exam, when you feel like giving up, she reminds you that you belong here.”

Now, Erazo is giving back. She works at the EOP Tutorial Center front desk, tutors fellow students and organizes Sunday study events, called “BEP 2.0,” in reference to the Binghamton Enrichment Program (BEP) summer bridge program, to help others stay focused and get some much-needed work done to prepare for the week ahead.

“I’ve always been the type of person to show others around,” Erazo said. “In the EOP, we’re like a little family. You want to be a role model to the next generation, the same way someone was for you.”

As the Binghamton EOP continues to grow, Erazo has doubled down on her commitment to the department and made an effort to make every student that enters the Tutorial Center feel welcomed as a part of the EOP family.

“I think giving back is really cool,” she said. “I want to help someone find the better in their own life. That fulfillment is something I want to have forever.”

Looking ahead, Erazo is pursuing a biology degree and is hoping to become a physician’s assistant, with physical therapy as a backup plan. After finding a sense of self-confidence and optimism, Erazo is hoping to instill the same in others.

“Before I arrived in Binghamton, I was very secluded, even pessimistic,” Erazo said. “Now, I feel comfortable in my own skin. I love the way I can talk to people, the way I approach academics, the friendships I make — I’m growing into my own independent person. I just love me right now!”

Her advice to incoming students is simple: “Be open-minded. College is constant change — and it’s for the better. You grow independent. You become your own person. It’s life-changing.”