New Year, New Me
Hola! I am back to write another blog which will be about my new year resolutions. Can’t believe that we are in 2025. With this…
From Rest to Reset: Transitioning From Winter Break to the New Semester
The three week long luxury of sleeping in comes to an end in mid-January as we return back to school from a well-deserved break. In…
Freshman Year Tips
Hola! I am beyond excited to write my first post! (It's ironic, isn't it, since this is the “I’m First blog"). But, on a more…
A Summer of Social Connections: How Nonprofit Lessons Translated into Meaningful College Experiences
This summer, I did something a little different. No, I didn’t backpack across Asia or learn to bake the perfect chocolate souffle (although both are…
My 5-9 After My 9-5
It’s summertime and no school! But wait…now you have a full-time job. The hardest part of transitioning from college to a summer job is the…
Navigating Academics in College: Advice for Incoming Students
As incoming students prepare to embark on their college journey, the question of academic preparedness can be quite scary to think about for all students.…
A First Gen’s Guide to Studying Abroad
Okay, okay, I know I said in my last blog post that I wouldn’t post anything until the fall, but I couldn’t hint at my…
You Did It! You’ve Completed Another Year of College!
Ah, yes. The time has come for summer break when we all return home and have an actual break from the hustle and bustle of…
Farewell and Good Luck!
My time writing for the "I'm First!" blog has come to an end, but I am filled with gratitude for the past two years of…
Keeping Motivation in Senior Year
Senior year has been so much fun and definitely the best year of my undergraduate experience. While it is the precursor to taking the next…
To work or not to work?
Coming into college I was unsure of what to expect in regards to time, part of me wholeheartedly thought that the only thing I would…
Internships, Jobs, and Summer Break Plans, Oh My!
As I mentioned in my last blog post, now is the time to apply for summer internships and jobs! The best time is to start…
The Importance and Benefits of Building Relationships with Your Professors
For first-generation students, there can be a fallacy about professors in college. The classic misconceptions about professors can be that they are scary, unapproachable, tough,…
College Decision Reactions in Real Time
My phone pinged with an email message: Check your WashU Pathway. My heart fluttered and my anxiety kicked in. Admission decisions were out this early?…
Post-Grad Planning
The world is filled with opportunities, and I never truly realized this more in my life than I do now as I am almost graduating.…
The Waiting Game
I applied to only a few schools my senior year of high school. I got into every school except for one, which was a school…
Navigating Midterms, Spring Break, and Summer Opportunities: A First-Gen Guide
Now that it is the midst of the spring semester, midterms are looming on the horizon. Many of us look forward to spring break, while…
Navigating college
Being the first in your family to attend college is a huge feat that I’ve realized is often not acknowledged as such by first-gen college…
The Waiting Game and Interviews
My college apps are in…so what do I do now? If this sounds like you, enjoy some time away from stressing about college and sing…