Blog
Find advice and follow the college experiences of our current first-gen student bloggers.
TTBFS-The Truth Behind First Semester
I wanted this piece to be especially powerful, since I can now say that my first semester of college is over. I’m half-a-semester closer to sophomore year, and 12.5{53c6eff5ce19621f7316832cfedf08caab022021f1679c62c3f44b8900ceaf72} of my college undergraduate...
Happy Holidays!
Finally finished my first semester at Harvard!!! I can’t even describe how I feel. The first thing I did when I got out of my last final (Philosophy), was call my mom. She was at work so she couldn’t answer but I left her a voicemail thanking her for helping me...
Winter…and the heat is on!
Swish...loop...crank...crank...nervousness...click click click (gear grinds)... click clack...This is the last hump on the roller coaster of my first semester. There is a lot to do between today and the end of this semester, but somehow these last few months have...
Yeah it's a bit past T-Day..
...but I don't think any of us needs a day to give thanks. I must say I am thankful for all things here - from my freedom of speech to the fact that my mom calls me every day [yes every day haha]. I would shed some light on my past and tell you why I'm thankful for...
Four bloggers featured in The Boston Globe
Mean streets to college By Tracy Jan/The Boston Globe November 29, 2009 - It can be lonely at times being a first-generation college student. And as a low-income high school student applying to college, the experience can be overwhelming. Students can now turn to a...
Homesickness 101
A niggling of homesickness and sadness washed over me as I glanced back at my friend Alejandra. Just like most of the campus, she was heading to the airport…excited about going home for the Thanksgiving break. And unlike most of the campus, I was walking to my Latin...
Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving was spent away from home but I was still able to enjoy it in great company. There is an organization on campus called RAZA which is centered around Mexican-American culture. Every year for the past 4 years, RAZA goes to Ed's house for Thanksgiving...
Thankful for the things we often take for granted…
Being with my family these past few days has made me realize just how fortunate I am for having a house over my head for the holidays. I began to think about how many people don't have anyone to go home to. I am grateful that everyone in my family is also relatively...
A Chicana Hero
College is the BEST!! I’ve had days where I felt overwhelmed and thought that I might not be able to make it to the end of the week, but that comes along with the transition. It’s something new, it’s something challenging, but it’s something you can handle. When I...
The Unexpected
When life throws you a curve ball, what do you do? On September 26th, 2009, I lost a very close friend, Adrianna Duffy, due to pulmonary embolism. She was only 17 years old when she left us. I met her a few years back at an A Better Chance (ABC) southern college tour....