Blog
Find advice and follow the college experiences of our current first-gen student bloggers.
From Freshman to Senior, A Reflection
Looking back on freshman year I remember a very nervous, timid, and anxious Nahomi. Coming to such a big school was definitely something I was neither prepared for, nor expected. I think my biggest fear was not finding my own place, or sense of belonging, especially...
How to Survive the First Weeks of College!
Hello everyone, so I have been a college student for a few weeks! I am going to be honest the few weeks have been a little chaotic. As a first generation student, I had no idea what to expect and I was not told to expect. Some of the challenges I have had were;...
So what happens next?
It's been about three weeks since my senior year at the University of Rochester has begun. It's been a great time so far. I've been keeping up with my work just fine and things feel more routine than ever, in a good way. So, while I'm being blasted by dozens of emails...
Graduation is Near– but first, Senior Seminar
Just as many seniors graduating soon, I have to complete a few milestones in order to graduate. One of these milestones is senior seminar. Senior sem is concentrated class where you get to explore a topic for the entire semester and present it at the end of the year...
Wow! Free college counseling for first-gen students
That's right! Yesterday we announced a new partnership with our friends at Chegg to bring free college counseling to first-generation college-bound students across the country through InstaEDU. All registered students on I'm First! are eligible to receive two free...
Opportunity Knocks: Open House, Fly-in & Visit Programs, Part II
Click here to view the October Special Edition Opportunity Knocks newsletter featuring Open House, Fly-in & Visit opportunities at: George Washington University, Washington, DC, Your GW: An Open House Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion, October 23-24; November 13 -...
Meet the new I'm First Bloggers!
We’ve selected 10 awesome first-year college students who beat the odds to become the first in their family to attend college as winners of the 2014 I’m First Scholarship. Scholarship winners receive a $1,000 four-year, renewable award and blog here to chronicle their...
Fresh Start!
Buh-Bye 2013-'14! Welcome 2014-15!!! Sophomore year is here baybee!!!!!!! Time to get it together. Time for fresh start. Time for new opportunities. Time for the best! I think as a freshmen we all begin to experience what is like to be in college and how to approach...
Diary of a FirstGen
This year feels different. I’m in a known place; I’m surrounded by familiar faces, but something still seems different. (In a good way, to be sure.) In spite of being used to campus, privy to the secret study spots, best dining options, and knowing precisely the last...
Summer is Over, Time for Senior Year
Tonight, as I sip my herbal green tea with honey (You know, the loose leave tea-- yum) I cannot help but be in shock that I am a senior. Junior year was so rough for my family and me. Some of you may know that my dear mother had brain surgery- a part of her brain...