Blog
Find advice and follow the college experiences of our current first-gen student bloggers.
On Campus vs. Off Campus Job
Before I came to college, I knew that I was going to have to eventually get a job. While I was in high school, I had a job during my junior and senior year. I liked making money and working, but an immediate effect was that my grades suffered a little bit. I saw this...
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How to Make Ice Breakers Enjoyable
With the new semester beginning, one activity that many of us dread are the ice breakers professors come up with. While ice breakers may seem boring and dull, I’ve noticed that they do in fact tend to “break the ice.” I say this because in the classes where my...
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The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it. — Hubert H Humphrey,
As we approach Thanksgiving, I can't help but think about what it is that I'm grateful for. I am grateful for my faith, because without God, I would not be standing here today; I am grateful for my family, because it was their prayers that brought me this far; and...
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Letters of Recommendation
It seems one of the more stressful parts of the college application process is finding someone to write a recommendation letter for you. Some schools may ask you to provide just one while other may ask for three recommenders. If you’re anything like I was, you’re...
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First Things First
Hey all! My name is Mandy and I’m so excited to be joining the I’m First! family. For my debut post, I figured I’d tell you guys a bit about myself. I’m a senior at Boston University studying Communication Studies (so a combo between Public Relations and Advertising)...
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Summer is Over and It’s a Struggle
We are now two months into the Fall 2019 Semester and summer break is over, but it does not feel like it. Lately, I have been struggling with getting back into the groove of things. It’s been hard saying no to fun plans my friends make, getting into the routine of...
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A Guide On Organization: the Busy Working Student Edition
Having to figure out how to navigate college while simultaneously juggling jobs, extra-curriculars, a social life, and health is a challenge. In my experience, I had to spend more time on academics than classmates because of gaps in my academic background, as well as...
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How Was Move-In?
How was move-in for me? That’s a loaded mash potato of a question. On one hand it was smoother than expected, but on the other it was bittersweet. Move-in day was sunny and warm, but not too warm that my need to always have on a heavy coat—fashion purposes—had me...
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Summer’s Over Already?
As hectic as my first year was-between trying to make friends, keeping on top of my grades, figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, and being productive-I think a part of me craved the constant motion of life. If I wasn’t busy doing one thing I was doing...
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On Leaving Home
I think those few weeks before going back to college, where flights are being bought, plans for the following semester are being made, and goodbyes become more concrete, feel like waiting on a red light. Change is imminent. You know it will arrive soon and you’re...
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