Blog
Find advice and follow the college experiences of our current first-gen student bloggers.
Too much and Too comfortable
I recently started a Virtual Certified Peer Educator Training through NASPA and I saw a slide that resonated with me, "Common Traps of a Peer Educator: Trying to do too much." A lot of us student leaders or even just active students on campus, fall into this trap. I...
read more
Capture the Moment: CMU Orientation 2016
Orientation was a blast! Orientation at CMU is one of national acclaim; a nine-day convention of events, community discussions, lessons from older students as well as tons of fun programs such as Casino Night, Greek Gala and the Class Photo on the Cut. I was able to...
read more
Summers: Before and After College
The summer before my first year of college I served as a camp counselor’s assistant at the summer camp at my local park. The thing was, I didn’t live in the city where I volunteered; more precisely, I drove about half an hour to get to Lake Eva Summer Camp every day....
read more
Moving-In: Jorge in CMU
My move-in experience was simple; I rolled my duffle bag-suitcase hybrid to my dorm, Hamerschlag House, named after the first president of CMU, Arthur Hamerschlag. I dropped my belongings and after dinner, I unpacked and placed clothes in my wardrobe; this took three...
read more
To The Class of 2024
I can almost remember the summer before my freshman year in college like it was yesterday: frequent runs to go dorm shopping and storage bins covering the dining room floor. After a twelve-hour drive, I arrived at WPI. Once my family helped me unpack my belongings in...
read more
Ignore timelines. Pay attention to your own desires and capabilities.
Although we are often told that college is a time for self-exploration and a heightened sense of independence, we are often met with unsolicited advice on the “right way” to successfully complete college. It seems as if everyone’s timeline for our college experience...
read more
I Almost Didn’t Apply To My Dream School
If it weren’t for robotics, I never would have known about the small engineering school on a hill in Worcester, Massachusetts. All through junior year, all I could focus on was Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). I found myself on Youtube watching WPI’s videos that...
read more
Apartment Hunting
As a first generation student something that isn't really talked about is finding off campus housing. Most students have at least one parent who attended university and when the time came they found an apartment, found roommates and signed a lease. As a first gen...
read more
First Things First
Hi All! My name is Celia Hernandez and I am a Sophomore Psychology Major with a double minor in Sociology and Children's Studies at Illinois State University. With this degree, I am interested in pursuing school psychology or child psychology I am the oldest and I...
read more
Sorority- Scary or Sweet?
Growing up I watched countless TV show's tell me how scary or judgemental greek life or more specifically sororities were. In my head, this built up an image of a group of girls who were mean and cruel. Being a first-generation student made it super difficult my first...
read more