Being a first gen student is such a unique and terrifying experience. It’s one that’s filled with uncertainty and worry but also with pride and self-confidence. Being first gen for me is being able to take pride in my work at school in terms of both academics, social life, and in emotional life. The emotional aspect of being first-gen at a prominently white university at first can be very daunting and you can feel extremely alone. You have to remember however that you can ask for help and that you are never alone. There are constant resources that are available to you, not only as a student but also as a human being. Something that was extremely beneficial to me was just putting myself out there and attending RSO meetings alone or events put on my floor. Another way I was able to make friends and put myself out there was by getting a job on campus and interacting with my co-workers! It made me feel like I wasn’t alone because I had others to speak to and grab lunch after work. As a freshman/sophomore during COVID I was very insecure about how I was perceived by other students and if I was doing enough to get involved. Now as a senior, I have an amazing support system in the friends that I have and in the amazing professors, I have had the amazing privilege to interact with. Another source of comfort that I found was in this blog, reading others’ stories about their experience as first-generation students made me realize that I wasn’t alone.
