This article was originally written for FirstGenerationStudent.com, now a part of ImFirst.org.
I remember waking up and putting on my suit. While I took the extra time to adjust the knot on my tie, I looked in the mirror. As I stood there dressed to make an impression, I gazed at my reflection and paused to take in the moment. There I was, student body president of Fresno State University, a young man who once had a vision to attend college and to do great things, a young man who aspired to be the first in his family to attend college and to become a first-generation college graduate.
I recall the first opportunity I had to show my family the campus. As I was giving them a tour, we crossed paths with Dr. Welty, Fresno State’s former University President. As we passed him, I smiled and said hello and he graciously returned the greeting. At the time, he probably thought of me as another student walking around campus. In the near future, that would change.
The Benefits of Being First in My Family
There are many benefits to being the first in my family to go to college. To my extended family, I am an educational adviser and often answer questions they have about preparing their children for college. In my immediate family, I have the opportunity to influence my younger sisters to pursue higher education and to make a difference in their lives. Friends and family all look up to me as I pursue my educational endeavors and share my experiences with them.
Learning the Value of Hard Work
I attribute my ambition, strong work ethic and morals to my parents. They were both in high school when they found out that they had a baby boy on the way. My dad decided to leave high school and get a job in the construction field. My mom opted to finish high school and often jokes, “Mijo, you are so good at juking (dodging) on the football field because I had to juke my tummy with you in it. I had to make sure all the high school students would not bump into you when I was going to class in the hallways.” My dad would wake up early in the morning and head off to work, rain or shine, sick or healthy. I would wake up when my mom kissed me goodbye as she left for work. At a young age, this help me realize that hard work can get you anywhere in life.
I wish I could say that high school was a breeze and that I graduated valedictorian, but that was not the case. I often chose to not do homework or attend class and stood by as my grades began to slip. Although college was an option, as were entering the work force and joining the military, I never had a sense of inspiration or motivation to strive for it, other than my parents saying it was important. I could not look forward to having college experiences like my dad, or staying up late studying for a final like my mom, or living on the ramen noodle college diet like my parents because they never had those experiences. It was hard to get excited about college when the only thing I knew was that “It is important.” Halfway through my junior year, I finally realized the importance of education and turned my behaviors around. I received my acceptance letter from Fresno State two weeks before students had to specify what college they were going to attend.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
I figured that God gave me a second chance: college was going to be my high school 2.0. Once I made this decision, I realized that my perception of everything changed. A mentor of mine always says something to the effect of, “At the edge of uncomfortable is where you find greatness.” I wish I could give this advice to first-generation college students. Get out of your comfort zone, stop worrying about what others think and make tough decisions. Go to the first club meeting; run for a student government position; raise your hand and ask a question in class. Stop worrying, get outside your comfort zone and just do it! Yes, it is scary and may not go as planned, but you have to try. You were probably nervous when deciding to go to college. When you made the decision (or when you are going to make the decision) to go to college, you are achieving greatness! Showing up is the hardest thing and once you accomplish that, you will be successful. So, I encourage you to get involved. In fact, I challenge you to get involved in just one thing. I have noticed that being involved on campus is very addictive and students enjoy it so much that they get involved in multiple areas. Guess what: you will, too!
Take Time to Reflect
The second piece of advice I want to give to first-generation college students is this: always take a moment to reflect. Take the time to realize that you are in college and reflect on the fact that you are the first in your family to do so. Reflect on that fact that you are a pioneer for your family and will be the reason why future generations look forward to attending college. When you get involved on campus, reflect on the position you hold, whether it is student body president or secretary of a club. Reflect on everything you are accomplishing and everything you will accomplish.
Achieve Greatness
There I was, all dressed up and staring in the mirror. It was at that moment that I reflected on my college journey and thought about the event with Dr. Welty. I took one more breath and knew that I was ready to meet the newly appointed University President, Dr. Castro, for the first time. After the first couple weeks of the semester, President Castro and I were often participating in events together. I now know that when I give my family another campus tour (since my sister will be deciding which college she wants to attend) and we pass by the President of the University, we will stop to talk and joke with him. He will not see me as just some student giving his family a tour of the campus. He will see me as Moses, the student body president. Moments like those should serve as a source of courage in making those tough decisions, getting out of your comfort zone and, as a result, achieving greatness.