I'm the middle child, second oldest in my family of four siblings.
Now, I may not be the first to attend college, but no one of my immediate family has gotten past a few college courses, let alone earn a degree.
I am currently less than five months away from graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
After I graduated from high school, I went straight into college the following fall. I don't want to think that I did it because I didn't know any other way, but because I wanted to do it for my own well-being and to better myself.
When I first went to college, there was so many new things to get used to. You learn a whole new side of yourself. You learn how to handle multiple college-level classes, stay on top of homework, have a job on the side, and keep a social life.
When you add in being a first-generation student, you don't have as much of a guidance system to fall back on or family to ask for help on simpler things, like how to stay organized, learn how to study properly, how to schedule classes, or how to correctly fill out FAFSA.
Personally, the number one feeling I’ve felt throughout my college career has been pressure. Pressure to make my parents proud. Pressure to keep straight A's, so my parents don't think their money is being wasted. Pressure to earn a degree that I can use in the future. Pressure to spend my money wisely and earn some through a job on the side of classes. Pressure to keep my social relationships alive. Just a lot of pressure, in many different forms.
Not everyone may understand, but I know that the struggles that first-generation college students face can be unlike any other. But please, not only for me, but for everyone who is close to you, always remember to keep pushing through your struggles towards the end goal. Make yourself and your parents the proudest when you walk across that stage with a college diploma. Dedicate your degree to your loved ones and let them celebrate your accomplishment alongside you.
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