Sometimes, being first in something means that you'd get the best, perhaps that's why there is the phrase "first come, first serve." It alludes to a positive outcome if you are a pioneer of any sort. While this could be true, there are certain aspects of life where being first can be daunting. Instead of smooth sailing, it is a never ending roller-coaster. Prime among such situations is being a first-generation college student.
When you are the first in your family line to go to college, you face unique circumstances that center around the fact that you are navigating uncharted waters. The college environment, for instance, is a new frontier for you and your family. It is a strange cultural landscape defined by a ravenous hunger for success and punctuated by mouthfuls of jargon enough to fill a thesaurus. In college, first-generation students are faced with an important question: How does one define success in their own terms?
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As a first-generation student myself, it is always refreshing to hear spirited talks of "be your own woman," "do your own thing" and the like. A warm gush of reassurance washes over me and I, for a moment or two, feel liberated by the fact that I might as well pick the road less traveled (whatever that might be), and defy societal expectations. However, this feeling is but fleeting. In my eyes, it is difficult to garner the courage to walk away from the traditional and familial definition of what it means to be successful. But, this is not to say it is improbable. I am aware I am not alone in this. The same goes for most of the 50 percent or so college students in America, who according to Concordia University, are first generation college students.
Various factors play into the ambivalence of first-generation students towards success. Basically, there is the subtle or not-so-subtle pressure to do extremely well simply because they have the life-changing opportunity to be in college, one that was not available to their parents. Therefore, they are charged with a heavy duty of establishing a good legacy. Secondly, most first-generation students feel greatly indebted to their parents who made great sacrifices to for them to reach to college. It is likely that growing up their parents labored to make education access possible and consequently this (over)emphasized the master narrative of success. Usually, the narrative dictates that you should get a lot of educational qualifications and a high-paying job. When first-generation students internalize such experiences, it is almost impossible to encourage them to feel comfortable enough to define success in their individual languages.
So, is all lost? Are first-generation college students doomed to live in the dilemma between being themselves and pursuing what most of society would say is "successful?" No, I do not think so. I believe that first-generations could draw on the indomitable resilience inert in them as it would fuel a swim against the current. It is difficult yet easy. It takes a lot of energy to subvert the accepted definition of success especially when you have spent a very long time trying to achieve it. However, the rewards and fulfillment of seeking success in your personal terms, I believe, greatly outweigh this challenge.
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