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First-Generation Students Are Far From Alone

Being a first-generation student means taking the first step into a new experience that makes you a stronger person.

Brooke Lynne

Mar 27, 2017

Bloomsburg University Susquehanna University

First-Generation Students Are Far From Alone

Allegheny College

Choosing to venture beyond a high school education is a huge step, especially when you are doing it for the first time with parents who have little to no background in post-secondary education. From the first time you tour your favorite college, to the excitement of opening your acceptance letter to begin the process of joining your Alma mater, you already know that your excitement may not be fully understood by those around you who never experienced college life.

A plethora of emotions may overwhelm you as you realize that this is a crucial moment in your life. The standardized tests and applications were one thing, but now who is going to see college the way you do? Who will you go to when your usual A+ statistics test score in high school suddenly becomes a C+?

These stresses might make you feel like you're the only one doing this alone as you realize you don't have anyone with any experience to turn to. But really, you're not alone.

Over half of the college population is first-generation students!

Knowing that almost half of your college population is doing college for the first time is a comforting feeling. Some campuses around the country even have programs specifically catered to first-generation students to meet up and attend workshops to benefit them during their first year to college, some even sticking with students throughout their whole four year experience.

If you are unsure of finding the help you need in a college setting as a first-generation student, never feel afraid to ask around campus and see if there are any programs for first-generation students. If there are none, find similar people with around you with the same concerns of being the first of their family to attend. There's even the chance of you and some new friends making your own club or organization to meet up and support one another as you go through classes and different school experiences.

Remember that just because you're the first one out of your family to go to college, you are not doing it alone. You are the student going further on a path not many take after high school. Graduation will be here before you know it and you will be an awesome model for any siblings, cousins, or any family who may one day be following the same path as you.

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First-Generation Students Are Far From Alone

Being a first-generation student means taking the first step into a new experience that makes you a stronger person.

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No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

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Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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