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Sometimes, I feel like I’m constantly shifting between two identities. At home, I’m one person, and at school, I’m another. I know this probably sounds two-faced at first glance, but it’s a means of survival for a lot of first-generation college students, who often feel like they don’t belong at school or at home.
An article published on Inside Higher Ede cites research that shows the disparities between first-generation and continuing-generation students. Just to name a few: first-generation college students are less than half as likely to earn a four-year degree than their continuing-generation peers, far more likely to come from lower-income households, and are overall at a higher risk of dropping out.
As first-generation students, it certainly feels like the odds are stacked against us, and that’s because in many ways, they are. Here are some of the obstacles I’ve faced as a first-generation student.
1. You start out behind in a lot of ways
This is honestly one of the most frustrating aspects of being a first-generation student—especially if you are lower-income. Regardless of the potential a student has, they’re inevitably starting a bit behind their fellow students who are higher-income, continuing-generation.
Since neither of my parents went to college, what was new for me was just as new for them. As the youngest of three, I had the advantage of watching my older sisters go out into the world and experience things before me. They were able to show me the ropes when I started college, and for that I’ll always be grateful. But not everyone has that. Plus, even with their help there were a lot of things I had to figure out by myself, and it was isolating at times.
2. Resources are limited
For students who already feel out of place, resources need to be more outreaching. These students are not helpless, but there is a lot of fear and anxiety surrounding their position. It would make a world of difference if first-generation resources were more accessible. Since they are in the minority, it’s easy to feel like an anomaly. So, while it may seem ironic, these students are the among the least likely to reach out and ask for help.
3. You feel like you’re on your own a lot of the time
It’s not that my parents don’t value education, because they do—as do a lot of parents whose children have broken the mold and attended college. However, many parents simply don’t understand what being in college is like, and as a result, sometimes they don’t know how to be supportive. That’s not my parents’ fault, but nevertheless it’s a reality.
Whenever I see fellow students whose parents are more or less forcing them to go to college, or at least to pursue a particular major, it’s hard to fathom. My parents never pushed me to go to college. I didn’t take concurrent college classes in high school or fill out applications for scholarships and colleges because they nagged me—I did it because I knew it was what I needed to in order to get where I wanted to be one day. It likely wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t taken the initiative.
The point in saying all this is not to discredit either of my parents, because they have truly done everything in their ability to help me succeed. But that’s the point: sometimes it feels like treading water.
Being a first-generation student poses some unique challenges, but don’t let it become an excuse. Let it push you that much harder. Try not to compare yourself with others, or think that they must have it easy because they’re not in your position. Don’t lose sight of why you’re pursuing an education in the first place. Your journey is not going to look like anyone else’s, and that’s ok.