Lily Huynh/The Cougar
First-generation college students make up 44% of the student body at UH. These students are the first in their families to pursue a four-year college education.
For many, this implies figuring out the application process and the challenges that come along the way by themselves.
Despite their family not being able to help during their college experience, they are still a shoulder to lean on and a source of motivation for these first generation students.
“Being a first-generation student shows my resilience. Due to my upbringing, I have been put against every trial to get to university,” said political science and communications freshman Valerie Erazo. “To be a first-generation student means to beat all the odds, break generational curses and continue to build knowledge.”
The college application process combined with FAFSA, is usually the first bump in the road that often leads to students feeling unmotivated and anxious about college which leaves them with doubts about graduating.
These struggles usually start in high school since most students come from families with no prior knowledge of extracurriculars or advanced placement classes that are helpful to be able to stand out in college applications.
The FAFSA process requires students and their parents to answer a series of complicated questions, most of which have to be answered by parents who often don’t understand the questions.
This past year, FAFSA made changes to their application process claiming it would be simpler, however, these changes have caused parents lacking permanent legal status to be discriminated against.
“FAFSA was difficult to fill out, due to it being discriminatory towards my family and I had a difficult time understanding how to apply to college,” said Erazo. “I wasn’t sure how extracurriculars worked and I didn’t have access to AP classes in high school, so I came into college with zero credits.”
Despite these challenges and demotivating situations, Erazo has everything figured out now and is enjoying student life.
For any student, nothing compares to the support their parents and families can give them during college.
“I came across a lot of issues regarding planning and I didn’t really have anyone to go to for advice,” said education sophomore Celina Madrigal. “Most times I have to figure it out on my own and asking faculty for advice could never be the same.”
Through these hardships, first-generation students still felt the need and determination to work hard and achieve a higher education.
For students like Erazo and Madrigal, all of this is a result of watching their parents struggle and start from zero to give them a good life and open up opportunities.
For the most part, first-generation students have seen their parents work long hours to make ends meet.
Along with the stories of struggle and childhood dreams, parents have helped students realize the importance of attending college and having the opportunity to live out the aspirations their parents could only ever dream of.
“The stories about their childhood and knowing their past has inspired me,” said studio art junior Keren Lopez. “Just in general hearing the stories about how they couldn’t even complete a high school degree because they needed to work in order to help their family out: that inspires me to complete my university path.”
Though college can be challenging and there are other hardships outside of college that students have to learn to manage, succeeding is not impossible.
Having a community and family to lean back on when things get rough is important, especially for first-generation students who can at times feel alone and anxious about their future.
Family is the biggest backbone of a student’s education. First-generation students often look up to their parents and are grateful for their guidance and support.
“All the hard work, the long commutes, the long nights studying, is nothing compared to what my parents did to allow me to be in the situation that I am now,” said kinesiology senior Pedro Lopez-Sanchez. “Everything I do is for them.”
Apart from family and emotional support, UH also offers resources to help first-generation students navigate college stress-free such as the Center for Student Empowerment and Career Springs.
The faculty and staff have helped UH to be accepted into the First Generation Forward Network along with 429 other colleges and universities.
