Lily Huynh/The Cougar
College is one of the most confusing times in a person’s life. You’re learning new things, adjusting to a new environment and entering a completely different stage of life all at once.
On top of that, college is confusing in a literal sense. Between FAFSA, orientation, choosing the right classes, navigating campus culture and figuring out which dorm doesn’t have a roach problem, it can feel overwhelming.
Most students have someone who has already been through it all to help guide them, whether that’s an older sibling, a parent or another family member.
But when you’re a first-generation college student with parents who don’t understand how the college process works and no siblings to lean on, you quickly realize that your college experience depends almost entirely on you.
That realization can be intimidating. Every decision feels like a guess and every mistake feels bigger because you’re figuring it out as you go. But there’s also something rewarding about overcoming those challenges on your own. Once you get through the confusion, there is a sense of pride in knowing you found your way without a roadmap.
Figuring it out
Those first few months after decision day can feel overwhelming. Once you commit to a university, you’re suddenly handed a checklist of requirements that feels never-ending and you haven’t even set foot in a classroom yet.
I remember going through that checklist with my mom, who at the time seemed to know everything. That quickly changed when I told her she needed to co-sign my FAFSA application before I could submit it. When she looked at me and asked, “What’s FAFSA?” I realized I was the one who would have to figure this out.
At that moment, it hit me that neither of us really knew what we were doing. While many students have parents who can walk them through the college process because they’ve been through it before, either through their own experience or an older sibling’s, my mom was learning alongside me. For the first time, I realized that if I wanted answers, I would have to find them myself.
The first-generation advantage
As first-generation students, we’re used to figuring things out on our own. I’ve always considered myself my parents’ right-hand woman. Ever since I was a kid, I helped them navigate parts of the new world they came to that often felt unfamiliar.
Looking back, I know my mom wishes she hadn’t had to rely on me as much as she did. But in a way, those experiences helped prepare me for the world I’m living in now. They taught me independence long before I ever set foot on a college campus.
I often joke with my friends that I’m cooler than they are because I know how to file taxes, apply for a mortgage and understand credit scores, all because I learned about those things much earlier than most people my age.
The same skills that helped my parents years ago are the ones helping me navigate college today. I know to call the financial aid office when something doesn’t look right with my scholarship package.
I’m comfortable asking questions when I don’t understand something and I’ve developed the patience needed to deal with confusing systems and unhelpful customer service representatives.
While being a first-generation student comes with challenges, it also gives you a level of resourcefulness that can’t really be taught. You’ve spent years learning how to find answers, adapt to unfamiliar situations and advocate for yourself. By the time you get to college, those skills become some of your greatest strengths.
Creating the path
Our parents teach us so many things: how to walk, how to be kind and how to navigate the world around us. If you’re a first-generation student, they also unknowingly teach you how to be an adult and how to navigate the real world by watching them and helping them get through systems that are often unfamiliar.
It’s a unique experience that is often misunderstood because we aren’t simply the first people in our families to attend college. We’re the example for those who come after us. We’re the mapmakers for our younger siblings, cousins or future children, helping create a path that didn’t exist before.
One day, when they reach this point in life, they’ll have someone to lean on and someone who can guide them through the confusing parts of college because, trust me, there are many. And that’s something worth being proud of.
Being first-generation isn’t about being the first; it’s about making the journey a little easier for the next person who follows.
Opinion@thedailycougar.com
