Being a first-generation student is a daunting reality. While everything is new and shiny, it also feels big, scary, and challenging. These feelings are hard to grapple with, but at a school like FSU, there are many lessons to learn that help us grow, and it can make all the fear and indecision worth far more than just a degree.
- There’s a Lot to Learn
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Certain truths come with being a first-generation student, and the biggest one I had to learn is that I don’t know everything. It’s not that I’m not smart or capable, but I can acknowledge that there’s a gap between myself and other students, and it goes beyond academic performance.
Even before enrolling in FSU, I faced obstacles like the Common App and the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). Other students in my classes were able to text their parents and call to get it over with, but I didn’t have that option. Neither of my parents could pursue a college education, and any experience they’d had with the school system was almost 20 years before my application cycle, so in many ways, I was on my own.
During this time, I learned to rely on teachers, peers, and community members for guidance. My track coaches and friends’ parents were on the phone helping me complete the FAFSA, and my English teacher reviewed my personal essay. My community carried me through, teaching me that any community you have can be powerful.
This attitude has carried me through my FSU experience on more than one occasion. You may have to get comfortable with leaning on your peers, your upperclassmen, or anyone willing to help. It may seem isolating if your parents can’t help, but that isn’t true. Finding your community may take time, but learning to lean on the people and resources available to you is key to making the most of your journey at any university, not just at FSU.
- Lean Into New Things
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Once I arrived at FSU, I struggled with the unknown. Greek life, football games, going out, and student traditions are all things that came barreling at me, leaving me excited and disoriented all at once. You have to try to soak up all the information you can and ask every question.
Over time, I’ve learned that you can’t let your fear of the unknown steer you away from opportunities. When I first arrived at FSU, the idea of dunking myself in a fountain seemed like the craziest thing I’d ever heard of, but now, I can’t wait for midnight on my 21st birthday. FSU has so many bits and pieces that allow you to feel part of something bigger than yourself, and these things push you to grow and change.
- Life Changes
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From personal experience, I can say that resisting change is futile. It can feel confusing to see and notice yourself shifting, but that’s just what college is. Every word, action, and mistake will change the path that you’re on, and if there’s one thing FSU will teach you, it’s how to duck and roll with the punches.
With the way life comes at you, mistakes are inevitable. You’re going to oversleep and miss class, fail a test, and screw up an important relationship — that’s okay. What’s important is that you have the tenacity to get back up.
It can be difficult to be a first-generation student, but part of life is learning to take things as they come. To all of my first-generation students out there, the most important thing is to keep going. We’ve already made it so far! The odds were stacked against us, and some of us are still fighting them, but we’re here for a reason: we’re here because we put in the work and we believe that we can be something great.
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