Dear fellow first-gens,
As we embark on our senior year of college, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on everything this journey has been for us, and to give credit where it’s due.
First of all, congratulations. We made it to our final year. For many of our peers, obtaining a bachelor’s degree is just part of life, but for many of us first-gens, we really had to fight to get to this point.
Do you remember college move-in day 4 years ago? When you unpacked your two suitcases all alone and watched the other kids get dropped off by their families? Or when your dad said there was no way he could come to Friends & Family Weekend because he couldn’t afford to take time off work? I know those moments were really hard, but I’m so happy that you stuck it out, made this place your home, found your people, and, most importantly realized that you’re not in this alone.
I know at this point you might be focusing on what courses you have left to complete all your major requirements so you can graduate, but don’t forget that by the end of your time here it’s not all about the number of credits you completed. Do you realize how far you’ve come since your First-Year Seminar? How much self-confidence you’ve gained and how you struggled to get there? Your friends always tried to reassure you, “Your grades don’t define you,” but to you it was more than that. How could you explain to them that it wasn’t your worth that you were questioning, but rather whether you were cut out for college at all? Thank goodness that’s no longer a question, because it’s approaching four years and you’re still here, going strong. You belong here, and you have belonged here all along, even though you might have doubted it in the beginning. Even if you had to had to go to every TA help session and ask the SAW mentors to proofread every paper you submitted, you worked so hard to get to this point. Keep it up, we’re all rooting for you.
I’m proud of you for thriving in a rigorous academic setting, especially under the pressure of “My parents came to America for me to do this, so I need to succeed to make them proud and to make their sacrifices worth it.” I hope you have finally figured out that you’re not a failure if you didn’t get a certain internship or didn’t end up doing pre-med like they told all your relatives you would do. So, when the thought of “Why didn’t I major in something more practical instead of Art History?” pops into your head, when you’re looking at jobs on Handshake and questioning whether you wasted your time with a liberal arts degree, remind yourself that you are doing this for you just as much as you are doing it for them. Remind yourself that everything you accomplish here makes them proud, already has, and will continue to. Give yourself credit for continuing to strive for the best even when it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, because it’s not easy.
Thank you for setting an example for your family, peers, and all those who are steps behind you. I promise that the tears you cried when you called your mom after your first week of college saying “I can’t do this anymore,” will all be worth it because the finish line is finally in sight and we’re all crossing it together despite all the times we trip and fall.
Congratulations on all your success so far and your future success. Have a great senior year and continue to make everything count!
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