The Her Campus National Editors write about products we love and think you’ll love too. Her Campus has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. All products are in stock and all prices are accurate as of publication.
I am the youngest daughter of two hardworking, dedicated, talented, and loving parents. My parents have always tried their best to give me the resources I needed to make something of myself. They have provided me with knowledge, wisdom, and the confidence to believe I can make my dreams a reality.
Being the only person in my family to be blessed with the opportunity of higher education isn’t something my family and I have taken lightly. The thought of being successful always consumes and weighs down my mind. I know my parents have always wanted me to have “a better life” than they did. As the first in my family, female nonetheless, to be in college, I am constantly busy. Whether I’m working to pay off my student loan debt, endlessly studying, or just constantly taking advantage of school opportunities, I am always trying my best to make the most of what’s offered to me.
As a proud Mexican-American, it can be hard at times trying to fit into some spaces that weren’t meant for my people in the first place. Being at a prestigious school with an oppressive background means that I face imposter syndrome on the daily. When I first arrived at university, It was REALLY hard not comparing my upbringing to others who had more resources growing up than I did.
I would concern myself with what others around me were doing. If I saw that someone had something I wanted, I would ask myself “Why not me?” I would unfairly compare myself to others because of my lack of confidence — that was, until recently.
“Everyone has their own race, worry about yourself and not the person next to you” is something I’ve heard from one of my academic advisors, and it has truly stuck with me. I noticed I would compare myself to the person next to me, however, we both ended up at the exact same place. I was so worried that because I had no clue what I was doing as a first-gen student, I was behind. In reality, no one truly knows what they are doing. I used to believe I didn’t deserve to go to an amazing school like UT. I was so wrong. I have worked just as hard as everyone else that attend this school.
To me, being first-generation doesn’t JUST mean being the first in my family to go to college and earn a degree. It means being able to liberate myself from all the past struggles my family and I have had to endure. Being first-generation means I get to provide hope of a better life to the ones that have always pushed me to conquer. I am proud of my roots and I’m most definitely proud to be a first-gen student!
Happy First-Gen Week, UT Austin!