First Generation
A first generation student is someone who is the first in their family to graduate from college or university. I am the first person in my family to pursue a higher education, and now just semesters away from graduating, it is something I carry with me everyday. All I want is to make my family proud. I often feel like I have something to prove every time I step into a classroom or job interview. While both first generation students and students from higher educated families face strong academic pressure, that pressure takes on different forms: one rooted in navigating the unknown, and the other living up to academic excellence.
My mother never had the chance to pursue a higher education, or even graduate from high school. Fleeing a war torn country when she was 16, coming to the states to reunite with her family, and soon after becoming a mother herself. Her life quickly changed to working and making a life for herself. My father being displaced in his late teens resulted in him not getting his GED till his twenties. He was pushed into the workforce early, and has been working ever since.
So when I say education is a privilege, I mean it.
In a conversation with one of my friends, he mentioned his mother has a masters degree, and his father earned a PhD. Both of them pursued a higher education to better themselves and set themselves up for excellence. One being a teacher and the other is “a man of many hats” according to him. Their academic paths set them up for success, and set a standard for him to follow.
Expectations
The expectations from our families are similar in intention yet vastly different in shape.
For Wright, college wasn’t just encouraged, it was the plan. A masters degree was in his sights since his sophomore year of college. Straight A’s were the norm, and anything less resulted in a loss of privileges. Academic excellence was in a way, tradition.
Growing up, I did not feel that kind of pressure. I wanted to do well in school, but college was a choice for me, not a requirement. I knew I needed a plan after graduation, but I didn’t get serious about higher education until my senior year when it suddenly became real.
Academic Pressure as a First- Gen Student
Now that I am in college, most of the pressure comes from myself. I represent my family with every step I take. I am proud of that, but it also means I carry a quiet constant fear of failure. I’m always trying to build a better future for them and for me.
One of the hardest parts of being a first generation student is how unprepared I felt when I got here. I wasn’t pushed into college, the decision was mine alone. That also meant I did not know what to expect or how anything worked. Figuring out FAFSA, financial aid, to choosing a major, to simply understanding college culture. I help pay my tuition, pay my own bills and I am always searching for ways to support myself financially. Internships, professional organizations, networking, all of it feels like a maze when the only people who understand are advisors, and even then, it is up to me to take every step.
There is also an emotional side of leaving home. While I am the one who moved away, my family is together back home. I carry a lot of guilt knowing I am missing out on moments with them. But I am doing it because I truly believe in what a higher education can do for your future. That makes the distance painful, yet so worth it.
Academic Pressure From a Higher Educated Family
For Wright, academic success isn’t a dream but the expectation. With a mom who earned a masters degree and a dad with a PhD, school was always the number one priority. Straight A’s weren’t celebrated and B’s resulted in privileges being taken away. The message was clear, excellence was the only option.
As he got older the focus shifted, a masters degree wouldn’t just be an accomplishment but protection. His parents reminded him that as a Black man opportunities can be limited or uncertain. He was told “Don’t be a statistic”. The pressure grew from a young age, and while in college he realized it was fully on him to excel.
Wright does not only carry his family’s expectations, he carries representation. He feels responsible for what he calls the “branches” he belongs to. His family name, community, his identity as a Black man. His dad, a D1 athlete, a preacher, an academic, is living proof of what is possible when the odds are stacked against you. That example motivates him, but it also sets the standard that feels impossible to not measure himself against. His greatest critic is himself.
Identity and Expectation
For first generation students, college can feel like a brave new frontier. Breaking ground that no one in my family has walked before. I feel the pressure of proving that the sacrifices my family has made are worth it. I’m learning as I go, building a path that did not previously exist. My success feels like a gift I am giving back to my family.
But for Wright, college was simply the plan. There was no “if” just “when”.
Students from highly educated families surrounded by degrees hanging on the wall. Grow up with proof that success is possible and expected. The path is clear, and the bar is high. Falling short doesn’t just feel like failure, but letting down the generations who set it. His parents raised him to be a man of faith, character and ambition. To build a life rooted in stability and purpose.
We are both driven by love and expectation, but one grows out of scarcity and the other stems from legacy.