The author in front of her artwork at Cerasus Studio.
If you are a first-generation student and want to contribute to our series, please contact [email protected] to get set-up and start writing! We’d love to hear your story, perspectives, and advice no matter what year you graduated or if you weren’t able to finish your degree.
The author and her friend, Jorie, as freshman at Aquinas College.
I remember sitting in the admissions office sobbing and signing my exit paperwork at Aquinas College, the top forty radio playing and looking at the happy photos of students and wondering why that couldn’t be me. Being a first generation college student is hard and most times you don’t have the same resources, advice, and income to ensure a four year linear path at your school of choice.
Through a series of articles, we will be covering topics we wish we had known about going into school as well as what I learned after exiting school early and diving into the workforce. Members of the community will be sharing their stories and advice during the month of August which will spark conversation as we head towards another school year.
As a new school year approaches, we want students to feel more equipped to handle the new learning environment alongside the life changes that come with being a first-generation student. My biggest concerns in school were less about my studies as you can learn new note taking techniques and time management, and more in the realm of: “Can I afford another semester here?”, “What grades do I need to keep my scholarship?”, “How do I tell my friends that I’m not comfortable going to that event or being around those people?”, and “Where can I get food and books on or around campus for the cheapest I possibly can?”
We will be covering: how to navigate the classroom, how to navigate a college campus, the importance of mentorship and a support system, how to find your support system, and navigating the learning world if you have to take time off or are post-grad. As I learned after leaving school in 2015, being done with school or having to leave can be wildly overwhelming as we’ve been in a classroom our whole lives and set up with deadlines tied to our learning. I’ve learned so much more working and taking internships, paying my own way for everything, making lists and schedules for myself, reading, and attending community events.
If you are a first-generation student and want to contribute to our series, please contact [email protected] to get set-up and start writing! We’d love to hear your story, perspectives, and advice no matter what year you graduated or if you weren’t able to finish your degree.
The Rapidian, a program of the 501(c)3 nonprofit Community Media Center, relies on the community’s support to help cover the cost of training reporters and publishing content.
We need your help.
If each of our readers and content creators who values this community platform help support its creation and maintenance, The Rapidian can continue to educate and facilitate a conversation around issues for years to come.
Please support The Rapidian and make a contribution today.
