Valentina Yucra | Writer  First-gen student graduating from Louise E. Dieruff High School as valedictorian. Being the first in your family to go to college sounds like a miracle until you see what it took to get there. People come up to you mentioning how proud your family must be, but they don’t see the pressure that comes with being first.  You’re figuring out the application process, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), your major, all on your own. You’re the