The Pressure of Being First-Generation

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 one having to explain the process to your parents so they understand why you need their Social Security numbers.

You get that constant feeling that a single mistake is unacceptable because “everyone is counting on you.” Being first-generation is great, don’t get me wrong, but you will constantly compare yourself to others with parents who already went to college, people who are always two steps ahead of you. 

It feels like there’s no room for failure now. You set the example for generations to come. You are the only one who gets to stand proudly, walking across the stage being the first. That is when it will hit you: It’s okay not to have everything figured out. There will be bumpy roads along the way, and that’s okay.

Being first-generation doesn’t just mean you’re the first to get the degree. It means you’re the first to be confused, first to be scared, first to fail, but do it anyway. And that is something to be proud of.