Student Story – First Gen

0:00 When I first got to this school, I felt really awkward. I’m first-gen and I graduated from a high school where not a lot of kids continued on.

I looked around my classes and didn’t see many people who looked like me. In discussions, I sometimes felt like my perspective wasn’t really valued. And, I’m not gonna lie. Hurtful things did happen.

But over time, I found spaces. I joined the Black Student Association. I connected with a professor who was also first-gen. I found a study group with other students of color, and we supported each other in ways that went way beyond academics.

And while my situation was my own, I also saw how that feeling of not quite belonging was something a lot of people go through. Even people who looked like they fit in perfectly.

0:41 Here’s what I came to realize. Being different isn’t the same as not belonging. My background isn’t a disadvantage. It’s a strength. And you know what? The challenges I’ve navigated to get here taught me resilience, and it helps me every single day.

Yeah, this school still has work to do. That’s totally real. And I can push for change while I make it through here.

Now, as a senior, I still notice things. But I found my spaces. I found my people. And I know I belong here, not in spite of who I am, but because of who I am.

If you’re navigating identity stuff right now, I want you to know your feelings are valid. The challenges are real. But you can belong here. There are people who will support you. And the things that make you different? Those are the things that make you powerful.