Blog
Find advice and follow the college experiences of our current first-gen student bloggers.
Moving-In: Jorge in CMU
My move-in experience was simple; I rolled my duffle bag-suitcase hybrid to my dorm, Hamerschlag House, named after the first president of CMU, Arthur Hamerschlag. I dropped my belongings and after dinner, I unpacked and placed clothes in my wardrobe; this took three...
Finding Friends
College is a time where friends can either make or break the entire experience. It's true that being first-generation can really make that even harder than the average student, because it's not easy to explain some of the things you have to experience and explain why...
Counseling in College
It's true that going to counseling is something that many students are ashamed to do because of what others will think of them. It's also true that being low-income and first-generation on a college campus is hard to do and often does require some addition help. You...
Being First-Generation Without Familial Support
Being first-generation is not an easy experience. The process of applying to college, getting materials for FAFSA, and everything else that needs to be done before attending college without anyone to help you or guide you can be all kinds of stressful. As I was in my...
A rare insight into an often unspoken of subject: College Housing After Dorms
If there were a magazine dedicated to the issues and drama of college housing off campus after dorm-life, the cover would be gross porch couches of college student-rented housing. Overtime, dorm-life became the norm then, suddenly, JUNIOR YEAR!, and you have to find a...
Summers: Before and After College
The summer before my first year of college I served as a camp counselor’s assistant at the summer camp at my local park. The thing was, I didn’t live in the city where I volunteered; more precisely, I drove about half an hour to get to Lake Eva Summer Camp every day....
Celebrating College Acceptances
The school year is coming to end now, and you probably starting to look at financial aid packages. This makes me think back to when I was sitting in your spot looking at the schools I had been accepted to. At YES Prep, the charter school I attended, seniors get to...
A Week After Graduation
On Monday, May 21st 2018 I closed a chapter of my life that has for the past four years been a major part of my identity. I walked across the stage of one of the most prestigious universities in the United States where I received the diploma I sought for so long. This...
Financial Aid
Hey all, It feels as if it has been forever since I have been on here! First off I just want to start and say how grateful I am to the I'm First Scholarship. They have helped me immensely and as I wrap up my Junior year, I am immensely excited for what the future...
Failure May Come and that is Okay
And so comes the last week of being abroad. I do not know how many times have I thanked the universe for being here, but I keep being reminded that it is a blessing. One of my co-workers, who is a law student, reminded me the other day, saying she never got the chance...