Being a second generation American means growing up just a tad bit differently than those who are not, and not everyone understands that. I grew up as a second-generation Filipina American in a single parent household. For me, it meant strict household rules, a lot of lost in translation moments, high expectations from the family, inquisitive looks at lunchtime, and having to constantly explain why "close the light" slipped out instead of the words turn off.
A second generation American is defined as a person who was born in the US. but have at least one immigrant parent. The Pew Research Center estimates that there are currently 20 million US-born children of immigrants living out their lives here. And according to this demographic report, these children are flourishing in terms of socioeconomic attainment in comparison to their parents and are of similar or higher status compared to the rest of America. D'vera Cohn, a Pew demographic analyst, states that "they have higher incomes; more are college graduates and homeowners; and fewer live in poverty." Surprising right?
Well, to second generation kids this probably does not come as a shocker. Actually, these demographics are almost more of an expectation if anything else. Growing up, we are constantly reminded of the struggles our parents and grandparents went through in order to create not only the opportunities we have experienced but also those that our children will come across in the future.There is a reoccurring trend in the stories of first generation Americans who lived the first half of their lives without their fathers and mothers. My grandfather lived in the US for 15 years before the rest of the family followed. There was always understanding, always support, and always a road paved out for their children to follow into life in America and for their children to reap the opportunities of as citizens. And I believe that this trend has made the second generation feel selfish.
And with this comes the greatest pressure children of immigrants can face: proving that all their parents sacrifice was worth something.
College is where this concept becomes the most confusing and hard. You want to make your parents happy and pick the major that will make the most money. You want to go to the best school for that major no matter the cost. You turn down your dream school because they don't offer said major. You go into a specific field because everyone else in your family has and it is the only thing you know of that seems to get your family excited. You are fresh out of high school with no idea what you want to do with your life, but filled with the definite goal of making your parents proud. There was always a set plan to success, but I will tell you now that the only way you can make both you and your parents happy is doing what you love and what you are good at. This time of your life was always about finding yourself and becoming more independent. Nevermind what you think would make them happy because, more often than not, you are wrong. And sometimes they are wrong.
What a lot of people don't realize is that their parents have given them the opportunities and the tools to pave their own path. Something that they themselves were probably not offered on their journey to the US. My mother always wanted to be an artist, but she was told early on that was not a possibility and that she had to pick a more sensible option so she went along to nursing school (and luckily enough she grew to love the profession). My family wanted my sister and I to follow suit. She actually went on to be one, but I am also now a very proud sister of a successful actress/playwright. I, on the other hand, am still finding my way and dabbling in possibilities. And I think that is alright. Our parents have raised us to have a better life than they did, and succeeding on our own path is our way of telling them that we have not ignored their sacrifice.
