In high school, I never gave much thought to the fact that I would be the first person in my family to go to college. At my school, this was the case for many of us. Many of us came from working class families. Our school was aimed at girls like us and presenting us with opportunities we wouldn’t otherwise have. Being FGWC, a first-generation, working class student, wasn’t something I gave much thought to—until it made me different.
Since coming to college, being FGWC has become a huge and integral part of my identity. I go to a college where that identity makes me a minority. It makes my experience different from many of my peers. It’s been the reason I have trouble relating to a lot of my peers, and the common foundation for some of my closest and most supportive friendships. I’m proud of this part of my identity and I frequently share it with people when they ask about my campus involvement.
It’s been frustrating being overwhelmingly surrounded by people with a lot more socioeconomic privilege than I do. While we got into and attend the same school, our experiences here differ greatly. And, despite being proud of my FGWC identity, it’s not something I always feel comfortable discussing with friends who don’t identify as FGWC. I’ve felt steamrolled in conversations about privilege at Whitman. I’ve felt like I don’t belong here for any number of reasons. And I’ve wondered whether I’ll be able to sustain myself for the next three years here.
But I don’t for one minute resent this part of my identity. I know that my family is proud of me for getting to where I am. And I’m more grateful to them for their constant support than I could ever put into words. I know that I worked hard to get here. And while I nearly burned out in high school, the hard work I’ve already put in only motivates me to continue to try. I know that I’m not just here for myself, I’m here for my family as well, and I want to get everything I possibly can out of this experience.
I am the first in my family to go to college, and that’s important to me. But I’m so much more than that. I’m an intended double-major. I’m a feminist. I’m a sorority woman. I’m a drama kid. I’m a reader and a writer and a lover of late night mac-and-cheese. I am the first in my family to go to college, but I have no intention of being the last. I didn’t get to where I am, I’m not having the experience I’m having, to let this change end with me.
Before being FGWC made me unique, I didn’t give much thought to it. Now that I’m more aware of it and what it’s done for me, good or bad, I never want to stop embracing it. My family is what motivates me to continue and to hold my head high. There was a time when I was uncomfortable when my friends talked about their parents’ college experiences and I had nothing to contribute to the conversation. Now my contribution is that I’m the first to attend college, regardless of how anyone else reacts to it, because I’m proud.
