Navigating Higher Education as First-Generation Students

As first-generation students, attending the number one public university in America, it is clear that there is an absence of familiarity on campus as soon as you step in. From walking within the dining halls to walking across Bruin Walk, the lack of familiarity in the faces, surroundings, and cultures furthers the gap of comfort and the feeling of home. Soon comfort becomes a syndrome of imposters as the fine line between lack of representation blurs into uneasiness as you learn to manage that you are, like always, now more than ever, the minority.

We were raised by our parents to be fighters, to stick it through. Honestly, it is a privilege to be where we are studying and meeting people who have worked equally as hard to get to where we all are. In these moments we see it clearly, our presence as such an elite institution was earned; yet, when we meet the eyes of the majority as we walk the same places they do it becomes clear that despite it all the imposter syndrome follows you everywhere.

Navigating higher education, especially as first-generation students is nowhere near as easy as it is said to be. We are taught that the only way out of our neighborhoods is through the latter of education. What we aren’t taught is that despite the ID we carry in our pockets we still will never have the upper hand in the system since it was not made to accommodate us. From the first day, we have to sign up for courses, to managing nights of no sleep, to the feelings of loneliness that teach us that we only have each other in times of need.

The reality is that we can not sit here and tell you the feeling of shame and discomfort go away. They never go away. You just begin to learn and love yourself for those differences.

Here are some things that we have done to make the transition easier, or at least as easy as it can get:

1. Surround yourself with people who understand, care, and value your struggle

2. Find past-times that fuel your creative mind (for us, Las Raices Queridas severed as this outlet)

3. Understand that your self-worth is not defined by grades, popularity, or any other quantitative measures created by society; you are you and that is more than enough

4. Acknowledge the silence and break it: make this new space yours

5. Know that by clicking on this article you are already making PROGRESS!

6. Be kind to yourself and know you are not alone

7. Embrace the feeling of uncertainty and shapeshift it to acknowledge you are worthy of success

So yes, Imposter Syndrome is real, but so is your worth, power, and dedication to getting to where you are now. The first step to overcoming something is to reach rock bottom. And although everyone tries to make it seem like things are picture-perfect the real beauty of a good shot is the authenticity of the struggle to get it.

For us, this is a work-in-progress, and that is okay. Feelings do not vanish at the mere thought of hoping they go away, they go away with progression and time. If you would like to hear us go more in-depth on our experiences and the ways we coped with being freshmen at UCLA watch the unedited and unfiltered version of our thoughts on our Instagram or Youtube for more content: @lasraicesqueridas

Check out Episode 1 of our podcast, part of this article, on Spotify @lasraicesqueridas!