John Alex Nunnery
Entertainment Editor
Going off to college can be a difficult process for anyone. For many, it becomes a transitional period from living with family into complete independence from your loved ones and high school friends.
Some students are prepared by their parents when it comes to leaving home. Many students who come to college get briefed by their parents on what to expect, especially if at least one of the parents has graduated from college before them. However, things are different for first-generation college students who are trailblazers in their families.
“It’s kind of scary to come into college because my parents did not necessarily have the expectation of me coming to college as I imagine a lot of other students’ parents would. It was kind of scary, but also liberating, to change my family history,” said Michelle Collins, a senior, first-generation, Music Education major.
Earlier in the semester, The W’s Counseling Center was trying to form a club geared toward first-generation students in order to help them with this transition.
“I think having a club would make the transition easier so that we could all be scared together, rather than independently,” said Collins.
Student organizations play a big role in on-campus involvement, and a club for first-generation students would likely be a good way for such students to dip their toes into all that college has to offer.
“A lot of times parents of first-generation students have no concept of what it’s like to be in school. So, you need a support system. That’s why we would like to create a group of support for first-generation students,” Dr. Deb Wells, an MUW counselor said. “I would say that first-generation students should get involved on campus, but be careful not to get over-involved and lose focus on your studies.”
The freshman year is already a tough time for most students as it usually is their first time living away from home. However, for first-generation students who have little to no cultural capital when it comes to college, this period can be a whole another story.
“They often feel extra pressure on them to succeed. Their families feel a lot of extra pride toward them and this adds extra weight, especially to freshmen, as they feel that weight to succeed for their family,” said Kimberly Davis, an outreach counselor at the student success center.
Wells said that if first-generation students needed any help adjusting or just need someone to talk with, they should not hesitate and contact the counseling center to set up an appointment at https://www.muw.edu/centers/counseling/appointments.