Category Stories: First Generation
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Balancing Identities and Finding Yourself Abroad
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The first question we are often asked when we meet new people as college students is, “What is your major?” Most of our lives revolve around our classes and how we are pursuing our careers. Yet as I reflect on what I value and how I want to be known, I must also weigh how…
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Finding Comfort During My First Week: Study Abroad in Argentina
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As a first-generation student, I am familiar with the crossroad of staying within the comfort of home and diving into the unknown. About three years ago, I moved from Texas to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, for college. It was an equally exhilarating and daunting opportunity. As I was deciding whether to study abroad, I found myself…
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Reflections of a First-Gen in Buenos Aires
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Traveling to another country was never something I thought possible, especially not at this stage in my life. Being from a low-income background, the idea of international travel seemed like an unattainable dream. The expenses associated with it were daunting. For many years, both of my parents lacked proper documentation, which limited our ability to…
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How to Pack for Summer Study Abroad in London
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Ever since I started college, I’ve dreamed of studying abroad. With just a couple of semesters left, it was now or never. When I applied and got accepted into the London School of Economics for a summer program, I was overwhelmed with excitement. I had four months to prepare for an experience I would forever…
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Exploring My Mexican Identity in Mexico
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I am the child of immigrants and a first-generation student. My parents moved to the United States from México before I was born. They wanted me to live where I would have opportunities they didn’t have growing up, to get a better education and live a better life. My mother believed in my future, so she…
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Four Ways to Make Study Abroad Happen on a Budget
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As a low-income student, I didn’t think study abroad would be an option for me, but with encouragement from my study abroad advisor, I applied to a few programs. When I was accepted to the IFSA London program at King’s College, I was hesitant, knowing I couldn’t afford London prices for five months. Thankfully, with…
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How Pride and Community Empowered Me While Abroad in Rome
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Being a part of minoritized communities while abroad may seem intimidating and scary, but my experiences with identity helped me through my first time in a foreign country. I am intersectional – there is not one identity that solely describes who I am. I am a First-Generation college student, I am queer, I am Asian…
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Are You Worried About Studying Abroad as a First-Gen Student?
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Being a first-generation college student means creating open opportunities for yourself. It means having to navigate uncharted territories and becoming familiar with the unknown. As a first-generation college student, I am committed to not limiting myself in the possibilities to explore the world, expand my horizons, and take advantage of the opportunities provided to me.…
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The First of Firsts
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Going abroad, in general, can be scary and challenging, however, I didn’t realize my experience would be so different compared to others. I am a First-Generation college student, the first to join Greek life, the first to join clubs/organizations, and the first to ever leave the United States. Because I was having so many firsts…
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How to Make Study Abroad Possible
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How to Make Study Abroad Possible I understand really well what it means to have to constantly worry about having enough money to support myself. As a low-income student and having to work part-time job in college to subsidize my study expenses, I used to long to study in another country, but I always dismissed…
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