What I Wish I Knew As a First-Gen Latina Undergrad

With back-to-school season, class schedules are finalized, packing for dorms starts, and the pressures for the new school year begin. In the midst of it all, as a college student, you can find endless lists and TikToks filled with back-to-school advice. Anything from what to expect on your first day to what you can do to make the year yours. For first-gen Latina students, the experience can look very different. Along with dealing with the common struggles of being a college student today, first-gen Latinas navigate the toll of what it means to be the first-to-go. Being the first in your family to attend college can come with managing the challenges of higher education without guidance from someone from your family who has gone through the same experience. Simultaneously, being first-gen is a source of immense pride for families, which can exacerbate the existing stress of figuring it all out alone. 

Now, being two years post-graduation, I often reflect on things that I could have done differently. For any first-gen Latina college students reading this—these are a few things I hope will guide you as you navigate the rest of your journey.

Find Community That Makes You Feel Seen

For first-gen Latinas, especially those attending predominantly white institutions, it is crucial to find spaces that make you feel seen and uplift your cultural pride. College is the place where you find community on your own terms. You can find your people within your classes, based on interests through student organizations, and by attending campus events. Outside of campus, social media can also provide you with the space to feel seen as an academic Latina. Here are a few ways to foster community and deepen your connection to your roots while at college:

• Join Cultural Student Organizations: From Latine campus magazines to social justice-centered organizations, look into what your college offers as far as cultural organizations. At the start of the school year there is typically an activities fair where you can find booths for all of the organizations your school has registered. Take the time to walk through the rows and talk one-on-one to students participating to get an understanding of what the organization/club does. Depending on your school, you might find folklorico dance, Latine publications, community service, Latina sororities, and much more.
• Follow Latina Academic Accounts: From Aidé Hernandeź (@gradconmigo) to Estrella Serrato (@cafecitoconestrellita), there are many Latinas who are using their platform to help fellow first-gens navigate academia. Look through TikTok, Instagram, or even YouTube to find Latinas who have gone through the same process.
• Dabble Into LatAm/Chicanx/Cultural Studies Courses: Even if you don’t plan on majoring in any cultural studies major like Chicanx or Latin American studies, when given the opportunity to take a course in those departments I would highly recommend doing so. Not only do you get a chance to sit in a classroom focused on your cultural history, but you also get to meet new people who are likely to share your cultural background.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

The saying “la ropa sucia se lava en casa” can follow us around, telling us that we should keep our problems to ourselves. With the rigor of higher education and the stresses that come with the environment, it is crucial to reach out for help when needed. Campuses offer a variety of resources meant to support your undergraduate education. They are there just waiting for you. These are just a few of the resources that you need to keep in mind this school year: 

• Office Hours: Professors and teaching assistants each have their own set of office hours for students to come if they have questions about material. Make use of this to fill in any gaps you may have about content and build a rapport with your professors. These office hours are extremely helpful during midterm and finals season but make sure to check in with yourself and go to those office hours as needed throughout the semester. 
• Academic Counselors: Depending on the school, you may have counselors specific to your major. These counselors know the requirements to graduate better than anyone. They can help you figure out what you need and come up with a class schedule that will fulfill the requirements. Meeting consistently with them will help you make sure you are on track for graduation.
• Mental Health Support: College student health centers offer therapy to students as part of their services. When I went to college there was a Latine retention program that offered holistic one-on-one peer counseling sessions where I would go and vent about what I was struggling with. That program also hosted community spaces and events to destress that were a good place to go and feel like I wasn’t alone in my struggles. If your school offers a program like this one, it is a good alternative in cases where there are long wait times or there are too few therapists at the health center.

Consider How College Affects Your Family Dynamics

Something I remember vividly is the way family dynamics shifted when I went to college. As the eldest daughter, I did everything. I was the one to call the doctor’s office or help my parents at parent-teacher conferences, pretty much being tasked with anything they needed. Things quickly changed once I was no longer living at home and my availability dwindled with endless assignments, student org meetings, and socializing. It was a hard transition, explaining to my parents why I was no longer available to them the same way I was before and this is something they don’t prepare you for as a college student. 

It is important to recognize that family dynamics can change. The degree varies for everyone. My college was over 200 miles away from my family but for some their college is only a 10-minute drive. A few tips to keep in mind in case you need help navigating changes with familia:

• Communicate Boundaries: If your schedule has you spread thin, it is good to take the steps needed to communicate your needs to your family. Something as simple as reminding them of your schedule or telling them that even if you are not in class you need alone time to decompress, can be helpful to draw boundaries.
• Be a Little Selfish When Needed: Have alone time. Unplug for a bit. Take a weekend with your girls. Whatever it may be. After spending so much time caring for others, if you need to do something just for you, that is perfectly valid. 
• Call to Check In: Even if it’s just one call home a week, make sure to check in with your familia to keep them updated and in the know so they’re not worried about you and you’re not worried about them.

It’s College, Have Fun!

As young Latinas, it has been ingrained in us that college is a place solely for our academics y que hay que echarle ganas throughout those four years. While true, it is also our first time, for most of us, getting a taste of independence and freedom. With that said, say yes to dinners, late night ice cream runs, dancing with friends, walks around campus, and the many random hangouts that come up throughout college. Enjoy your time as much as possible. Meet new people, try new things, and get the most out of this opportunity at living life a tu manera.