3 Tips for First Generation Marketing Students

First generation students deserve all the resources they need to be successful during their time at University. To say the least, it can be frustrating at times when someone does not have the resources to help guide them throughout their college experience. With that being said It’s important to not let status discourage you, because being the first in your family to go through college is an amazing feat.

What I learned Being a First-Generation College Student

Looking back at when I was considering pursuing higher education, I was hesitant on whether or not I possessed the academic strengths and personality to take on college. Being a first-generation college student, I felt like I was walking in blind, with no insights or experiences to bounce off of. Fast forward a couple years, I am now a senior here at Western Washington University and I can proudly say that I am glad I made the decision to continue my education.

Throughout my college experience I felt like was not just carrying the weight of my own personal success, but my parents’ as well. This feeling was attributed to the constant thought regarding the sacrifices my parents had made to allow me to be in this position full of opportunity. With that psychology comes a lot of pressure.

Some parents of first-generation students view their child’s pursuit of going to college as a break in their family history. My family let this decision be up to myself and like I said I was hesitant at first, but with the right approach It turned out to be truly something amazing.

With all that being said, the college experience is not meant to frighten first generation students. College is the place to explore new opportunities, experiences, and friendships, all while developing one’s professional career.

3 Tips for First Gen Students

1. Embrace Your Position

2. Plan Things Out

3. Get Involved

Embrace Your Position

If you are reading this blog as a first-generation college student, I first want to say congratulations. For those of you who are reading this blog and are not a first-generation college student, thank you. What I have noticed is that there are two different perspectives when it comes to thinking about your circumstances as a first gen student in college. Students either feel that their background and parents’ traditions are a disabling factor when it comes to obtaining a higher education, or students use It as a force that drives their motivation and discipline. There are different methods for changing your current perspective so it can work towards higher education, I found a very simple blog with helpful steps in doing so.

What worked for me was journaling, this helped me visualize my goals and current perspectives. It also helped to hold myself accountable for taking on new tasks. When I find myself being unproductive or not motivated towards my goals journaling always helps me become more aware.

Plan Things Out

Having an academic plan is a great way to reduce anxiety while considering potential job opportunities. There are many resources on campus that will help to map out courses and help approach other potential interests. The resources available online whether it be, academic planning, financial support, unfortunately don’t fall into your hands, instead you have to seek them out, but trust me they are available and extremely useful. Here at Western Washington University the advising center is available to help all students towards their academic goals.

Course work in college can take up a serious chunk of time, especially if you want to hold a part time job during school, the last thing you want to do is overload yourself with coursework and find yourself, stressed, unmotivated, and longing for more time in a day.

Summer school is another a great way to even out your coursework and leave more time for holding a part time job. Also, some classes that fill up quickly are often less occupied during the summer. If that sounds like a helpful resource, I encourage you to check out the 2020 summer session page to find out more information about summer at WWU.

Get Involved

Participating in intramural sports, club sports, or more general any extracurricular activity offered throughout the school can really help you make new friends, gain new perspectives, and encounter new experiences that can provide value of all forms. You can even put a couple extracurricular activities on a resume to share a little more information about your personality. Western has plenty of intramural sports that are happy to embrace any student who is a part of our diverse community.

Interacting with a new group of individuals can also enhance your interpersonal skills and thus increase your self-confidence towards further experiences. Because college is all about the experiences and relationships you build, some of which will be lifelong, it is an amazing opportunity to jump into these welcoming communities.

Thanks for reading this blog! if you are a first-generation student, I hope these tips provided value for you. If they did, be sure to Follow the WWU marketing department on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date on all the department has to offer.