My First Year as a First Gen College Student at USC
By Carla Rubio ‘19
My name is Carla Rubio, and I am studying Theatre Production at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. I was born in San Francisco but raised in Bakersfield, CA. I am the oldest child of four; I also happen to be a twin. If you were wondering, I am a fraternal twin but my sister and I do share similar features.
I am a first generation college student, and it has impacted me in more ways than one. I went to a high school with majority Latino/Hispanic students and arriving at the University of Southern California, I had a cultural shock.
I experienced this especially in my major because I am the only Latina student in my cohort. I could not understand why I was the only Latina student in my classes because during high school everyone was Hispanic and did theater production. In addition, I was the only student who got accepted into USC from my high school and did not know anyone. It is difficult to explain to others how I am feeling or relate to them because we have different experiences.
Another challenge I have encountered is being in a predominately male field. I would call my parents and seek support from them, but they could only do so much for me because they are not college graduates nor have they had similar experiences. But I still have my parents as part of my emotional support system.
Luckily, I have made friends and found resources on campus that have helped me with my challenges. To assist with my academic struggles, I have used several resources like the writing center. They helped me transfer my thoughts to a well-organized paper.
El Centro Chicano is a community for Latino/Hispanic students at USC. They have helped understand that being a minority should not limit what I can do here. The Latino Floor is a community in Fluor Tower, where I live, and the people there help me feel at home, and even help me with my homework sometimes. On that floor, I am constantly talking to my RA about any emotional or academic struggles I have. She has three years of experience at USC and has experienced similar challenges.
During my first semester, I faced many difficult challenges, but I never gave up. Besides it being a cultural and pride thing, I did it for my parents. I have always used them as an example to get motivated and accomplish my goals. The main reason I push forward is for myself. It makes me happy to see the progress that I am making in achieving my career.
