How I’ve Embraced Being a Second-Gen Student in a Semi-New World

By Noah Etoka

To the untrained eye, college appears to be a foreign world teeming with unknown life. Amongst outsiders, the subject of a stereotypical USC student conjures images of a child in a family of Trojans who holds a certain amount of wealth. But upon closer inspection, you’ll find that the school’s environment contains many people who exist outside of the norm. In recent years, 25% of admitted students were first-generation and 22% of undergraduates are defined as low income. This information combats those conventions, but behind these statistics are the existence of a very real yet underrecognized type of student.

As a second-generation student from a low-income family, there are several obstacles that I’ve faced in attending college. Every student has challenges, but those with a similar status or a lack of resources can especially relate. While I’ve worked to overcome these, I’ve also found that my identities have added a diverse perspective to the college journey. 

Navigating the world of college is a new and unfamiliar experience for most. But despite these setbacks, I have been lucky. My parents were educators outside of the U.S. who constantly stressed the importance of attending university, so I consider the world of college to be semi-new. 

Regardless of the status you hold, I believe that these five values can make it easier to embrace your own complex identity during your time at USC. 

Ground yourself. 

The first step is to ground yourself. Remind yourself of where you are, why you are here, and what you came to do. During our studies at USC, we can start to lose sight of our goals. There are so many thoughts competing for our attention, and in response the brain may lag too far behind or think too far ahead. Remembering those grounding statements, however, reorients your brain into the present. 

I particularly empathize with this struggle in relation to students with first- or second-generation status. As one of the first to attend college in our lineage, many of us came here to make our families proud. That expectation increases the pressure to perform well, contributing to a culture of academic rigor. In turn, not doing well as a student can bring us out of the moment and into our worries. Instead, every time you stumble, remember: you came here for a reason, and that reason is yours. Just take it one day at a time. 

Build a community that reminds you of home. 

Whatever your reason is for coming to USC, it is one thing you have in common with every student here— the fact that it brought you away from home. No matter the distance, it is an adjustment for everyone. But for those who fall under the umbrella of first/second gen, low income, or someone from outside the country, it is even greater. In those cases, the concept of moving away for college can be something completely foreign, especially if you are one of the first in a family to do so. This makes creating a new home at this school a difficult but rewarding task. 

Searching for things that represent home will make a massive difference in your sense of community. Foods, sounds, locations, people— all of these can transport you to a place that feels familiar. So much of college is discovering what makes you feel comfortable while you navigate unfamiliar experiences. Surround yourself with those who support your endeavors. 

Still, in this semi-new world, I often outsource knowledge to make up for what I don’t know. There are many resources at USC to fill in the blanks. Attending a workshop at the First Generation Plus Success Center is a good place to start. Student Equity and Inclusion Programs (SEIPs) tackle this issue head on by bringing together people of shared experience. In these spaces you can begin to build your community, making it easier to learn, connect, and grow while you pursue your degree. 

Invest in your mental health and overall wellbeing. 

The challenges that come with being a first- or second-generation student aren’t limited to the physical sense but can be mental too. Now is not the time to push the subject away, even if stigma in the past has caused you to do so. It’s important to pay attention to your wellbeing so you can perform at your best in your studies. 

Mental health services are accessible in the community, especially through the school’s insurance. Short-term treatment can be found with resources like Counseling and Mental Health or any of the embedded counselors on campus. Longer term psychiatric and behavioral health care can be coordinated within the Keck School of Medicine. I recommend utilizing these resources, as they will give you access to a diverse range of professionals who can understand your background. You may be hesitant to receive help at first, but you owe it to your body and mind to take care of them. 

Practice gratitude to balance the spectrum of emotions that can surface while navigating college. 

Practicing gratitude is a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skill that means you can find something to be thankful for in any situation. It is not toxic positivity, or asserting that someone else always has it worse, as those can be harmful. Instead, gratitude for what you have can help you see the lighter side of things. When things at school don’t go as desired, it’s a skill to fall back on that can ease you into problem solving mode. 

For example, I am grateful for my professors even after receiving a less-than-perfect grade. It shows that someone cares enough about me to push and challenge me, which motivates me to do better. I am grateful while standing in line at the dining hall even as the line moves at a snail’s pace. It gives me time to catch up with a friend and quells my impatience while I wait. Once you practice finding gratitude in the little things, it will come more naturally in times of crisis, when you need it most. 

And remember, you are not your parents. 

Thankfully, you are your own person. This means you have your own wants, needs, and desires. Pay attention to them. USC will expose you to opportunities that you never could have dreamed of. Even if it isn’t something your family would do, take a calculated risk, and try something new. After it all, pat yourself on the back for shouldering the generational weight of past sacrifices, and forgive yourself for your missteps. 

TL;DR: Navigating college life as a second-generation student has its struggles, but I’ve been able to thrive by grounding myself, building community, managing my mental health, practicing gratitude, and establishing my identity.