| I felt lost. I told myself that there would be plenty of other college freshmen like me, but I still felt uneasy. As a first-generation college student, I have no idea what to expect during the next four years of my life at the University of California, Berkeley.
Compared to out-of-state or international students, I have an advantage. Growing up in the Bay Area, I won’t have to adjust to climate changes, environmental shifts, and a lack of direction around Berkeley. Despite all this, I have still been unable to be entirely confident in my college experience. My bags had been packed to the best that they could, though I’m sure I’ll have to make plenty more trips back home to pick up anything that I left behind. My tuition has been paid after shakily using the college electronic payment service for the first time. And though I have begun adjusting to living on campus, I have yet to learn how to effectively use my meal points without having to ration for days at a time. Nonetheless, there are many aspects of college that I am excited for such as being able to make my own decisions and to begin learning how to cope in the so-called “real world” that I have heard so much about since I was a kid. Additionally, I am excited about finally being able to pick a path of study that I am passionate about. Though I am currently undecided, I look forward to exploring a range of academic interests and finding one that is right for me. Being the first person in my family to attend college, I’ve had to rely on my friends and social networks to kind of give me a heads-up about what to expect in college. But as always, people have their own opinions and not everything on the internet can be trusted. Being so, I hope to begin answering this question about the mysteries of college on my own. I hope to engage in more activities and workshops, make good use of my time to explore different courses and subjects of study, and to partake in the clubs, activities, and traditions that UC Berkeley has to offer me. |
