Imposter Syndrome and the First Gen Experience

What do you do when everyone has it all figured out?

Karina Herrera-Cavazos

A foundational knowledge of student loans. Access to generational wealth. And parents who are college graduates. This is just some of many privileges that a significant portion of college students take for granted. When you’re first-gen, many things that seem obvious to others are unfamiliar concepts to you. Because of this, no one was there to guide you when you navigated college in your freshman year.

About 27% of students at the UMN are first-gen, which is around 8,000 students. Because of these numbers, there is no one definite first-gen experience. Everyone has their own college journey and nobody’s is the exact same. It’s also important to note that external factors, such as race and socioeconomic status, can add onto someone’s struggle with navigating the college system.

Alongside this unfamiliarity and the external barriers, many first-gen students deal with imposter syndrome. If you aren’t familiar, this syndrome describes how someone believes that they aren’t worthy of the opportunities that come their way. This happens even if someone is clearly qualified and deserving of recognition. Considering the privileges outlined earlier, it makes sense why many first-gen students struggle with this. We routinely compare ourselves to students who have it all; to those who have generational wealth and familiarity with the academic world.

As a first-gen student, I also have struggled with adjusting to college. For a while, it felt like I wasn’t doing it “right.” However, what ultimately helped me was realizing that I wasn’t alone! There are people who want to help, whether it’s talking with other first-gen students or accessing resources on campus.

While we don’t have the same advantages that other students have, we instead have something even more valuable. We have initiative and drive. We have big hopes and dreams for our future, and all of that time spent figuring things out was what made us more determined in the end. There is strength and value in being first-gen, so be proud!