Story by Brittany Delaney
Kathia is a first generation, Latina student who began at Edmonds Community College and is transitioning to Pima Medical Institute for spring 2020. Before going into higher education she had no idea what it was going to be like. As many might not know, being a first generation student comes with this shoulder weight that is constantly telling individuals to push forward, don’t ask for help and to fulfill these high family expectations. As Kathia was becoming more independent she always questioned her life decisions.
Is education worth it?
Can’t I make more money doing something else?
Am I wasting my time?
The moment she realized that it was all worth it was when she figured out who she wanted to become in life. She made a choice to be happy and pick a career that suited her values and strengths. She trusted her instincts. She took a couple classes at a time so she had time for self care. She worked part time to help support her family. She looked for answers to her questions even when people didn’t make the time for her. She learned that it is okay to take her time to be the best she can be and to not know what she wants to do with her life at that very moment.
Her best advice for first gen students is “never stop looking for the answer.”
“Never stop looking for the answer”