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First-generation students talk college culture shocks and overcoming homesickness
By NINO PAOLI News Reporter
While all incoming students may struggle to adjust to college life, many first-generation students have no idea what to expect.
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First-generation 2023 graduates Kaily Trinidad and Jeanell Bandonill both grew up in multi-generational households on Oahu, Hawaii.
Bandonill, who graduated with a degree in public health this spring and is on the pre-med track, and Trinidad, who will graduate with a biohealth sciences degree in June, reflected on their experience at Oregon State University.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GO TO OSU?
BANDONILL: I decided to go to OSU, honestly, because of financial aid. They provided me a better option for education. Back home is a bit more expensive for me to stay, so I decided to … leave (Oahu). There's a saying: ‘if you don't leave now, you're never gonna leave.’ So I took that little l
I grew up in a really small school. My school’s graduating class was six people. I knew that I wanted to go to a bigger school. My brother went to Eugene, originally at UO, and I knew I wanted to do a pre-med track, and OSU would have a better program. And I just really liked the feeling of community on campus here and it kind of just felt right … I think, growing up, I always knew that I wanted to go to the mainland. But I think it didn't really hit me until I came here that I realized, ‘Oh … this is different,
WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE LIKE
WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED AT OSU?
My freshman year … every single day for the first month, I cried. Every single bench on campus, I would sit down, call my family and cry … I would just be so homesick and was just really sad, and I just wanted to go home.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CULTURE SHOCKS YOU EXPERIENCED COMING TO COLLEGE?
BANDONILL: Back at home, (the people) are so nice, but people here, it’s cutthroat … back home it’s kind of more open or welcoming. Here it’s a little bit more closed off. And then the food here kind of lacks in the seasoning department … there’s the same options all the time, you get tired of eating the same thing. Back at home,
