a new chapter

First-generation college students comment on struggles in education

myla cathey & evy hairell editor-in-chief & section editor

Applying to college is an exciting, once-ina-lifetime event, but it can also be difficult and stressful. For first-generation college students, it can be even harder because they do not have someone familiar with the process at home.

It may come as a surprise that even in a college town, 118 of the 333 seniors campus college advisor and first-gen student Daisy Cuevas has spoken to will be the first in their families to pursue higher education.

“Students come in here thinking that college is way out of their reach, or it’s not accessible when it really is,” Cuevas said. “That is one of my favorite parts of my job — where a student comes in [during] September or October not knowing what they’re going to do after high school or really not knowing anything, and then by April or May, we’re signing housing contracts.”

Motivated by the pressure of living out an “American dream” for her immigrant parents, senior Zohreen Sohani is in the midst of enrolling in college to major in biomedical science. She will be the first person in her family to pursue higher education.

“I definitely had lots of familial pressure to go into further education and become something, especially because in my extended family, I am considered to be one of the smartest people because I was born in America, and I have ‘more opportunities’,” Sohani said.

Similarly, senior Esteban Gonzales feels the need to go to college since his parents were not able to. Many first-gen students feel the pressure to live a different life than their parents did.

“Your grandparents didn’t go to college, or they’re immigrants, and your parents couldn’t afford college, or they didn’t have the grades or weren’t good enough,” Gonzales said. “But say you have the opportunity, you have good grades, and you try hard. A lot of first-gen families really push their children to do what the parents couldn’t.”

While Sohani recognizes that people can be successful without a college degree, she has seen firsthand the potential effects of not having that qualification.

“My dad didn’t have a college degree, and he wasn’t really able to get a better job, but my mom got her GED, and she works pretty well,” Sohani said. “So it’s not like you can’t do anything without a college degree, but they pushed me towards it.”

For students with college-graduate parents, the college application process may seem obvious; however, for first-gen students the process isn’t of sad, but they want those in their statistics,” Sohani said. “I use my story as much as possible to try to basically guilt them into taking me into college, and I think first-gen students don’t realize how much power it actually implies. You’re strong for wanting to go out and make your own way.”

Researching and applying to universities is only the first step in a lengthy and challenging process. After admission, completing all the additional paperwork that comes with attending college can be difficult, a process made harder without a hand to hold at home.

“The hardest part was, if you get accepted, then there’s so much you have to do and there’s a very, very long list of requirements,” Gonzales said. “Once you submit your application, you have to do housing, financial aid, fill out your FAFSA and apply for scholarships.” so simple because the system is not designed for them. Factors like being an immigrant family or a one-income family complicate things further.

“The way that [college] stuff is worded is mostly for basic nuclear families of mom and dad and a few kids,” Sohani said. “I come from a oneincome family, so it was difficult because all the answers expected me to have a mom and a dad and siblings. It was just the way that the questions are built for nuclear families and middle-class families. It was a bit difficult to put my own family into that.”

However, Sohani has been looking on the bright side and has used her unconventional upbringing to add to her college essays and short answers, and she recommends other first generation students do the same.

“As much as society puts you down for being different, that’s what college wants, which is kind

Gonzales and Sohani both found the means to conquer the road to college by relying on the internet, visiting Cuevas’ office and learning as they go. Many first-gen students think it is impossible to achieve higher education, but help is available.

“A lot of students feel like they’re alone. They have no one to go to, so they get intimidated, and they don’t try,” Gonzales said. “But there’s a lot of resources and a lot of people there to help you, you just have to seek them out.”

Cuevas also agrees that there are resources and support systems available. Even in college, students will be able to find encouragement through services and other first-gens.

“You might fail an exam, or you might not get the grade that you wanted in the class,” Cuevas said. “That’s okay. Use your campus resources. You belong wherever you end up. You’re there for a reason. There [are] thousands of other firstgen students. We’re all in this together, so we’re a community.”

online editor

As I reflect on my life, I realize that I am incredibly fortunate to live in this day and age, where I have access to many resources, information and comforts all around the world with a touch of a button.

But with all the progress we’ve made, there’s one thing that still holds us back: Vaccines.

Yes, you read that right. Those little shots that are supposed to keep us healthy are a central problem to our lifestyle and health.

Here’s my advice on how to live healthily: Don’t take vaccines.

First of all, vaccines are dangerous. Although scientists claim that vaccines are safe and effective and that they’ve been proven to prevent diseases that used to kill millions of people. But those are just lies perpetuated by big pharmaceutical companies and the medical establishment to keep us all under their control.

Additionally, vaccines are unnecessary. The diseases the vaccines are designed to protect are eradicated. Some previously eradicated diseases are resurfacing due to low vaccination rates, but who are we to trust them? They’re probably just trying to cover up the truth to increase their profits.

Let’s not even discuss the autism debate. Sure, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that vaccines cause autism, but there isn’t any evidence to disprove it either. So really, it’s anyone’s guess. If there’s even a remote possibility that vaccines could cause autism, why take the risk? I mean, having autism is far worse than the effects of polio: losing mobility and surviving on the iron lung.

Besides, is it not our right to decide what we put into our bodies? If a woman has the right to choose what happens to her uterus, why can’t we have the same autonomy with vaccines? “My Body, My Choice!”

Talking about choice, let’s not forget about the government. They’re always trying to control us, whether it’s through taxes or regulations. So why should we trust them when they tell us vaccines are safe? The vaccines could probably contain tracking and mind-control chips. They’re probably just trying to brainwash us into becoming mindless drones who will do whatever they say.

Finally, there’s the issue of natural immunity. Why interfere with vaccines when we can let our bodies build their defenses? Sure, there’s a risk of getting sick and dying, but that’s just a minuscule, microscopic speck of a price for the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re not putting anything “unnatural” into your body. With the deaths, we could gain herd immunity, and it is a small price to pay, especially with the scientists already killing children with their experimentation of vaccinations on our children.

So there you have it, folks. Vaccines are a scam, a government conspiracy, and a violation of our freedoms, and I wish you all the best in navigating the challenges of staying healthy without vaccines.

I’ve never felt like I belonged. Not when I go to school. Not when I walk into a steakhouse. Not when I hear about aspects of American culture I’ve never heard of or experienced before. The Office. ABBA. The correct pronunciation of Luigi.

Some of these things can never be changed, but that’s fine. I’m fine with feeling like an outsider as long as I get to experience at least parts of the two worlds I embrace, but this feeling wasn’t always easy to accept.

On one hand, I grew up speaking English, eating Wendy’s, and watching American cartoons. Meanwhile, my family spoke Chinese at home, we ate traditional Chinese food for dinner, and I spent my weekends learning traditional Chinese dance.

Although I am fond of both ways of life, I’ve often felt like I don’t fully fit into either culture. My American classmates sometimes accidentally treated me like an outsider because of my Asian features and cultural background. Meanwhile, my Chinese relatives in China viewed me as “too Americanized.”

Despite these personal differences, I’ve come to accept that it’s okay to feel like an outsider. After all, there are certain aspects of my cultural identity that I can never change. But I’ve learned to appreciate and embrace the unique perspectives and experiences that come with straddling two different worlds.

I’ve had the opportunity to travel to China and witness the country’s rich history and culture firsthand. I’ve also been able to take advantage of America’s fast food icon: a greasy hamburger and a jumbo soda. These experiences have allowed me to form my own identity that combines both cultures.

Being an American-born Chinese has also taught me the importance of diversity and inclusion. It is important to recognize and appreciate the differences that make us unique, rather than trying to fit everyone into a narrow mold.

I am well aware of the prominent racial discrimination towards minorities that is present in this country. For instance, the proposed Senate Bill 147 prohibits certain nationalities, including Chinese, from buying property in Texas. It’s not just a matter of economic consequences or national security as those who deem themselves “superior” claim — it’s a matter of discrimination against people who share my cultural heritage and background.

Despite these challenges, I refuse to let discrimination and prejudice define me. Instead, I choose to embrace my personal differences and use them as a means to promote unity and understanding.

In the end, I’ve come to realize that feeling like an outsider is not a weakness, but a strength. It has allowed me to see the world from multiple perspectives and appreciate the diversity that makes life so rich and vibrant.

So, to anyone else who may feel like they don’t quite fit in, know that you’re not alone. Embrace your personal differences and use them to create positive change in the world. And always remember, diversity is what makes us beautiful.

How about that weather, eh?

It’s finally warming up and the signs of summer are showing. How I love summer and its capability of inspiring people to start anew.

Summer is my favorite season. My birthday is in the summer, so I get to celebrate growing older while not having to go to school anymore.

But this year I turn 18.

It’s fine though, because summer is my favorite season.

The clouds depart from their normal huddles and drift away. They leave. They’re gone, and they might never come back. Will they have to wait until winter for a joyous but brief reunion? Or will they only reunite when it’s rainy outside? Isn’t it awful that some families — I mean, clouds — only come together when a storm hits?

And what if there’s a drought this year?

Anyway, I love summer. It’s getting hot now, and the weather is perfect for going to the playground and swinging on the swings. But the sign reads, “Ages 12 and under,’’ and my hips are now too wide for the swing seats.

OK, now it’s way too hot out here. It was never this hot when I was a kid. It’s got to be about 700 miles away from home — I mean 700 degrees outside. I swear the time leading up to summer has never felt this scorching hot before. However, I do like the feeling of the sun beating against my freshly tanned skin. But the sun is shining differently this year — it’s more like a sunburn than a tan.

The same sun illuminates the earth at all locations, even hundreds of miles apart, but staring at the golden sphere without the same company around you makes it feel like two separate suns. The summer sun is a symbol of happiness though, right? Yellow, smiley, gleaming and bright are all words evoked by this star, but this year it’s dark, frowny, despair and sad endings.

A visit to the pool might help. But if you go to the pool alone, you might drown. You might have the time of your life splashing around in the deep end, but drowning is the third most common reason for dropping out of college – I mean, the third most common type of injury-related death. Floaties don’t work when you’re not a kid anymore. I wouldn’t want to spend money on going to a pool just to end up alone and drowning, but the risk of the deep end might be worth it.

At least there’s one more holiday. The Independence Day fireworks pop and then crackle down, similar to the motion of the tears falling down a high school senior’s parents’ faces when they’re staring at a newly empty bedroom. The sound of the fireworks are starting to echo in my mind, sounding more and more like gunshots through my heart as July 4 approaches.

I hate this weather and this season and its wicked ways of ending childhood and inflicting change.

How about this weather?

It’s unfortunately warming up and showing signs of summer. How I loathe summer and its bloodthirsty tendencies to force things to change and burn a fire through families – clouds, I mean.

On Feb. 13, tragedy struck Michigan State University. A mass shooting killed three students and injured five others — a story that has become far too common in our country today.

In the midst of chaos and horror, MSU’s student newspaper, the State News, stepped up. They worked that night, updating the Spartan community on the events of the evening and every development over the days and weeks afterward.

The State News covered — and continues to cover — the tragedy from every possible angle, from hard news stories to fiery editorials and features on a broken city trying to recover.

These are not fearless inhuman heroes who stood tall in the face of danger. These Spartans were no different than their peers: tired, terrified, and traumatized. That’s what made their coverage so driven. They were not above the emotions that the entire student body experienced. But they kept working through it all.

When Michigan State grieved, the State News grieved. They were both the mourners and a messenger, carrying the emotions of the community through guest essays, poems, and more. And when the Spartans were angry, scared, or in need of comfort, the State News was there to report on their demands, fears, and needs.

There’s a lesson to be learned from those Spartan journalists: reporters are meant to feel. We are called to be objective, but objectivity does not mean we should blind ourselves to the emotions that come with every story worth writing about.

The finest hours of journalism are the worst days of people’s lives. Sunshine and rainbows don’t make good stories. That creates an incredibly fine line, one where the callousness that comes from a career spent reporting on tragedy can easily manifest itself as a cold apathy towards others’ pain. Or far worse, internal glee at an opportunity for a story with award potential.

We, as journalists, are not supposed to be soulless ghouls circling disaster like ravens. Most of us are not. But to someone who’s just gone through the worst hours of their lives, how can they be expected to tell the difference between a reporter detached for the sake of objectivity and one who simply couldn’t care less about their pain?

The reporters of the State News had an emotional connection that a reporter flying in from New York or Los Angeles could not. That’s why they covered the shooting arguably better than any of the other dozens of outlets that reported on the event. Emotions, within the boundaries of journalism ethics, make reporting better.

Regardless of the acclaim or awards that the State News’ coverage will deservedly receive, it won’t take away the trauma and pain their writers went through that night, side by side with their fellow Spartans. I wish more solace can be taken in the fact that they produced excellent work, but that night and the days after will always be a painful memory.

Most publications will never have to go through what the State News did. But all of them can learn to respond in a similar way. Let reporters feel, and let their work reflect the feelings around them.

Objectivity is not killed by emotion. But callousness and shallowness can kill any trust that communities have in the journalists that serve them.