My parents never had the chance to attend college, which is why it was their life's purpose for the longest while to become successful enough to send my brother and me to any college we'd like to attend. After a semester as a freshman in college, I can confidently say that being a first-generation student is an incredible experience and opportunity, but it is certainly not for the weak.

The amount of sacrifice my parents have made along the way is undeniably selfless, and the gratitude I feel for them and their love is endless. However, with this gratitude comes fear: a fear of disappointing them and wasting their hard work. Yet more importantly, their sacrifices also motivate me with a powerful drive to work tirelessly to build myself up professionally and personally for the sake of my future, as well as for my parents and their past.

From working on my own non-profit in high school while balancing other extracurricular activities, such as mock trial and Model UN, to serving as a board member in various councils and clubs, all while maintaining a perfect GPA, the pressure to be perfect reached an extreme at times and became inexplicably overwhelming. However, I hoped that once I'd received admission to my college of choice, it would all be worth it.

After finally attending my university, I realized that I have never been able to have the conversations that most have with their parents, like their best college memories or whether I’m doing things the right way. Yet, what even is the right way, and am I living up to their expectations? For example, maybe I’m joining too few or too many clubs, or perhaps my major isn’t what I expected. While there are other resources, the pressure can feel crippling because the standards are through the roof, but then again, I’ve never been one to give up.