The pressure to be first was challenging but also rewarding in the end. When I left home to attend Southern Miss, I wanted to make my family proud yet had no idea how to navigate college. Of course I thought visiting the campus once meant I would have everything together over the next four years. However, I was wrong and struggled with not only finding the best major but also understanding who I was a person.
From obstacles to opportunities, I am grateful for my family, advisor, professors, and mentors. College taught me very quickly that I couldn’t make it on my own, but I could by getting involved, staying connected to the campus community, and having great mentors. Since then, I have learned the importance of leaving a place better than I found it and helping students navigate their college experience. So while being first can be daunting, there are several opportunities, scholarships, and resources to help your college experience to be all that would like it to be. As a staff member on a college campus, I share my story, serve as a mentor, and connect students to campus and community resources. But being a First-Generation graduate led to personal and professional transformation.
Advice: When starting college, it is so easy to doubt whether you belong. But believe me, you do! Remember to be kind to yourself, get a WIN every day, practice self-care daily, seek professional help when needed, meet new friends, speak up your voice matters, help someone along the way, and finish well.
So be well, do well, live well, and stay well!
Santee Ezell
Director, Health Promotion and Wellness