Jaeden Watson

What fears or anxieties did you have about going to college?

Both of my parents came from disadvantaged backgrounds and weren't given the opportunity to go to college. It wasn't until adulthood that my father, at 60 years old, returned to college to complete an IT degree. Since higher education wasn't exemplified to me, it made it a bit more challenging to enter into college. College was an unknown territory for my entire family, and through me, they are able to teach my younger brother how to apply, enter into, and succeed in college. The GenExcel program ultimately aided me in my transition into college and taught me very valuable lessons as to what it meant to be a first-generation college student. Many of my anxieties, which were primarily financially related, were soothed as I was given resources such as Cal Fresh to help make my first year smoother. I often feared that I was all alone in my academic and personal struggles, but the GenExcel proved that to be wrong as I was surrounded by a team of individuals who wanted to help.

 

My biggest advice for first-generation students is to not be afraid to ask for help. As first-gen students, we are very determined and resilient people, and sometimes that is a bit of a double-edged sword. We have worked hard to enter into college despite that not being mirrored at our home, and in times of weakness the pride which we have in ourselves gets in the way of being able to ask for help. It is important that we allow ourselves to be human and humble ourselves enough to ask for what we need.

Once I graduate college, I hope to pursue a career in the FBI as a special agent and hopefully become a forensic profiler.

I love to write poems, dance (specifically ballet or lyrical), and sing.

  1. Carmex Chapstick
  2. Acai Bowl
  3. A DSI to play Nintendogs