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First Gen

17 posts

A newsletter about the highs and lows of the first-generation college student experience. By Zipporah Osei, a journalist and recent graduate from Northeastern University.

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First Gen

When the fantasy of post-grad life doesn’t match reality

Zipporah Osei
April 1, 2021

As a culture, we put a lot of stock into graduations as signifiers of success. If what follows are feelings of anything but joy, it becomes all too easy for the feeling of loss to become guilt.

First Gen

Stronger Together: The Power of Mentorship

Zipporah Osei
July 24, 2020

Mentors can raise self-confidence and connect first-gen students to pathways they didn't even know existed.

First Gen

Graduate School and the Allure of Being a Lifelong Student

Zipporah Osei
July 10, 2020

I’ve only been away from college for a couple of months and I’m already thinking about going back.…

First Gen

We’ve All Got Student Loan Debt. So Let’s Talk About it.

Zipporah Osei
June 19, 2020

Student debt is not uncommon and shouldn't be a topic swept under the rug.

- First Gen

Feeling Worlds Away from Your Parents As a First-Gen Grad

People whose parents didn’t go to college are understandably less likely to go themselves, but for those that do, there’s a great chance that they’ll out-earn their parents.

June 5, 2020

First Gen

Wake Me Up When This Pandemic-Induced Recession Ends

Zipporah Osei
May 22, 2020

It’s not a good time to be a first-generation college student without a safety net.

First Gen

Happy Fauxmencement to the Class of COVID-19

Zipporah Osei
May 8, 2020

Unable to celebrate in person, the Class of 2020 has created new ceremonies on top of their universities' virtual graduation events.

First Gen

Visions of a Post-COVID Higher Education Utopia

Zipporah Osei
April 24, 2020

This is a chance to reshape higher education, and do away with the elements of it that aren’t serving us.

First Gen

First-Gen High School Students Feel Robbed, and They’ve Got Every Right To

Zipporah Osei
April 10, 2020

Nobody could have planned for this — certainly not teenagers looking forward to college.

- First Gen

What Do First-Gen Students Want in This Time? Our Money.

It seems many colleges are hoping to avoid refunding large amounts of money out of fear about how it’ll impact the budget.

March 27, 2020