Study Abroad Tips for First Generation Students
The Student Experience
Being a first-generation college student can be stressful. First-generation students who have gone abroad are sharing their experience along with tips and tricks! Blogs can provide you a more in depth experience with personal annotations.
Some students take their time to write or record a video about their journey. While those experiences are exclusive to that specific blogger, you might find connections to your own experiences or nothing at all. However, this can help challenge your perspectives and pique your interests. Take time to look at a variety of blogs by students that look like you and by ones you have no connections with at all!
You might also find you are interested in research and would like to know what studies have shown. Below is a beginning guide to understanding how your identity can heighten your study abroad experience.
Blogs & Articles
- Ricardo Martinez is a first generation college student who studied abroad in Brazil. While abroad people questioned Ricardo being American because his skin color was not white it did not prevent him from understanding his first generation identity to his experience. He encourages other first generation to see themselves beyond this, to be first-time learners. Along with his personal accounts he provides his own useful tips.
- Juana Escobedo Bermudez traveled to Ireland for her study abroad program. As a Latina and first generation college student she describes her experience abroad while also talking about the challenges she faced before arriving.
- Samantha Tran is a Moral Psychology (SPM) major and Russian Studies minor at Franklin & Marshall College. Traveling to Russia and Australia, Samantha took her study abroad experience and turned it into one of reflection and learning.
Videos
- Once you study abroad you will find your own study abroad tips and would want to share it with others. Janikka hopes you make your study abroad a reality by sharing her experience including explaining her program to her family and how she adjusted to a new culture.
- Joushlyn Jones is a political science major, first-generation college student, and a first time traveler abroad. Her open and honest discussion can provide impactful insight on what to expect when studying abroad.
- This panel of students are touching upon numerous topics including things to consider when pursuing a study abroad program and unexpected challenges and benefits as a first-gen college student. Each student provided a unique perspective from another and all bring new things to consider in your own program.
Scholarships
Students of all backgrounds cite money as an impediment to studying abroad. Geneseo works to help make traveling abroad an affordable and accessible opportunity for all students through numerous scholarships as well as financial advisement. You can check out our extensive list of scholarships on our Scholarship Page.