Jailia Yang
Share Your Story
Being one of the very few Hmong students from my community to attend the University of Michigan has taught me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. My hope is to be a role model for the younger generation and show them that although we come with a challenging history, we can pursue higher education at one of the top universities in the world. We are not limited to where we are comfortable, but instead, should use it as guidance in understanding our own abilities and strengths. As a first-generation student, I’ve carried many responsibilities such as, caring for younger siblings while my parents worked long hours, translating between Hmong and English, helping manage household matters, and often serving as the bridge between my family and the outside world, all while trying to figure out who I wanted to become. For a long time, I believed I had to have all the answers, because I was the one everyone turned to for guidance. At the University of Michigan, I struggled to ask for help. I had been raised to be self-reliant, and admitting that I didn’t know something felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable. For the first time, I found myself in a space where I wasn’t the one with all the answers. Asking for help felt like weakness at first, but it became one of my biggest strengths. I’m deeply grateful for the resources and communities at U-M that supported students like me. Through them, I learned that I wasn’t alone and that others shared the same challenges and hopes. Together, we built a sense of belonging that allowed me to grow not only as a student, but as a person. Being a first generation student has become part of my identity and I’m proud to always carry that part with me.
Your advice for other First-Gen students
It is okay to ask for help and almost everyone has been in a similar position as you. There are so many people at this university who are willing to help, as long as you’re willing to ask. It’s okay not to know everything, that is part of the journey.