I'm a first-generation college student. Here are 5 tips I learned to succeed in school that I wish someone had told me sooner

• As a first-generation college student, I feel pressure to make my family proud.
• I'm an honors student entering my senior year, and I use my circumstances as motivation.

All college students can relate to the undergraduate toil of choosing a major, the struggle of questioning that major through your daily grind of classes and your normal schedule, and preparing for what life might look like after graduation. But navigating all these pivotal endeavors as a first-generation college student has unique challenges.

When I started college, I wrestled with the desire to do everything perfectly and the overwhelming the pressure to succeed. I come from a low-income family, with parents who have always sacrificed to provide me with the opportunity of a higher education ­— a privilege they never had. I felt compelled to study endlessly and listen to everything my professors said, while grappling with anxiety about my academics, finances, and future.

Despite the fears that drove me, being the first in my family to attend college has led me to approach my degree with great motivation and resourcefulness. I became determined to make the most of my academic career. And now, as an honors student going into my senior year, I can confidently say that I have navigated my college years successfully. I am a first-generation college student, and this is what I've learned in my three years in college.

Choosing a major early helped me focus; I wanted something that would keep my career options open

During my first year at Rutgers University-Newark, I wanted to choose my major as soon as possible to avoid spending time in courses I wouldn't end up needing. Since I rely on earned scholarships and student loans, spending that extra time could lead to financial difficulties.

This is easier said than done, as most people know. At first, I wasn't sure what I wanted to pursue. What I did know was that I wanted to complete whatever degree I decided on within four years so I could leverage the financial aid I received. I also wanted my degree to be versatile so that I'd have multiple career options. To help me narrow down my options, I spent hours creating four-year-graduation plans and frequently spoke with my academic advisor.

But I also learned I should major in something I was actually interested in

At first, I had my eye only on financial prospects and considered majoring in a few subjects I didn't enjoy, including finance and computer science, despite my loathing of numbers. But after including space for exploration into my plan for my freshman year, I realized that while it was important for me to have stability in the future, I needed to embrace my interests so that I could have a career that kept me engaged.

This philosophy has led me to truly enjoy the learning process. I decided to major in English and minors in marketing, writing, and music.

To plan for the future, real-life experience is important

After deciding my major, I knew my next step in preparing for my future was to complement my studies with real-world experience. Though I was eager to do so, I wasn't too sure where the best place to start gaining work experience would be, so I simply began by saying yes to the different opportunities that came my way.

With this mentality, I got two on-campus jobs, one as the peer coordinator of the peer-advisor program in the Office of Academic Services and the other as a writing tutor at the writing center.

While working, I learned the benefit of networking

In addition to gaining experience in the workforce, saying yes to opportunities taught me the importance of networking. It was through networking that I obtained an internship as an assistant editor for the Garden State Woman Education Foundation, a small organization dedicated to empowering women.

With my work experience and variety of studies, presenting myself to employers has been a much less nerve-racking ordeal. I learned just how advantageous it has been to keep my career options open. In fact, it was through this journey that I was able to land an internship at W. W. Norton, the largest independent, employee-owned book publishing company.

I learned it was all about perspective, and using my circumstances as motivation helped me succeed

Using my circumstances as an incentive to thrive has allowed me to learn many valuable lessons on successfully navigating college life and preparing for my future. The more I continued to make progress during my time in college, the less I felt suffocated by the fact that I was on campus while my family worked overtime.

My success will allow me to reciprocate the support my family has provided me. Knowing that I have the potential to change our lives for the better gives me the drive to keep pursuing my bachelor's degree with zest.

To those who struggle with the stress and anxiety of being the first in the family to attend college, my greatest piece of advice is to use your circumstances as motivation to succeed.