I grew up in a big family with six kids, so we didn’t have much and our upbringing was often chaotic. As the oldest, I was also the first in my family to go to college. I was a good student and thought I was well-prepared for college…then I arrived on campus to learn that you needed to…buy your own textbooks!? Nobody had mentioned this, and I didn’t know how I was going to afford them. Fortunately, I made it through that first semester, but I’ve never forgotten that moment of realization that there was so much to learn. I’m still learning every day, and love connecting with others who are finding their way in higher ed, too.