Hi, my name is Katie and I'm the Media Preservation Librarian at the University of Iowa Libraries. I was a first-generation college student, beginning in 2004. My family had no idea of how to help me during my transition from a small town where I knew everyone to a place where I knew very few people and was overwhelmed with new information and experiences. I struggled with my health and mental health for the first few years of college, eventually dropping out. I went back and finished undergrad, but waited 5 years before deciding to go to graduate school and become a librarian. I learned a lot from my first generation college experience, but I wish I would have had someone who knew what that experience was like in my corner. I'm more than happy to chat with anyone who needs a understanding ear or is interested in becoming any sort of librarian.