Achievement Guilt

Some first gen college students feel guilty about their educational achievements as it relates to their family or friends who aren’t attending college. This is sometimes referred to as Achievement Guilt (Covarrubias et al., 2020). You may worry about what you could be doing with your time to help your family. It’s real and it’s ok to feel this way.

This guilt may lead to higher levels of anxiety or depression. If you are experiencing thoughts of achievement guilt, seek help with our Counseling Center. Identify your values and what it means to complete a Bachelor’s degree and share them with your family and friends.

Keep the lines of communication open and when you do get your degree (because you will), it’s their celebration too.