Asking the "Dumb" Questions: Advice from a First-Generation College Student
I used to preface every question with, "This might be a dumb question, but…" until a professor told me that there is no such thing as a dumb question. She's right.
This professor, who was also a first-generation student, always answered my questions without judging me, no matter how simple or self-explanatory they seemed, because sometimes the simplest questions are the hardest to answer. I was embarrassed to ask questions because they seemed too simple, and I felt like everyone else already knew the answers. It wasn't just the questions I had when I started college; getting into university was just the beginning.
As my college career advanced, I heard unfamiliar words like "dissertation," and when I decided I wanted to go to graduate school, the entire process of grad school applications ripped open a whole new can of worms. I had to figure out how to get letters of recommendation, how to pick which graduate school programs were right for me, and, perhaps the most daunting task, how to write a Statement of Purpose. Every step I took led to more and more questions.
It was important to remind myself that there was a point where my professors and classmates did not know the answers either. They did not magically know how registration and advising worked or what major was the best for their career goals or how to fill out the FAFSA. They also had to learn. Many of them were able to ask their parents who had gone to college and knew the answers. Some of them were asking these questions in private, asking professors or advisors in their office hours, so I never knew that they also didn't know and had to ask.
It's normal to not know everything. Your professors (who I admit, sometimes feel super-human with their seemingly endless knowledge and publications and research on topics you can't even pronounce) once asked how registration works or what major was right for them. Your classmates have asked those questions, or they're too nervous to ask and are hoping someone else will so they don't have to. It is okay to ask those questions, but sometimes it is hard. It's intimidating, it's scary, and it can even make you feel isolated, like everyone else has some secret knowledge that you don't.
I was too scared to ask the questions until a professor told me that there's no such thing as a dumb question. I liked this professor; she was nice, she did her best to answer my questions, and sometimes, she didn't know the answer either, and she always admitted that to me. When neither of us knew the answer, she would not just find out the answer. She would help me figure out how to find the answer myself.
My biggest piece of advice to any first-generation student is to find a professor or advisor you trust. It doesn't necessarily have to be someone in your department. Maybe it’s a professor you took a history class with and really enjoyed talking with. Maybe it’s a professor whose office is really comfy and helps you feel calm. Maybe it's a professor who is interested in something you also enjoy. Ask them your questions. You don't have to explain why you're asking. You can ask in their office hours, in private, or through an email. Sometimes other students have the same question and are too nervous to ask. By asking, you may remind the professor that other people have the same concern so that they can make sure everyone can be successful, even if they're too nervous to ask those questions or fear judgment.
I promise that your professor is not judging you. The anxiety you feel is real, but the judgment is not. Sometimes, your advisors and professors have been working in the university for so long that they forget how disorienting it can be to be a college student starting out with very little guidance. Professors are here to help you. Your questions aren't "dumb." They aren't silly or arbitrary. They are real concerns that you have, and they are always worth voicing. Because, after all, there really are no dumb questions.