As a first-generation student from a low-income family, I qualified to be in the Student Support Services program here at UW-Eau Claire.

The program’s mission is to provide participants with individualized assistance that contributes to their academic achievement, enabling them to accomplish their educational and career goals.

When I was a freshman, SSS helped me find a non-profit organization to complete my service learning. SSS provides opportunities for freshmen to have mentors, free tutoring, free tickets to various performances, and community.

There are so many wonderful aspects of this program; I cannot even begin to describe its caliber. Growing up, my family qualified for reduced-priced lunches in the public school system due to the number of siblings I have and to my father’s occupation.

Although we were not poor by a numerical value, we were not overflowing with extra money. As soon as people found out I have seven siblings, my father is a dairy farmer and my mom is a homemaker, I knew I had lost some sort of dignity. Even to this day, people will judge not only my father’s, but also my own intelligence due to him being a dairy farmer. I just let it go because I realize my father is one of the most intelligent people I know – I doubt I will ever surpass his astuteness.

In a culture where a person’s paycheck determines his status, it is no wonder people look down on low-income families as less intelligent than those with a high income.

However, I must say that with seven siblings who have higher-than-average GPAs throughout school, my family does not exactly fit the stereotype of a low-income family. In fact, my eldest sister graduated with her bachelor’s in Social Work and Business with honors from a private university. My older brother joined the Army Reserves.

My third-oldest sibling double-majored at a private university with honors and is currently teaching in Israel at an American school.

My sister directly older than me will graduate from her undergrad next year with her major in social work and minor in Spanish, and she has also traveled abroad twice.

I will also graduate next year with public communications as my major and with a topical minor. My sister directly younger than me is currently a freshman in college.

I have two younger siblings at home; one is a sophomore in high school, and one is in eighth grade. Both are at the top of their class and are active in their schools.

As you can tell, even though we are from a low-income family and are first-generation students, we are not lacking intelligence or ambition.

Many people often associate low-income families with laziness and a lack of motivation – especially families from farms.

This is definitely not the case with my family. We grew up on a dairy farm – I am proud to say this.

My siblings and I all have a great work ethic. I do not say this in a boasting matter- – I state it as a fact.

We had to do our daily farm chores to the best of our ability, or else we had to do them again until the job was correctly finished.

My dad diligently wakes up each morning at 2:30 a.m. to feed and then milk the cows. He then works all day fixing machinery, nursing a sick animal and doing maintenance work on the farm. I can guarantee you do not want me to list all my dad does in one day – you and I both would be here for a very long time.

“What about your mom, Hannah? You stated earlier she is a homemaker, so she stays home all day?”

Are you kidding me?

No.

When we were in grade, middle and high school, my mom was running back and forth to make it to all of our events to support and encourage us. My mom taught me the alphabet when I was three. She helped me learn my spelling words. She edited my papers from the very first one in grade school to my final research paper as a senior in high school.

Oh, and multiply this all by seven, seeing as I have seven siblings. My mom also made breakfast and dinner for us every day of my life.

The only time she did not cook a full meal for us was when she was sick or out of town. My mom is the glue and support of my crazy-big family.

I love my family – we do not fit many societal stereotypes.

We are smart, hardworking and supportive of one another.

I am not ashamed of my economical background. I proudly say who I am and where I came from.

My parents taught me many life lessons most people do not learn until they have families of their own.

I am thankful for my childhood in the country. I was able to run, play and learn what it means to work hard at a very young age. I learned what is and is not all that important in life. Some people never learn that.

Tripp is a junior public communications major and guest columnist for The Spectator.