Hear me out, I know this sounds crazy, but Alejandra Campoverdi’s story in First Gen goes far beyond her own identity as a Latina, reaching out and touching the reader, for real.

It isn’t her Latina identity that created that personal connection between me and the author, it was her struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, and a feeling that she had to constantly shape-shift to fit in during unfamiliar situations.

Everything is new to Campoverdi. As a “First and Only” nobody in her family can quite wrap their heads around what college entails, and Campoverdi herself also struggles through the application process in a variety of ways.

This is one example of empathizing with the author. I am a first-gen college student who also struggled with the process of how to go about all of it. It feels strange to admit something like this, but I was literally taught how to do laundry and make eggs by my wife.

Did you know that you can put things in scrambled eggs? Growing up an orphan is wild (we will get to this in a moment).

When you have anxiety and depression, along with no support system, everything is a leap. Campoverdi takes multiple blindfolded cliff dives, betting on herself in the face of financial ruin.

Even when she is second guessing herself, Campoverdi just keeps ascending.

Campoverdi wants to climb higher up the ladder, but to do so means navigating a series of situations that she encounters for the first time and guessing her way through things. She eventually becomes more comfortable and confident in who she is, and that is when she can step back and admire her own progress.

As Campoverdi says “I got this… I GOT THIS!” (You have to read the book for context, I can’t spoil everything!). The way she finds her own self-confidence is impressive and a motivator, at least to this reader.

The way Campoverdi writes about loss really hit me hard. I lost both of my parents as a teenager and hearing her describe in intimate detail how she felt internally during a difficult process touched my inner J.Thomas.

If you know, you know, losing a parental figure during a time of transformation can set you back years. She also gives intimate details on what it feels like to watch cancer take somebody close to you, and her writing hits exceptionally hard in these moments.

After my parent’s died, I languished in food service for 20+ years and didn’t go to college until 2021, so watching Campoverdi dust everything off and keep going is awesome and exciting.

This is where Campoverdi shines, just putting her head down and pushing. I truly believe she has no idea how incredible and inspirational she is. Unlike myself, she pushed through all the barriers in her way.

Her ability to battle through anxiety and a sense of not belonging is familiar, and the way Campoverdi navigates a World full of people who made her feel like a poor immigrant at times and just stick it out is powerful to read.

These are the moments in this book where the author speaks with humility about her series of amazing accomplishments, and her lack of ego is both surprising and refreshing. That being said, Alejandra Campoverdi should learn how to brag sometimes; she has certainly earned it.

I once got a full ride to a private local college. It’s one of those schools that everybody says “good school” when you tell them you go there. Unlike Campoverdi, I left for Spring Break during my first semester and then never went back.

This course reversal had nothing to do with academics; it had to do with being a poor, millennial, community college transfer in a World full of people who were different than me. Basically, she’s a G for sticking it out.

One last thing that I want to touch upon, Campoverdi mentions her family keeping an exceptionally clean house, despite the place not being “nice”. I only mention this because my wife and I live in, let’s say, humble conditions. Even if you live in a shed, coming home to a clean place can make it feel like your personal palace. Campoverdi’s grandmother managed to get me off of my ass in 2025. Thanks Abi!

I promise, this blog won’t just be book reviews, but this one is too good to not share.

Until next time, stay crescent fresh,

J. Thomas Cassidy