--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was the first one in the family, on…" description: "\"I was the first one in the family, on either side, to go to college - much less graduate school.\" — Powers Boothe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96c/powers-boothe-15328_college_i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-eit_1336058.jpg" --- # I was the first one in the family, on either side, to go… ![“I was the first one in the family, on either side, to go to college - much less graduate school.” quote by Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96c/powers-boothe-15328_college_i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-eit_1336058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96c/powers-boothe-15328_college_i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-eit_1336058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96c/powers-boothe-15328_college_i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-eit_1336058.jpg) > “I was the first one in the family, on either side, to go to college - much less graduate school.” [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breaking family educational barriers, achieving first-generation college attendance. **In simple terms:** First in family to attend college. Key Takeaway Pursue education despite family precedent. Themes education family achievement perseverance Mood proud determined Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - college applications - career planning - family discussions - mentorship programs Key Concepts first‑generation college student social mobility Questions to Reflect On - How can families support first‑generation students? - What resources help sustain academic success? A Different Perspective May face financial or cultural obstacles that persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-graduate-242592/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-college-1715763/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate/) [Graduate school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate-school/) [Less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/less/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [Through high school, college, graduate school and beyond, I had a number of relationships that were wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/through-high-school-college-graduate-school-and-beyond-i-had-a-number/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Encouragement from my high school teacher Patty Hart said 'you need to focus and theater might be your route out of here.' I created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/encouragement-from-my-high-school-teacher-patty-hart-said-you-need-to/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [I am a first-generation college graduate, and I'm proud to say that most of my other siblings have college degrees as well. Our parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-munoz/i-am-a-first-generation-college-graduate-and-i-m-proud-to-say-that/) [Oscar Munoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-munoz/) > [I'm a college graduate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/i-m-a-college-graduate/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [I was going to go to college and graduate and move to New York and do the Broadway thing. That's where a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-tsui/i-was-going-to-go-to-college-and-graduate-and-move-to-new-york-and-do/) [Sam Tsui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-tsui/) > [I ended up doing four or five plays in college and being an English major with my thesis in language acquisition, which I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/i-ended-up-doing-four-or-five-plays-in-college-and-being-an-english/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [The reality of the music industry is that I was a 22-year-old college graduate who was able to walk into boardrooms and be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-rogers/the-reality-of-the-music-industry-is-that-i-was-a-22-year-old-college/) [Maggie Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-rogers/) > [As a first-generation college graduate, I know I would not have been able to open all the doors Morehouse College provided for me if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/as-a-first-generation-college-graduate-i-know-i-would-not-have-been/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) > [I'm the first person in my family to go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-m-the-first-person-in-my-family-to-go-to-college/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [I was the first one in my family to go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/i-was-the-first-one-in-my-family-to-go-to-college/) [Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/) > [I was first in my family to go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-was-first-in-my-family-to-go-to-college/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [My youngest uncle Randy and I were the first members of our entire family to ever go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/my-youngest-uncle-randy-and-i-were-the-first-members-of-our-entire/) [James Earl Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-earl-jones/) > [I was the first in my family to go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-menendez/i-was-the-first-in-my-family-to-go-to-college/) [Bob Menendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-menendez/) > [The great thing about a sitcom is that you're in front of a live audience, so you really get in touch with what audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/topher-grace/the-great-thing-about-a-sitcom-is-that-you-re-in-front-of-a-live/) [Topher Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/topher-grace/) > [I was always very aware of the nature of the place where I was growing up in Gulfport, Mississippi, how that place was shaping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/i-was-always-very-aware-of-the-nature-of-the-place-where-i-was/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) ## More by Powers Boothe > [That joy of a creative environment, without any restrictions, is hard to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/that-joy-of-a-creative-environment-without-any-restrictions-is-hard/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [Since I've had some success, story and character are always the two elements I think about first in material presented to me. Some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/since-i-ve-had-some-success-story-and-character-are-always-the-two/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I was raised a proper Southern boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-raised-a-proper-southern-boy/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I've always felt if you followed a real private detective around, it would be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-ve-always-felt-if-you-followed-a-real-private-detective-around-it/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [The first 10 years I was a professional actor, I did Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/the-first-10-years-i-was-a-professional-actor-i-did-shakespeare/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [When I'm out there, it's just me. Nobody's controlling me, and I can do whatever I want to do. I'm my own man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/when-i-m-out-there-it-s-just-me-nobody-s-controlling-me-and-i-can-do/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I've got a family, and I love them, and I want them to have the best opportunities in the best country in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-ve-got-a-family-and-i-love-them-and-i-want-them-to-have-the-best/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I have always been attracted to good scripts and try hard to make characters as believable as possible. That means trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-have-always-been-attracted-to-good-scripts-and-try-hard-to-make/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [Everyone has this vision of Jones as a maniacal ogre. Wrong. He was charming, sweet, and a fabulous speaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/everyone-has-this-vision-of-jones-as-a-maniacal-ogre-wrong-he-was/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I'm not going to make my living out of beating my head against somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-m-not-going-to-make-my-living-out-of-beating-my-head-against/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I like to do things that are about relationships, work with quality people, and tell a different kind of story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-like-to-do-things-that-are-about-relationships-work-with-quality/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I wanted to be in 'The Emerald Forest.' I chased that one for six months before it all came about. I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-wanted-to-be-in-the-emerald-forest-i-chased-that-one-for-six-months/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [You don't do classics with a Texas accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/you-don-t-do-classics-with-a-texas-accent/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I like to think of myself as fairly intellectual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-like-to-think-of-myself-as-fairly-intellectual/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [I come prepared when I come to work. Not just knowing the lines, but I think I know something about what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-come-prepared-when-i-come-to-work-not-just-knowing-the-lines-but-i/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) [Explore all 43 Powers Boothe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. 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I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was the first one in the family, on either side, to go to college - much less graduate school.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Powers Boothe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-either-side-to-go-to-college/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "College" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-either-side-to-go-to-college/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96c/powers-boothe-15328_college_i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-eit_1336058.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96c/powers-boothe-15328_college_i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-eit_1336058.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96c/powers-boothe-15328_college_i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-eit_1336058.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was the first one in the family, on either side, to go to college - much less graduate school.” — Powers Boothe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Powers Boothe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was the first one in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-either-side-to-go-to-college/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-the-first-one-in-the-family-on-either-side-to-go-to-college/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```