“I was black from the working class”: Michelle Obama spoke frankly about her youth
'26.05.2018'
Source: The Daily Mail
Former US First Lady Michelle Obama, 54, spoke about her youthful fears, what it was like to be the first college student in her family, and shared photos of her family and shots from Princeton in recent Instagram posts.
The photo was taken at the beginning of 80's in the school of the honorary American Ivy League, writes The Daily Mail. I entered Princeton Michelle in 1981, at the age of 17, and in 1985, I graduated with honors and received a bachelor's degree in sociology. In the picture, she is posing on a campus background in a denim jacket and a red sweater, with a bag on her left shoulder. Despite the open smile, Michelle admitted that at that time she was very afraid of everything related to college.
“I know being the first generation of college students is very scary because it really scared me myself,” Obama admitted.
Michelle, daughter of Fraser Robinson, a water purification worker, and Marian Robinson, a former bank secretary, entered Princeton, following in the footsteps of her brother, who graduated in 1983 year. None of their parents went to college.
“I was black from the Chicago working class, while most of Princeton's students were white and wealthy. Before that, I had never stood out from the crowd because of my skin color. But I found close friends and teachers who helped me gain confidence and be myself. College is hard, but every day I meet people whose lives have been dramatically changed by education, including mine. ”
Obama also published several archival family photos - for example, on Wednesday it was a picture of Michelle and Barack on their wedding day in October 1992. The bride sits on a chair during the wedding party and laughs as the groom removes the garter from her leg, according to tradition.
“From this photo you can't tell that on our wedding day in October 1992, Barack woke up with a terrible cold. But by the time we met at the altar, the runny nose miraculously disappeared and we danced all night. 25 years later we are still having fun, but we continue to work on our partnership and support for each other as individuals. I can't imagine how I would have walked this path with someone else. "
On Tuesday, Michelle published her children's photos with her parents, saying a few kind words to each of them.
“My father, Fraser, taught me to work hard, laugh often and keep my word. My mother, Marian, showed me how to think of myself and speak in my own voice. Together, in our cramped apartment in south Chicago, my family helped me see value in our history, in my history, and more broadly in the history of our country. ”
In early May, Obama spoke at a student public event in Philadelphia, where she again recalled her difficulties and struggles, which she led at the beginning of her student career. The event was related to her initiative. Reach HigherMichelle launched four years ago in support of education across the country. A graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School told seven thousand students about her own doubts and how to overcome insecurity and fear at the beginning of her studies.
Michelle, whose 19-year-old daughter Malia is a newcomer to Harvard University, reassured students that it is perfectly normal to have certain fears and advised them to "fight because we all fight."
“When Barack and I entered the White House, it was a struggle. There were a lot of people who told us that we should not be in this place, that we could not cope with the pressure, that we were not ready for what was happening. But I will tell you: they will doubt you today, they will doubt you all your life. You will have to fight, and that's fine. Remember, when you encounter learning problems, when you feel you are lagging behind, you should seek help. Nobody finishes college completely independently. You need to immediately settle on campus and find your social circle, your squad. Never isolate yourself from people. ”
Michelle admitted that she had serious doubts about her abilities as a student.
“I thought maybe I'm not good enough. Maybe I won't be able to keep up with them. Maybe they are smarter than me. Or maybe I just miss home too much. What about financial aid? How am I going to deal with this? "
The future first lady had to earn extra money, and she could not afford to just attend classes. She needed to have a job and do it. Therefore, she did not know if she would be able to go through this, maintain a high level of knowledge and good grades, in addition, to get involved in a culture that was relatively alien to her. As we can see, Michelle went through all the tests with honor and became one of the most influential women in the world. This means that her example can become a worthy inspiration for today's students - both girls and boys.
