First-generation students painted their worries away beside their peers during UCA F1RSTs’ Canvas Creations.

“I think being able to just relax, have a couple hours to paint and all of that stuff is really nice,” said senior Madison Dupriest, co-director for programming and events.

Each student was given an easel, a canvas and paints during the Sep. 17 event.

“We get people to break out of their comfort zones and go to things that they normally wouldn’t go to,” said junior Will Smith, director of information and communication.

This is Smith’s first year on the board for UCA F1RSTs.

He said, “I love it. It’s a very open and welcoming environment.”

“I was looking for ways to become more active in the school, and I would always get first-generation emails, and so I got one from Dr. Nadia [Eslinger]. They said they had a position open, and I looked more into it and just loved what the club stood for.”

During the event, Smith painted two prickly cacti on a violet-purple background, based on his own cacti he grows at home.

This was UCA F1RSTs’ second paint-centered event, the first being a tote painting event in fall 2023, also held in the Ronnie Williams Student Center.

President of the UCA F1RSTs, senior Tommyah Deshaer said, “Events like this can definitely decrease your stress level because it is the first couple weeks of classes. Assignments are coming in, you’re getting ready for tests, you’re studying, you’re trying to go to all the events, and you’re really not having enough time to debrief, take a break from school and just relax and have fun.”

This is Deshaer’s second year as president of UCA F1RSTs. Similarly to Smith, Deshaer joined the group due to her connections with Eslinger, who taught Deshaer during her freshman year.

‘I really learned how to utilize my time, learning how to not procrastinate and be on my work early, asking for help, telling me about the resources on campus,” Deshaer said.

Deshaer said she hopes to take what Eslinger taught her and pass it on to other first-gen students.

“We’re here to host the first gens, give them tips and advice, and we help them navigate throughout college being first-generation students,” Deshaer said.

First-generation freshman Jared Richmond came to the event because painting with his friend, freshman Maggie Nickason, sounded like a fun time.

“She texted me about it and I was like, ‘Yeah, I wanna go,’” he said.

Richmond’s painting, a frog floating in a pink martini, was inspired by a post on a Pinterest board he shares with his friend.

Richmond believes taking part in events like these is beneficial because “if you don’t know anybody, it’s a good place to meet people.”

“It shrinks the population in the school, and it makes it less intimidating to come into a small area, that’s not like an auditorium full of people,” Richmond said. “I feel like that’s more daunting than to come in with something like this and walk up to a table with two people and say, ‘Can I sit down?’”

The next event planned for UCA F1RSTs will be Halloween Havick held Oct. 30.