The domain of literacy includes multiple strategies relevant to studying in college (Alexander, 2005). This thematic analysis examines how Generation 1 learners (adult-arrival immigrants who transition from adult ESL into college) demonstrate their emergent literacy domain competence and how their literacy strategy use aligns with their identity enactment as college students. Observational data from six Generation 1 learners enrolled in developmental literacy courses illustrate that the majority of strategy use occurred outside the classroom. Therefore, instructors often failed to recognize learners' emerging proficiency. Implications are discussed for combining Mastery Domain Learning (Alexander, 2005) and Investment Theory (Norton, 2013) to theorize adult immigrants' college experience and practical implications for developing all learners' literacy strategy use.