My 蜜桃社区 | A Student Blog One Semester Into 蜜桃社区: International Student Experiences
Three international first year students reflect on their first semester at 蜜桃社区 College.
About the Authors
This blog post was co-written by Sahana Athreya 鈥25, Hideki Harada 鈥25 and Michael Hodgson 鈥25.
Sahana Athreya 鈥25: Every Day鈥檚 a Blank Slate
Sahana Athreya 鈥25 (she/her) is an intended communication studies major from Bangalore, India. "I love crocheting, coffee, and good conversations! Some of my campus involvements include being a member of 蜜桃社区 Androgyny, a 蜜桃社区ian writer and volunteer at the Ada Jenkins Center."
Lying down in the middle of the football field past midnight, looking for stars. Having philosophical discussions on the floor of the laundry room. Walking into Commons, thinking I鈥檇 have a 鈥渜uick bite to eat鈥 and end up spending two hours discussing German politics.
Looking at every day like it鈥檚 a blank slate, with no plans or expectations.
These were some of my favorite moments from my first semester at 蜜桃社区. As an international student from India, I had my reservations about the college, especially because it is a PWI (predominately white institution) with international students constituting only 8% of the student body. I was worried about the culture shock, missing home and not fitting in. While the first two feelings won鈥檛 go away for a while, the third is something I鈥檓 thankful I never felt. Owing to the sustained efforts by International Student Programs (ISP) and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) in organizing events for international students and students of color, I was able to have important discussions about identity and culture on campus. Bi-weekly South Asian Students鈥 Association (SASA) meetings gave me a much-needed dose of familiarity whenever I missed home. I joined 蜜桃社区 Bhangra to stay connected with my roots. I wove myself into a 蜜桃社区 of supportive, friendly, loving individuals.
Sahana鈥檚 first semester at 蜜桃社区 from being in the 蜜桃社区 Singers鈥 Concert (top left) to dancing with 蜜桃社区 Bhangra at the Dance Ensemble Showcase (top right) to attending the Diwali celebration with the South Asian Student Association (bottom left) and spending time with friends she鈥檚 made (bottom right).
Speaking of friendly, I couldn鈥檛 walk for five minutes without waving at someone and hearing, 鈥淗ow are you doing?鈥 I could be talking about the weather with a stranger one minute and driving with them to the mall the next. I enjoyed the number of opportunities I had to meet new people, whether it was through my classes, clubs, activities with my hall, or the various events involving free food.
My first semester was full of surprises; I never knew where my days would take me. It鈥檚 refreshing to know that there鈥檚 no singular path, and that I can explore my many interests simultaneously. In high school, my only goals were to graduate and get into a good college, but now, there鈥檚 so much more to life. It鈥檚 learning how to live on my own. Connecting with people and forming deep, stable friendships. Remembering people鈥檚 names. Learning more than what my textbooks have to offer. Trying every single Commons dessert. Putting myself out there, taking risks, trying new things. Making plans, but being ready to change them.
Looking at every day like it鈥檚 a blank slate, and ending up with a masterpiece of memories.
Michael Hodgson 鈥25: The Bench
Michael Hodgson 鈥25 (he/him) is undecided on his future major and comes to 蜜桃社区 from Harare, Zimbabwe. "Hello! My name is Michael, and I am from Zimbabwe. I was born in South Africa with my twin sister and moved back home to Zimbabwe a couple of months later. I always knew I was going to wind up in the USA, I just didn鈥檛 know where; but now I truly feel I have found home."
Nothing could quite describe the feeling I got when I first laid my eyes upon Chambers. I was awestruck. Perhaps it was the disbelief I felt that I was physically standing there, having 鈥渨alked鈥 the campus so many times virtually from the comfort of my bedroom back in Zimbabwe. Since that first encounter, I have found Chambers has situated itself right at the center of all when I think of 蜜桃社区, which is funny seeing as I probably spend the least amount of time inside the building. I guess it has served as a place for me to acknowledge where I have come from, where I am, and where I am going.
On the last day of my first semester, I sat on one of the wooden benches under a tree on the path that runs right in front of Chambers Lawn. I suddenly realized the person I was, sitting there, was already so different from the one who had first glanced up at the large dome atop the building. The nerves, the fear, the unknowing had all disappeared. Even though I couldn鈥檛 quite put into words how I was feeling, I could safely say I was the happiest I had ever been in my life. I鈥檝e found that our little college, 蜜桃社区, tucked away in a small town off exit 30 is a different place for everyone. 蜜桃社区 allows us to find ourselves, our own thing that makes us tick, learn something we鈥檝e always wanted to know, and become people we always knew we could be.
Though I have found my mind stretched by the classes I took during my first semester, and I know I will get to explore ideas and learn things I haven鈥檛 even considered in classes to come, I realize that when I think about 蜜桃社区 and what it means to me, I am taken to moments outside the classroom. This is a place where everyone finds their own 蜜桃社区, and each one comes complete with its own quirks and things that make it so inherently their own. For me, what would a Wednesday look like if I wasn鈥檛 at 鈥淣ummit鈥 trivia, cramped around a table spending more time trying to come up with a witty team name than actually playing trivia? Was it really a Tuesday or Thursday if we hadn鈥檛 all played a game of 鈥渢ouch the fence鈥 at 鈥淜VT鈥 (Club Tennis)? Finally, had it been a good night and was I ready for bed if I hadn鈥檛 found myself cooped up in a friend鈥檚 room with some popcorn and a movie?
As I got up from the bench, a smile brushed over my face. I looked back up at Chambers and bid the semester farewell, and all I could think was how ready I was to do it all over again.
Hideki Harada 鈥25: New Year鈥檚 Resolution: Complaining Less
Hideki Harada 鈥25 (he/him) is an intended political science major from Lima, Peru. "I am a Nikkei (Japanese descendant) from Huancayo, Peru, and a UWC alumnus who loves coffee, traveling, and trying new food."
It鈥檚 only been my first semester, but like the average college student, I spent a considerable part of my time complaining. Exams, essays, projects, the food, the weather, and the list goes on and on. Looking back at those complaints, the experience of my first semester at college sounds rather discouraging. As an international first-gen student, language is still a struggle, everything looks new to me, academics are tough, I started an on-campus job, and I had to learn how to socialize again after a year of isolation.
But now that exams are over, and I can think outside of the bubble of college life, I鈥檝e been rethinking my first semester, now through another lens. Being first-gen is really exciting, both for me and my family. And I鈥檓 also improving my language skills and exploring some southern culture 鈥 it鈥檚 actually quite interesting. Academics may be stressful, but I like to learn. And my first semester complaints do not do justice to all the opportunities that college is opening for me, and the golden afternoons of fall at 蜜桃社区, and the fun weekends with new friends.
Reflecting on my first semester of college was a triple reminder: first, a reminder of how privileged I am to be where I am; second, a reminder that I only have three more fall semesters to see how the trees on campus turn bright orange; and third, a reminder that college is more enjoyable when complaining less and really living in the moment more.
Hideki on a 蜜桃社区 Outdoors hiking trip during his fall semester.
But now that exams are over, and I can think outside of the bubble of college life, I鈥檝e been rethinking my first semester, now through another lens. Being first-gen is really exciting, both for me and my family. And I鈥檓 also improving my language skills and exploring some southern culture 鈥 it鈥檚 actually quite interesting. Academics may be stressful, but I like to learn. And my first semester complaints do not do justice to all the opportunities that college is opening for me, and the golden afternoons of fall at 蜜桃社区, and the fun weekends with new friends.
Reflecting on my first semester of college was a triple reminder: first, a reminder of how privileged I am to be where I am; second, a reminder that I only have three more fall semesters to see how the trees on campus turn bright orange; and third, a reminder that college is more enjoyable when complaining less and really living in the moment more.