I have only been at Augustana College for nearly a semester, and if I had to describe it in one word, it would be a “rollercoaster.” In high school, I was nothing short of an introvert. I kept my head down, did my work, went to my club meetings, did my job correctly, and had absolutely no time left over for anything else. I had a solid two friends, which isn’t “wrong” at all, but I was always finding myself alone at night wishing I had someone to hang out with.
When I arrived on Augie’s campus, I made a promise to myself that I would be far from the person I was in high school. I made an effort to be more extroverted, to say hi to whoever I can, to meet as many people as I could. I still always try to make an effort to wave to any person I know. It wasn’t long until I found myself invested in a new group of friends, one that I felt welcomed by and at home with.
This group was a large group of international students that were from several different countries. Some from Nepal, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Morocco, Mauritius, Vietnam, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and so many others. At first, I was nervous that I would not be accepted. After all, I was one of two Caucasians in the group, and I don’t know Arabic or Vietnamese, you know? But it was to my surprise that these people were so warm and welcoming, it was like they knew me my whole life. We started a tradition – dinner in the CSL at 6 PM – and have been doing it since September.
They have indulged me in their cultural normalities and taught me bits of their languages. I have learned more from them about different cultures than I have in most of my classes. They are always there for me when I need them, and there’s not one moment where one of them isn’t around. Our group rounds out to about 25 now, and I couldn’t be happier. I feel so blessed to be on a campus where International students are so prominent.
Even more so, my friends have inspired me to become more involved with the International community. I am applying to be a Global Ambassador as soon as the application is released, and I have attended so many different events with food from their countries that I will never be able to stay away from such delicacies. They take the time out of their days to introduce me to new things, and I have even been working towards learning Arabic in the Moroccan dialect!
The point of this piece isn’t to brag about my experience at Augustana, but rather to enlighten my fellow readers about the opportunities that we have on campus. I see too often these cliques forming that refuse to be broken and refuse to accept outsiders. I want to personally tell you to expand your horizons. You never know who your “forever best friend” could be, as long as you’re open to the opportunity of finding them. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, it only takes a friendly wave and a smile!