Growing up, I always identified heavily with my ethnic background. I am half Chinese and half European, and my culture is a portion of my character that continues to have a hefty impact on my life. The vast majority of my high school was filled with students of different ethnicities, nationalities, and cultures. It provided me with a diverse experience where I was able to absorb and learn about the people around me. So naturally, when I chose to attend a college in upstate New York, I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into. Out of the impending anxiety I had about the people I would be surrounded by for the next four years, I couldn’t help but do some research about the diversity at my school. While there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with the statistics provided, 75.2 percent of the undergraduate population is white, and 89.2 percent of the faculty is as well. Admittedly so, these facts worried me.
I am lucky enough to say that in the three years I have been at this school, I have only experienced a handful of instances where I have felt oppressed or fetishized because of my race. But there are definitely times where I feel out of touch with my culture, simply because I am not constantly surrounded by people that celebrate similar ideals.
For example, last week marked the beginning of Lunar New Year, something that was always a huge deal for my family growing up. I absolutely adore celebrating this occasion alongside my family. But I am usually unable to go home for the holiday now that I’m in college. It’s hard to be excited about an important holiday in your culture when a very small population of people care about it. For reasons like that, it can be a little discouraging to stay in touch with the cultural identity I’ve developed from such a young age.
During these times, I find it more important than ever to stay close to my family, who are constant and permanent reminders of the diverse background I grew up in. It’s an excuse to be nostalgic in order to embrace the things I may be missing at home. And even though I find difficulty in feeling so alone in a sea of people that are less understanding of my upbringing and traditions, it’s always comforting to know that my next trip home is never too far away.