The College Life: Minority Edition
It’s that time again, students! You’ve graduated high school, and you’ve committed to that college that you’ve always dreamed of going. UCLA? Howard? Harvard? Spelman, maybe? You step foot on that fresh green grass, let the sun soak into your already vibrant skin, and you do it...You exhale. In (deep breath) and out (release). However, you open your eyes, and you start to look around. You start to feel excluded and singled out, and that makes you feel smaller. You’re a minority on a college campus, and being a minority somehow makes you feel distant. However, never fear, because here’s how college campuses are doing their best to include diversity and welcome minority students:
Organizations
Don’t be alarmed! You can find your place on any college campus through the organizations that have been put in place for all students across the board. From the Black Student Organization (BSO) to the Office of Multicultural Programs (OMP), you can be involved on your campus and be comfortable. I know, it’s scary coming into a larger environment and feeling as though you don’t fit in. We’ve all been there, but you won’t have to look too far to find that comfort.
Originality
As if the organizations aren’t welcoming enough, college campuses also give you room to be original. Therefore, if you feel as though nothing on campus appeals to you as a minority, colleges give you leg room to create your own atmosphere for yourself and other minorities. You’re not confined to being apart of just the things that are offered on campus. So let’s get to it!
Do All College Campuses Offer Minorities A Welcoming Environment?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no. A lot of colleges and universities are missing the diversity factor on their campuses, making minority students that do choose to go there feel as though they’re outsiders instead of apart of a community. They’re missing the cultural aspects of the minority lifestyle, and some colleges and universities aren’t open to other cultures. This is obviously one of the issues that needs to be fixed, and we’ve got work to do!