THE FIRST thing that a person notices about another, no matter how unjustified it is, is appearance. Although it would be ideal to see what a person is like on the inside before judging his outer shell, this is impossible, and people will pass their first judgments on the way a person looks. For this reason, race relations has at times been a source of friction and unity here at the University, and when all is said and done, there are both positive and negative aspects to the issue of race.
To put it bluntly, there are many different levels of tolerance and ignorance among the various members of the student body. While the great majority of people here are at least somewhat cultured and understanding of different races, there is a small minority that is intolerant. Having never relinquished their preconceptions, they are ignorant by no fault of their own. Many people, including myself, would often lash back and get angry at these people. However, this is pointless. It's important to remember that these people's ignorance is not their own fault, and that anger and frustration are not the cure for opening people's eyes. Ignorance is simply a lack of awareness. One of the best ways to improve this awareness is through the actions of minority groups.
One of the best pieces of advice that I can offer you is to become involved with the minority groups on campus - from the Black Student Alliance to the Asian Student Union to Latino Student Union. If I could do my first year over again, this would be the one thing that I would change. I never got heavily involved in any minority group, and I would recommend it to other students for two fundamental reasons. Above all, these groups help to give an individual a certain degree of kinship. He or she is immediately in the company of others who have had similar experiences when dealing with American life, and he can immediately relate to the heritage or culture which other members of the group have in common.
Also, many minority groups help by spreading awareness of their culture to the rest of the student body. Although minority groups are constantly visible on Grounds, there is more that can be done to accentuate their presence, and an incoming student with fresh ideas can make a difference. The little exposure that I did have to minority groups was extremely positive. My peer advisors were there to answer all my questions about the University, and although it wasn't a great deal of contact, they were able to make me feel at home in Virginia when I thought of my home in New York everyday. Any comfort that will help you adjust to a new chapter in your life is worth taking, and minority groups are a great source of security.
However, by the same token, the greatest injustice to yourself and the rest of the University community would be to associate strictly within the confines of your own race. Although race is something to be proud of, it is not something that ought to be used as a crutch or an elitist tool. If you are strictly hanging out with members of your own race as a conscious decision, you are missing out on a great deal of culture that can be learned from the rest of the University community. Some of the most unique experiences that I had during my first year were from people whose cultures and ways of life were completely different from my own, and one must open themselves up to these opportunities, even if it means moving out of a comfort zone. The rewards, I promise, are worth it.
Although hard work, perseverance, and a decidedly cheerful personality are necessary for an ideal first year at the University, racial issues have an undeniable impact on student life. Everyone, whether white, black, Asian, Hispanic or another race, has and will face racial discrimination in the future. However, this should inspire people to open themselves up rather than shut themselves off.
Being aware of your racial background doesn't change the fact that you can be unique at the same time. The ultimate tragedy would be for someone to compromise his uniqueness in an effort to fit in. However, it would be equally terrible if one separates himself from others for fear of not being accepted. It's a fine line to walk, and it's the reason why race had become such a contentious issue. The University has countless opportunities to offer, and the last thing you should do is to have something like race hold you back from seizing what is there. Good luck, take care, and remember that your first year will shape the rest of your stay at the University, so make the most of what you have and don't let anything hold you back.
(Kevin James Wong is a Cavalier Daily columnist. He can be reached at kwong@cavalierdaily.com.)
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