College Experience In College

When I was young I didn’t really realize the impact of being African-American until high school. I went to a predominately white school for elementary and middle school. I was just like any other youth. I had my group of friends who were white; I was active in school activities and clubs. I was a student athlete and I got along well with my teachers. Everyone saw me as an upbeat person with a bubbly personality. Surprisingly, race was never brought up it wasn’t an issue for me during that period of my life. However, as I got older I realize there was a difference. As an adult I could really see the prejudice in others. I recall working a on a special project for the

Often at times African American children are taught to believe that they are unworthy or incapable of becoming more than their stereotypical roles within society. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York I was often welcomed by my peers in social settings, but when I entered more academically challenging fields I found myself isolated and alone as the one person of color in the room. Going to a historically black college like Howard will give me the opportunity to obtain and represent black excellence with a group of intellectually driven individuals like myself. I believe I will become part of a culture that uplifts me and teaches me how to fully embrace my heritage as I grow into an intellectually aware

Another major predicament that plays a large role in the amount of African Americans that do not receive a higher education is once they get to college, they do not have a typical or enjoyable experience once there. In today’s society, it is hard to imagine that there is still racism and segregation in schools and colleges today but the reality is, it still does very much exist. This is especially true when black students attend predominantly white universities. Even though most colleges promote themselves by talking about how diverse their

Although I did not know why, I understood that I was different from my peers; for most of my childhood the black experience for me was denying the ‘black’ part of my identity. That weird obsession for elementary school kids to differentiate between being black and African was very prevalent in my black peers, which led to the suppression of not only a pride in my culture, but of the desire to learn more about it. All throughout elementary school, I was not only aware that I was different from those I did not look like, but also from those that I did. This was the trend for most of my adolescence, but it was not until I arrived at the University of Texas at Austin, that I was able to stand unashamed of all parts of my identity. As I became more

As a result, college became the first place I began to question “Who am I?” and “What am I?”. My self-identity was in great question; outside of “Black” I lacked further explanation. I was confronted by individuals who boasted cultural and national identifies that held both ancestral and historical significance to them. At the time I could say I had none of this. I was introduced to the cultural lines from around the world but also within my own race. They defined themselves outside of just being Black, claiming titles such as African-American, Bajan, Liberian, and Nigerian. This gave me a new definition and confusion on what titles I should use to define my cultural status. I began seeing my cultural background as a minority within a minority because of the lack of representation of Black-Americans in higher education. As a result of this racial similarity yet cultural diversity, that began to become blatantly obvious, I chose to learn about my history and begin to answer the questions Rutgers University created. I took classes in histories from all areas of the African Diaspora, the political implications of being a minority, and ultimately majored in Africana Studies, History, and Political Science. It was through this pursuit for my roots I found pride in my own unique Blackness.

In life everyone tells you to take every opportunity possible. In my life I take this very seriously. I believe it is important to utilize all of your resources. Deciding to attend Stokes Early College was one of my biggest decisions ever. When I began my early college experience, it started to shape my life in a different kind of way. Coming to early college allows for students to take college level courses at such a young age. Taking college level courses allow opportunity for students to mature.

As an African-American male attending a predominantly white institution (PWI) of higher learning, I, at times, had to overcome several obstacles—from a lack of connectedness to being the victim of occasional microaggressions, there was a clear dichotomy that could not be ignored. I instantly felt a sense of empathy with Canada’s experiences at Bowdoin College. From the text, “[e]ach year, the same pattern repeated—a few more black students would be admitted, they would find Bowdoin alienating and white and oppressive, and they would demand that the administration admit more African American students” (2009). While I would argue that I don’t live in an area that could be considered tantamount to the Civil Rights era, there are pieces of this piece of the text that I can relate to. Frankly, there is something off-putting about attending an institution that was not designed or developed for your people. Throughout this chapter of the book, Canada made it clear that he did not feel connected with his college. At my undergraduate institution, I had many of the same sentiments as Canada. While it was certainly a lot more diverse than Bowdoin, I, like Canada, found myself having to actively and aggressively seek out opportunities to engage in opportunities with people who look like me—joining clubs and organizations and networking in various professional

As I read chapter one from Your College Experience: Strategies for Success, I agreed with their reasoning based on my experience. College is important, not just to me, but to the nation. It is a system that enables people, including myself a first generation low income student to work hard to achieve the American Dream. My overall goal is to graduate and be qualified for a career to support my family. To do this I need to plan smart goals and overcome challenges.

“You are the whitest black girl I know”. Throughout my academic career these words have followed me. From a very early age my parents instilled a drive in me to always do my best and take pride in everything I do, because some people aren’t given the opportunity to do so. As a result, I naturally stood out from others who were not as driven. Growing up, I became ashamed about of my accomplishments and demeanor when nicknames such as “oreo” replaced the name my mother had given me because I didn’t act “black”. According to my peers, I was “dark on the outside and white on the inside.” because I “talked like a white girl” and “tried too hard in class”. I believe these undesirable circumstances have taught me the hard way to love myself.

Welcome to the “playground of unregulated freedom” (Delbanco, 19) that is college. These institutions all have a purpose in forming an individual. Some take their years in college to discover who they are, to gain independence, or to simply complete their degree. My personal experience thus far during my collegiate career has been to focus on following my passion. I have taken my love of athletics, and interest in the human body as a way to motivate myself through school with the end goal of receiving a doctoral degree. Given that my first year of college was full of hardships that caused questions as to whether an education was truly worthwhile, I am here as a sophomore stepping out of my comfort zone daily to pursue my passion.

Starting to listen at the racist comments that surrounded me, defined who I truly was. I told myself, “Different is good!” Starting to get straight A’s in my classes, made me stand out from others and distracted me from the racist society. Overcoming racial comments wasn’t my only challenge because I’m still faced with some today. Not being able to receive federal aid or apply for certain scholarships because of my status, has been heart wrenching. I hope that I receive aid one way or the other, to prove people I don’t give up. Being taunted by comments and not being able to receive financial aid has really affected my life, but I’ve turned it around so my dreams could become reality.

Experiencing a year of college life has led me to many challenges and opportunities. I have been able to attend the most prestigious historically black college in the nation and I have also attended a predominantly white institution. While attending Spelman College I have gained so much knowledge, wisdom, and insight pertaining to my black culture. Due to many issues at home I had to attend an university that was predominantly white, this time period really enabled me to see the major downfall in the educational system. I felt that I was not gaining the same education I had received at Spelman because it didn’t intertwine a curriculum that discussed the issues and also the success of minorities. Being at a black university or college enabled

My transition from high school to college was the most difficult adjustment I have ever undergone as an eighteen year old. It was a different experience because I came from a majority Black high school to a predominantly White institution; I was overwhelmed and I felt out of place. I often compared myself to White counterparts; I never felt smart or good enough. Now I know, as Steve Furtick phrases it, that I was comparing my “behind the scene” with everyone else’s “highlight reel,” and that was self-damaging. In addition, I was preoccupied with what my friends from home were doing that I isolated myself from everyone on campus. Mentally I felt defeated, spiritually I felt alone and physically I was gaining weight rapidly and was

I grew up in an average size town where Caucasians were just slightly the minority. There were many Blacks, Latino and Hispanics, and American Indians as well. This diversity didn’t just pop up in high school, these kids are people that I’ve grown up with since elementary school. Because I have always been exposed to many cultures, I have grown up with a

Getting accepted to college is a significant part of my life that influenced my development. Making the transition from high school to college was a difficult to me. During this transition, I was living away from home and my parents for the first time. I had to make critical decisions that will affect their college experience. Magolda said, “higher education has a responsibility to help young adults make the transition from their socialization by society to their role as members and leaders in society’s future” (Hamilton, 2009, p. 5,). Higher education is tasked with socializing young adults to be productive members of society, this transformation looks different for each student based on their racial and social class identity (Ritchey, 2014). I chose to go to a predominately white institution(PWI), Westminster College. Black students at predominately white institutions (PWI) sometimes have trouble with their racial identity and it either hinder or support the development of a black student identity (Ritchey, 2014). According to Cross & Fhagen-Smith, African American students must go through a process of growth and discovery in order to regain a positive African American racial identity (Bakari,1997). Using the Cross & Fhagen-Smith 's Model, I will explain how the experiences and interactions at my undergraduate institution affected how I developed my racial identity and how I found the meaning of being black.