Lauren Breck
I must admit, before I came to Wooster, I had not experienced any diversity. Growing up in Medina, Ohio, a town just 35 minutes away from Wooster, I went to a dominantly white school. Of course there was a small percent of African Americans that attended the school and lived in the city, but they stuck to themselves. Barely any exchange students came to our school, and if they did, they mostly kept to their cliques and never got involved.
When I came to college, I was assigned an international roommate. Though at times it did prove to be difficult with our having different sleep schedules and interests, it was an awesome growing experience for me. I loved learning about her culture and where she came from, even though I probably annoyed her with the amount of questions I asked her about her home.
After freshman year, I got a summer job in Akron working for a jewelry corporation. I met many African American and Latino people, and some of them are really good work friends that I am anticipating reconnecting with over winter break.
Now as a sophomore, most of the new friends I have made are international students. I have friends from far and wide. From the U.S., I can say I have friends from the Eureka state of California to the beautiful Land of Enchantment in New Mexico.
However, my friends are not limited to Americans. I can proudly say I have friends from Palestine, Ethiopia, Jordan, Georgia (the country, not the state), Canada, Honduras, South Korea and other places. They have not only taught me about their home countries, but they have taught me different ways to think and learn. Having such diverse friends helps one understand worldviews, religion, morals, etc. They help break down the barrier of national identity because in the end, we are all the same — human. Whether we are Muslim or Christian, Hindu or Catholic, we are all living together on this earth. We need to break down the barriers of race, religion, and vanity because, realistically, no one race is the favorite and no one country is the best. Whether we are black or white, American or Russian, we make mistakes and we contribute different things to society.
One of the best things Wooster has given me thus far is not only a great education, but also great people I would not have found anywhere else. Appreciate the fact that you go to a school that gives you the opportunity to learn as much out of the classroom as you can in one. Diversity should be promoted, and comfort zones must vanish because as a society, we cannot grow closed-minded. We must realize that being able to understand other peoples’ beliefs and morals can help you better recognize your own.