As my time at St. Lawrence is coming to an end, my last article will be dedicated to a friend. You might see this student studying in the science library, dancing at java or running late to class. Some would say that he’s working too hard, and that his time here will go by too fast. Four years ago, my friend and I lived in Whitman North and now we are both accepted into graduate programs and about to be the first in our families to graduate college. I write this letter to show insight on my journey, to thank my friend and to help others understand that success is a very unclear path.
During our first year, you were there to help me branch into different groups on campus, and create friendships that would last for the next four years. As a fellow first generation college student, you reminded me that other students from similar backgrounds are also struggling. While I have a brown pigmentation, I recall the harassment of being called white for speaking differently or acting in a non-traditional Latino manner. You supported me during my time of grief, and you reminded me of the support both on and off campus. While at times I doubted my decisions at SLU, I was reminded that we were representing our community while challenging the xenophobic, anti-immigrant stereotypes.
This supportive relationship carried over into our sophomore year, when we worked closely with Professor Regosin while volunteering for NYSARC. The Community Based Learning (CBL) suite allowed us to volunteer twice a week for a year while hosting diverse parties. That program was your idea, and sophomore year would not have been nearly as great without it (if you’re a freshman, I strongly encourage you to check it out).
During the study abroad application season, you challenged me to study in Shanghai, China. Although I never studied Mandarin before, I was convinced that it would change me for the better. After completing my Summer McNair Research fellowship, I travelled to East China Normal University. You continued to be a supportive network even though you were unable to study abroad with me.
As I missed cross country and struggled with Mandarin, you constantly sent me SLU updates via Snapchat (courtesy of SLU VPN). My experiences abroad solidified a love for language and the goal of becoming fluent in both Spanish and Mandarin. Now as a senior, I am taking Spanish and Mandarin courses. Our strong friendship played a crucial factor in shaping me and experiences I’ve had here at SLU.
The story St. Lawrence University has posted of me on Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Twitter was missing this vital aspect. I had no idea what I was getting myself into 4 years ago, and you helped me find opportunities to challenge the status quo. I debated with you the controversial positions to consider in these articles: “Unconscious Censorship of Latino History in the Bookstore,” “Liberating Undocumented Dairy Farmers,” “Defending DACA, Misconstruing the Origins of Threats,” “Accountability and Ethics” and “9/11/73.”
I’m proud that individuals were inspired to write a response to some of my articles, as it shows that students and alumni are considering the impact of informing the Laurentian community. However, I understand more should be done to inform students of research opportunities, conferences and clubs that will help them reach their potential.
I urge undergraduates to continue to submit opinion articles and do research to fight against discrimination on and off campus.