Belonging (Correct Format)
Unknowingly Longing for Belonging
A community is more than something that is formed when people live in close proximity to each other. Rather, it is a group of people who come together over shared beliefs or parts of their identities and who value every individual that makes up the group. This, in turn, creates a sense of belonging for those who are a part of this community.
Walking onto campus my first day as a high school freshman, thoughts of whether or not I would be able to find my classes and if I would make any friends flooded my mind. However, I met dozens of like-minded individuals who shared a passion for learning and who had similar interests. However, these came second to seeing other Indian students in each of my classes for the first time. Being in a predominantly white elementary and middle school for 9 years, I had subconsciously become accustomed to being the only Indian, or as a matter of fact Asian, person in the room. The experience of entering my block 1 English 1H course and sitting next to another Indian person took a weight off my chest that I didn’t even realize I was carrying.
As I was going through the process of trying to make friends, I noticed that I had a tendency to gravitate to talking to other Indian people. I unsuccessfully tried to identify the reason as to why I constantly found myself in situations surrounded by people of the same race as me. It finally hit me after the hectic first week of school came to an end. I was drawn to people who have comparable backgrounds as myself because it was familiar. A similar upbringing. Similar values. Even the food we brought to eat for lunch was similar. While we all had our different beliefs and experiences, there was an undeniable and physically visible piece of our identity that we bonded over.
A sense of belonging in my school community was never something I felt like I was lacking until I fully experienced it for the first time in high school. Through this experience, I gained a heightened awareness of how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to have this sense of belonging. While I cannot change my race, I now try to ensure that everyone in my community has feels like they fit in, regardless of their gender, age, race or ability.
A community is more than something that is formed when people live in close proximity to each other. Rather, it is a group of people who come together over shared beliefs or parts of their identities and who value every individual that makes up the group. This, in turn, creates a sense of belonging for those who are a part of this community.
Walking onto campus my first day as a high school freshman, thoughts of whether or not I would be able to find my classes and if I would make any friends flooded my mind. However, I met dozens of like-minded individuals who shared a passion for learning and who had similar interests. However, these came second to seeing other Indian students in each of my classes for the first time. Being in a predominantly white elementary and middle school for 9 years, I had subconsciously become accustomed to being the only Indian, or as a matter of fact Asian, person in the room. The experience of entering my block 1 English 1H course and sitting next to another Indian person took a weight off my chest that I didn’t even realize I was carrying.
As I was going through the process of trying to make friends, I noticed that I had a tendency to gravitate to talking to other Indian people. I unsuccessfully tried to identify the reason as to why I constantly found myself in situations surrounded by people of the same race as me. It finally hit me after the hectic first week of school came to an end. I was drawn to people who have comparable backgrounds as myself because it was familiar. A similar upbringing. Similar values. Even the food we brought to eat for lunch was similar. While we all had our different beliefs and experiences, there was an undeniable and physically visible piece of our identity that we bonded over.
A sense of belonging in my school community was never something I felt like I was lacking until I fully experienced it for the first time in high school. Through this experience, I gained a heightened awareness of how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to have this sense of belonging. While I cannot change my race, I now try to ensure that everyone in my community has feels like they fit in, regardless of their gender, age, race or ability.
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