Dear Gabby,
I have a confession to make. I’m a new student that suffered heavily from bullying for my ethnicity (I’m Arabic) while in high school and I’m worried of the same thing happening while I’m attending college. Is there a way to relieve this anxiety?
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
I know it’s easier said than done, but take pride in your culture. The good thing about our society is that things are always evolving. Even though it may seem that issues are getting harder, race acceptance is slowly happening around the world. Of course there will always be those moments of feeling punished or left out because of your ethnicity, but I think its really important to feel proud of who you are and where you come from. You can stress yourself out so much by feeling threatened by your culture because you feel as if you aren’t accepted, but embrace your traditions and your ethnicity. I think the best relief from anxiety would be to surround yourself with people who are positive and accepting of your race. I know it may sound like that’s not much, but honestly, the people you are around can either bring you down or lift you up. It’s that simple. The only opinions you should take into consideration are the people closest to you, and of course yours. Everyone else’s opinion is irrelevant. Sinclair also has many cultural clubs. Check the Student and Community Engagement Office in Building 8, room 025, for a list of clubs and organizations on campus.
Be kind to yourself,
Gabby