Advice to Incoming Black Students...

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Irvine
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<p>If you care about making friends, don't come to UCI. Go to any other university (heck any other UC) besides UCI.
Now before you say I'm racist towards , I'm half black so that rules that out. I want to help out the black students considering this University.
I've attended UCI for about 3 years now, and its been a constant struggle to fit in. Why? Because for some reason, the students that make up the majority of the school make black people feel like the special ed kids, they make us feel as if we have a flesh eating disease.
I have to try 10x as hard to befriend the students, To this day, I have only 3 white friends, 5 latino friends, and only about 2 asian aquantiances. ( I have not made a single friend that is of asian descent). My black friends have gone through this same struggle, and we can confide in each other, but we feel like its 1950 at that school the way non black students segregates themselves.</p>

<p>Its depressing because I feel like somethings wrong with me, and I wonder why people are so closeminded. At this point, its too late for me to transfer and I'm stuck at the school for one more year. Its been the most miserable 3 years of my life b/c I've had to try too hard to be accepted, and I still am not. </p>

<p>So to any of you high school seniors who are deciding whether to come to UCI, don't. Unless you wouldn't mind going to a school where students are stuck in the 1950's mindset, or at least alienate black students.</p>

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<p>What if I’m only half black too, but instead from the waist-down?</p>

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<p>Wow, that is truly unfortunate. I don’t know if it’s because you just never got to meet the right people, but I’m sorry it was like that for you.</p>

<p>I’m Asian and I have nothing against black people. I am a second year student.
Sometimes I think about it, and I’m like, “Geez, I have like one black friend…why is that?” And for me it was never because I avoided black people like the plague. I just genuinely never had the chance to meet that many black people. So although I don’t have any authority whatsoever to say what it’s like to be black at UCI, I can at least confirm that there AREN’T that many black people at UCI at all, and if you are not used to this kind of environment you should definitely rethink about coming here.</p>

<p>I lived in a dorm on campus last year and in my entire hall of about 80 people I think we had a total of about TWO black people. But I do have an encouraging story to tell. The one black girl I befriended, is pretty popular and liked all around. She has tons of Asian friends at UCI, and says she is used to it because in high school she had mostly Asian friends. I know her as a very outspoken girl and she obviously has no problem with most of her friends being Asian people or more generally people who aren’t black, so she is doing very well with the social scene.</p>

<p>So although I know you’re only trying to sincerely help out any black students thinking about coming to UCI, I think we all need to step back and see different points of view.</p>

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<p>It truly is a shame, that students have to go through these kinds of situations, on top of academics and other things.</p>

<p>From my perspective, i think part of the reason that it is hard for blacks to make ‘friends’ is because blacks make up a small % of the population at UCI. Most asians would rather hang out with other asians, and i’m assuming the case is quite similar for latinos, whites, etc.</p>

<p>It truly is unfortunate that you feel this way and have to go through these kinds of things.</p>

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<p>That is very unfortunate. Most of the black students I know have lots of friends and are quite social, because they are involved with school organizations and such. To me, they seem to take the extra initiative since they are the minority and feel compelled to open up to people of a different race, while still preserving their friendships with fellow black students for example, in cultural organizations such as in the Cross Cultural Center. But these are the only black people I’ve come across =…Never have I met a black person who “struggled”. So sad that other black people have experienced something so unfortunate to the point that they have to advise incoming black students that UCI is not for them.:(</p>

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<p>You might want to consider reading this
[Amazon.com:</a> The Only Black Student (Volume 1) (9780578023090): Lull Mengesha: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/dp/0578023091/]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/dp/0578023091/)</p>

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<p>I have a black coworker who goes to UCI, she seems to enjoy herself there.</p>

<p>don’t take this as an insult as i’m not fully familiar with your situation, but maybe you’re trying TOO hard. That said, I’m white and have never really had to think about being the minority(that said I will be next term)</p>

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<p>Hmm, this is kind of worrying me since I already committed to UCI haha but umm I hope everything goes well. & I hope your final year is better ucipro. (:</p>

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<p>Don’t listen to this guy. There’s always going to be someone who is dissatisfied.</p>

<p>I personally know black students who love UCI.</p>

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<p>its possible that its your personality and not your race thats the problem…</p>

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<p>■■■■■, why are you trying to fit in, screw the students, you’re their for education. they dont care about you at the end of the day</p>

<p>yes i am aware this thread is a year old.</p>

<p>its hard for blacks because they alot of em make the stereotype for themselves, being obnoxious, loud, rude, etc. blacks werent always like that, look at sammy davis jr.</p>

<p>if anything you should go read the book passing by nella larsen.</p>

<p>ps. i am black/israelian/japanese, so i should be in for a rude awakening at UCI - NOTTTT!</p>

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<p>I’m not trying to be hostile here, but I have to say that would be more due to your own actions. I mean, let’s say you are right. Wouldn’t you and all the new incoming Black students only be helped if more Black students joined?</p>

<p>Oh, and also, it’s better to have 10 close friends rather than 100 “friends”.</p>

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<p>^ a bit confused.</p>

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<p>I’m just saying, I understand how there’s not enough Black people in the school or whatever, but by telling less Black people to join UCI, that only screws over anyone that joins. If he encouraged more people to join, that would make the campus more diverse, eh. </p>

<p>If you mean my 2nd comment, well, he was just talking about his lack of friends, and I’m saying it’s better to have a small group of close friends compared to a big group of somewhat-close friends.</p>

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<p>ohhh i was confused ■■■■■ on “joining”</p>

<p>■■■■■, “im going to join college”</p>

<p>was just a bit confused, sorry.</p>

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<p>I am a latina at UCI and I love it here. I could easily complain that there isn’t a large latino community here, but so what! I’m here to make friends of all different backgrounds and receive an education, not limit myself based on an insecurity.</p>

<p>Honestly, if I were a black female coming to this school I would embrace the fact that I am a black woman attending a great college and would encourage other black students to come here and grow the student population, much like I’m doing now as a latina.</p>

<p>You are only cheating yourself of a great education and potentially meeting some lifelong friends.</p>

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<p>I am an African-American female. I came to UCI and I did not make many friends. That was because I spent the majority of my first months at UCI locked up in my dorm room watching movies on my laptop. But when I realized that I was the reason why I wasn’t making any friends I stopped.
UCI has a black population of 2%, Hispanic ~ 20%, White ~ 20%, Asian ~ 50%.
… -Not a great look for black students but, look at the rest of the UCs.
Cal: Blacks ~ 4%, Asian ~ 40%, White ~ 30%, Hispanic ~ 12%
Davis: Blacks ~ 2%, Asian ~ 42%, White ~ 42%, Hispanic ~ 12%
UCLA: Blacks ~ 4%, Asian ~ 35%, White ~ 40%, Hispanic ~ 14%
Merced: Blacks ~ 6%, Asian ~ 33%, White ~ 24%, Hispanic ~ 30%
UCR: Blacks ~ 7%, Asian ~ 42%, White ~ 17%, Hispanic ~ 25%
UCSD: Blacks ~ 2%, Asian ~ 48%, White ~ 26%, Hispanic ~ 13%
UCSB: Blacks ~ 3%, Asian ~ 17%, White ~ 53%, Hispanic ~ 20%
UCSC: Blacks ~ 2%, Asian ~ 20%, White ~ 51%, Hispanic ~ 16%</p>

<p>No matter where you go, UC-wise and pretty much any university that isn’t historically black, there will not be a lot of black people. There are 28,00 people at UCI. About 500 of them are black. And my best friends at UCI, are in that 500. I’ve got some friends that aren’t black and I know a lot of people who aren’t black. But I really don’t care about anybody’s skin color. I am who I am, and whoever accepts me, I’m cool with. Unfortunately, it so happens that a lot of those people are black. Like you said, my black friends at UCI help me through the struggle everyday. But UCI is great preparation for the real world. It is a fact that there are a lot of racist people out there, who don’t like black people. And now, going to UCI, I realize that, and I know how to handle myself. Because if I went flying off the handle all the day, I wouldn’t get anywhere in life. And if I leave UCI and move to somewhere a LOT less racist, I’ll still be all the better for my life lesson’s learned from UCI. I can’t trifle myself with other people and why they think they shouldn’t like me - I wouldn’t have to do anything else if I spent all day worrying about that!</p>

<p>So to you who posted this, you who responded, you high school students, you everywhere. Make your college decision based off of academics, or financial aid or whatever is most important to you. If you need black people to survive, know that UCI has a small close-knit group of black people who will always have your back. If you need friends, realize that at UCI - and other places - there are THOUSANDS of jerks and ■■■■■■■ who aren’t worth your time. But you CAN find the one or two who are worth it.</p>

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<p>@NajiAmericanLady: This post actually made me smile because you really overcame the problem-despite the fact that you are judged based on the color of your skin. </p>

<p>And I am sorry about your experiences OP. I know people say that the problem lies in you, but I too have gone to school where I was in the insane minority and people did judge me based on what I look on the outside. I was one of the few Asians in a school where over 70% of the students were white, and to all those who say it is easy to get over this and be social-it also depends on how the other side views you. It is hard to get rid of the years of ethnic stereotyping that others have firmly placed in their heads about Asians. </p>

<p>And many of them viewed me as extremely foreign and people, inherently, are more comfortable with others who look and act like them. Anyways, I hope you well, and I hope that there are others like me in UCI who won’t look at a person simply due to the color of their skin.</p>

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<p>im asian, going to uci, and not racist towards black people. it’s kinda a shame to know that there are so many asians at uci and not one is your friend. :(</p>

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<p>i just hope i don’t get their and aren’t referred to as “african american”</p>