Annoying when white ppl attend Asian (or other multicultural) clubs?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Hi!
Soooo:</p>

<p>I went to high school in a Houston suburb, and it just happened through classes and clubs and whatnot that I had a pretty diverse mix of friends. Not like perfectly proportioned, but a good % of my friends were Asian, White, S. Asian, Hispanic, etc.</p>

<p>I went to a small LAC college that had about 2700 students. It was about 10% Hispanic, 7% Asian. </p>

<p>I'm interested in Asian cultures (both South Asia and East Asia) and the clubs threw lots of cool events, but another reason I joined the Chinese Culture Club at my 1st college was because it would just feel weird if all my friends were white. I mean, after high school, it would just feel strange and boring.</p>

<p>Anyway, I met some cool people in the clubs but also in my dorm and by the end of the year I had a lot of cool friends that happened to be diverse like at my h.s..but I transferred to a larger school b/c of my major, and this school is more diverse but also has more self-segregation (prob. b/c it isn't as white). </p>

<p>Now, I do NOT mean I want to be friends with someone because of their race.
That would be shallow and weird and if I was Asian/Latino/Black I would understandably be weirded out if a white person told me that.</p>

<p>But, since my new school has a good deal of people who self-segregate, I'm afraid that if I attend a Chinese Students or Japanese Students club, that I'll get weird looks from some people and they'll assume I'm some dorky white kid who just likes video games and Asian stuff...which is not true.... x__x</p>

<p>So...can someone reassure me?
To be fair, not all Asians/Latino/Black ppl here self-segregate, which is defintely good...actually, I'd probably say most don't. I just want to join LOTS of clubs (not just ethnic ones) because being a transfer sucks and it's hard to meet people, but I'm getting all nervous because I'm afraid people are going to judge my white a**...is this true?</p>

<p>You guys can be honest, lol. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I go to a lot of different club events, even though I am not a member, for the free weekly dinners. Friday night I go to Hillel, Wednesday I go to the Latin Culture dinner, and other various club events. So basically I go where the free food is and no one seems to mind.</p>

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<p>If I saw you at one of those clubs, I wouldnt think it was weird at all. If thats where you feel comfortable, thats whats best.</p>

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<p>I'm asian myself and I despise these multicultural clubs. They just seem to be avenues to self-segregation.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I'm asian myself and I despise these multicultural clubs. They just seem to be avenues to self-segregation.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>What's wrong with that? I know many caucasian friends where I am their only asian friend, does that mean they self segregate?</p>

<p>It's college, a time for people to discover themselves. Culture clubs are an avenue for doing so.</p>

6

<p>I attend some Hillel-type events and everyone there knows I'm now Jewish. They don't seem to really mind. It's not really the same thing, but you could at least try it out and see.</p>

<p>Anyway, your school should have "anime lovers club!" and "Japanese language club" etc. so is it really even necessary to go to "our ethnicity pride!!" clubs?</p>

7

<p>I shun ethnic clubs for the PRECISE reason that they're so self-segregating, even if I do like the target culture. </p>

<p>I would be thrilled if people outside the usual ethnicities became interested in that culture. </p>

<p>OMG screw self-segregation. I want multicultural clubs, not plural monoethnic clubs.</p>

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<p>Multicultural clubs exist to help newly-arrived students get acquainted to the American school system, encourage to value the traditions and culture, and to voice out the minority. What's wrong with that?</p>

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<p>Well, the treasurer of the Asian Association at my school is a blonde white chick so no, I wouldn't think it was weird, but I have alot of diverse friends too, so...</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Multicultural clubs exist to help newly-arrived students get acquainted to the American school system, encourage to value the traditions and culture, and to voice out the minority. What's wrong with that?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Multicultural appreciation clubs and plurally monoethnic support networks are quite two different things.</p>

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<p>okay, if you dont like them dont go to them. if you do, then go.</p>

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<p>Well, I abhor plural monoculturalism with a passion. There's a negative externality that gets produced by such groups, you see...</p>

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<p>^^^</p>

<p>Maybe it's because you're only a freshman and whatnot, but you'll realize soon enough that everybody pretty much does their own thing and hangs out exclusively with a group of people they feel the most comfortable with. Everybody self-segregates, whether consciously or subconsciously. College is not one big happy family.</p>

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<p>Well the circle is generally not fossilised, nor should it break down among ethnic and cultural lines.</p>

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<p>^ Actually, I agree with the above poster. Self-segregation in general just ****es me off.</p>

<p>Religious clubs I can understand...I can also understand monoethnic clubs for international students who need to adapt, or 2nd or 3rd generation Americans who want to connect with their culture...BUT I hate it when people use clubs to self-segregate, because they seem perfectly capable of doing that on their own. >=p</p>

<p>I mean, to wraider: Can't people hang out based on similar interests and personalities, not just their skin color? I don't mean to sound hypocritical, but ppl who self-seg. based on race seem to be saying..."I'm going to assume we won't have stuff in common because we're not the same race/nationality", which just makes me mad.</p>

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<p>This is not only about the skin color. People from different culture background have different interests and personalities.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Maybe it's because you're only a freshman and whatnot, but you'll realize soon enough that everybody pretty much does their own thing and hangs out exclusively with a group of people they feel the most comfortable with. Everybody self-segregates, whether consciously or subconsciously. College is not one big happy family.

[/quote]

Exactly.This couldn't be more normal. I don't have even a single white/black/Latino friend.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
This is not only about the skin color. People from different culture background have different interests and personalities.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes, but I like cultural diffusion. Who self-segregate along lines of ethnicity or culture give their fellow members of that group a bad name, and also promote an atmosphere that retards further cultural diffusion. I detest it to the extreme.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Yes, but I like cultural diffusion. Who self-segregate along lines of ethnicity or culture give their fellow members of that group a bad name, and also promote an atmosphere that retards further cultural diffusion. I detest it to the extreme.

[/quote]

At first,it's great to know different cultures and talk to different people.But you'll be fed up with it sooner or later.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
At first,it's great to know different cultures and talk to different people.But you'll be fed up with it sooner or later.

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</p>

<p>I don't see why I would. I've been striving for true multiculturalism for a long time (to the extent that it was a theme in my common app essay).</p>

<p>Why would I be "fed up"? Maybe if I had a personality that felt like being a frog in the well.</p>