<p>Hey everyone, I'm a current high school senior trying to decide between Northwestern and Vanderbilt. Vandy has better financial aid, but I liked Northwestern more so it's really about 50-50, not really leaning towards either.</p>
<p>I was wondering what life is like at Northwestern for a male Asian student (specifically Chinese). I know that Northwestern has quite a large Asian population and I've heard rumors that Asians tend to stick together quite a lot (have their own dorms and parties and everything?). My high school was a large all-male private school with a 90% white student population, so I really wouldn't mind some diversity.</p>
<p>What I really want to know is how much intermingling there is between the different races. Any info would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Every race sticks together. (It happens, and isn’t unique to Northwestern.) Northwestern is not racial prejudice free. There will always be ignorant people. The incident earlier this year involving a group of white girls and a Hispanic girl is an example of that. </p>
<p>As an Asian woman, I can say that you will definitely fit in. I’m in CSA (Chinese Student Association) which is one of the largest student groups here at Northwestern. Feel free to PM me or ask any more questions you might have.</p>
<p>There is nothing stopping you from traversing racial boundaries. However, it will not be handed to you; you will have to make the first efforts. In IFC, I haven’t felt any sort of prejudice, even as the only East Asian guy in my pledge class.</p>
<p>Personally, I see problems with CSA, TASC (Taiwanese), and KASA (Korean), but this will be a discussion we can have in private.</p>
<p>It’s ultimately up to you to go beyond your comfort zone, but I have to say it’s not uncommon for races to mix together. Interracial dating is common as well, and I know many cases of Asian males dating women (or men) of other races.</p>
<p>cubecul, please do expound on your problems with CSA, TASC, and KASA. Is it about the nature of these clubs or these orgs in particular? I have no experience with any of them, but I’m just curious.</p>
<p>Freshman year my daughter had an Asian roommate and they’re best friends (they’re Juniors now). This girl spent Junior year abroad for the Fall and Winter terms so they do not live together but still are great friends. My daughter is living with 2 Asian girls this year, one of whom is dating a Caucasian boy. She also has a really good guy friend who’s Hispanic. There’s as much intermingling as you like.</p>
<p>wildcatalum - This will be a biased perspective, and I do hope someone with a different view openly, honestly, and respectfully corrects me if I make any claims that don’t seem to follow the general consensus.</p>
<p>TASC, KASA, and CSA face a difficult issue: are they organizations meant to promote their respective cultures or do they exist to provide members of those cultures an outlet? Most will say both, but my observations tell me that these have largely failed to serve the role of the former. Their speaker events are attended by and targeted to their own members. They have become social clubs for Asians, so to speak. They foster anything but diversity, and for that reason, I have made a point to stay away from those organizations.</p>
<p>Those three organizations fail to promote Asian unity as well. Symbolically, they bid for ASG Senate under one seat, leaving out smaller cultures like Japan Club, Vietnamese Students Association, and Thai Club, even when ASG recommends uniting organizations with similar interests (different cultures means different interests? don’t think so). They have had bonding events among each other, but less so with these smaller cultures. They rarely, if ever, reach out past Asian-related organizations. Something tells me that participation in these organizations have drawn Asians away from Greek life (speaking mostly for fraternities); Asians like me who are not in a cultural organization but are in Greek life are sometimes painted as “white”.</p>
<p>Here’s how to solve the problem as I see it: APAC (Asian Pacific American Coalition) needs to be formed from leaderships of all these cultural organizations, a senate of its own. The three largest Asian organizations need to take initiative in reaching out to smaller organizations and to SASA (South Asian), which is largely seen as separate even if it still does represent an Asian culture. The Asian community as a whole needs to interact with other groups, like For Members Only. The Asian-interest sororities need to pair up with IFC, PHA, and NPHC for events more often. The big three organizations need to spend less money collectively; instead of bringing three speakers (one for each), they should bring one (because the message is really the same) and spend the rest of their funding on uniting the Asian student population.</p>
<p>I think these organizations are aware of these problems and have tried to reach out to each other more as a result. Some examples of cross-cultural collaboration I’ve seen include: Southeast Asian Games, TASC and CSA cultural show (I remember the two co-hosting a big show with high-profile guests), Mr. PanAsia (with candidates from all of the Asian groups represented), Pan Asian formal, and the fact that clubs volunteer at each other’s events. I do understand their point that just because they’re Asian doesn’t mean they all share the same interests. In that sense, I don’t think these different groups should be lumped into one big group, but I do think there should be greater collaboration among them. What they’ve done so far is a terrific start. </p>
<p>I also don’t think their outreach should be confined to other Asian groups. Some of them have done a good job in partnering with non-Asian orgs, like Alianza, Graffiti Dancers, Fusion Dance (although a good number of its members are Asian), and Boomshaka.</p>
<p>I do think the Asian Pacific American Coalition needs to be more proactive at uniting not just leaders of the different Asian organizations but also their members. Furthermore, the Asian sororities should de-Asianize and open their membership to other races (perhaps this is already the case but there’s just not much interest). Asian men have historically shied away from the Greek system, but I don’t know why. I don’t think the Greeks actively discriminate against them but I could be wrong.</p>
<p>With respect to sharing same interests, what is important to keep around is the expression of each culture. These events, [Student</a> Group Programs: Multicultural Student Affairs - Northwestern University](<a href=“Multicultural Student Affairs - Northwestern University”>Multicultural Student Affairs - Northwestern University), are active attempts to serve the first role of education. They boil down to that one interest in promoting that culture and educating the campus about that culture. For that reason and that these organizations, again, are all attempting to balance the two roles that I stated before, I think their interests are in line. I agree that they shouldn’t be lumped together because that would defeat the purpose of forming those organizations. However, bidding for that ASG Senate seat (which, admittedly, appears very very minor) should be done with the inclusion of more organizations. Maybe, if APAC becomes a stronger force that is comprised of all of these organizations, APAC should be the one bidding for the Senate seat.</p>
<p>Asian sororities are currently Asian-interest, not Asian-exclusive. They push that a lot, but in the end, it really doesn’t work. From my perspective, if it’s Asian-interest, how different are they from cultural organizations? That’s something I never understood. </p>
<p>I agree that Asian men don’t participate at the same level in the Greek system, but my conversations with a few of my friends revolve around worrying about hazing, alcohol, and time commitment. In the end, my response to them is this: Hazing exists, but I have never been hazed at my fraternity, so it would depend on which fraternity. You participate in alcohol-related activities anyways. Time commitment frames a fraternity as a job. It’s not; it’s a community and if you found a group of men that you really love being around, it is no longer something that appears to be a job. My position is that most everyone should rush.</p>
<p>I remember TASC and CSA’s “Celebrasia” lunar new year show brought in a group of Chinese-american comedians whose sketch comedy had extremely offensive jokes about both white people and, more awkwardly, Taiwanese people (TASC, the cosponsor, of course being Taiwanese American Student Coalition).</p>
<p>Many of the asian student groups tend towards being exclusive, others strike a better balance- I was always welcomed by Japan Club and NUSAF, for instance.</p>
<p>The Asian pop. at NU is large enough where it is pretty diverse.</p>
<p>You have:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>“whitewashed” (for the lack of a better term) Asian students who socialize predominantly w/ white students;</p></li>
<li><p>“gung ho” Asian students who socialize predominantly w/ other Asian students; </p></li>
<li><p>international students;</p></li>
<li><p>those who socialize predominantly w/ other Asian students of the same ethnicity;</p></li>
<li><p>and those who float btwn Asian and non-Asian social cliques.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Keep in mind that “intermingling” is pretty much one-way (minorities “fitting in” w/ the white majority).</p>
<p>Case in point, my fraternity had 6 Asian guys (out of about 80 members) and we were all in separate social cliques within the house.</p>
<p>As on most campuses, there is a lot of self-segregation, but more so for black students than Asian (there is a lot of pressure on blacks students to join black houses or other black social organizations).</p>
<p>I would say Asians are very well-integrated into the student body. As an anecdotal example, last year, an Asian female was student body president and an Asian male was VP. For next year, students just elected the student body president and he happens to be an Asian male.</p>
<p>OK, I have to kill some time so I’ll write a long detailed post :)</p>
<p>Ultimately, I think it depends one one’s comfort level. If you’re Asian who feels more comfortable hanging out with other Asians, I think that’s the same to whites who feel more comfortable hanging out with other whites and blacks who feel more comfortable hanging out with other blacks. It’s up to the students to go beyond their comfort zone and reach out to each other. I think it’s the students who’ve had opportunities to mingle with other races in high school who are most comfortable doing this. I think the minorities who join fraternities, for example, were disproportionately high-profile leaders in their respective high schools where they already had to interact with diverse populations and are thus used to it. I believe there are many whites as well who are similarly interested in expanding their circle of friends beyond other whites.</p>
<p>It’s an everyday choice to go beyond one’s comfort zone and meet new people who are different, even if it’s uncomfortable and awkward for both parties at first. It’s especially hard to do when you’re stressed and just want to see familiar faces. However, the pay-off in the long run of doing this is huge. It’s really important to constantly put oneself in uncomfortable situations because that’s what leads to a campus community that’s more cohesive and that’s how one grows personally.</p>
<p>By and large, fraternity guys are distinct in that they an “ease” about themselves. They already have the instinct to connect with other people (and they realize fraternities are great environments to facilitate these connections) or at least are invested in developing this skill (and they appreciate the more structured environment where they are literally forced to hang out with each other once they’re signed up). The good thing about Northwestern is that there’s room for even nerdy guys who want to develop themselves in this area (e.g. position themselves to become leaders or just be more social in general) in a space that’s comfortable for them. Fraternities at Northwestern are quite eclectic and there’s room for hipsters/hippies, nerds, even goths, etc. Many guys who are now in fraternities at Northwestern are completely shocked by their decision to join and actually rushed as a joke. Now, they can’t imagine their lives without their fraternity.</p>
<p>In the economy we live in, it’s so critical to have this “ease” in interacting with people in order to secure jobs in the first place and, more importantly, to move up the ladder once you’re established in a company. Jobs these days are primarily found through networks, and developing these networks requires one to constantly go beyond his/her comfort zone to meet new people. Furthermore, within a company, you have to cater to so many different parties and please higher-ups with diverse leadership styles. A lot of being at “ease” is BS (small talk, buttering people up in subtle or not-so-subtle ways), but it’s nevertheless an extremely important skill to have, especially if you aspire to be a leader someday.</p>
<p>I’m not saying this “ease” can only be developed through the Greek system, since one can obviously develop oneself socially/personally through other clubs as well. However, there’s something to be said about the environments in these fraternities/sororities that better facilitate connections and friendships. The networks they provide can be powerful and are national in scope. I’m not surprised that a disproportionate number of CEOs, high-profile leaders, and US presidents were in a fraternity/sorority.</p>
<p>While I agree to a certain extent that it’s about “comfort level”, CL is largely a byproduct of one’s environment while growing up which affects one’s interests (such as in music, films, etc.) as well as one’s outlook regarding race and self-identity.</p>
<p>The Asians who intermingle w/ whites largely are made up of Asians who have done this all their lives and for many, they basically see themselves as “white” (or at least not being diff. in any way other than certain physical features).</p>
<p>These Asians have the same general experiences growing up as their white counterparts (largely growing up in affluent/semi-affluent predominantly white suburbia) and hence tend to have the same taste in music, films, TV, sports and other popular culture.</p>
<p>Often, these Asians don’t want anything to do w/ other Asians, much less anything that has to do w/ Asian culture or identity (which is why many don’t really have Asian friends and if they do have any, they tend to be similar).</p>
<p>For many of these Asians, leaving their “comfort zone” would be associating w/ Asian groups and being more in tune w/ their particular Asian ethnicity’s culture.</p>
<p>Leadership really has nothing to do w/ it.</p>
<p>As for whites, they really don’t have to leave their comfort zone since it’s the minorities who integrate into the general (well, white) culture/social scene (it’s not like a group of mostly whites w/ a few token Asians, blacks or non-white Hispanics are going to be into K-pop, non-top 40 rap/hiphop or Telemundo).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>As I already stated, for many Asians, “familiar faces” are whites and “people who are different are Asians” (those Asians who are more culturally tied to their heritage).</p>
<p>Now, of course there are those Asians who can travel in both circles, but usually those 2 social circles are separate.</p>
<p>When I was younger, I took issue w/ the Asians who only hung out w/ other Asians (whether it be broken into ethnic lines or not), but now - who really cares since whites, blacks, etc. all do it?</p>
<p>Esp. since Asians, out of all groups, have the highest % of people who “intermingle” w/ another racial group (whites).</p>
<p>But is that really “diversity”? </p>
<p>After all, they all tend to have similar interests when it comes to popular culture and other interests, much less background experiences.</p>
<p>Good points all around but remember whites (at least at Northwestern) are not a homogeneous group. They might have certain shared experiences by virtue of being white (and they might disproportionately come from well-off families given the nature of highly selective college admissions these days), but at Northwestern, they tend to be very diverse as well, in terms of geographic background, national origin, ethnicity, philosophy, religious belief, interests, “scenes” they’re into, etc. I’ve met whites from different parts of the country with different upbringing (e.g. Northeast and Southern California), for example, who had to go beyond their normal comfort zone to get to know each other. The same could be true for an immigrant from Ukraine who meets somebody who grew up on a farm in Montana. Or a “nerd” and an athlete who are in a frat together. Point is: Racial mixing is ultimately more about comfort level/upbringing than race. As you say, Asians could have grown up feeling more comfortable towards whites than Asians because they grew up around whites. The same could be true if they grew up among blacks or Latinos. For some, personality types/life outlook can make more of a difference than race.</p>
<p>I would be shocked if you found a group with the same exact set of interests. They might share a number of interests (which is expected, since having shared interests is key to sustaining good friendships), but I’m sure there are areas were they diverge as well. My friends in college happened to have diverse taste in popular culture but our friendships were anchored in other shared interests. We also came from a variety of geographic backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities, religious beliefs, and sexual orientations.</p>
<p>^ When it comes to popular culture and experiences growing up whites are pretty homogenous (how many wear stuff from The North Face, A&F, Banana Republic, etc.?) compared to that of ethnic minorities who grew up in ethnic enclaves.</p>
<p>Now, I’m certainly am not saying that everyone likes the exact same type of music, watches the same shows, etc. - but there is a good amount of overlap.</p>
<p>As I stated before, there wer 6 Asian guys in my fraternity and we rarely socialized w/ each other outside of general parties/functions since we were all in our own “clique” which comprised of various interests.</p>