<p>Hi everyone –
This post is mostly for any current BC students, especially those who are minorities.</p>
<p>I was recently accepted to BC and it is one of my top choices. However, I’m Asian, and I have heard that there have been problems with racism on campus (and if not outright aggressive racism, at least most friend groups happen to be segregated by race).</p>
<p>I have grown up in a predominantly white community, so going just by numbers, BC has more of a minority population that my hometown (which is also in MA). However, at my school, pretty much everyone is friends with everyone regardless of race. </p>
<p>I know BC has a strong AHANA program, but on a cultural level I identify more with my white peers (I was adopted). While I would love to have friends that are also minorities, I would hate to feel like all of the white students are shutting me out. Can anyone that goes to BC now speak to this issue a bit?</p>
<p>I can’t answer your question but I can tell you that ill be a student at BC next year and I would NEVER exclude anyone because of race! So you know one person who would welcome you :)</p>
<p>Like any campus anywhere, yes, there are isolated (usually small) incidents of racism, but that certainly isn’t unique to BC. Heck, there was just a case of anti-semitism at Harvard. BC will be what you make it to be. If you want to have a diverse group of friends, you certainly can. If you don’t, that is also possible as well. There are so many different things to get involved with and so many different people to meet - it’s up to you what your “niche” becomes. There are white students with largely AHANA friends, AHANA students with largely white friends, AHANA students with largely AHANA friends and white students with largely white friends. </p>
<p>I would say it is definitely false that white students shut out AHANA students (or that AHANA students shut out white students). People tend to hang out with people who they can relate to/share common experiences with, and that is probably the reason why similar people of any race hang out with people of that race. That is not unique to BC either.</p>
<p>If you have any more specific questions, feel free to message me, but I would say don’t worry at all about this. It’s really a nonissue.</p>
<p>Think of what types of friends you have in high school - do you like them? If you do, you’ll probably gravitate toward being friends with people similar to that. It’s all up to you with how involved in any AHANA or cultural groups you want to be. I know asians who have mainly asian friends, I know asians who have mainly white friends.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much for your replies so far! What you’ve said is really encouraging, and I’m glad to know it seems like it’s a non-issue. </p>
<p>@sosomenza - there aren’t specific instances, I’ve just read on a lot of college review sites that the dining hall is usually all white students together, all Asian students, all black students, etc. Of course I know there are some exceptions, but I’d hope they’d be more common that they’re not really “exceptions” any more.</p>
<p>I’d still be very interested to hear from a minority student at BC! But thank you all for your responses so far!</p>
<p>I’m not a current student, but a recent graduate just finishing up my own application process for grad school. BC is like any other school, which is really just a microcosm of our country’s culture. Very rarely, if ever, will someone say something derogatory to your face. If this were to happen, it would most likely be a drunken mumble. Similarly, people won’t shut you out for just being a different race. I completely agree with the above statement that BC is what you make it. If you want friends of various races, it’s up to you. If you want friends at all, it’s up to you.</p>
<p>It’s proven that people tend to befriend other people with similar characteristics, but that’s not just race. I’m AHANA and I had friends from various racial background at BC. We clicked because we were alike on a lot of different levels that had nothing to do with skin color. I went to a high school that was predominantly white and didn’t really identify with the other students of color. However, at BC I found that I did identify with the students of color and I did join some of the cultural groups. It was not at all a limiting experience. Actually, it has really prepared me for my career.</p>
<p>Essentially, don’t worry about it. Just be open to the experience! Try things you haven’t done before. Spend time talking to people who aren’t like you. You don’t want to mimic or duplicate your high school experience. It’s college. There will be lots of ups and downs, but what you will appreciate the most once you graduate is that you pushed yourself beyond what you thought was capable.</p>
<p>There is racism in any school in the North East unfortunately. Generally, no one will be outright racist towards you in a derogatory manner but you will feel divisions. I don’t think these divisions are more of racist manner than of similar interest and culture. Depending on where you’re from (Northeast, Asia, West coast, etc), you’ll be more habituated to the culture here. If you’re not, you’ll most likely gravitate towards something that you’re more comfortable with. So yes, you will see asians with asians and caucasians with caucasians. In fact I’m one of those asians whose friends are predominately asian. Not by choice but it just happened that way because I became involved with culture clubs. We have the same interests, same culture, etc. While this is true, sometimes I do feel as if I am not “preferred” because I am asian. The initial response to people is to socialize with people who are like them–not trying to be racist, but an observation I’ve held so far of Asians and Caucasians alike. However, if you’re like them in social interactions and interests, it’ll be overlooked quite quickly. It just really depends how comfortable YOU are. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I have come across racist remarks when people are REALLY drunk but I mean what can you do? They’re gonna say what they want to say.</p>
But thank you all for your responses so far!</p>