This past Thanksgiving break, due to a change of travel plans, I did not have the opportunity to go home for break. Instead, I spent it in Rochester. Honestly speaking, I was not thrilled about the situation. From what I had heard, staying at home during a break period was equated to absolute misery: limited dining hall hours, empty campus, etc. However, I had the complete opposite experience.
The Tuesday prior to the start of break, I had a friend invite me to her “Friendsgiving.” Needless to say, it was one of the best Thanksgivings I’ve ever had! We spent the evening listening to music, taking lovely photos, and eating lots of delicious food. I felt blessed to be at the University of Rochester, surrounded by such wonderful friends.
Rochester’s student body is what differentiates it from other institutions. The student body is kind and supportive. It was something I had noticed during Orientation. The campus is also exceptionally diverse, with students from all over the world. My advice? Make friends with as many people as possible, especially international students. I expected there to be very few students on campus during break. Though this appeared to be the case for most domestic students, almost all of my international friends were still present. They made the rest of break enjoyable. We played cards and went Black Friday shopping.
Based on my experience, there is a slight divide present between international students and domestic students at Rochester. Most domestic students tend to stick with other domestic students while most international students stick with other international students. This is why I urge you all to go outside of your comfort zone and talk to everyone. Truthfully, there will be cultural challenges present, but those challenges should be understood as learning experiences and a way to expose yourself to different cultures.
Being from a different location is not an excuse to not meet or attempt to talk to someone. That’s what I learned this past Thanksgiving break.
