First Person: How College Has Made Me Woke
Hello! Or should I say xin chào! That is hello in Vietnamese, which I learned recently from one of my friends who is an international student here at St. Lawrence. One thing I can definitely say is that being in college surrounded by completely new people has allowed me to become more culturally aware and knowledgeable about so many things.
I am currently a sophomore here at St. Lawrence but a couple of other phrases I could use to describe myself would be feminist, advocate, and leader. While I was all of those things before college, I can say that being here has allowed me to refine and be more confident in those titles. I came to Canton after living in a suburb of the vibrant and bustling Washington, D.C. for my whole life. While it was obviously a transition because of the setting dynamic, I also was put in a place with people I had never met before, who grew up completely different than myself.
College has allowed me to be able to say "hi" in more than just English but it has also exposed me to opportunities to become more 'woke’. I did not care much about politics before college. In fact, when I was 16 years old and I got my license, I was being registered to vote and I registered as an independent because my 16-year-old self did not want to be ‘tied down by labels'. By having resources like free access to the New York Times and organizations and events to become woke, I have become more politically aware, having just ordered my absentee ballot last week!
Luckily, St. Lawrence allows many opportunities for people to express their opinions and become educated. Another great resource that allowed me to become more culturally aware was the CIIS or Center for International and Intercultural Studies. This office has allowed over 65% of students to travel abroad and gain international and intercultural experiences. I personally was given the opportunity to be able to travel to Spain and gain knowledge and experience becoming more knowledgeable about other cultures.
As you can see, being in college and getting exposure has played a big role in my overall growth, and to that I say to you all, stay woke.
