In a class that I took my second semester at Emory University, Introduction to American Studies, students were tasked with finding an answer to the question “What does it mean to be an American?” As a student majoring in American Studies, I have learned a lot about the United States. I have learned about the history, the culture, the founding, the opinions, the beliefs, and the values associated with our country. I have regarded our nation with anger, ambivalence, and astonishment. I have even carried around a miniature version of the Constitution with annotations and highlights. Nonetheless, I still struggled to find a concrete answer to the question “What does it mean to be an American?” until the very last day of class. What it means to be an American is always changing, it is
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It is a country built on ideals of freedom, independence, and equality, yet it has not followed through on any of these hopes for the entirety of the population. However, more than anything, it is a country formed with diversity ingrained in its conception, its future, and its representation. Whether a melting pot or a salad bowl, America is a country of diversity as well as a nation developed by the sharing of knowledge and experience. I intend to represent this facet of the United States by prioritizing learning from those around me, sharing our respective knowledge, and maintaining an open mind. I want to promote this version of what it means to be an American – the version where the diversity of people, their experiences, and their knowledge is valued and innately influential. When it comes to going abroad, there is nothing I am more excited about doing than meeting new people, learning from new people, and being impacted by new people. Being outgoing and welcoming is the best way to have meaningful interactions, especially when it comes to being engaged in new
It is a country built on ideals of freedom, independence, and equality, yet it has not followed through on any of these hopes for the entirety of the population. However, more than anything, it is a country formed with diversity ingrained in its conception, its future, and its representation. Whether a melting pot or a salad bowl, America is a country of diversity as well as a nation developed by the sharing of knowledge and experience. I intend to represent this facet of the United States by prioritizing learning from those around me, sharing our respective knowledge, and maintaining an open mind. I want to promote this version of what it means to be an American – the version where the diversity of people, their experiences, and their knowledge is valued and innately influential. When it comes to going abroad, there is nothing I am more excited about doing than meeting new people, learning from new people, and being impacted by new people. Being outgoing and welcoming is the best way to have meaningful interactions, especially when it comes to being engaged in new