Being a first-generation college student and a first-generation Asian-American, my life has been an perplexing exploration through uncharted territory. As the only member of my family who could speak English fluently, I have been unable to rely on the guidance of my ancestors or predecessors. Instead, I learned the way of life in this country through my own means. Seeking instructions through WikiHow, Youtube, and TV sitcoms, I gradually discovered how to complete complicated tasks such as filling out paperwork, scheduling appointments, and now, applying to college. Because of my exposure to complex responsibilities, I gained independence and self-sufficiency at an early age, causing my peers to affectionately nickname me as “the mom friend.”
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Spending the majority of my life encompassed by vast cornfields and predominantly-white neighbors, sightings of various ethnic groups outside of the sociology textbook are a rarity. Being both American by nationality and Chinese ethnically, I recognize that understanding an individual’s culture is an essential step in understanding the individual as a person. Therefore, I possess the ambition to spread knowledge about humankind’s cultural variety to the members of my inflexible, mundane town—hoping that my culturally-inexperienced peers and neighbors are able to also appreciate the beauty of diversity. In the fourth grade, I organized a Chinese New Year celebration where I proudly educated my classmates on the history, lifestyle, and food of my country. I taught my fellow students how to use chopsticks, witnessed their attempts to replicate Chinese calligraphy, and beamed as they admired the culture with wide-eyed appreciation. While the vivacious Chinese New Year celebration was only a small taste of the ample flavors of diversity, the event served to remind my peers of the presence of colorful variety. Through my ability to spread cultural knowledge, I desire for my peers and neighbors to not only recognize that the world’s contains individuals with dissimilar appearances and values, but more importantly, realize that dissimilarity should not be regarded with negativity, but as a delightful necessity. Disparity should not be shunned and minorities should not be disregarded; instead, these essential elements of diversity should be appreciated, for they provide life with exquisite variety, vibrancy, and
Spending the majority of my life encompassed by vast cornfields and predominantly-white neighbors, sightings of various ethnic groups outside of the sociology textbook are a rarity. Being both American by nationality and Chinese ethnically, I recognize that understanding an individual’s culture is an essential step in understanding the individual as a person. Therefore, I possess the ambition to spread knowledge about humankind’s cultural variety to the members of my inflexible, mundane town—hoping that my culturally-inexperienced peers and neighbors are able to also appreciate the beauty of diversity. In the fourth grade, I organized a Chinese New Year celebration where I proudly educated my classmates on the history, lifestyle, and food of my country. I taught my fellow students how to use chopsticks, witnessed their attempts to replicate Chinese calligraphy, and beamed as they admired the culture with wide-eyed appreciation. While the vivacious Chinese New Year celebration was only a small taste of the ample flavors of diversity, the event served to remind my peers of the presence of colorful variety. Through my ability to spread cultural knowledge, I desire for my peers and neighbors to not only recognize that the world’s contains individuals with dissimilar appearances and values, but more importantly, realize that dissimilarity should not be regarded with negativity, but as a delightful necessity. Disparity should not be shunned and minorities should not be disregarded; instead, these essential elements of diversity should be appreciated, for they provide life with exquisite variety, vibrancy, and