Transitioning to a new school is a scary experience for many, and it can be easy for students — especially international students — to feel alone when a new school also means a new country.
For freshman Maneja Ahmed, her transition meant a major shift in the pace of her life.
“I came here from Dubai, the UAE (United Arab Emirates),” Ahmed said. “So over there, it was just hustle, and very crowded, everything was so fast-paced. And over here, it’s really slow-paced, which allows me to focus on things that are actually more important because over there, you had so many distractions.”
Ahmed is the president of the International Student Union (ISU). On Monday, ISU partnered with the Ambassadors for Diversity and Inclusion (ADI) to hear student’s “Hidden Stories” through tabling in the Rhatigan Student Center.
This event is part of the fourth annual Diversity Week and is one of many events hosted by ADI that are meant to support international students.
During the tabling event, students were invited to write their stories of transition to WSU on notecards and add them to a posterboard anonymously.
“Our main theme of Diversity Week is unspoken connections, and all the things that connect us that we don’t necessarily see on the surface level,” said Anoushka Raju, vice president of membership of ADI. “By being able to share everyone’s stories anonymously, we’re able to kind of show how everyone is connected and all the different experiences that were shared.”
During the lunch event, Muhammad Aamir Usmani, Wichita State alum and director of library technologies, shared his story of coming to the United States from Pakistan. He faced challenges like homesickness and culture shock.
Usmani said his ignorance of American culture was a struggle, but he was vocal and social during his time in college, which allowed him to find a community of other international students to relate with. But that’s not the case for everyone.
“There are many people and many international students who were in (an) identity crisis because they didn’t know what to call themselves,” Usmani said. “They wanted to be American, but they were not. They wanted to be among, you know, American, like white people or Black people, but they were Brown, … so it was difficult to relate to things.”
Usmani encouraged students to become involved in events and organizations with other international students and people who understand the experiences of moving to a new country.
“This is your family,” he said.
Usmani closed his talk by encouraging the students to present with an Urdu poem.
“Do not be afraid of the opposing wind, O eagle. It blows only to lift you higher,” he said.
To close the event, those present were encouraged to share their personal stories anonymously. Halal food was provided, giving students a safe meal and time to connect over shared cultures.
“I hope all students thrive in a new place,” Ahmed said. “I know how tough it is, so I just hope that every student can find the comfy in their uncomfy.”
All members of the Wichita State community are welcome to participate in ADI and ISU events and activities, regardless of their background. Upcoming Diversity Week events hosted by ISU can be found on ShockerSync.
