Ever look in the mirror and wonder what other people think of you?

I don't understand why Asians and Asian-Americans in general are so insular. I feel every time I see an Asian person at BC, they are with a group of Asians as well. I rarely see a p

erson of Asian descent in a group of students of an ethnicity other than Asian.

I can tell my own kind: ethnic cultures bleached white by American culture. But among the struggles of gripping to my traditions, my culture is lost in a dismal array of diversity.

I am often mistaken for Italian. Although still fair, my olive completion is quickly categorized as Italian. Dark hair, eyes, and olive skin at a Jesuit University? Stereotyped: Catholic Italian. My Muslim family would protest—but regardless, I am “white.”

I am often mistaken for Hispanic. My long, dark brown hair flows across my thin yet curvy body. My big brown eyes absorb the judgmental eyes sizing me as the model of affirmative action. But I am neither Hispanic or susceptible to affirmative action— I am “white.”

My country is in the Asian continent which spands across innumerable facial varieties. Yet societal expectations demand almond eyes to guarantee Asian ethnicity. Not far away my country’s neighbor, India, is somehow granted legal access to the Asian Identity. But me? I am white.

The 2010 census asked me my race. Arabs, one of the most hated cultures by American society, are grouped with the white race. Arabs are judged by the public, stereotyped by the media, and hazed by the extremists. But I am not Arab, nor am I white. I am Persian. I am a different race from Arabs, yet still middle eastern. I am lost in the legality: Who am I? I am lost among the numerous races of the world. But I am who I am.

Asian-American: you can only choose to be one of them.

Asian-American.. the space between.

Well what if I don't wanna be a minus sign? I wanna be a plus sign.

Asian+American.. the space between.

Now that's what I'M talking about.

I always wonder...are you kissing me because you like me, or because you have yellow fever?

Maybe if Asians feel so abused at BC they should just leave.

I HATE the bubble.

All justifications people make are only excuses people make.

They don't want to admit that they are a part and reason for all the nasty things said about the bubble.

i have random groups of friends: from clubs, floors, classes, etc, and majority of them are non-asians. i thought i could fit in the asian "bubble" anytime, whenever I wanted, so i started out making non-asian friends at BC. I'm very happy that i did and made diverse friends, but on the other hand, I found myself a little bit awkward to jump into the asian "bubble" now

I had hoped that at college, all the Asian-Americans kids wouldn't automatically lump themselves into one bubble, like they had at my high school.

I think that it's worse at BC, especially considering the background of the majority of BC students. Irish, Catholic, private schools, small graduating classes. Rich.

But why should their lack of diversity experience force us to limit ourselves in our choice of friends, experiences, learning? Why do we force ourselves into such a small box?

But listen: so what if so many people have basically never had contact with a non-Caucasian person? In the end, you only have yourself to blame. Don't victimize yourself; that's what I did at first.

But I'm not bitter, anymore. It's not anyone's fault...what their past experiences were. Right now, however, it's totally everyone's responsibility. Especially ours. You could change the perceptions people have and push away the stupid stereotypes and insensitivity, not only for non-Asian-Americans, but also us, too.

I'm not saying quit your clubs or whatnot. I'm saying realize there's a lot more to be gained by not exclusively hanging out with other people of your ethnic background, 24/7. I love you all as individuals; you're much cooler that way. As a group: you think non-Asian-Americans don't accept you? It's true to a degree, especially at BC. However, do you accept non-Asian-Americans, or do you automatically dismiss them?

So you say, who cares? Why should I be the bigger person? Why should I have to go out of my comfort zone and be that "diversity" experience to the majority of BC students whose private, Catholic high schools were comprised of one sex, one racial background?

Sorry to say it, but that's just the way it is. Most of us Asian-Americans are 2nd generation. We are responsible for the way people treat us. If we want to be more comfortable as people, you have to see that treating people differently based on race is so illogical.

I didn't feel comfortable when I went to KSA, ACF, and AC because I felt like there were things I could never talk about, or no one would ever care to hear about. Or, you could only talk about specific things. There's a group mentality that's frightening and forceful, and no, I'm not over-exaggerating. I'm not saying these groups are bad. I just don't want people to base their lives in this sort of pattern, only looking to belong to Asian/Asian-American groups. If you live this way, think of all the things you will never know, experience, learn.

The tendency to cling to people who you feel will accept you the most readily is completely understandable. Everyone does it, but do you know how much you are limiting yourself by choosing to exclusively hang out with a group of people based on ethnicity? Sure, it can be fun. You feel so included. Automatic group of friends, right? Especially for freshman. Ready-made. But you can't make natural, strong friendships this way, because the friendships are more based on obligation and expectations.

It isn't "racist" when you sit in the dining hall together? I suppose not. You're entitled to your own friends. I suppose it isn't racist when I reach out and try to get to know you but then you respond by smoking together in front of the library and talking amongst yourselves in a language I don't understand.

Why is there a double standard? Statistically speaking, at our school, if you don't try not to, it is guaranteed that you will hang out with White people. Many of them. White people do reach out you know. They did to me....

I feel that at BC if someone is not asian I don't even try to befriend them because I'd have to make a bigger effort to stay friends with him/her.

I don't like the way many groups on campus that are meant to support the Asians, whether it be religiously or culturally affiliated, tend to isolate them even further from the general population of students. I also don't like the way majority of the Asians tend to segregate themselves from students of other ethnicity. Most of the times we blame ourselves for that, but then again, it's not like students from other backgrounds are interested in crossing the cultural boundary either. It's a mutual repulsion that seems to get nowhere.

Asians make their own bubble and they blame us?

i am a gook and i am proud.

i hate being asian sometimes. its so stressing.

"The library is not only for Asians"

"That's So Asian

I am tired of all the race 'jokes' here. My least favorite word since I came to BC is 'Asian' and I hate it when Asians or Asian-Americans use it obsessively to describe themselves. Don't talk about Asians like you have no separate identity. You are Korean or Cambodian or Pakistanese or a person of another country with a distinctive name. We need to stop de-individualizing ourselves and appreciate where each of us come from."

"Sometimes I wish my parents were Asian. Then I would study harder. What are you complaining about"

"I still feel uncomfortable when my white friends find out that a majority of my friends are Asian"