Roshni

Culture and diversity at Purdue

It's been a week since I have landed into the quiet city of Lafayette, and I feel elated : Elated to be here, to be friends with so many new and different people. I thought I'd just be friends with the people of my country, or maybe my religion. But what I experienced in 7 days is going to last forever.

I came here on 19th of August, and was very worried. I had no idea where to go or what to do, so I went straight to my room and started unpacking. My roommate, whom I knew since 2 months online, had still not arrived. While I was thinking all of it, around 5 girls came in my room and introduced themselves to me. They were my neighbours there, and the first people I became friends with. None of them belonged to my country, but loved it when I said I belong to India. Happy faces were what I saw. That made me understood something that I couldn't have understood in my home country. Diversity and love for diversity.

I see new faces everyday. Purdue calls for a very great diversity, which at times is the best thing here. No racial discrimination but a new and vivid love for each other. I see some freshmen, just like me, who keep roaming around with a map in their hands trying to figure their way out. And I see some seniors stopping them and guiding them to the right direction. That is diversity. That is love.

I'm more than happy to be here, in such a distinct culture. It defines me now, and makes me a better person. It makes me a part of two nations all at once.