Finding my place within Yale's African-American community

In the summer of 1996, as a young African-American on her way to one of the world's premier universities, I listened as family and friends told me how blessed I was, explaining that most people my age, regardless of race, would never have the opportunities that awaited me at Yale. Most importantly, I was told to make the most of this experience because it would only come once.

With the buildup, I wasn't exactly sure what to make of this "wonderful opportunity" or of my impending "Yale experience." Naturally, I was honored and proud to have been accepted by Yale. After graduating from a predominantly white, Catholic high school, I was excited to join the African-American community at Yale. But at the same time, I felt weighed down by the high hopes and expectations of my parents, my peers, and myself.

As one of only a few Yalies from New Haven, I found support from my nearby family and the familiar surroundings. However, this familiarity did not prevent me from suffering the same pressures that many other African-American students feel during their first year. Soon, my excitement turned to anxiety. I felt obliged to appear at the many events affiliated with the Afro-American Cultural Center, a.k.a. "the House," and to participate in the activities organized by the Black Student Alliance at Yale, as well as other campus minority organizations.

About one month into the semester, I realized that in order to succeed academically and personally, I would have to decide what was important. While I sought out the black community on campus, I also wanted to become acquainted with people coming from many different walks of life.

Although I found it difficult to adjust at first, I was able to meet an interesting group of people with a diverse set of cultures and ideas. The most important advice I can give to any freshman is this: decide for yourself what is best for you. For some of you, that will mean surrounding yourself with those students who are most like you. For others, it will mean getting to know people from different backgrounds. Either way, you must do what makes you happy.

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