Friendship Without Borders
When I was in high school, I had a tough time making friends. That is why, when I first came to Arcadia, I used to worry about being alone. I didn’t know anyone on campus and was the only student from another country studying here. I used to be scared that everyone wouldn’t understand what I was saying because of the language barrier.
I am an international student from Cambodia, and I began my journey at Arcadia in the fall of 2023. As I’m writing this blog, I’m already a junior. It is hard to believe that 2 years have flown by, and I am halfway through my undergraduate degree. I am the first in my family to attend college, so my biggest worry was making friends because I didn’t know how to start conversations or approach people to become friends.
My first week at school was rough. I remembered that I joined the orientation via Zoom at around 3 a.m. because I had gone to visit my parents in Cambodia. Additionally, I was a commuter during my first year at Arcadia. I remember that the orientation began with the icebreaker activity, and I had absolutely no idea what that was. A few weeks later, I arrived in the U.S. as expected, and school had begun. I became accustomed to the school environment and learned how to be a college student, as it is quite different from high school.
I still remember an event where I had the chance to meet other international students. It was Tea Tuesday, held at the Global Engagement House. Jessica, an international student specialist or DSO, introduced me to them. I was scared to talk to new people at the time, but inside, I was excited because I saw other international students there too. I had a class with one of them last semester, and they have already graduated. If you see this blog, I want to say, I miss you!
In the summer after my first year, I secured a position on campus as an International Student Assistant, where I helped incoming international students adjust to their new environment and supported their various needs. I was so happy to see many new students coming here, and I made a lot of friends with all of them. One person I talked with is named Dylan. He already graduated from Arcadia, but that first night, we talked a lot (past when I usually go to sleep) because I wanted to learn about other cultures and make new friends. He is a very hardworking and kind person!
Despite its small size, Arcadia offers many spaces that feel like a global community. The first one is the Civic and Global Engagement House (6 Royal Ave), a place for study abroad programs and a space where students can study and talk with each other. I recall that during my first few months at Arcadia, I would always pack my lunch to eat there because it made me feel at home.
Reflecting on my friendships, I remember the day I moved into Oak Summit Apartments. At the time, summer housing was in Knight Hall, so I helped some students move stuff from Knight Hall to Oak. It was so fun because I had never lived at Oak before. The following day, they all invited me to join their dinner. They all taught me how to make dumplings, the meaning of the dumpling, and what to do with dumplings during the Lunar New Year. It was very, very fun. I am a person who really enjoys eating dumplings, but didn’t know how to make them. I also had a chance to learn from them; they taught me how to say some words in their language, and I found that everything is very unique from one language to another, especially with the pronunciation. Since then, we’ve stayed connected, and we go out and eat dinner together at least once every few weeks. Arcadia changed me a lot, especially when it comes to friendships.
Because of the experiences I had with them, I applied to become a Resident Assistant (RA) in the following semester, as being an RA as an international student is a unique role. Not only do you help local students, but you can also use your experience to support other international students who may face similar challenges, like homesickness. I received an offer and became an RA in the same building where they live. My first event was an early Lunar New Year celebration, which allowed me to introduce my residents to a different culture.
Friendship without borders means the world to me. Just because we don’t come from the same place, speak the same languages, or share the same cultures doesn’t mean we cannot become friends. Sometimes, it can seem very challenging to begin with, but if you give it your all, I believe you can achieve it. To my friends, no matter where you come from, I am grateful to have had you by my side through all the steps of my journey. I can’t wait to see where life takes us!
