In the campus of Santa Clara University, there is always a place ablaze with light. Most people feel comfortable calling it “home,” but for me, it is a brand new and unfamiliar place to start. Graham is the RLC that I live in, living in Graham helps me better transfer into SCU. Graham brings people closer as it overcomes the physical border, the cultural barrier, and the spiritual border through communication.
In Graham, the physical border of the brick walls gives us privacy, but it indeed brings everyone closer when I experience coexistence our coexistence with my caring suitemates. Initially I felt scared without knowing anybody prior to college. Graham’s close-knit community helped me to transit easily. Nevertheless, this change brings new problems. Living on campus not only means taking care of yourself, but also learning how to get along with others. There is a partition between each room in Graham, but in a way, this provides chances to experience different relationships and life lessons.
Graham brings people together who come from different cultural background as cultural differences surprisingly do not create any barriers in my interpersonal communication. Living in this small dormitory gives me the chance to reflect on my opinions, and find the fault and bias in my views. It’s not the ancient culture of countries that produces conflicts, but our characters and habits. When the latter two are properly communicated and adjusted, the result can become the way that leads to peace among the living space. After fitting into this little “community”, I find out my suitemates and roommate are shaping my personality. The living that is brought by this border while we are living a group life in the student dormitory has taught me different values from various cultures.
Graham gives me the perfect opportunities to be independent of my parents with the inspiration from my roommate, and suitemates and brings us closer spiritually. I usually do not get homesick; however, Santa Clara is still 7000 miles away from my homeland. The border, which is the Pacific, keeps me away from my country, my family, my friends and my culture. It is isolating. It is also the border which enforces me to be independent and reflect on myself. Influenced by my roommate, I am determined to become independent both financially and spiritually, especially when I heard my roommate had taken many part-time jobs in holidays. Fortunately, Graham sets up a stable foundation for the beginning of freedom as well as a safe shelter to live in. The communication with each other is a driving force for everyone to lead a more independent life.
A border is a sign for differentiating, but also for connecting and communicating. Graham can bring people closer who are from different cultural backgrounds, and every difference is respected and accepted. Graham also gives us the chance to be fully independent of parents when we exchange thoughts and experiences with our roommates. Not only does it contribute to setting up a beautiful campus for us to dwell in, it also builds a harmonious college community for socializing.
Images Cited
https://www.scu.edu/living/residential-living-options/rlc-undergraduate-housing/alpha—graham-hall/
https://university-operations.scu.edu//facilities/space-data/building-information/graham-hall/
https://www.freshu.io/shelley-davis/why-you-shouldn-t-freak-out-about-having-a-roommate
http://icanbecreative.com/article/designing-websites-for-different-cultures/