<p>I love my college and all my friends, but there are times when I become very aware that I am different from them. Here are some examples.</p>
<p>Many of my friends went to very expensive and exclusive private schools, where they send about half their class to Ivy League schools. I, on the other hand, went to a very ordinary private school where the smart kids went to the state university.</p>
<p>Many of my friends are from the East Coast area, and know many of the hot spots in New York and Boston. I, on the other hand, am from the West Coast and am completely clueless here.</p>
<p>Many of my friends have friends in nearby elite schools. I, on the other hand, am completely alone out here.</p>
<p>Many of my friends have important and powerful parents who were very visible in their communities. I, on the other hand, had immigrant parents who often needed me to understand their new surroundings.</p>
<p>Many of my friends were surrounded by highly motivated Ivy League-bound friends from kindergarten. I, on the other hand, was mostly friends with people who are now in community college.</p>
<p>I have felt right at home in my college from the beginning, so this is not a bitter complaint against anybody. Yet I can’t help but notice that I am different, though not necessarily in a bad way. Just different.</p>
<p>Don’t worry,you are not supposed to be exact the same with your friends.</p>
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At least,you are also college student.</p>
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At least,you are also from the United States.</p>
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That doesn’t matter.By the way,you still have friends who don’t have friends in elite schools.</p>
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Personally,I value my parents most.I don’t think my parents are inferior to others under any circumstances.I don’t care what they are in other’s eyes.You should be very proud because you are able to help your parents already while your friends still under the influence of their parents.</p>
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Do you judge your friends by what schools they go to?I don’t quite understand.I don’t have freaking rich/significant friends.But I think all my friends are the best.</p>
<p>He never said he was ashamed of his parents. He never said he didn’t appreciate all they’ve been through and all they’ve done for him. He just merely said that they came from a different background and that it’s hard for them to adjust to America. And it’s reasonable to expect the parents to turn to their son sometimes for help because the son has grown up in this environment and may have more exposure to it.</p>
yeah what’s with this whining about parents? i was also in the same situation only I went to a public school. At least your parents made enough money they could send you to your quote quote “ordinary private school.” I have no idea what an ordinary private school is because for me only ordinary school is public. I’m sure your parents helped you in a way in their own way.</p>
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What’s wrong with friends who went to community college? i have friends who didn’t even goto college and I still love them to death! none of my friends went to an ivy or anything even really ranked (most people went state) but I know they are smart and they just made those decisions based on their circumstances.</p>
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<p>Well… yeah. They probably moved like an hour away compared to you who’s probably 20 hours away from home by a car. If they went to west coast they would be in your shoes. I’m from the South west coast is very different for me but I’m getting along :)</p>
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Yeah I don’t see your problem. You get along, you fit in, you just feel different. everybody’s somewhat different so just embrace it. Good luck</p>
<p>You actually would be surprised how normal you are. I’m in a similar situation except I went to an “elite public” (I moved to the community 15 years ago when it was affordable, but the majority of the community is extraordinarily wealthy- and I was on free lunch) and most of my friends stayed in-state because they didn’t even try to get scholarships elsewhere because Georgia pays full tuition if you have a certain GPA. </p>
<p>Last year, I had one friend within 100 miles- but he transferred back to school in GA because he couldn’t handle it. Now my next closest friends are at West Point in NY (I’m in Boston)- and the next closest are those at UNC. I probably went to the 2nd or 3rd best school in my high school class, which isn’t saying much (although Brandeis is awesome, most schools send of a similar background as mine send tons of kids to similarly ranked schools) and we have had no Ivies in the past 4 or 5 years (though a few MITs and Dukes).</p>
<p>You just learn to deal. I don’t understand what the problem is since you feel at home. Really, I feel stranger when I go home and talk to my friends, because my life is just by nature so much different than theirs because of where I go to school. I am surrounded by people like me- liberal Jews- for the first time ever in my entire life, where they all have stayed with the same people they went to high school with. Nothing wrong with that, but that sure puts the silver spike of death in a friendship.</p>
<p>Ummm…I think you’ll be fine. This is the crazy thing they call “life.” Things will be like this wherever you go…we’re all different, you know…some more than others. Embrace your new environment. Take the time to learn from your sophisticated peers, but also make an impact on them.</p>
<p>Sometimes there’s no other choice. When you don’t see your friends for 6 months at a time and they all go to the same college, share an apartment, and are with each other 24/7, you grow in different ways. My friends can now mix 500 kinds of drinks while I can discuss all of the various social movements of Latin America. With that much distance, you can’t expect to pick up where you left off at the end of high school. <em>shrugs</em> For me, going back and hanging out with my former best friends was like being a 3rd wheel. New inside jokes, new friends, and the nagging fact that all the wanted to do was party. I haven’t seen my best friend from elementary through high school in over a year because of school and internships. You don’t come back from that.</p>
i have friends who didn’t even goto college and I still love them to death! none of my friends went to an ivy or anything even really ranked (most people went state) but I know they are smart and they just made those decisions based on their circumstances.</p>