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<p>OK so I’ve been to Hawaii a few times (admittedly for vacation) but coming from the suburbs of Washington DC I feel like I can help you with this.</p>
<p>1- Pitt isn’t diverse, no. I get it. Coming to a place that is shockingly 80% Caucasian can be intimidating. HOWEVER, think about the class size you’re coming into. Pitt undergrad is around 18,000 students. 20% of 18,000 is still almost 4,000 students of “ethnic” background (i.e. non-caucasian). It can be a bit of a shock at first when you walk around the streets to realize how many people are caucasian vs. non-caucasian but what is stopping you from making your friends as diverse as you want them to be?</p>
<p>Diversity was something that worried me when I first came here, but I lived in an Honors Dorm (already more diverse) and studied in the Engineering school (again more diverse). Nothing is stopping me from making friends with whomever I want and surrounding myself with as much or little culture as I feel comfortable with. The same can be said for you. Just because Pitt doesn’t look diverse doesn’t mean your own social circle can’t be. </p>
<p>With that said, take a look at the food of Oakland. You have multiple Indian Restaurants, Chinese Restaurants, Sushi places, Mexican food, Middle Eastern Food, etc. Those places aren’t chains, they’re owned by families. That means that you’ve already got a good amount of diversity right there. Want more? Join some of the culture clubs to ensure you’ll meet some people (maybe the Chinese Student Association could help you to ensure you are continuing to master the Chinese language). </p>
<p>As for your blue collar comment, I have no idea what you even mean by that. One of the great things about Pitt is that they give you the opportunity to excel, but you have to take it first. Don’t assume that by coming here you’ll miraculously have all these jobs and opportunities fall in your lap. You do need to work for them (just like you would anywhere I imagine). However, the professors are here to help you. You just go to them and say “I would love to do XYZ if possible, how do I get started or involved?” and they will help you get there.</p>