COLUMN: `Get What You Paid For

From Biren Johnson's "Footsteps in the Dark," Fall '94 For many of us in the Class of 1995, we are on that countdown to either grad school, the real work world, back home to live with parents, or another year here at Penn. No matter which route you take, hopefully it's in a forward direction and not back. This column goes out to all first year students -- you should enjoy it. Don't get so caught up in everything that you drive yourselves crazy and end up jumping out of the 16th floor of High Rise East over an Econ exam. The first year should really be a time for exploring, meeting new people, and taking advantage of this college environment. I don't think that there will be another time where the exposure to people of all religions, colors, nationalities etc. will make them accessible to you as they are now. Isn't this part of what you paid for anyway -- a diverse experience here at Penn? I know it was mentioned somewhere among the stacks of mail from the University you received this summer! I don't just encourage, I challenge you to take the time and speak to that foreign student in your class, work together on a project, or just hang out together. God forbid you learn something about a different culture as well. In most instances, you'll be better off and one less step away from the vast amount of ignorance that is prevalent in this society. For example, this summer I got the chance to get away from my desk and grab a sandwich from the deli downstairs -- the owner was a very nice Pakistani lady. I spoke with her for a few minutes and learned that the two girls who had worked for her had quit that week. Consequently, she was very busy working by herself. While I was waiting on my sandwich, the phone rang just as two white males about my age walked in. We discussed our respective internships and the usual corporate small talk. All of the sudden one of the gentlemen started joking about those "damn foreigners" and insinuating that the lady was really incompetent because she was on the phone and could not make his sandwich at that exact second. "Oh great, she'll probably talk in one of those damn languages that we can't understand; they're so strange. . ." I was not surprised he made that comment -- I expected it. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, you'll hear ignorant comments like these at some point in time here at beautiful Penn. The thing that really pissed me off was that I knew they probably thought I was beneath them as well, until they asked what school I attended. This type of crap happens all of the time. It's like being a student at Wharton is my stamp of approval to these types of folks (and no I didn't come here on a football or basketball scholarship for the 100th time. No offense to the players but I'm tired of people thinking that that's all that Black folks can do). Anyway, these guys reminded me of the way some people act here. Freshman, I'm here to tell you that students at the University of Pennsylvania are no better than anyone else in this world, no matter what mommy and daddy told you. We are all human beings. Whenever I see someone flaunting it and acting as if their whole persona is Wharton or any other Ivy League school for that matter, it's just sad. Instead of acting as if you're better than others of a different race, religion, etc. or acting as if you're someone that you're really not (living on Front Street, as I like to say), be man or woman enough to be yourself and have a meaningful conversation with someone who doesn't look like you. Now, I know some people out there will think I'm just speaking to whites -- I'm speaking to every damn person on this campus. Get out of those highschoolish cliques, take that stick out of your ass that makes you stuck up, and lose those ignorant stereotypes that you learned from mom and dad and Uncle Billy Joe Bob back home. Never seen or spoken to a Black male before? I'd be glad to speak to you anytime (even though you looked away when I said hello on the Walk). I'm a real easygoing guy and I can introduce you to many people of all nationalities who are just as nice. There are plenty of decent people in the world -- the few who are ignorant or misinformed are the ones that make it bad. One last comment, let me give a shot out to those folks in Hill House. Ha, ha, you all got suckered too on the college tour. But seriously, Hill is probably the best dorm because the residents are so diverse and the rooms are so small that people are forced to talk with one another. I enjoyed my time there and feel that I am a better informed Penn student because of the experience. Make the best of your years here at Penn for college days do swiftly pass. See you on the Walk. Biren Johnson is a senior Strategic Management major from Naperville, Illinois. Footsteps in the Dark will appear alternate Mondays.