Chapter Four: As Others See Us

Summary of Ch. 4 by Chip Fox

Chapter four is about how international students view college in America. One of the first things Nathan brings up is how American students are very independent and antisocial almost. When someone asks another person, "how's it going?" it is meant as a greeting, like hello, instead of a conversation starter as it is in other countries. Another thing she notices is that friendships and relationships are much different here than in other countries. When someone is your friend here, it pretty much just means that they will say, "hi" to you when you see them, or hang out with them at parties. In other countries friendships are much more meaningful, and friends will help each other out with whatever they need instead of acting like helping is such a bother to them. Thirdly, Nathan brings up that classes in America are very different than in other countries. The professors are much more laid back, and classes are more casual. People wear shorts and flip-flops, eat and drink during classes, and even leave early from class. The course material is elementary level until the upper level classes, but we have many more choices and freedoms to pick the classes we want here than in other countries. Lastly, Nathan noticed how ignorant Americans are when it comes to the world. Some people don't understand that no one country is any better than another country, although most of the Americans believe America is the best place in the world. Some people don't even know where other countries are located, or care to learn the culture of other countries.

This chapter was written with a very negative tone towards American college students. The author often criticizes the new customs of students in America, like the way we communicate via the internet, and how superficial we are with our friendships. Nathan really opens the eyes of the American readers because no one really notices how we act since it is second nature to American college students because we have grown up this way. Overall, this chapter is meant to show American college students how impersonal and ignorant we are towards other cultures.

Chapter Four Vocab Mr. Pesavent

Mundane-of, relating to, or characteristic of the world. Page 68
Veneer-a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, display, or effect. Page 69
Hospitable- promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome. Page 70
Gregarious-tending to associate with others of one's kind. Page 71
Albeit-conceding the fact that. Page 72
Dearth-an inadequate supply. Page 73
Unfathomable- impossible to comprehend. Page 75
Academia-the academic world. Page 77
Scant-barely or scarcely sufficient. Page 78

Discussion Chapter Four - Beka W.

It was interesting to read about the apathy among Americans towards International students at the university where Nathan attended; do you think the apathy displayed by the students is an accurate description of every college or just this one?

Our group felt that most Americans in every university possess an undeniable ignorance about other cultures and a lack of interest in the customs of students from foreign countries. This attitude can definitely be felt across the United States, not just in Nathan's particular region.

Several of the Int'l students interviewed in Chapter four noticed the lack of bond between students and families; this was described as "independence". Do you agree or do you feel that independence doesn't necessarily mean severing ties with one's family?

The importance of family is much stronger in other cultures than in America and that is quite unfortunate. It is important for individuals to become independent, however, one can still do that while maintaining a relationship with one's family as well.

The Int'l students in this chapter noticed the fact that although Amerians may be more friendly than other cultures, there is almost a "superficial" quality to it. Do you agree or disagree?

Our group definitely agreed with this depiction of Americans. Although we as Americans pride ourselves in our friendliness, we must realize that quite often we have friendliness but that is as far as it goes. However, in other cultures, although they may not be as friendly, they display genuine and sincere attitudes instead of a superficial "hello".

One aspect of this chapter addressed the fact that several Int'l students became aware of the different socializing habits that many students possess. While most college students drink for the sole purpose of becoming drunk, other cultures social drink. Why isn't socializing more a part of our lives instead of reserved for an extreme thirsty thursday?

Our group agreed that socializing should not be seperated between "study time" and "party time". A healthy lifestlye should incorporate socializing into one's daily life, not just on the weekends. However, we also stated that although there are many individuals that do drink to be drunk, there are many others that do participate in classy behavior such as social drinking. It all varies.

What do you feel about the classroom habits of college students in America and the break down of work administered by professors? Are today's college students in America simply lazy and disrespectful, or are they laid back?

Our group definitely agreed that the habits displayed by some students on our campus and on many others thoughout the United States is not "laid back" but in fact, "lazy". Many of us have seen students openly eat and drink in class, put their feet up on chairs, and sometimes even fall asleep during a lecture. The students in other countries, however, display more respectful behavior and it isn't surprising that they would be shocked at Americans' behavior in the classroom.

Most Americans display an ignorance about other cultures. What can be done to change this? Will this trend of ignorant Americans simply continue, producing countless other generations of Americans that fail to look beyond their own backyards or should study abroad and Int'l opportunities and courses be required in order to graduate from High school and college?

Our group liked the idea of proposing study abroad requirements on high schools and colleges as well as incorporating Int'l courses throughout one's educational career. If there was more classes and study abroad opportunities offered to individuals in America, perhaps there would be less ignorance and a broder knowledge of the world reflected in people.

Graphic Organizer: Ch 4 - Natalie

In chapter four Rebekah Nathan interviews foreign exchange students to see how they view their American college experience. Their were four main topics that were brought up: the issue of American classes, professors, friendships, and the way Americans view the world. Foreign exchange students felt that American professors were much more helpful then professors they were use to having. They also felt that American classes are set up different and seem to be a lot easier, but they are happy they have an array of choices to pick from. On the issue of friends they feel that Americans are friendly, but yet they have surface level friendships. Lastly, they feel Americans are very ignorant when it comes to the issue of other countries and their cultures.

Chapter Three: Community and Diversity

Discussion Leader by Chip Fox (Ch. 3)

1.) Why is it does it take so much effort for students to respond to questions their professors ask?

I think it’s because a lot of people are afraid of public speaking, and when you’re in a lecture hall of two hundred or more people a lot of people will shy away from sharing their opinions and ideas. Another reason people do not answer the questions might be because they didn’t do the assignment or the assigned reading.

2.) Why don’t students like to join group organizations?

One reason is because group organizations require a time commitment. When freshmen are just moving into the dorms, they don’t want to sign up for something that takes away from the time they can be meeting new people and having fun. Another reason is because of negative connotations, in the book it said that one of the reasons people do not join fraternities or sororities is because they think they will not be able to hang out with other people besides the fraternity or sorority, and that it costs a lot of money that they don’t want to pay just to make friends when they can make friends for free. (p.48)

3.) Why don’t students include minority students in their close social circle?

I think that it’s not that people don’t include minority students; it’s just that people tend to stay with what they are used to, and hang out with who they are around the most. Since minority students also tend to hang out with other people of minority, it’s not that students don’t include other students of minority in their close social circle, it’s that they don’t have as many opportunities to as they would someone they are around more.

4.) Why do most students of color leave the cafeteria after they get their food instead of sitting at a table and eating?

I think that students of color leave the cafeteria after they get their food because they don’t know anyone who is in the cafeteria at that time, so they take it back to their dorm. I don’t think only students of color do this, but they might do it the most.

Graphic Organizer - Beka W. Chapter 3

This graphic organizer consists of several of Nathan's main points and conclusions throughout the third chapter. Her first point was simply that students are encouraged to become a part of the community, however, in later conclusions Nathan stresses the fact that while some students may benefit from participating in groups and organizations, other people may feel stifled. She later makes an important connection between the friends students make in college and demographics. One of her last conclusions after researching and learning more about the college community was the presence of racism in universities. It was difficult to narrow down the most important points Nathan made due to the fact that she had many connections throughout the chapter.

Summarizer Chap 3 John P

The chapter begins with the author explaining how the university first introduces the idea of community during welcome week. They show a powerpoint that shows events starting from when the freshmen were born to present-day events.

Then Nathan talks about the mandatory community class that all freshmen had to take. The author explains how 97% of college presidents believed community was important on their campus which is why the class was mandatory for incoming freshmen. Many students did not participate and the class failed to do its job so the university decided to make the class an elective.

Next, Nathan's RA makes an interest survey to see what the residents would like to do as a group. Although most residents chose movie night as an event they'd like to do, barely any residents showed up, and movie night was shortly cancelled.

After that, Nathan explains how students are not participating in the community nearly as much as they should. She says that students want to be part of a community for all of the benefits, but they are not willing to put in the time or effort. The RA called another mandatory meeting where the residents had the option to write rules for their wing. After the rules are posted by the RA the following week, no one really follows them.

Following that, Nathan learns that students have their own distinct group of friends that they hang out with rather than hanging out with the entire wing or floor. Nathan discovers this during the Super Bowl where she found that most rooms had three or more friends in them watching the game.

Lastly, Nathan realized that AnyU is not a very diverse school when in comes to eating habits or friendship. Most minorities were found either eating by themselves or bringing their meal to their rooms and eating there. When students were asked to name their closest friends then name their ethnicity, most people's friends happened to be the same ethnicity as them.

The author wrote the chapter with a surprised tone. She was not expecting the students to be as individualized as they were. Towards the end, the author seemed to be scolding the reader abut how we are becoming more and more private with out lives. She is hinting that we need to participate more in our community.

Vocab Ch. 3 - Natalie

Convocation - the arranging or calling of a formal meeting (pg 41)
Surmised - to conclude that something is the case on the basis of only limited evidence or intuitive feeling (pg 43)
Proliferation - to increase greatly in number (pg 45)
Amalgam - a combination of two or more characteristics (pg 47)
Flatulent - having or showing excessive self-importance (pg 49)
Anteroom - a subsidiary room that opens into a larger room, often used as a waiting area (pg 50)
Paradoxically - a statement or proposition that contradicts itself (pg 51)
Opulent - characterized by an obvious or lavish display of wealth or affluence (pg 52)
Bolstered - to strengthen something through support or encouragement (pg 54)
Superfluous - in excess of what is needed (pg 54)

Chapter Two: Dorm Life

Graphic Organizer by Chip Fox (Ch. 2)

For Ch. 2, I put “Classes” at the top of the pyramid because this was the most important topic of the chapter. Rebekah Nathan wanted to research the culture of undergraduate schooling, so when the classes start that is when most of her important research will start as well. After that I put social Activities in the middle, because the week before the classes start she gets involved in activities through her dorm hall and gets to know some of her hall mates. After that I put Hall meetings, because the first hall meeting was mandatory and that is where she learned some of the rules and policies on drinking and other things. And the last thing on the list is dorm door decorations, because when Nathan first moved into her room she started noticing that all of the other girls were putting pictures and phrases up on the doors.

Discussion Leader Chapter 2 - John

1. Why do college students have so much "stuff" crammed into their rooms?
I think it is because we are used to always being entertained. Living with two people also contributes to the mass amount of gear and electronics. Nathan isn't young enough to understand why or how we use all of these things on a daily basis.

2. Why are nudity, craziness, sexuality, and spontaneity usually portrayed on students' door decorations?
Students now feel free from their parents and what to express themselves their own way. Some may also use their door decorations to find things in common with their neighbors. Other students may think it adds color and a more personal touch to their rooms.

3. Why is it that the "Bad" RAs enforce the law, while the "Good" RAs enforced the spirit of the law?
Students feel they can't always connect with an RA who has or may get them into trouble. Strict RAs are more often looked at like police and are not as popular among the other residents. The "Good" RAs want to be able to feel cool and be friends with other residents.

4. Why does Nathan make it seem like it is nearly impossible to hang out with people with other majors from other dorms?
I am really unsure why the author does this. I am in a sports club, have a declared major, and live in a different dorm than my friends and I see them everyday. In my experience, different dorms, activities, or majors do not affect one's friends.

Summarizer Ch. 2 Natalie

The second chapter of the book focuses on the things Rebekah sees and notices as she's walking through the dorms, listening in on her first hall meeting, and experiencing class as a student not a teacher. She describes the insane amount of things in each dorm room and that the biggest change for her was seeing lofts. She describes the different subliminal messages on boards, pictures of friends, funny sayings, and all the information RA's put up to make students aware and get them involved. She sees how unimportant the hall meetings are to students even the "absolutely positively mandatory ones" (pg 29). The first week of school, before classes started, she witnessed all the craziness and liveliness of dorm life it wasn't until classes began that "real dorm life, as I began to know it, began" (pg 31). As college life began she was filled with questions and it wasn't until she "began to do interviews and collect time diaries from other students, that i would begin to notice the patterns and patterned variations in student life" (pg 32). She begins to follow 10 students in their daily life. She gives a clear description on each student; what they are involved with, what a day in their life looks like, their eating and sleeping habits, and the daily struggles they face as a college student. She finds two things to be true in her studying. First, "there is little that is automatically shared among people by virtue of attending the same university [and secondly] one can easily opt to move out of the dorm, drop the class, change majors, or quit the club, resulting in a social world that always seems to b in flux. In this light, the university becomes, for individual students, an optional set of activities and a fluid set of people whose paths are ever-shifting" (pg 39-40).

Vocab - Beka W. (Chapter Two)

Contiguous - being in actual contact: touching along a boundary or at a point. (p.20)
Ubiquitous - existing or being everywhere at the same time: constantly (p.23)
Interspersed - to place something at intervals in or among (p.23)
Cryptic - having or seeming to have a hidden or ambiguous meaning(p.25)
Forethought - a thinking or planning out in advance (p.25)
Unambigously - clear, precise (p.25)
Provost - a high ranking academic administrative officer (p.29)
Elusive - hard to isolate or identify (p.31)
Jibe - to shift suddenly and forcefully (p.33)
Microcosm - a community that is an epitome of a larger unity (p.38)

Ch. 1 Welcome to Any U

Discussion Leader Ch. 1 Natalie

Why does she decide to undergo this process of being a freshman in college?

While sitting in on some of her colleague’s courses she begins to see and hear things she didn’t previously notice and she has “gone through a looking glass”. She was sitting in classes talking notes as she overheard discussions of students as well as the topic of the class conversations. As she wrote she realized she was “starting to do ethnography.” During this moment she got the idea to become a student and do a research project for her sabbatical year. She says, “My interest in American culture, in the changing American university, and in the undergraduate student culminated in a research proposal to study, as a freshman, at my own university” (pg 4).


What are some things she learns about college life that her eyes were not previously opened to?

She overhears things about kid’s writing papers drunk at 3am, parties, unfair grading, etc. She also takes a tour of the campus and learns many things on the tour about struggles of college students. She hears about meal plans, class registration, tutoring, tuition, etc. She says that “as an anthropologist I was humbled at how little I as a professor knew of my student’s academic world” (pg 8).


How does she represent herself?

As she began preparing to be a college student she began a “delicate balance act between truth and fiction about my life” (pg 6). She has to figure out what in her life is okay to tell the truth about and what she needs to lie about. She can’t give her identity away no matter what. She has to figure out a new identity to take on including why she is there, who she is, and what her profession is.


What does she have to learn to fit in better with college life?

After attending Previews in the summer she learns that if she wants to fit in she needs to dress different. She attended the camp dressed like all the adults in her denim shorts, baseball cap, and golf shirt instead of like the students in flip flops, short t-shirts, and jeans. She also realizes she needs to learn the rules of dorm life such as not drinking in public places as well as the fact that she needs to learn the lingo and speed of conversation (pg 13).
dergo this process of being a freshman in college?

Graphic Organizer Chapter 1 - John Pesavent

I organized the main points of the chapter in chronological order to help the reader understand what happened in a step-by-step progression. The first point is where the author explains her background and why she is going to become a student. The second point is where the author lets the reader know how she plans to identify herself as a student. June orientation is where Nathan learns what it is like to be a new comer in a large school, and where she is mistaken for a parent. When Nathan moves in, she shows us what it is like moving in and getting used to the new rules. The final point of the chapter is where Rebekah Nathan explains how she adapts to living in college.

Summarized by Beka W. (Chapter One)

The first chapter of our book was centered a lot on the author, Rebekah Nathan, and why she wanted to write this book and how she went about conducting this research project for her sabbatical.

Rebekah Nathan did an exceptional job of introducing the readers to not only herself, but the aim of her research project as well. Her words seemed to flow from the pages as she explained to the readers the first weeks of college and displayed the emotions most freshman feel: excitement, confusion, and fear. In fact, one of her most relatable quotes from this chapter was, "It came as a surprise, then, to discover that I was completely disorientated." Overall, Nathan does a fine job through this chapter of introducing her aim for conducting this project as well as incorporating intriguing examples, relatable experiences, and clear writing to set the stage for future chapters of her book.

Vocabulary Builder (Chapter 1) by Chip Fox

1. Penchant- a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports (p.1)

2. Ubiquitous- existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent (p.2)

3. Pedagogy- the art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods (p. 3)

4. Impetus- Something that incites; a stimulus (p. 3)

5. Moot- of little or no practical value or meaning (p. 7)

6. Acumen- keen insight; shrewdness (p. 8)

7. Debacle- a general breakup or dispersion (p. 12)

8. Lexicon- a wordbook or dictionary (p. 13)

9. Privy- belonging or pertaining to some particular person (p. 3)

10. Flouting- to treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff at; mock (p. 18)

My Freshman Year: April 23, 2010

Our group thought that the first and second chapters were very interesting and provided insight into why she was doing her research project; however, we did see minor mistakes she did make along the way. We, as the readers, were intrigued at reading about an individual who defied the barriers and became a freshman at the age of fifty. Some of us were shocked that Nathan was so intent on staying in the dorms, following the meal plans, and attending freshman classes. Many of us acknowledged the fact that we would be embarrassed at being an older student and mingling with students that were twenty years our junior and being in an environment where we weren't comfortable. However, Nathan faces her challenges with confidence and ease, and although we are sure just as every human being Nathan had her low points, she continued to be excited about her project and the results it would yield. Another aspect that surprised us about the first chapter was the fact that Nathan didn’t know her campus like she thought she did. For example, she stated, “I was shocked at how vulnerable and out of my element I felt. I found myself frequently wandering in the wrong direction and stopping other students, who looked more competent, for directions” (Nathan, 11). Clearly, Nathan was out of her element. She was used to being able to park in the faculty parking lot and access buildings from the opposite side of the campus mall; this entire experience was both confusing and humbling for a professor that thought she knew her college backwards and forwards. One aspect of chapter one that some of the group members found interesting was the fact that Nathan felt she needed to, “master the current speech conventions” (13). Most of us felt that our speech was easy to follow, and not very different, however, after reading about Nathan’s experience we were all surprised to find that we do use words that are different from the typical adult’s conversation, such as, “sweet”, “oh my god”, and “totally”. Also, she noticed at the speech of our conversations. At times, although we may not realize it, our speech is quite fast and can be difficult for others to follow. After reading the chapter, we did feel, however, that Nathan did make a few mistakes as to the fact that she could have done more research on the type of clothes typical college students wear as well. One example of this was found when Nathan was preparing to move into the dorms for a pre-freshman get together. While registering, Nathan was asked politely if she was a parent due to her apparel: a sporting hat, golf style tee, jeans, and shoes with white socks. This is one example of Nathan not doing her research properly. If she had done her research she would have found herself in a more comfortable situation, instead of looking like a parent on a critical, first-impression day. The second chapter was mostly about life in the dorms, and that for all members of our group, very easy to relate to. As Nathan wrote with ease about the possessions she was trying to situate in her small dorm room, all of us could empathize with move-in day and how difficult that was for all of us. For most of us, this would be the longest we'd ever be away from everything we held dear, and that was a frightening thought. However, the promise of things to come helped ease the difficult, yet exciting transition. It was also comical for some of us to read about her reaction to the images on people's doors and what kind of statement the individual was trying to say about herself. Most of us are still trying to figure that out on our hall as well. :) It was also quite interesting to watch a middle age professor try to absorb the colorful bulletin boards displaying announcements, participate in the activity nights hosted by the RA's, discerning who were the "good" RA's, and the list is endless. I believe Nathan does over exaggerate in this chapter about making friends with different majors that live in different dorms. On page 38, Nathan makes it seem nearly impossible to hang out with other people with a different schedule than yours. From my experience (John), I do not think it is difficult at all to be friends with people who live in different dorms, have different majors, and are in different clubs. I have multiple friends that I hang out with everyday that have completely different housing and majors than me. Other than that, I believe Nathan is doing a great job so far in her research and am excited to read more.