CITY COLLEGE–“I feel like I only celebrate stuff at home and rarely attend events elsewhere,” said Neel Barmecha, a biology major at The City College of New York (CCNY). Barmecha is a first generation student and values the cultural identity of his Indian-born parents. But he struggles to find a group of Indian-American students on campus who share his traditions. Without a strong peer group or a cultural club to join, he often feels out of place. Instead of staying after class to socialize, he heads straight home to Scarsdale, and that makes it hard for him to fully connect with college life.
Barmecha’s experience isn’t uncommon on campus. Nearly 37% of students at CCNY are first-generation college students, with families from over 157 different countries. Many find their deep cultural connections make it difficult to fit in on campus. But if they become more Americanized, some say there’s another disconnect. Tahira Moses, a biology student, feels like an outsider when she visits Trinidad, her parents’ home country.
“Because I was born in America, there are many events I haven’t had the ability to partake in, leaving me feeling ostracized when I’m around others from my culture,” she said. Tahirah tries to stay connected when she joins celebrations like J’ouvert and Easter services in New York.
