Thursday, 24 April 2014 09:27 AM
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#10919 If I offered you $20, would you take it?
How about if I crumpled it up?
Stepped on it?
You would probably take it even though it was crumpled and stepped on it. Do you know why?
Because it is still $20, and its worth has not changed.
The same goes for you; if you have a bad day, or if something bad happens to you, you are not worthless.
If someone crumples you up or steps on you, your worth does not change. You are still just as valuable as you were before.
-(Taken from Tumblr, but no less true)
Thursday, 24 April 2014 09:27 AM
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#10918 For those who keep posting confessions about accepting the fact that they will die alone, stop thinking this way. Our generation follows the way of the hook up culture like none other. And the people in college take full advantage of this fact. I've often thought that I won't find the love of my life , ever. But now I just don't think it'll happen in college. My values seem different than almost everyone else's. I've been with guys, thinking it'll turn into something more, but it never does. But I've come to realize that it isn't because of me. It's because of the way our generation has grown up and many have come to believe as the college norm, no relationships, no feelings, only sex. I just wish that everyone who is having these feelings come to term with who they and be happy with themselves, and not blame themselves or others, for the fact that they are alone in college.
Thursday, 24 April 2014 09:22 AM
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#10971 I know this is an ongoing, hot button issue, but I thought I'd share my perspective on the interracial dating dilemma that seems to plague Purdue Confessions. I'm a blonde caucasian female (in a sorority too, gasp!), I'm reasonably good looking, and while I'm fairly liberal, I wouldn't say that my ideas are revolutionary. I've been approached by Chinese guys, Indian guys, Hispanic guys, African American guys, etc. and here is what I've gathered from my personal experiences. If you approach me, we chat, and you ask me to grab coffee or dinner or something, I may say no. I may say yes. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with your culture or ethnicity, and absolutely everything to do with whether or not we connect well, or if I'm attracted to you, or if I'm already seeing someone. While stereotypes exist, as humans, we construct much firmer ideas about an individual in the first few minutes of meeting them and commencing conversation than we do from merely observing their physical appearance (unless of course you are one of the unfortunate few whose ignorance and bigotry are so deeply ingrained that you have no hope of moving past the stereotypes; in which case, I feel sorry for you). It is true that we naturally gravitate to people who are "like" us, and therefore it is more common to find white people who are attracted to white people, east Asians who are attracted to east Asians, and so on and so forth. It is perceived as easier to form connections with people who we have something in common with, and as the first thing we notice is someone's overall appearance, if they resemble us, we automatically assume that there is some underlying similarity in life experience, personality, or interests. This is of course not the case. There are plenty of girls here who look just like me that I'd likely have nothing in common with aside from our outward appearances, and that is not an element that would go very far in developing a friendship. Here is my advice to all of you who have felt afraid of asking someone out for fear of rejection. While it is certainly brave to go up to someone and say "Hey, I find you attractive. Would you fancy sharing a meal with me at some point?", I know I could be intimidated by the prospect of going out with a complete stranger. I'd personally much prefer if you struck up a friendly, casual conversation prior to attempting to move into dating territory. If I have a chance to assess if I feel a connection with you, or if at least our conversation generated enough interest for me to be open to getting to know you better, you have a much higher likelihood of success, regardless of your race.
Case in point: A while back, I was sitting alone in one of the dining courts, reading a book, and a young Asian man came up to my table and commented on what I was reading. We wound up talking for a good amount of time, and when it was time to go to class, he asked if I'd like to get coffee sometime. At that point, I knew we could hold a stimulating conversation, so I said yes and gave him my number. On the opposite side of things, a good looking caucasian guy came up to me and said he thought I was cute, and asked for my number. I was totally flustered by the prospect of spending one on one time with a stranger, so I said I had a boyfriend and walked away.
While racism still exists at Purdue, as well as throughout America and around the world, I hope you all give people the benefit of the doubt. Don't assume that someone has or would reject you because of the color of your skin. There could, and likely would be a variety of other factors playing into their decision. We cannot help attraction, nor can we force it. That being said, try to not be close minded. Just because you feel like your "type" only includes guys with white skin, brown hair and blue eyes, doesn't mean that you should close yourself off from all of the other awesome options out there. You could be missing out on finding someone who is really great.
Alright, this has been an exceedingly long "confession", and I apologize for that, and these are only my personal views and experiences. Everyone is different, and handles social interactions differently. I just hope this has made someone think a little bit about the issue. It's so saddening to see all of the posts about racial discrimination. Remember everyone, we're in a freezone, so let's keep it that way. College is such a great time to meet people, expand your social circles, and broaden your horizons, and one of the best ways to do that is to get to know people who may seem different from the people you're used to. Who knows, they could become your best friend, or something more.
I guess I should make a proper confession, since I'm here. How about this: The biggest things college has taught me so far are 1. How to take an effective power nap, 2. How to organize/balance my school and social calendars, and 3. How to BS. I mean, I was good at it in high school, but this is a whole other level. People ask me what I want to do with my life? I've got an awesome answer, if only it was actually true. My parents ask me if I drink, I'm 8 shots in, and I can come up with a solid case for proving my sobriety.