My Freshman Year: Chapters 4 & 5

Reflective Reading Log #3 

In the fourth and fifth chapters of My Freshman Year (2005), Nathan details her construction of an American college experience, as seen from the outside perspective (i.e. International students), and the fanfare (or lack thereof) that surrounds the academic portion of said experience. Not surprisingly, her stories are fascinating and her rich descriptions are compelling.

Nathan is quite clear about the kinship she experienced with several international students, as they simultaneously fit into the same category of student and outsider. As her relationships with those students flourished, she had the opportunity to engage in insightful conversations regarding their perceptions of the American college experience. Such interactions were particularly helpful, as “culture can be invisible to its natives—so taken for granted that it seems unworthy to comment” (p. 67).

According to the international students with whom Nathan spoke, the American college student could be characterized as very friendly. However, international students were struck by the lack of substance in their relationships with American students, and the lack of care such students seemed to have for the international student’s background, success in class, or social integration. According to Nathan, “International students learned quickly that being a student…dorm mate…classmate—none of it automatically qualifies you as a ‘member of the community’” (p. 69). According to one student, sharing a hobby was the key to building relationships with Americans. International students also noted that their American counterparts seemed very independent (especially from their family), always busy, preoccupied with getting drunk, disrespectful in the classroom (as evidenced by their casual dress and eating in class), ignorant about global politics and world issues, and ethnocentric.

While the international students were impressed with the level of attention and care they received from faculty members, they were surprised at the level of academic rigor. Many compared their first two years of coursework to their high school. Multiple choice tests, numerous quizzes, chapter outlines, and group work were unfamiliar territory.

In the next chapter, Nathan explores the American student’s response to the academic portion of their college experience. As a professor of anthropology and one who believes in the power of education, Nathan was surprised to learn “how little intellectual life seemed to matter in college” (p. 100). Overall, the students seemed to have an apathetic attitude, at best, about their coursework. In fact, classes seemed to get in the way of student’s active social lives—as, according to Nathan’s informal survey, the average student claimed 65% of their learning occurred outside of the classroom. In fact, only a small number of students claimed that classroom learning contributed to 50% or more of their education.

As it quickly became clear that students were not engaging in philosophical and intellectual discussion outside of class, Nathan explored what it is that students actually do talk about. Not surprisingly, topics of sex, relationships, body image, personal history, movies, and TV emerged.

As I read Nathan’s account of the comments made in class prior to the teacher’s lecture, I was immediately thrown back into college. I so vividly remember the exchanges: “Did you do the reading? I didn’t!” “I can’t believe it has been three weeks since that test and he hasn’t handed it back yet.” “What did you put for that second one? I had to b.s. my way through it.” “I had to pull another all-nighter to get this done!” Nathan believes that while students might care about their education (and several did note that they did care about it), it was clearly normal and socially acceptable to speak negatively about class. In my own experience as an undergraduate, I would definitely concur. While I was able to engage in discussion about what we were learning with my social group, I still heard (and was occasionally a contributor) to the comments noted above.

I found these two chapters to be particularly fascinating—especially in conjunction with one another. In fact, I felt that the international student’s opinion of their American counterparts was mostly substantiated in the following chapter.