Don’t hang around with ‘exotic’ visiting students, says OxStu Creative Director

OxStu Creative Director Natalie Harney has urged Oxford students not to hang around with  visiting students – because “they aren’t in it for the long haul.”

According to Harney, visiting students, who she describes as “unbelievably exotic”, are not worth making friends with as they’ll abandon you for their “real” friends back home.

The warning, aimed at freshers, was published in an OxStu article on Friday.

Clearly someone’s had their heart broken

But Harney is not alone in her harsh opinion – and visiting students have overheard similar slurs within the halls of their own colleges.

This is just another case of a more widespread problem across the University, and even country, of hostility towards international students.

A former student at Mansfield and Entz Rep once publicly voiced their opinion in a discussion about the creation of a JCR rep for international students, saying: “Why should we make an effort if they don’t?”

Visiting students are still not considered fully-fledged members of the University – according to the official requirement of having matriculated.

They are are not allowed to vote in anything related to OUSU – and until recently they weren’t allowed to attend, let alone speak at OUSU council meetings.

Last year, Lauren McKarus, a visiting student at Wadham and former OxStu Fashion Editor, had to endure one of the worst moments of her life at an OUSU council meeting trying to reform this.

“People first had to vote on whether I would be allowed to attend. Then they had to vote on whether I would be allowed to speak. It was the most degrading moment of my life”

Lauren’s speech ultimately resulted in an amendment that allows visiting students to freely attend and speak  at OUSU council meetings.

BFFLs

One outraged student said: “Not only has Harney caused upset among the visiting student community and their friends with her thoughtless advice, she is also fundamentally wrong.

“By her logic, Masters students also should not bother making friends and it would be a better use of their time if they didn’t socialise at all because they’ll also only be around these people for a year.

“What the remaining 83% (i.e. non-international) portion of the student body needs to understand is that people’s different cultures do not make them inferior; they make them an asset to an otherwise homogenous and very dull student body.”

Distance ain’t nothing for these two

“Visiting students that come here each year not only support the colleges we go to by paying more for tuition and accommodation, many come from better universities than this one (all the MIT and Harvard students for example). They probably have more interesting backgrounds (how else would you have met Jillian Michaels’s sister and former NYFW reporter?) and live in places you’ve never been to before but now have a free bed at. They bring talents to college and university sports teams, societies and publications.

“I met one of my best friends when she was a visiting student here two years ago; the fact she was only here for two terms was no deterrent. Visibly I am not the only one. Others find their girlfriend/boyfriend amongst the visiting students and maintain stronger long distance relationships than many inter-college ones I’ve seen.

“Yes, it is painful and difficult that your best friend is on the other side of the globe most of the year. Yet how is that any different from being away from friends back home while at university?

“I ask you, Natalie, do you not message your friends back home or Skype them while you’re here? I am certain it has not weakened your friendships, perhaps it has even strengthened them as you can better appreciate the limited time you have with them over the holidays.”

No love for visiting students found here

Chris Pike, OUSU VP for Welfare and Equal Opportunities, has hit back at OxStu’s advice. He said:  “I would absolutely encourage permanent students to get to know visiting students, because it can really open your mind.

“I befriended visiting students, largely from the USA, during all three years of my time at Teddy Hall. Not only did I meet really fun, engaging and caring people, I also got to learn so much about America and the differences between our countries and cultures.”

Freshers, 2nd years, 3rd years, 4th years, we urge you to disregard OxStu and benefit from getting to know all those incredible individuals while they’re still here.