First impressions of Cornell from a British freshman
I’ve never met so many people who are fascinated by how I speak
What’s starting university in America like? It’s a bit like a movie, or at least from my perspective as an international student from the UK.
Orientation definitely feels like you’re on the set of a somewhat cheesy Hollywood film: the sun’s out, everyone’s happy and excited, people are waving signs everywhere and the pavement is covered in chalk advertising different clubs. Also band has way too much chalk, and enthusiasm, I think I was asked to join band 50 times on the first day, and the fact I can’t even play an instrument didn’t seem to be a problem to them.
Coming from England, I assumed orientation would be a tame version of what we call Freshers’ Week, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Three days of orientation were matched by three nights of parties (all three of which could have been a movie set). And the best part of the night, the red cups. Yes, they are real! That’s something we definitely should import to the UK. The difference here though, is that a house party in London usually respects the fact that you can’t fit 200 people into one floor of a small house, in Ithaca it feels like everyone is competing to see who can fit the most people in one house, and when it’s 30C (or 89F in a less rational system) it can get very hot at the party.
Speaking of hot, air conditioning is something I have learnt to love very quickly. In England it might not be a necessity because you know that in a couple days it’ll get cool again. Summer seems to be very intense here at Cornell. And it doesn’t help when you’re told by everyone to prepare for the horrendous winters and snow (which I’m sure will come and I’ll complain about it like a true Brit) so your closet is full of winter coats rather than the tank tops required to survive the heat. Or when your dorm lacks any kind of air con, living in Dickson is tough, guys.
There are some more generic differences to living in America too. Like they drive on the right (in both meanings of the word) side of the road here, but I still expect cars to come from the opposite direction when crossing the road. Really, it’s a miracle I haven’t been injured yet. Or in your chemistry lab when you say “aluminium” and everyone stares at you like your deranged. Of course there are some more pleasant differences too, like the generous portion sizes, I’m yet to go hungry and I don’t foresee lacking food at any point. Or people’s sudden interest in your accent. I don’t think I’ve ever met so many people who are fascinated by the way I say “Charlie” or “banana”, but hey, at least I’m getting attention for something.
Once people realise you’re an international student they ask which part of England you come from. I assume they refer to the whole of Britain as England rather than omitting the possibility that you could be Welsh (although in my case it’s accurate to ask where in England, but my point still stands). Usually saying London isn’t specific enough for people, but I can assure you that if you start naming London’s suburbs no one will have heard of it. And likewise when someone tells me that they come from Medford, New Jersey or Yakima, Washington I have no clue where in the state that is.
The one thing that has surprised me the most though has been how politically engaged everyone is. Maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise since we’re in the closing days of an election cycle, but even so I can have talk about Brexit or the Spanish elections and people are able to debate about it. Sometimes they even know more about Brexit than some people back home. I don’t know if it’s a US thing or just a Cornell thing, but it’s nice either way. Unsurprisingly though, everyone tries to avoid discussing the election.
Who wants to damage a budding friendship arguing about the Clinton Foundation or Trump’s wall? Not me that’s for sure.