UT’s demographic profile reflects a melting pot, with a population representing 130 countries and a 9.6% international student community. Our campus is home to various perspectives and customs, a safe space for cultural celebrations and traditions. With the recent observances of Ramadan, Holi and Lunar New Year, UT provides safe spaces for cultures.
As an Indian-American student, I have found comfort in the extensive opportunities to reconnect with my Indian heritage. After moving out of my childhood home in Houston, I discovered how difficult it was to celebrate my typical cultural practices without the help of my parents. Speaking the language, home-cooked South Indian meals and Bollywood dance practice are all Indian practices I was disappointed to leave behind.
Upon starting university, I expected it to be hard to keep up with Indian traditions. Still, I realized how much I identified with that aspect of myself and genuinely wanted to integrate it into my college experience. This sentiment has grown stronger the longer I’ve spent away from home.
The Hindu Student Association (HSA) and Indian Student Association (ISA) are great organizations on campus that organize events in conjunction with major holidays. HSA recently hosted a multimedia cultural showcase featuring Indian foods and performances. Additionally, Texas Global organized a Holi celebration early in March, inviting students to throw colorful powder and visit education booths.
“A good way to reconnect with your culture is to find a group of people to attend these events with,” biomedical engineering sophomore Varsha Kotamreddy said. “Going with your friends makes it a lot more enjoyable. It helps you ease back into your culture and understand the history.”
Many international students fear that they will have to assimilate upon coming to America to fit in. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate this concern at a school like UT, which values and respects diverse cultural backgrounds.
UT has also worked with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to offer South Asian language course opportunities. Languages such as Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu are all provided, connecting you to your heritage, family and community.
“Sometimes back in India, you think that America is going to be so different and when you get here, it’s not gonna be cool to embrace some of your cultural practices,” economics sophomore Deeksha Narasimhan said. “You think that’s how it’s gonna be, but when you come here you see how much it’s actually respected and followed. It’s a nice kind of reassurance.”
It is important to continue participating in these customs to maintain cultural knowledge and foster a more culturally diverse environment. In America, Indian and Indian-American students aren’t constantly surrounded by the mother tongue, the foods or the rituals, so it is vital to embrace our customs now and continue them into the future. Shenoy is an economics sophomore from Houston, Texas.
