Any advice on transitioning from an HBCU to a larger majority institution?

[sheabutter]

Any experiences that helped you adjust?

[juilletmercredi]

I went to a small HBCU for undergrad and am in a medium-sized predominantly white university for grad school.  I don't think I did anything special to adjust/transition; people are people.  I think you have to reach beyond stereotypes or prejudices that you may have of people of other races (and yes, we do develop them at HBCUs, sometimes unwittingly) to be able to connect to the others in your cohort.  Don't assume that they don't understand; grad students especially can be pretty perceptive about race relations and privilege.  I'm not saying that the world is a utopia, but generally other grad students have not treated me any differently because of my race or my college (some of them don't even realize that it is an HBCU until I explain it.)

 

I think you also have to be a little bit more open to explaining things to people of different races.  For example, I am currently transitioning my hair from relaxed to natural which has naturally brought up a lot of questions from my non-black friends (which are most of my grad school friends).  I've had to explain a little but I've had some really enjoyable conversations about cultural perceptions of beauty - everybody's culture has something.  Pretty much every time I've had to explain something race-related I've had these really interesting conversations about what's marginalized in other cultures.  It's made me realize on more than just a cognitive/academic level that there are many other ways to be oppressed besides race.

 

I think the most persistent feeling that gets you down sometimes is the feeling that you don't really belong.  It pops up every now and then, sometimes for no reason at all, sometimes triggered by a class conversation, sometimes by the fact that all the alumni paintings in the department are of old white men.  I think being black can maybe intensify imposter syndrome - any day now they are going to realize that you don't belong.  Sometimes there can also be the fear of being perceived as "too black" - maybe slipping into vernacular English, or what the cohort is going to think of you if you get braids (protip: I got UNIVERSALLY positive feedback from students and professors when I wore long braided extensions for 3 months.  Seriously, everyone freaking loved it and most people said so.  I've gotten really positive feedback on my natural/transitioning hair, too - my non-black friends are my biggest cheerleaders for going natural; they even helped me unbraid my hair!).

 

But those things are not limited to racial experiences - they're how women can feel in male-dominated departments, or LGBT people can feel in mostly straight and cisgendered departments, or people with disabilities can feel in departments with most able-bodied folks.  Rinse and repeat.  You sort of just take it one day at a time.

 

I don't know, being at a predominantly white university has been a really positive experience for me.  It helps that my university is incredibly diverse.

[sheabutter]

I went to a small HBCU for undergrad and am in a medium-sized predominantly white university for grad school.  I don't think I did anything special to adjust/transition; people are people.  I think you have to reach beyond stereotypes or prejudices that you may have of people of other races (and yes, we do develop them at HBCUs, sometimes unwittingly) to be able to connect to the others in your cohort.  Don't assume that they don't understand; grad students especially can be pretty perceptive about race relations and privilege.  I'm not saying that the world is a utopia, but generally other grad students have not treated me any differently because of my race or my college (some of them don't even realize that it is an HBCU until I explain it.)

 

I think you also have to be a little bit more open to explaining things to people of different races.  For example, I am currently transitioning my hair from relaxed to natural which has naturally brought up a lot of questions from my non-black friends (which are most of my grad school friends).  I've had to explain a little but I've had some really enjoyable conversations about cultural perceptions of beauty - everybody's culture has something.  Pretty much every time I've had to explain something race-related I've had these really interesting conversations about what's marginalized in other cultures.  It's made me realize on more than just a cognitive/academic level that there are many other ways to be oppressed besides race.

 

I think the most persistent feeling that gets you down sometimes is the feeling that you don't really belong.  It pops up every now and then, sometimes for no reason at all, sometimes triggered by a class conversation, sometimes by the fact that all the alumni paintings in the department are of old white men.  I think being black can maybe intensify imposter syndrome - any day now they are going to realize that you don't belong.  Sometimes there can also be the fear of being perceived as "too black" - maybe slipping into vernacular English, or what the cohort is going to think of you if you get braids (protip: I got UNIVERSALLY positive feedback from students and professors when I wore long braided extensions for 3 months.  Seriously, everyone freaking loved it and most people said so.  I've gotten really positive feedback on my natural/transitioning hair, too - my non-black friends are my biggest cheerleaders for going natural; they even helped me unbraid my hair!).

 

But those things are not limited to racial experiences - they're how women can feel in male-dominated departments, or LGBT people can feel in mostly straight and cisgendered departments, or people with disabilities can feel in departments with most able-bodied folks.  Rinse and repeat.  You sort of just take it one day at a time.

 

I don't know, being at a predominantly white university has been a really positive experience for me.  It helps that my university is incredibly diverse.

 

Thank you!

 

That was much needed.  I'm not sure of what I'm expecting exactly.  Coming from Howard (masters program), I have had a pretty diverse experience, however diverse among the majority.  My undergraduate advisor (also at an hbcu) was a white man, but it didn't bother me any. I didn't look at color at all.  My experiences have been for the most part black. I believe I need this experience at a larger majority institution to help me grow academically and professionally.  The faculty and students in my department appear to be cool people, so I'm not concerned.  I guess having access to more academic and financial resources is causing a bit of curiosity.  Sometimes at an hbcu, we have to do double the steps whether its dealing with transcript requests or printing something from the library. Anyway, thank you for your insight. It was much appreciated.

 

Oh and good luck on transitioning. I transitioned during undergrad and chopped the last inch of relaxed hair in my master's program.  

[profev]

I actually had the opposite experience.  I transitioned from a PWI to an HBCU.  I agree with juillet completely.  I didn't do anything in particular to transition.  I knew the issues on both sides of the coin, and believe me, both types of institutions have their issues.  I've throughly enjoyed my experience at an HBCU as a graduate student and if I had the chance to do it again, I'd do it just the same.  I could be that I'm older or just more appreciative, but both experiences have shaped who I am now. 

 

And like juillet said, as the end of the day, people are just people.  At your new institution you will find that your peers have their own imposter syndromes.  It could be that they are the first in their families to go to college, or their family members don't understand why they are continuing their education (as opposed to getting married and having kids), or maybe they have mental health challenges or very demanding family members who expect nothing but the best and they too are afraid of failure; everyone has something.  And its when you meet other people outside of your comfort zone you realize at the end of the day we are all humans, imperfectly so.  Good luck and enjoy your journey!

 

PS.  I did the big chop 10 years ago and have been going strong ever since! 

[sheabutter]

Wow!

 

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing.  I feel a lot more comfortable transitioning to a PWI.  I'm open to the experience and know its needed in order for me to grow. I guess I never looked at impostor syndrome aside from minorities.  And its great you guys are naturals! I'm ready for the questions that will come with that. 

 

Thank you again!

[ion_exchanger]

And like juillet said, as the end of the day, people are just people.  At your new institution you will find that your peers have their own imposter syndromes.  It could be that they are the first in their families to go to college, or their family members don't understand why they are continuing their education (as opposed to getting married and having kids), or maybe they have mental health challenges or very demanding family members who expect nothing but the best and they too are afraid of failure; everyone has something.  And its when you meet other people outside of your comfort zone you realize at the end of the day we are all humans, imperfectly so.  Good luck and enjoy your journey!

 

I agree. I'm transitioning from an HBCU to a PWI. I honestly have not thought about the change. In my current lab, we are very mixed. At my undergrad institution, my research advisor was white, and my current advisors are three different ethnicities. I know that I will be one of few black women in my academic groups, as I was the only black woman in all of my interviews. I personally am not going to focus too much differences and celebrate the fact that we have all worked hard to get to school and will continue to work hard to support and motivate each other to finish this daunting but rewarding journey. Good luck to you.

Edited April 11, 2013 by ion_exchanger