I will be joining Univ again soon and am slightly anxious. It stems from my previous degree program that I completed (bachelors) where in the classroom and courses, I most of the time, felt ignored by others. Classmates were either just polite, or simply indifferent even when I made attempts to participate or get interested in their life. (This, despite the fact that I am naturally a little reserved by nature but yet I made a lot of effort) It used to hurt to feel so alone. This made me ask questions on why it’s happening. One of the differences between me and them was that I am from a completely different country and culture (india). I look different, I speak different (my english is pretty good, maybe accent’s a bit different). I understand I don’t have anything in common really with the american students, but still, it hurt that i could never make a friend throughout my program. No one would ask me to hang out with them or do things with them, like they would ask each other. No one would ask me about my culture or life or family etc. I am of the opinion, that normally people are curious and they ask. But to see that no one even wanted to know (and learn something new in the process) was odd. I used to get odd looks or simply indifferent looks or a fake politeness from most. If someone was genuinely polite, it used to end there. I used to get uncomfortable in group assignments, because I felt ignored when I contributed suggestions. Somehow, I completed the program unhappily. I became involved in my own cultural group in Univ and that made me feel good. I felt a whole lot more "accepted" there. Had friends who would want to hang out with me. This made me feel that perhaps a different culture was the sole reason why this was happening? Maybe i was just unfortunate to have gotten into a class that wasn’t very open-minded. Now several years later, I am going for another degree program in a different Univ in the same state (texas). It’s going to be about 2-3 yrs in length, and i might be completing this sequentially from start to end with the same group of students. I am just uncomfortable thinking about it. I hope I don’t have a similar experience. Most likely, I will again be the only odd one out as an Asian Indian student in the program. How can I prepare myself for this, so I have a more +ve experience. I am not sure if any of you can identify with this feeling of being left out but the whole learning experience can suffer because of this, even when we are adults. I am a lot more confidant and self-assured now, but feel low thinking about this. Would love to have your opinion on this and any tips perhaps.

Thanks so much.
Hi Robert, thanks for your comment. It’s the very thing that concerns me. I have already reached out to them ‘in many ways’, and yet I did not get a likewise response, except surface politeness, and that’s where they ended. I felt like I was in high school and not college. That too, this was a graduate program. Very disappointing. What else can I do? I should be able to be my self and not try ‘too hard’ either.

Hi Flame,
The more you accept yourself, and love yourself for who you are, the more others will accept you.
You are overanalyzing the whole issue.
I hope I’m not being too blunt, but that is really what it comes down to.