Alienation

I am not a typical St. Olaf student. But in many ways, I am.

I shall rephrase: I am not the stereotypical St. Olaf student, but in many ways, I am.

Many professors, when speaking about St. Olaf students, generalize the student body to be a white, Christian, heterosexual middle-upper class dependent who eats in the Caf 2-3 times a day, lives in a dorm and is in a organization or a sport and sings well and wants to make the world a better place and will marry another Ole.

I've realized this stereotype exists more and more as I realize how few people actually fit that stereotype. It's not only professors, but students, alums, the general public all perpetuate it. There's nothing wrong with a person like that, but it simply isn't representative of the people at St. Olaf. Many Oles are at least a few of these things. I am white, a dependent and an org-involved idealist.

So far, I've had 8 classes, and in 4 of those classes so far, the professor has assumed everyone lives on campus. While 98% of Oles live on campus, only 75% of seniors do. I have quite a few juniors and seniors in my classes, so it's a little odd that profs assume we all live on campus.

Anyway, to get to the point: I feel a little alienated. I feel just as involved with campus as before (except I don't get to vote in Hall Council elections, which I don't care at all about), but I feel like I am somehow different in the eyes of Olaf Society. I am not a regular Ole. I never was, but I started off not being a regular Ole, and now it's different because I'm less regular (decaf?) than before. I am much happier living off campus, but it's still an odd feeling.

Maybe it's because I don't have a sense of community here at the apartments that I had before in the Alphabet House. Maybe I should learn Spanish and start watching soccer. I'd fit in then. : )