I always wondered why my friends always seem to be different. Up until now I’ve never had a full understanding as to why I have embraced individuals from all cultures and backgrounds and how they have returned the favor. Each occasion has something that causes me to be similar, but this similarity is petty compared to our differences. Yet all the differences are overcome to become a bond that forms a friendship.
This class has given me the answer: communitas. Communitas is what causes all of us to forget all the differences in order to achieve a common goal. I have gained a majority of friends through school and sports. Each has a different goal, but they both have allowed to me to share the common goals of getting good grades or winning with others. As a result, I have been blessed to gain an open mind due to being receptive to so many different individuals.
In high school, some people referred to me as being an “Oreo.” This nickname was given to me because I was the one white person in the crowd of black people. I did this by keeping my own identity and not trying to be a wigger. As a result, I believe I gained more respect because I was being myself rather than trying to be one of them. I’ve learned that being true to oneself while remaining open and receptive to new acquaintances is the greatest way to be liked. In other words, I try to apply communitas to my everyday life even before I understood the concept of communitas. By doing this, I have become a person who may not stand out amongst others the first time someone meets me, but rather someone who consistently gains respect thereafter.
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