Dear diary

Villanova University.

Prestigious.

Quality education.

But also, a PWI.

What does this mean for me, and you, as people of color?

It can mean a lot.

It can mean having a student say he's "speaking Ebonics" when a professor tells him he's missing all of the nouns in his sentence.

It can mean listening to a group of white girls giggle hysterically as they try to "figure out" if it's melanin or melatonin that makes you sleepy.

It can mean someone complimenting your Senegalese twists and asking if it's your real hair. And then, when you answer no, it can mean them immediately asking if it's rat hair.

It can mean having a professor ask you if your parents have taught you how to make fried chicken yet.

It can mean a lot of things. A lot of hurtful things.

But it can also mean having an amazing education.

It can mean learning exactly what career you want for the rest of your life.

It can mean experiencing new things and traveling to different countries by studying abroad.

It can mean having doors opened because of the prestige of your college.

You need to be prepared for the different positive and negative things that a PWI has to offer.
It won't be easy. It may shock you and leave you frustrated that you were too tongue-tied to respond. You might feel ostracized or begin to believe that maybe the ridiculous questions and remarks you're receiving have some validity.
But can you do it?
Yes.

Can you learn from past encounters and be better prepared for future ones?
Yes.
Can you choose your battles and glean knowledge from the ones you win and lose?
Yes.
Can you block the ignorance that is imposed upon you from taking root inside your mind?
Yes.

Regardless of what school you go to, you will come to learn a multitude of things that aren't always directly correlated to academics. Cherish those lessons because you will need them as you begin to go into the workforce.
Take the knowledge you are given and use it towards innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and so much more. 

​Go and be amazing.