Americans and internationals say rooming together at Wingate has enriched their college experience

By SIMON DUBRAVIK

Triangle contributing writer

Many Wingate students get to experience what it’s like to share a dorm with international students. This gives them a unique opportunity to learn more about the world without leaving campus. This experience often reshapes their perspectives, challenges assumptions and highlights both the similarities and differences between people.

Isaac Lamprecht, a sophomore from Fairfield, Pa., who has lived with an international roommate, Turkish sophomore Arda Unal, since his freshman year, said he had few expectations before meeting his future teammate on the Wingate men’s triathlon team. 

“I honestly did not really have any previous expectations except for maybe that the AC [air conditioning] would be a bit warmer than it just was last year with me and Arda,” Lamprecht said.

Noah Petersen, a junior from Cranberry Township, Pa., had a more curious approach when he learned his roommates would be international students. 

“Before I lived with international students, I was honestly just really excited,” Petersen said. “I have always liked learning about different cultures, so I was curious to see what it would actually be like day to day.”

Hadley Osborne, a sophomore from Greensboro, N.C., shared a similar excitement before meeting her international roommate. 

“I was super excited because I love to learn about how different cultures grew up and how they get along,” Osborne said. “There are people in my apartment from very different backgrounds.”

Cultural differences can cause tension sometimes, but everyone interviewed for this story said those faded quickly into everyday life or are hardly noticed at all. 

“To be honest, I did not see a huge difference between our cultures,” Osborne said. “It was more their expectations of living in the U.S. that created their expectations of me.” 

Lamprecht shared a similar opinion, saying he noticed little difference because of his travel experiences as an international triathlete.

“It has shown how even though we are from very different places, there are still so many similarities,” Lamprecht said. 

Because of the daily interactions these students have, many have changed their views and broadened their perspectives. 

“I cannot even tell the cultural differences sometimes,” Osborne said. “It really opened my eyes to the thought that the world does not necessarily have major differences, but you should recognize every special thing about each person.”

Wingate’s American students are also interested in how their peers from different countries view the U.S., providing them with a new perspective on their own culture. Osborne said this was the first time she heard about the American stereotypes that exist abroad and added that many are inaccurate. “It makes me want to prove that maybe those stereotypes are just fed from movies,” she said.

Although experiences differ, most Americans on campus agree that the benefits of living with international students outweigh the negatives.

“It can be so fun and interesting to see and hear all the differences and similarities between people around the world,” Osborne said. 

Lamprecht added: “I would encourage Americans to live with internationals because it brings new perspectives and tastes that you can learn.”