$JES 983 Being Jain In College An Experiential Guide 2nd Edition

Author(s): Sonali Vakharia
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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MEETING PEOPLE
values. As a result, there exists a “silent comfort" between us. They may drink alcohol or eat meat, differ in religious culture, opinions, etc., but they have the same values as me when it comes to honesty, caring about others, and having good intentions. It is important to realize that having friends with similar values and morals definitely helps in the long run, and you will feel much more comfortable, trusting, and mentally stable with them.
In college, I noticed that many people hung out with people of the same culture. The Chinese hung out with the Chinese, the Indians hung out with the Indians, and so on. There's nothing totally wrong with this. However, it's important to try to learn from other cultural groups and their values. It will open your world and your mind Here's why... As the world is expanding, more ethnicities are coming together than ever before. North America has become a large melting pot of different cultures. The university setting is an ideal place to learn from as many people as you can! Why is this important? By relating through personal experience, I have learned that every person has their own strengths and weaknesses, but often times, different ethnicities also have their qualities and values. By spending time with other ethnicities, we can gradually remove that "ignorance" we often carry and learn more about the world. College is a great opportunity to mingle with as many people as you can and learn what is important to them. It's like a free pass to understand people on various levels, so that when you graduate, it will be that much easier to do anything, because at the heart of it all, there's always a person you are connecting to. Talk to everyone. Try new cuisines. Ask others about their religion and culture. Find out the meaning behind their traditions. Travel. I guarantee at some point, you will find an area where you connect well, and perhaps be able to incorporate something (value, new perspective, etc.) into your own life. I truly believe that my progression and growth as a human being would have been inhibited had I not exposed myself to people of various cultures. In this way, you will also be able to apply Anekantavada in that you understand the viewpoints of those who differ from you without having to change your own values! That will make you wiser, happier, and you will find it easier to connect with others.
Many people in college are open-minded. I have not met one person who did not respect me for being Jain. They enjoyed
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BEING JAIN IN COLLEGE