Isolation and Belonging at CMU
A little background music for you...
Our Aim and What We've Found
In this project, we aim to connect the YA novel Spin Me Right Round, Project 1, concepts we learned in class, and data outside of class altogether to "tell a story" about belonging here at CMU. And what have we found?
Being in a new and unfamiliar place can hinder belonging, but through connecting with people like us, we can find and foster it again.
If nothing else, remember this takeaway!
Definitions
Before diving into this project, here are a few definitions for terms you may not know:
Queer: Referring to a person who is not heterosexual and/or not cisgender
Cisgender: Referring to a person who's gender corresponds to their sex assigned at birth
Latinx: Referring to a person of Latin American origin or descent (used as a gender-inclusive term)
Spin Me Right Round: An Overview
Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes centers around Luis Gonzalez, a gay teenage boy whose high school ASA isn't quite welcoming to his queerness. All he wants to do is go to prom with his boyfriend, but when a hit on the head sends him back to 1985, he finds himself in high school with his own parents and a lot more homophobia. Soon, Luis is in over his head trying to find a way to get back to his own time and save Chaz, a closeted student at school, in the process.
Overarching Themes
The themes that span the entirety of this project are
Institutional Bias
Race and Culture
Sexuality and Gender
Spin Me Right Round: What We've Found
When Luis first arrives in the past, it certainly isn't very friendly to him. Alongside all the homophobia, Luis doesn't know anyone, making him feel isolated.
"Ms. Silverthorn does her thing, a move that is so familiar to me I become homesick for my real life." (64)
"I miss Nix. I miss Cheng. I miss Mom. I miss my whole constellation." (96)
So how does he find belonging? By unapologetically being himself and finding others similar to him who will accept him for who he is.
Project 1: What We've Found
For Project 1, most of the students interviewed were first years who, when coming to CMU, were entering a new environment and having to adapt.
How did they do so? By reaching out to others through clubs, organizations, dorms, and other means/places to find their own communities.
Spin Me Right Round and Project 1: Connections
In some ways Spin Me Right Round and CMU, according to Project 1, are similar. There are many groups and cliques here at CMU, similar to the schools Luis attends. Additionally, some of the interviewees feel homesick and not as comfortable here, just like Luis in the past.
However, Spin Me Right Round and CMU, according to Project 1, are for the most part very different. Whereas Luis' school in both the past and present aren't very LGBTQ+-friendly or diverse, CMU is pretty welcoming to all communities and quite diverse.
Graph from BestColleges survey:
External Data: What We've Found
According to a 2022 survey by Sodexo, 53% of current college students reported that they are currently concerned with feeling lonely or isolated.
According to 2022 survey by BestColleges, 92% of LGBTQ+ college students report that their mental health has negatively impacted their college experience.
According to the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, college students of color report higher rates of loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
This data shows that college can be isolating for many, especially for people of color and queer individuals.
Across the Project: Connections
Across the project we see that being in a new place can be isolating, especially for college students, people of color, and queer individuals. However, through connecting with others who are like us, people can overcome the isolation they feel and cultivate a sense of belonging for themselves. According to Project 1, though CMU seems to be doing a good job in fostering belonging, there is still room for improvement. CMU could lessen the workload given by classes to allow students more time to explore extracurriculars. CMU could also raise more funding for CaPS and spread awareness of what is specifically offered by the services.
Sources:
"ALA's 'Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists' from 2015 to 2019." American Library Association, www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10. Accessed 2 May 2023.
Bryant, Jessica. “30% of LGBTQIA+ College Students Have Considered Dropping out due to Mental Health | BestColleges.” Www.bestcolleges.com, 10 June 2022, www.bestcolleges.com/research/lgbtq-mental-health/#:~:text=A%20little%20under%20half%20of. Accessed 2 May 2023.
Human Rights Campaign. "2021 State Equality Index: Building Momentum for LGBTQ Equality." Human Rights Campaign, 2021, www.hrc.org/resources/2021-state-equality-index-building-momentum-for-lgbtq-equality. Accessed 2 May 2023.
“More than 50% of Gen Z College Students Report Feeling Lonely according to Sodexo Student Lifestyle Survey.” Sodexo USA, 9 Aug. 2022, us.sodexo.com/media/news-releases/gen-z-college-students-lonely.html.
National LGBTQ Task Force and National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance. "The State of LGBTQ Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander Communities." National LGBTQ Task Force, 2017, thetaskforce.org/our-work/ntf-policy-institute/reports-and-research/lgbtq-aapi-report/. Accessed 2 May 2023.
Watkins, Khadijah Booth, and Gene Beresin. “College Students of Color: Overcoming Racial Disparities and Discrimination.” MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, 13 Jan. 2021, www.mghclaycenter.org/parenting-concerns/young-adults/college-students-of-color/.