“As I am sitting in the computer lab, I notice a girl walk in and sit at a computer a couple of spots down from me. Is that my neighbor? It has to be. I see her pass me on the stairs every day as we rush to and from class. No one else has that red hair with such green eyes. She hasn’t said hi to me yet, and we have been neighbors for three weeks. She looks nice. Why won’t she talk to me? Is she scared of me? I wonder if she just hates Pakistanis. She probably doesn’t even know I am Pakistani; she probably just thinks I am Indian. I hate being stereotyped--especially incorrectly.
Still, I have never said hi to her either. Maybe she is just shy. I should say hi first, but what if she ignores me? Worse, what if she gives me a dirty look and turns away? Then I will have to pass her every day knowing she hates me. She probably will request to change apartments. I am just being dramatic now; that would never happen. She probably doesn’t even notice me. Why should I even bother to say hi.
But, what if she says hi back? We could become friends. It is always nice to be friends with your neighbors. What if I need to borrow a cup of sugar? Well, maybe not something as cliché as sugar, but there could be other things. Why am worrying so much? The worst she could do is not that bad. It would be better to try than wonder what could have happened.
I am going to do it. I am going to say hi--
She said hi back! I knew it. She even started a conversation about my classes. Then, we joked about me cooking for her. I even told her I would make curry chicken so she could try it. I don’t know what I was so worried about. She probably was more scared to talk to me than I was to talk to her.
I need to stop worrying about what other people are going to do and just do what I feel like is right. I gained a friend today and learned to trust my instincts not the fear of racism instilled in me by society.”
