Week 6 - Vy Nguyen - A02

This week's readings highlight issues surrounding Asian Americans and how this particular population face “culturally related factors" (New American Media, 2013, p. 2) that affect their mental well-being in college. Asian Americans are at risk for depression and suicide because they are more reluctant to seek help. Perhaps, this stems from a cultural perception that seeking mental health is a sign of weakness and failure, but college campuses do not exactly pay attention, show support or cater to the mental needs of Asian Americans either. Although we should not pathologize the whole community and characterize everyone as medically abnormal, but there is certainly a need to create “culturally sensitive mental health programs" (p. 2) that can prevent the number of suicides among students of Asian descent.

In New American Media's article, the author argues that factors such as the model minority myth, expectations and stereotypes, and family pressures may lead to such outcome. However, I was more drawn to the discussions regulated about international students and how they struggle to maintain their emotional well-being. Being an Asian international student, I definitely relate to the sense of “loneliness, homesickness, language barriers and cultural adjustments" (p. 4) that was mentioned in the article. I sometimes do not even know that I am feeling experience these emotions or know that I am under a lot of pressure or stress. Although at UC Davis, there are programs designed for international students, but they serve to celebrate/embrace culture, rather than providing support and better international students' experience abroad. College is a stressful time for many students as it signifies a life transition and exposes them to a wide range of academic and social pressures. This transition is more difficult for international students as they learn to adjust to a new culture, overcome language barriers and cope with the increase pressure to succeed academically considering the financial sacrifices their families have made to allow them to study abroad. This need to succeed academically also takes away time to build relationships outside of work and a support system in America. Thus, further fuels the struggle international students faces. I believe that in order for UC Davis or any American universities to better support international bodies on campus, stigma associated with utilizing available resources must be eliminated. Asian international students need to acknowledge the amount of stress and pressure that they are enduring. The only way to achieve this is by conducting more research and finding practical solutions to existing programs.

By Andy Rementer

My question: How do Asian international students currently cope with stress? How do they deal/manage/overcome their struggles while studying abroad in America?  

Reference:

1. New American Media. (13 September, 2013). “On Some College Campuses: A Focus on Asian American Mental Health.” 1-10.  
2. Rementer, A. (2014, August). [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/02/opinion/sunday/south-koreas-education-system-hurts-students.html?_r=0