By Katelyn Foster, Gaylord College Class of FA 2024
Empathy must be earned, so seek the unknown.
We live in a bubble. All of us. Our safety net. Our personalized networks of people who lift us up and reinforce our actions, beliefs and opinions, regardless of their true impact on others. We shun and ostracize those who are different from us.
This sentiment is persistent, reaching all corners of society. It’s pervasive, maybe more than we’d like to admit. I see it all the time on our very campus. And the world’s complex social fabric systematically supports this behavior.
A mentor of mine recently told me that in life and politics, it all boils down to ideals and interests. This couldn’t be more true. They have become inextricable on the global stage, now an all-out fight for power and dominance.
So where does this leave us? And why am I writing about this when I could be recounting the amazing sights, delicious food and incredible people I’ve met while studying abroad?
After almost two months in Spain (at the University of Alcalá near Madrid), I think I have some answers.
Bilingualism, or at least proficiency in another language, is one of the most valuable skills a person can possess. I’d also like to think simply immersing in another culture, even without the language element, provides an opportunity for growth unlike any other experience. It forces us to come into contact with varying points of view.
One culprit of our intolerance to differences, parochialism rather, may simply be a consequence of inexperience. When was the last time you felt slighted or excluded because of your identity? And not just in one particular circumstance. I’m talking for hours, days, weeks, months at a time.
Imagine walking into a room and not knowing if you’re going to be able to communicate your thoughts and needs. That is intimating. It’s distressing. It’s a feeling everyone ought to know.
Empathy is a trait that must be earned through experience and observation. We are all greatly lacking in it. It takes a lot of courage to humble yourself enough to accept a completely new set of social norms and cultural practices as an outsider. Most importantly, it enables growth as a communicator, problem-solver and global citizen that cannot be achieved any other way.
As I reflect on my brief time in Spain, hundreds of memories flood my consciousness. Too many important moments to count. I think about the people I’ve met and how I’m able to somehow connect to them on a very real level, language barrier aside. I reflect on living out daily life in an entirely different culture.
All the times I’ve failed and picked myself back up again come to mind. I am proud to have accepted my position as the “odd one out,” here in Spain, to learn a new way of existing.
As public relations students, we’re taught to “know our audience,” trying to understand their thoughts, beliefs, feelings and desires with great clarity and precision. What better way to learn this than by building connections with people who are completely different than you.
In “How to Travel,” part of the series “The School of Life,” Alain de Botton says it best.
“We are seeking, through our travels, not just to see new places, but to also become fuller, more complete beings.”
Studying abroad, in any program, is all about becoming a better communicator. It’s about growth. It’s about empathy, expanding perspectives and interacting with the world: a world beyond our bubble that brings us so much comfort.
It is an understatement to describe this year’s OU/Texas game as a memorable one. Between the nail-biting score in the last minutes of the game, and the exhilaration of the crowd, it is fair to say that if you were able to attend this year’s Red River Rivalry, you witnessed OU history.
Over the past couple of years, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication has had the honor of hosting a space for women looking to step foot into the sports media industry. This group was a chapter of the Association for Women in Sports Media before it became unique to Gaylord College and the organization’s name was changed to Gaylord Women in Sports.
Empathy must be earned, so seek the unknown. We live in a bubble. All of us. Our safety net. Our personalized networks of people who lift us up and reinforce our actions, beliefs and opinions, regardless of their true impact on others. We shun and ostracize those who are different from us.
Everyone in Gaylord College is familiar with the required minor to accompany each degree and expand the field of learning, but what do our students know about pursuing a dual major? Gaylord students with majors in Gaylord and another college are fully immersed in their learning experience by taking their interests to the next level. Double majors within the college find ways to enhance their experiences outside of the college.
Erin Semine Kökdil never planned on becoming a filmmaker. She was unsure where to go next when she graduated from Smith College with a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies and Spanish.
