A sophomore from Syria, the new president of the Arab Club, is up for the task and ready for the challenge of clearing up Middle Eastern stereotypes.
Sedra Belal, who is 19 years old, replaced Amal Darwich as the new president of the Arab Club after her graduation. She said that greeting fresh faces every day brings her pure happiness, as it symbolizes more than just a numerical boost. “It signifies the expansion of a tight knit community; little did we know it is a popular club. We have a strong desire to clear up stereotypes about the Middle East, and as our community grows, we have more chances to engage in meaningful dialogue about other cultures”.
According to club leaders, the Arab Club helps both Arab and non-Arab students make the most of their university experience. “While it is true that anyone can join the club, there is one requirement: you must be able to maintain an open mind towards people of different cultural backgrounds and points of view”, Belal said as she once noticed a member who had already left it because he refused to accept anything outside of his own cultural beliefs.
Hania Walid, a member of the club, says that the club is “a nice place to be mentally”. She further elaborates and continues on to say that it is a good thing to bring together such a community in a foreign country. Furthermore, she discusses the positive impact of the group by saying “having this type of community creates a feel-at-home atmosphere in a place you are foreign to, especially to first year students as it is their first time being away from home”.
One of the upcoming plans is an “Arabic Heritage night” that will be held in October and will be “flooded with laughs, the emergence of new warm friendships, and opportunities to drain out all the negativity, especially with the good Arabic food and music”, said Belal. Furthermore, a henna artist will be on scene, and ready to leave temporary henna tattoos on anyone who approaches her.
Brenna O’Connell, an Irish member of the club, joined in the middle of September. She said that the club felt very welcoming and not at all intimidating, which she was expecting. Everyone was very eager to learn about where she was from and how different it was from growing up in the Middle East. O’Connell also states that “ironically, almost all my close friends are associated with the club or the Middle East in general. I feels like I really found my people”.
