Wharton Journal

Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Perspectives

I had heard stories about this side of Wharton - the side that isolates itself from the rest of the world, breaks into factions, and forms exclusive cliques - but I hadn't really witnessed it firsthand. That is, until Spring Break. And now I wonder if I somehow lucked out with my experience thus far or if I just spent my first three quarters in some sort of sleep-deprived, alcohol-induced hazy oblivion.

Part of the reason I went on a trek was to meet people I wouldn't ordinarily hang out with. Although the trek itself was an amazing experience, I was surprised to see how quickly the group dynamics shook out along the racial divide. While there were certainly plenty of couples, floaters, and individuals who did their own thing, three prominent groups emerged within the first 2 days: the Indian FOB mob, the East Asian wanderers, and the white elitists. Individually, most people seemed friendly. But when put together, people formed factions that generally seemed to operate as follows.

Indian FOB mob: Form a loud, raucous crowd. Constantly switch between Hindi and English. Organize events and try to gather as many Indians as possible... and anyone else who happens to be around.

East Asian wanderers: Set the group and wander off together. Don't tell anyone where you're going, but invite people if they happen to ask what you're doing.

White elitists: Stick with what you know. If someone outside of the clique tries to talk to you, avoid eye contact and end the conversation as quickly as possible.

As much as I'd like to tackle each group's psyche, I'm not sure I can. It's possible that people are shy (not arrogant), self-conscious (not self-centered), or ambivalent (not disdainful), but ultimately, it doesn't really matter, because the outward effects are all the same. Regardless of reason, the groups form an aura of exclusivity that automatically makes others feel excluded and unwelcome- which leads them to return to their comfort zones, which, in turn, perpetuates the cycle. Maybe it's intentional, maybe it's not. But given where we are, the people we hang out with turn into our personal networks, which then become our business networks. And if we aren't willing to break through these boundaries at school, how do we expect to do so once we're back at work?

There was one moment, however, when I noticed incredible intermingling. Late one night at a club in Lima, I saw a blur of color on the dance floor. Brown mixed with white, white chatted up locals. Apparently, with enough alcohol, anything can happen. If that's where it has to start, then bring on the liquor. But now that we're back on campus, I also wonder if we can try to do that again...sober.

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