“A virtual life is shiny and bright. It’s where you post your prettiest pictures and tell all your best news”
We see actors/actresses, models, makeup artists, etc. portrayed on social media, in magazines, and the television and think how beautiful or handsome they are, and we praise them with such high status. Some may think “but why can’t I look like that”, “they look so perfect”, “wow I want to look like that”.
But what is “perfect”? Why can’t we be satisfied with what we look like? Why does it all have to be about your image?
From a young age when children start pre-school, teachers enforced upon us a timeline in which we are supposed to go to grade school, attend college, and then either continue professional school or get a job. We are taught that school is very important and that it is all about getting good grades and being the best.
The Asian “smartness” stigma
Being a South Asian student, I do know about and have experienced the stereotype that “Indians are very smart especially in math and science”. Ironically, I was really good at math. Not because I was Indian, but because I worked hard for it. Growing up I was always at the top of my class in elementary and middle school. I got straight A’s, had perfect attendance, and was on the principle’s list. This all changed from the moment I stepped foot in High School. I went to an all magnet school and quickly realized that I was surrounded by smart people. I started to feel the pressure of being South Asian, also of being a legacy, and constantly felt like I was being compared to the other Indians and their smartness. For some reason students just looked at me and believed I was super smart.
But what does being “smart” even mean? What determines if one is “smart” or not?
High school teachers and councilors emphasized that your GPA and SAT scores were the most important thing in order to get into college. “They also look at your involvement but your numbers are the most important”. After hearing that I thought, so basically my stats are going to determine if I go to college or not? If a student got straight A’s and had a 4.0 GPA as well as above average SAT scores they were considered “smart”. Unfortunately those who had a 3.0 and around average SAT scores were not considered “smart”.
I like to consider myself a figure that proves this ideology wrong
Numbers don’t define me
I have personally experienced and seen many cases where a student truly is smart but is not seen that way because of the way their stats (GPA, exam scores, etc) determine them. There are many factors that play a role in a student not receiving the grades or scores they deserve, such as test anxiety, not able to work well with others, or simply just not liking school.
I came to college as a Pre-Pharmacy and Biology major, but little did I know that was not for me. All the stem classes were based on exam grades. Having major test anxiety those classes did not go so well for me. I found myself studying super hard and thinking I knew the information but not getting the results that I wanted. At a point in time I considered myself stupid because I would score so low compared to the other students in my class. I switched majors and finally found what I was interested in. I suddenly started to due well not only on the exams but in the class overall. I thought to myself, how did I let poor exam scores and a bad grade determine I was stupid?
Is the tassel worth the hassle?
This brings up another topic that seems to be controversial when it comes to getting an education.
Kids from a young age are taught to go to college and THEN get their dream job. But why?
Does college even prep you for the outside world and your dream job (unless you’re a pre-health student)?
Why can’t you simply just find a job and follow their trainings in order to learn the techniques?
Students are paying thousands of dollars, taking out loans, and making sacrifices to get an education and a degree that sometimes does not necessarily benefit them in the long run. Colleges do not teach students about stocks, how to manage their taxes, how to efficiently save for retirement, when to buy a house or car, or how to manage their bills and pay for insurance. Students never have to apply the quadratic formula, know the cell theory or the chemical component of a protein to live a normal life.
So are we, students, attending college and getting these scores and grades that are supposed to determine how smart we are, just to step into this scary world unprepared?
Is there a difference? Are they not the same thing?
The difference between work and labor is that work is more of an intended activity that is done by one’s will. Although labor can be intended as well, to me labor seems to be more forced and requires doing the groundwork in order to receive something back.
Karl Marx defines work as an organized labor that separates humans from animals. He describes how the problem with labor is its alienation, and not the work itself.
Physical and Emotional Labor
What is Physical Labor?
Physical labor is a term used for manual labor in which humans use their body, machines, and sometimes animals, as well as their body strength to perform the labor
Examples: construction work, farming, shelf stocking
What is Emotional Labor?
Emotional labor is typically work that requires certain emotions towards a particular audience.
Examples: social workers, teachers/professors, childcare providers
Physical and Emotional Labor at work
I am a certified Pharmacy Technician and currently work at a CVS inside a target. I have been working for over a year now, and I have come to the realization that my job consists of both emotional and physical labor.
As I am on the front line of helping customers get their prescriptions at the lowest cost possible, my job requires me to put on a welcoming, smiley, and “ready to help” face. Even if I am not in a good mood that day, it is my job to put everything aside and look approachable. Although some customers may be disrespectful or get frustrated about any possible problem, I am required to keep my emotions intact for my customers to get the best experience and satisfaction possible.
Working as a Pharmacy Technician at CVS also requires physical labor in which we do inventory every week. Inventory consists of unpacking boxes of drugs and shelving them. While working at a fast pace pharmacy, I am constantly on the go with finding the particular drug, counting and filling the medication, and making sure their prescription goes through the insurance, all while trying to help customers picking up their medications at the same time.
Not just a Pharmacy Technician job, but many jobs across the world consists of both emotional and physical labor, and sometimes we may not realize that.
The American flag is presented on the left and the Indian flag is presented on the right. The blend of both flags represents a blend of my two cultures: being an American and Indian.
Throughout my life, I have been lucky enough to identify myself with two cultures, an Indian and an American.
I am an American born.
My family’s roots go all the way back to South Asia.
And as for the confused part, having two cultures can definitely be confusing at times.
Background Story
My parents, who were born and raised in India, had a very different lifestyle there. After marriage, my parents left everything they had in India and moved to The United States aspiring towards the American dream. Coming to this country with only one hundred dollars in their pocket, they quickly embarked on the working life where they partook in many jobs to hold a steady income. 10 years later, having three daughters- 10 years old, 5 years old , and 1 month old- their life turned around with an outlook of great success and happiness.
Coming from a family with three daughters and no sons, my sisters and I were raised to be independent, courageous, and to have great integrity. We are classified as “first generation South Asians”.
Being a first generationer
Because my parents were born in another country, and my sisters and I were born in America, that makes us “first generationers”. This title holds big responsibilities upon us that other children born in this country may not understand.
For first generationers, our confusion stems from tasks of developing a new identity, in which we often have to do so without the guidance of our parents or the support from our community.
And that is both difficult and confusing.
Caught between cultures
Having two cultures can be confusing in a sense that you are living with two completely different identities. There tends to always be a dramatic difference in messages that come from our public lives versus our home lives. In this world we face challenges where the expectations of our family values contrast the larger culture. Sometimes it feels like I am “too American” to be a part of the Indian culture where some would think I am “white-washed”, and other times “too Indian” to be apart of the American culture. So what exactly am I?
Family Support
My parents taught my sisters and I to always think smartly and to never take things for granted. We were taught to cherish everything we have and to never forget our roots. From a young age my parents never failed to teach us about the Indian culture. Although English was our first language and we were raised as Americans, my sisters and I still connected with our Indian culture by celebrating all the holidays and attending Sunday school at our temple where were learned the history and beautiful language of the Hindu religion. After growing up and going to school and family events, I now realize how lucky my sisters and I are to be able to celebrate and be a part of more than one culture. We are able to see the beauty and importance of both cultures.
Although at times it feels like I am caught between cultures, I consider myself lucky that I am able to connect to not only one but two different ethnicities. I do not believe I am “white-washed” nor am I “too Indian”.
Us first generationers will continue to fight adversity so that those too can see us as being fortunate with two identities.
Unruly Bodies 