From the West to the East Coast

Students and people are often teased for our reaction to living in different areas. For example, I’m from California living in Washington D.C. Being from the west coast comes with consequences, such as not being able to be home for the holidays (Thanksgiving) and travel home as often. In addition, the weather is the main struggle people see with us students from the west coast, but they don’t really know how bad is the struggle for us.

“This year, I’m going to try to go to Houston for Thanksgiving, then come back here, then go to California for winter ready because some of my finals are after Thanksgiving,” said Selma Apara, a sophomore computer science major from Oakland, California.

On the West Coast the lowest the weather gets is the 50’s. While on the East Coast the lowest the weather gets is the 20’s and Howard University is located on the East Coast in the North West region of D.C. Here at Howard it gets nearly negative degrees during the Fall and Winter seasons. On the West Coast you don’t need to wear gloves and a big winter jacket; while on the East Coast you do.

“The weather I had to get used to, stocked up on hoodies, jackets, sweaters, somebody had to teach me what a long john was, I didn’t know what long John’s were,” said Emmanuel Karunwi, a sophomore TV and film major from Carson, California.

However, this sound slide will highlight the story of two Howard University students (Selma and Emmanuel) struggles of being from the West Coast living now on the East Coast. The struggles of students from the West Coast living on the East Coast can help people struggling with the same thing understand that they are not alone and how to overcome these obstacles.