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Politics and Activism

What Makes Americans, Americans

The American Identity Spotted From Eyes Of An International

Pernille Andrea Gilje

Jun 26, 2017

Adelphi University

397

After spending two semesters in the U.S. there are a couple of things I've taken notice of when it comes to Americans. I love learning about new cultures and people, and this is what I think makes Americans to Americans in my eyes as an international.

Americans fry EVERYTHING!

The love for fried food is impossible to avoid, and after a quick google search I was even more shocked of their willingness to try new things, or the love for fried stuff. Fried butter, fried beer, fried pig ears, fried bubble gum, and the list goes on and on...

Go big or go home?

I don't even know if this is the right saying to this, but Americans definitely prefer big sizes. Meals, cars, homes, roads, and buildings, are some of the things that comes to my mind. However, it seems like a competition of being the biggest or having the biggest will never die.

A world of the drive thru.

I bet Americans wouldn't have to go out of their car for an entire day if they wanted to. Drive thru to pharmacies, the bank, and restaurants, the most necessary will have a drive-thru. Where I'm from, the only place that has a drive thru is McDonald's...

Local churches everywhere.

I look at religion and strong beliefs is a part of the American culture, and it is easy to tell with churches all over the place.

Americans strive for success.

What I really like about being surrounded by Americans is seeing how the strive for success. Seeing most students so engaged in what they do and how they are being involved in the school community is definitely something I appreciate and inspires me to do the same.

The love for the USA.

I don't think I've met any other nationality that loves their country so much as Americans do. I think this is a part of their identity and this is the last thing that I think is what makes Americans to Americans!

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What Makes Americans, Americans

The American Identity Spotted From Eyes Of An International

Americans fry EVERYTHING!

Go big or go home?

A world of the drive thru.

Local churches everywhere.

Americans strive for success.

The love for the USA.

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No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

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5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

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7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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