By As summer is quickly coming to an end, many graduated high school seniors will be packing their bags and heading off to university for the first time this year. What’s a Muslim girl to do away from home and in a completely new environment? Here are some tips and advice that I figured out while living on campus for my first year at Binghamton University.
1) No, you’re not alone. Coming from a relatively diverse high school, I was still pleasantly surprised to find many Muslim girls in my classes. Young Muslims are becoming a sizable contingent in America’s higher educational institutions, so chances are you will see at least one friendly, hijab-wearing face in your lecture halls this fall.
2) Look out for Muslim student groups. There’s one on just about every college campus in America, and just like other clubs, they’ll be posting fliers and notices about meetings and events as soon as classes start. It’s also a great way to meet other Muslims in a friendly, non-academic environment. Last year, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Binghamton held weekly lectures about Islamic topics, gave us iftaar during Ramadan, and even had a banquet with members from the local Muslim community.
3) Get to know Muslim professors and TA’s. Just like students, they’re out there as well, offering advice and guidance for young Muslims at college. I’ve heard of Muslim professors joining in on MSA events, inviting Muslim students over to their homes for dinner, and even hanging out with them on the weekends!
4) Take advantage of any Muslim perks your university offers. Binghamton is, so far, the only university I know of that has a halal food station in one of their dining halls. (It’s so delicious, even non-Muslims eat there!) During Ramadan, they even opened up one of the dining halls for sehri, giving us warm pita bread, eggs, beef and yogurt every day at 4 a.m. Knowing you can stay true to your religious obligations even while you’re away from home is always a relief!
5) Most college kids will understand when you tell them about your beliefs. None of my close friends are Muslim, but every single one of them respects me and my personal choices. My roommates and I often discussed the specifics of our various faiths and ended up learning a lot from one another as a result. Be open about who you are as a person, and you’ll find that making friends will be the easiest thing you’ll ever do at college.
6) If you can’t beat them, don’t join them. Yes, the rumors you’ll hear about college kids on the weekends are 100% true, but know that there are lots of other ways to keep yourself entertained. Many universities host programs, like our “Late Nite Binghamton”, that specialize in non-alcoholic activities for college kids and—newsflash!—plenty of people go. Find something similar on your campus, or get creative with a group of your friends to make your weekends fun, safe and halal.
7) Never be judgmental. If you want your fellow college students to accept you for who you are, you’ll have to return the favor with no strings attached. Going to university is about meeting new people and learning about new things, whether you agree with all of it or not. Shutting yourself into your room with your pre-conceived notions in hand is the wrong way to go about a healthy, happy college life.
With the help of of your faith and an open heart, you’ll soon be navigating your campus as a Muslim girl like a pro!
I think you really have some great insight! You are a great writer! 🙂
thanks for the comment! really appreciate it 🙂 <3
What for people who don’t actually stay at the dorm room’s and stay at there house while there at college
Yes.! that would be great advice. I’m 17 and i started Uni last year I’ve only seen two or three hijabis. I feel sooo stranded. 😐 we have a MSA (Muslim Student Association) but its mostly non-hijabi girls. not that its bad i just want to be around more people like myself. Hijabi 24/7 365! WOO 🙂
Salaam ladies,
Thanks for your comments! Although I am living with my parents now and can definitely give my own opinion of how to deal with commuting to uni, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be completely accurate because I did live in the dorms last year. (One example of this would be that most of my friends are the people I lived with and anyone else I met through them.)
I’ll try to see if any of the other writers on the Web site could offer their own tips in a separate article, but if you guys have any specific questions, I could take a stab at them here as well. 🙂
Mayesha
Salaam Mayesha would you mind elaborating on your dorm experiences? I’d love to dorm but my parent don’t think the environment would be quite right. ^_^
My dorm experience was very unorthodox. I lived in a six-person suite with an Israeli Jew, an Iranian Catholic, a Taiwanese Buddhist, a Chinese agnostic and an Irish-American atheist. (Needless to say, we spent many of our first weeks together learning a lot about one another and our beliefs.) There were also boys’ suites on my floor, so there was a lot of mixing between genders (talking together in common rooms, doing homework, that kind of thing). I also chose to stay in a dorm that was not designated as substance-free, so everyone I lived with drank alcohol and were not opposed to doing drugs from time to time. Boyfriends would come around to visit my suitemates as well.
I will admit, it was a little jarring at first to figure out how to live ‘halal’ in such a compromising situation. As I have illustrated and I’m sure your parents realize, temptations are literally everywhere. However, I honestly believe that if you understand that the things you see everyone else doing are haraam for a reason, you will not be at any risk of following their example. I saw my experience living in the dorms as a challenge, and I am happy to say that I did not do anything that I regret.
It is also worth mentioning that my suitemates and floormates are now some of my closest friends. Despite all of their actions that would have been frowned upon by my parents, they have always respected my beliefs and have never, ever pressured me to do anything haraam. In fact, they regularly go out of their way to accommodate me and make sure that I feel welcome. I believe that my presence in their lives has given them a much better understanding of Islam and how Muslims really are. By doing so, I feel as though I have also strengthened my own imaan as well.
There are, of course, less controversial ways to live on campus. If the college has women-only dorms, that may be something to look into, and all colleges have “substance-free” housing in which you and everyone else in that building signs a contract not to drink or do drugs. Many non-Muslims our age also dislike drinking and drugs, and will be more than happy to be friends with you if you dislike being around people who regularly do those things. Either way, I really do think living on campus was an eye-opening experience for me, and I would not be the person that I am now if I had just stayed at home.
Salaams
Is staying on campus even halal? I’ve pretty much looked everywhere for fatawaas on it but haven’t come across any……. and I need some serious HELP with this issue, the fall semester is starting soon and I need to make a decision in due time…..(*_*)/