WP4 — FALL 2023 Reflection
Through this advanced writing class, I have been able to deepen my knowledge of behavioral code-switching and observe it in my friends and peers around me. At the beginning of this project, I assumed that all people of color engaged in code-switching as a coping mechanism in spaces where they are seen as the minority. This perspective arose from my encounters with code-switching, as well as conversations with friends of color who shared similar experiences of code-switching as me.
However, through these projects, the research and interviews I conducted with peers from diverse backgrounds, even those with whom I rarely discussed race or code-switching, showed me more perspectives on code-switching. I learned that not everyone engages in code-switching, due to the different backgrounds and past experiences that shape who they are.
In Writing Project 2, the interviewee that was the most transformative for me was Kelly. She is biracial and was born into an all-white family, disconnected from black culture. She expressed how she never felt the need to code-switch, which was very shocking to me because I came into this interview thinking she would be telling me about her experience of always code-switching in a white family. She was raised in a household that taught her to be confident in herself and to show up in rooms as her authentic self. I admired how she expressed her truth of not being comfortable in black spaces compared to white spaces. She felt no embarrassment or shame because that was her truth.
I reflected on how my background and past experiences have shaped me, such as cultural and social influences. As a Nigerian, I grew up in a Nigerian household filled with Nigerian culture that is more conservative and different compared to American culture. In Nigerian culture, maintaining a positive image is crucial. I was taught to be quiet, observe the room, and read people’s mannerisms so I could uphold a good image and be liked, as the last thing you want is to be viewed in a negative light.
Certain aspects of Nigerian culture pushed me to engage in behavioral code-switching, particularly views on respecting elders, religion, and gender roles. I learned that elders and authority figures are given respect by greeting them when they enter a room and by adjusting the way I act or speak to a more formal tone. Religion played a significant role in my life, requiring me to adapt my behavior in church or religious spaces and adhere to specific dress codes. Additionally, gender roles were emphasized, with certain behaviors considered appropriate for men versus women in specific scenarios.
Growing up with these rules and being compelled to follow cultural norms in Nigerian settings to maintain my image and my family’s image, I became accustomed to behavioral code-switching to create the desired image for myself.
Another interview that was transformative for me was Rayah and her story as she grew up in South Central. I found it interesting how she had never really been around predominantly white spaces, so when she entered USC, she did not know how to navigate through these spaces. It made me reflect on my school years before college, specifically in middle and high school. Each school I went to had a predominantly different culture. In middle school, it was predominantly black and Mexican students, while my high school was predominantly white and Asian students.
Having to navigate through these different spaces with diverse cultures, I found myself adapting my behaviors to fit into the respective cultural contexts. In middle school, I acted more loudly and used AAVE, but entering high school, I was initially more shy and quiet to observe the appropriate way to act because people at my high school behaved differently than at my middle school. Eventually, in high school, I learned to present myself as knowledgeable and articulate, using “smart” language and expressing well-thought-out ideas. I was able to learn how to navigate through different spaces with different predominant cultures, making the transition to USC seamless.
Throughout this project, I kept asking myself whether or not it is a bad thing to code-switch. When it comes to behavioral code-switching, I have never viewed it as a bad thing. However, I understand why it can be seen with a negative connotation because one can argue that changing your way of acting to please others or not being proud of one’s culture might be associated with code-switching. As a person who does code-switches, I do not agree with this perspective because it is a tool used to communicate and adapt to new environments.
I believe that, at the end of the day, it depends on the person and what one wants out of a particular space. It also depends on the attributes about oneself that one feels very strongly about exposing and not hiding in certain spaces. Code-switching is neither right nor wrong but a common act that many people use to navigate this journey we call life.
Another assignment that I discovered something about myself was the audio story assignment. We learned in class that using audio to tell a story allows for the creation of different emotions and effects through various sounds in the background or pauses in the narrative. My audio story was about my journey as a student-athlete and my desire to be a regular student, thinking that life would be easier. However, I had an epiphany that life is not easier, and everyone has challenges that we cannot see.
Through this assignment, I discovered that I often fall into the trap of constantly comparing myself to others and thinking they have it better than me. However, in reality, there is no such thing as a better life than yours. I realized that the comparison I often engage in is a thief of the happiness I could be experiencing in my blessings in life.
