Despite my diverse ethnic background, in my two years at MSU, it never occurred to me to get to know them as people. Like many other students, I tend to operate within three spheres of influence: work, school and sleep.

But as I sat at a round table in The Gallery in Snyder and Phillips halls on a quiet afternoon last week, I had no idea it would only take one person to change my outlook.

About halfway through my lunch, I was approached by a woman looking for a place to sit in the crowded cafeteria. She spoke broken English and was clearly very frazzled. As she caught my eye, I shifted my chair to make room and was met with a sigh of relief.

As we sat and small-talked, I learned she was visiting from China for a teachers’ training program and had been at MSU for less than a month. She was incredibly sweet, and she possessed a quality I hadn’t seen in anybody for quite some time — pure, untamed happiness.

“So, what do you love the most about Michigan State?” I asked.

She paused for a moment, took a deep breath and beamed.

“The fresh air,” she said through her grin. “That’s hard to come by.”

Out of the many things MSU has to offer, I wouldn’t have thought to mention the air itself. But then I considered what little I knew of China and its environment and it all made sense. Despite years of battling pollution, many large cities and their nearby bodies of water are barely livable. So to someone who came from a place where the living conditions are borderline toxic, I could see why fresh air and a clear sky would be considered a commodity.

She also spoke highly of her professors, saying how refreshing it was to be around educational leaders who genuinely cared about her progress. As she went on, I began to realize how many times I have taken my own education for granted or not tried my best. I have groaned about meaningless things: large lectures, unexpected homework, a disagreement with a professor, and here the woman was ecstatic over the chance to prove herself and step up to the challenge.

I look back at the conversation and I’m struck with another unsettling thought: if she had come to other students, seeking a friend or even a place to sit, would they have even looked her in the eye? Yes, MSU has the self-made reputation as a top research facility and study abroad middle ground — but when it comes to the student-to-student relationship, are we really all that welcoming?

Oftentimes, Americans have a uniquely unpleasant attitude toward those who are different, which is ironic considering our country’s cultural blending. It seems many domestic students treat international students, no matter where they might be from, like people with special needs. They stare and gawk at them. They speak unnecessarily loud, often without taking the time to recognize whether they’re being understood. They assume the worst without even giving them the time of day to explain.

As typically impatient people, we love to blame the weaker links for our small misfortunes. But perhaps if most students knew the journey it took to get them here and the battles they face every day, they’d be a little more kind and understanding.

For starters, international students pay much more than domestic students, oftentimes out of pocket, to attend MSU. While most in-state students pay more than $400 per credit hour, students coming from other countries pay more than $1,000 per credit hour. With limited grants and loans being provided, many of them rely on merit-based aid, such as scholarships, to pay for college. For them, every credit is earned, be it by their parents or through their own intellect.

These students also have to plan their schedule carefully to make sure they are full-time students each semester. Unlike most domestic students, who risk losing financial aid over credit troubles, those from other countries risk being deported and sent back home.

Oh, and don’t forget that no one outside of a small group of people knows a single word of your native language. Can you imagine going through your life each day knowing 90 percent of the people around you can’t understand you?

If an American student was studying abroad, like many MSU students do, they would expect some help from the natives. So why should we demand anything less from ourselves when a student from another country asks for help in our home territory? It’s not just an issue of respect; it’s an issue of morality. Despite their cultural differences, they are still human beings with needs to be met and emotions to consider.

So the next time an international student accidentally bumps you in line or looks lost, don’t be so quick to verbally abuse them or blame their country of origin. If they ask you a question, don’t speak louder, speak slower — they can hear you just fine. If they cross the street at the wrong time by accident, don’t threaten them from the driver’s seat.

When it becomes tempting to blame them for the minute woes you face throughout the day, consider the path it took to get them here and provide the same respect you’d expect in their shoes.

Katie Abdilla is the Academics and Administration Reporter at The State News and a journalism junior. Reach her at katie.abdilla@statenews.com.