Interracial duos find themselves in the minority

Two hands.

That's about all most Duke students need to count the number of interracial couples they know on campus.

Surprising? Disconcerting? Slightly sad?

Perhaps yes, to all of the above. If love claims to have no boundaries, why do limits still exist?

In the giant melting pot that is America, racial lines are becoming blurred and even erased in some cases. Especially in college, students interact with people of different races and backgrounds on a daily basis.

However, the idea of interracial dating is still foreign territory to many, and it has direct bearings on how mixed-race couples are viewed on campus. Friends of senior Sashank Veligati and junior Sandra Morris, who have been dating for two years now, could not see the two together at first.

Morris said, "It's just an image thing to them. I do think there's this idea that you should date people of your own race because it looks better."

Sophomore Myles Recny wouldn't necessarily agree. His initial attraction to ex-girlfriend, sophomore Rhea Kaw, was because of her different ethnicity. Coming from Australia, Recny had never dated an Asian before.

"It never really entered my mind that she was Chinese when I started liking her," Wolf said. "I just. liked her. It didn't cross my mind, these race issues."

In general, students are not consciously seeking to point out racial differences, but differing ethnic backgrounds can make for a more interesting relationship.

"When there's differences, it makes someone a little more unique, makes things more creative," freshman Catherine Castillo said. "I dated a guy who had a Caucasian background [and I got to] eat crawfish and celebrate Mardi Gras. He got to experience the cuisine of Peru, the kind of celebrations [I have]. When you are already at a point where there are differences, it adds to it."

Additionally, the appeal of other ethnicities spices up many relationships.

"[There are] some instances where the media portrays interracial couples as having more sexual chemistry than just straight up same-race couples," Recny said.

He agrees that was the case between him and Kaw.

Yet, Duke's environment creates unspoken barriers that are hard to defy. From the overshadowing hook-up scene to the presence of self-segregation, the established campus culture does not help interracial dating.

"You see BSA organizational meetings, Mi Gente operations and ASA stuff," Roland said. "There are very solid lines drawn."

But despite the fact that culture clubs can at times promote separation through exclusion, it can also be a source of edification for those who are willing to cross cultural lines.

"There's more cultural pride with Connie," Wolf said. "With me, I could care less about my ancestors and their culture and what not. Maybe it's because I'm in the majority. It's opened my eyes to what it's like to be the minority in a society."

Between the extremes of having no identity to exclusive clique-ing within one's own ethnic group and figuring out where stereotypes hold true, there lies common ground. But in order for this common ground to be reached, everyone has to take a step forward.

"People don't like to branch out from others who aren't like themselves," Samsa said. "I saw way too much of that in high school and I really didn't want college to be like that. I [stepped out of my comfort zone] and now I don't know if I have one."