6 Things That Only a TCK Understands

A “third culture kid” (TCK for short) is a term for someone raised in a culture outside their parents’ culture for a significant part of their life.  Being a third culture kid generally means that you move around a lot, that you can swear in several languages, and that you have a special love-hate relationship with airports.

Even though both advantages and disadvantages to being a TCK exist, there is no doubt that being a TCK helps you with the transition to college.  Keep reading for six qualities that third culture kids have that help them transition to university.

1. Tolerance

Because our friends come from all over the world, we are much less likely to be prejudiced. We tolerate and accept differences of race, religion, and so on. This comes in handy at university where we interact with people from many different walks of life.

sponsored links

2. Curiosity

Being around so many different people and moving around from place to place means we have a natural affinity for curiosity and exploration. We’re always looking to explore new places and understand different cultures and people. We are very likely to push ourselves out of our comfort zones. Our curious nature inspires us to look for new experiences, which is what university is all about.

3. Openness

Living with diverse groups of people in so many different places worldwide means that we are open to experience and difference. We maintain and expand our worldviews and become more inclusive and open-minded global citizens in the process. Once again, this approach is welcomed on university campuses considering most campuses preach open-mindedness.

4. Capacity to Adapt

Because we have to adapt to new behavioral norms in every country we move to, we become accepting of different perspectives and become cultural chameleons, meaning that we adapt easily to new situations.

See Also
sponsored links

 

5. Cultural and Global Awareness

We know so much about different cultures and countries, and this knowledge comes in handy at university because we already know so much more about the world in general than many others do. Our exposure to a wide array of countries and people allows us to see the world a certain way.

6. Flexibility

Because we are so used to change, we often become much more flexible than our non-TCK counterparts. This is advantageous in a university setting because we are constantly meeting new people and making new friends means.  At university, we have to be flexible and willing to make sacrifices and compromises.

Do you think that being a third world kid can help you transition to university life? Comment below for our readers and share this article with friends!
Featured image:
Farida Abdelmeguied

Recent Posts

Our Favourite Transitional Pieces For Spring

The arrival of spring denotes shopping for a new wardrobe particularly for major fashion addicts. The tendency, however, is that…

13 minutes ago

The Benefits Of Being Single

Sometimes it may seem as though everyone you know is in a relationship. It's not abnormal to feel lonely or…

1 hour ago

10 Unique Courses You Didn’t Know Existed At U Toronto

As course enrollment has just begun, we thought we’d give you a heads up to some of the coolest courses…

2 hours ago

10 Things You Need To Do If You Are Visiting Montreal For The First Time

So, you're visiting the beautiful city of Montreal and you're feeling slightly overwhelmed by the number of things to do…

3 hours ago

Ambivalently Always: Meet This Feminist Mogul

The term ambivalent means uncertainty or fluctuation. The problem with modern feminism is that you do have to know. Feminist…

4 hours ago

10 Best Brunch Spots In Montreal To Try

Need a brunch fix at some brunch spots in Montreal? Whether it's post a night out brunch, hungover-roll-out-of-bed-dead brunch, birthday…

5 hours ago