have some people here never seen a hijabi before or? 😭

I’m new to UIUC this semester as a transfer student, and I honestly did not expect to experience something like this here. Since coming to campus, I’ve had people yell really vile and hateful things at me from their cars at night simply because I wear a scarf on my head.

Transferring is hard enough on its own. I’m trying to find my place, meet new people, get used to my classes, and actually feel like I belong here. Having strangers yell things at me because of how I look has made that adjustment feel even more isolating.

I know ignorant people exist everywhere, but I genuinely did not expect people to be so comfortable openly saying things to someone they don’t even know. I’ll literally just be walking around and minding my own business, and someone will yell something disgusting from their car and then drive away. It’s such a cowardly thing to do. I thought UIUC was one of those accepting and diverse schools