How International Relations Affects Us

     As University of Richmond students, we are affected by international relations in a specific way.  We do not directly deal with the policy making process nor do we travel and interact with people from different countries on a daily basis.  However, international relations influences our lives in terms of consumerism and security. 

     The clothing we wear and the food we eat primarily comes from trade with other countries.  The relations the United States has with other nations directly impacts the costs which the consumer is subjected to.  For example, the price of gas in the United States has fluctuated depending on the situation in the Middle East.  And while students are not physically present in the Middle East, they feel the repercussions every time they go to fill up their gas tanks. 

     Traditionally, the United States has been separated from Europe by the Atlantic Ocean.  This factor has given the United States public a sense of security and a feeling of not needing to involve themselves.  For examples, the United States only entered World War II when it was directly attacked at Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.  After the September 11 attacks, however, the United States public (including ourselves) was reminded that we are not excluded from international relations.  Because of the United States’ involvement in world politics, America has become the target of terrorist and radical groups.  The safety of the United States public has become directly linked to the stance that America takes towards these groups. 

    We are not soldiers, foreign investors, or international politicians but we are citizens of a global community.  Therefore, our actions and the actions of others are continuously affected by the occurrences of the world. 

 Chris Myers and Nora Spellissy

Peace Out

An event that occurred in my life which could be used to divide my life into two periods would be the September 11th terrorist attacks. Before 9/11, I was content on living my life entirely closed minded, and unworried about events happening in the world around me. I was fine not watching the news and being oblivious to foreign affairs. I only learned about the world through history and did not care to learn about the present news or politics. However, because I live in New York City, September 11th hit pretty close to home, literally. Although I live uptown from the World Trade Center (or ground zero as it is now referred to), the next day, I could smell the burnt rubber and metal on my block. After these terrorist attacks, I wanted to learn more about who they were and why they did this because I was no longer comfortable being in the dark. I began reading and researching about Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden and attempted to learn their reasoning. By becoming more knowledgeable on this topic I no longer felt as afraid about the future and instead knew what to expect with regards to the United States’ standing in the world.

Life-Splitting Event

IF I had to choose an event that could be used to split the sequence of events in my life into two it would have to be my transition into college. Even though I have been in college for only one semester it is very clear to me how defining being in college has been. With a new set of expectations, responsibilities and rights life couldn’t be more different than the previous 18 years. Interest and conflicts that’s would have consumed my time before college seem unimportant. I find myself thinking about things I have never considered before in my life, showing how far my mindset has drifted from the person I was only a few months ago. While the college experience may not be an international phenomenon, there cant be anything that even compares to my personal change it mindset and lifestyle than college.

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