--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in college, I lived in a…" description: "\"When I was in college, I lived in a mostly black, poor neighborhood. That's where I grew up, but I attended a mostly white upper-class school in conser..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/angie-thomas-2699_college_when-i-was-in-college-i-lived-in-a-mostl_2052781.jpg" --- # When I was in college, I lived in a mostly black, poor… ![“When I was in college, I lived in a mostly black, poor neighborhood. That's where I grew up, but I attended a mostly white upper-class school in conservative Mississippi. I was often very aware of how I presented myself.” quote by Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/angie-thomas-2699_college_when-i-was-in-college-i-lived-in-a-mostl_2052781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/angie-thomas-2699_college_when-i-was-in-college-i-lived-in-a-mostl_2052781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/angie-thomas-2699_college_when-i-was-in-college-i-lived-in-a-mostl_2052781.jpg) > “When I was in college, I lived in a mostly black, poor neighborhood. That's where I grew up, but I attended a mostly white upper-class school in conservative Mississippi. I was often very aware of how I presented myself.” [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growing up in a racially and economically mixed environment heightened the speaker's self‑consciousness about presentation and identity. **In simple terms:** I was aware of how I presented myself. Key Takeaway Reflect on identity and self‑presentation. Themes identity race class self‑awareness Mood reflective empathetic Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - college life - diverse workplaces - public speaking Key Concepts social dynamics personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How does your background shape your self‑image? - What strategies help you feel comfortable in varied settings? A Different Perspective Self‑consciousness may hinder authentic expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Upper class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upper-class/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote 'The Hate U Give' as a short story while I was in college at a mostly white school in conservative Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-wrote-the-hate-u-give-as-a-short-story-while-i-was-in-college-at-a/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“He was like a man who had served a term in prison or had been to Harvard College or had lived for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/he-was-like-a-man-who-had-served-a-term-in-prison-or-had-been-to-2/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [I've been through college, and I lived in a trailer park for five years. I've lived in the trenches of Maryland, and I've lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordae/i-ve-been-through-college-and-i-lived-in-a-trailer-park-for-five/) [Cordae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordae/) > [I don't think I was funny until college. I lived with some Harvard MD/PhD students - they were so smart, and what I contributed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-liebman/i-don-t-think-i-was-funny-until-college-i-lived-with-some-harvard-md/) [Wendy Liebman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-liebman/) > [Exeter was, I suspect, more crucial in my life than in the lives of most members of my class, and conceivably, than in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knowles/exeter-was-i-suspect-more-crucial-in-my-life-than-in-the-lives-of/) [John Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knowles/) > [Singles have goals, responsibilities, deadlines, events, and friends that occupy their time, as well they should. Nonetheless, before any goals are achieved, responsibilities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/singles-have-goals-responsibilities-deadlines-events-and-friends-that/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [I felt as if I had attended the funeral of someone I didn't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/i-felt-as-if-i-had-attended-the-funeral-of-someone-i-didn-t-know/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [“I have never attended a nudist funeral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douard-lev/i-have-never-attended-a-nudist-funeral/) [Édouard Levé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douard-lev/) > [“Each of his workouts was attended by ten thousand or more spectators.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/each-of-his-workouts-was-attended-by-ten-thousand-or-more-spectators/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [When I was 4 or 5, I attended my father's concerts. He very often played Strauss waltzes as encores and I saw something happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/when-i-was-4-or-5-i-attended-my-father-s-concerts-he-very-often/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [The first professional training I received of any kind was when I was 14 years old and we were in Kansas City, Missouri. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-davis/the-first-professional-training-i-received-of-any-kind-was-when-i-was/) [Marc Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-davis/) > [New planted Colonies are generally attended with a Force and Necessity of Planting the known and approved Staple and Product of the Country, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lawson/new-planted-colonies-are-generally-attended-with-a-force-and/) [John Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lawson/) > [My school is attended by near three hundred scholars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lancaster/my-school-is-attended-by-near-three-hundred-scholars/) [Joseph Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lancaster/) > [My mother attended the local church, Saint Nicolas, and consequently, I attended that church and its Sunday School. My only prizes from the Sunday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-smith/my-mother-attended-the-local-church-saint-nicolas-and-consequently-i/) [Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-smith/) > [Even though Jack Kennedy and I were about the same age and lived in the same neighborhood and attended the same elementary school, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wallace/even-though-jack-kennedy-and-i-were-about-the-same-age-and-lived-in/) [Mike Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wallace/) ## More by Angie Thomas > [“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now. Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“For real?” I say what I’m supposed to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/for-real-i-say-what-i-m-supposed-to/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I think that the more of us who take the time to understand how someone else is feeling, the more likely we are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-think-that-the-more-of-us-who-take-the-time-to-understand-how/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [The transition from unknown to known-in-publishing has been empowering but also challenging. It's an honor to know that people actually want to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-transition-from-unknown-to-known-in-publishing-has-been/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I really do hope 'The Hate U Give' provides mirrors for readers who don't often get them in books. I've had so many young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-really-do-hope-the-hate-u-give-provides-mirrors-for-readers-who-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their “wild African ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/slave-masters-thought-they-were-making-a-difference-in-black-people-s/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [As a black woman, I feel like I have a unique experience that we don't often see in media portrayals of the South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/as-a-black-woman-i-feel-like-i-have-a-unique-experience-that-we-don-t/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Who the fuck complains about going to Harry Potter World? Or Butter Beer? Or wands?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/who-the-fuck-complains-about-going-to-harry-potter-world-or-butter/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“With King Lords, we had a whole bunch of folks who had our backs, no matter what. They bought us clothes and shit our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/with-king-lords-we-had-a-whole-bunch-of-folks-who-had-our-backs-no/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I wanted to write a book like a rapper would write it - I didn't want to hold back. Rappers catch a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-like-a-rapper-would-write-it-i-didn-t-want/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Bent Literary Agency had a Q&A on Twitter, and I took a chance and asked if the Black Lives Matter movement was an appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/bent-literary-agency-had-a-q-a-on-twitter-and-i-took-a-chance-and/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Has this situation made you fearful of cops?" she eventually asks. "I don't know," I say truthfully. "My uncle's a cop. I know not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/has-this-situation-made-you-fearful-of-cops-she-eventually-asks-i-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [My maternal grandmother was a star on her high school basketball team in small-town Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/my-maternal-grandmother-was-a-star-on-her-high-school-basketball-team/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/now-i-am-that-person-and-i-m-too-afraid-to-speak/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Representation makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/representation-makes-a-difference/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) [Explore all 153 Angie Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## More Attended quotes > [Even though Jack Kennedy and I were about the same age and lived in the same neighborhood and attended the same elementary school, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wallace/even-though-jack-kennedy-and-i-were-about-the-same-age-and-lived-in/) [Mike Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wallace/) > [My mother attended the local church, Saint Nicolas, and consequently, I attended that church and its Sunday School. My only prizes from the Sunday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-smith/my-mother-attended-the-local-church-saint-nicolas-and-consequently-i/) [Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-smith/) > [My school is attended by near three hundred scholars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lancaster/my-school-is-attended-by-near-three-hundred-scholars/) [Joseph Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lancaster/) > [New planted Colonies are generally attended with a Force and Necessity of Planting the known and approved Staple and Product of the Country, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lawson/new-planted-colonies-are-generally-attended-with-a-force-and/) [John Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lawson/) > [The first professional training I received of any kind was when I was 14 years old and we were in Kansas City, Missouri. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-davis/the-first-professional-training-i-received-of-any-kind-was-when-i-was/) [Marc Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-davis/) > [When I was 4 or 5, I attended my father's concerts. He very often played Strauss waltzes as encores and I saw something happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/when-i-was-4-or-5-i-attended-my-father-s-concerts-he-very-often/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [“Each of his workouts was attended by ten thousand or more spectators.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/each-of-his-workouts-was-attended-by-ten-thousand-or-more-spectators/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“I have never attended a nudist funeral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douard-lev/i-have-never-attended-a-nudist-funeral/) [Édouard Levé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douard-lev/) > [I felt as if I had attended the funeral of someone I didn't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/i-felt-as-if-i-had-attended-the-funeral-of-someone-i-didn-t-know/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [Singles have goals, responsibilities, deadlines, events, and friends that occupy their time, as well they should. Nonetheless, before any goals are achieved, responsibilities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/singles-have-goals-responsibilities-deadlines-events-and-friends-that/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [Exeter was, I suspect, more crucial in my life than in the lives of most members of my class, and conceivably, than in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knowles/exeter-was-i-suspect-more-crucial-in-my-life-than-in-the-lives-of/) [John Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knowles/) > [Pell grants are the foundation of Federal student aid. As someone who attended college with the help of Pell grants and as chairman of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-keller/pell-grants-are-the-foundation-of-federal-student-aid-as-someone-who/) [Ric Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-keller/) > [I attended Professional Children's School in Manhattan because my ballet and modern dance schedules were intensive and had started to interfere with regular school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essence-atkins/i-attended-professional-children-s-school-in-manhattan-because-my/) [Essence Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essence-atkins/) > [When we founded Facebook, we put a lot of hours into it and worked hard every day. 'The Social Network' painted this picture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-moskovitz/when-we-founded-facebook-we-put-a-lot-of-hours-into-it-and-worked/) [Dustin Moskovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-moskovitz/) > [Following graduation from high school in 1948, I attended Harvard University where I became a physics major. Having grown up in a small town,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/following-graduation-from-high-school-in-1948-i-attended-harvard/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) Browse all 78 Attended quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was in college, I lived in a mostly black, poor neighborhood. That's where I grew up, but I attended a mostly white upper-class school in conservative Mississippi. 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