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The importance of authenticity in university life 

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The university experience is made infinitely more enjoyable when you stop pretending to be someone you’re not and instead embrace the notion of being unapologetically you

As you transition to this new, exciting phase in your life, it may be tempting to mould your social appearance to fit the expectations that you or your peers have set for what an “ideal” university student should look like. However, when you force yourself to play a character that isn’t consistent with your true personality, you risk robbing yourself of the incredible experience that university provides in discovering more about yourself and finding like-minded peers to form long-term friendships with. 

Instead, as you enter what is arguably the most important period of your life in terms of self-determination, expect to expand in who you are. 

If you’re looking for a place to start, Brock University offers a wide variety of clubs attuned to both wide-reaching and specific interests. It’s worth looking into which of them align with the topics that personally fascinate you. If there’s a new skill you’re hoping to pick up, many clubs will give you the opportunity to chase that passion. 

Perhaps you’re interested in advancing your creative writing skills, or kicking back with board games is up your alley. Maybe your ideal weekend would be spent exploring the great outdoors, or you might prefer gushing about T-Swift’s newest release with fellow Swifties

The Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) oversees many such clubs and organizations — it could be as easy as browsing their clubs webpage to find the group of peers that will help make the next few years of your life unforgettable. Notably, there are several clubs dedicated to various nationalities and ways of life that may help you to discover even more about who you are. 

Finding a student job is another excellent way to chase your passions during this formative time. Visiting Brock’s CareerZone or keeping an eye on social media pages of student-led organizations like BrockTV can help you find fulfilling and enjoyable work. It’s worth mentioning for those even slightly interested in journalism that The Brock Press is always accepting volunteer articles too — wink wink, nudge nudge

Embracing your authentic self doesn’t necessarily mean joining a club or starting a job. While those are fantastic ways of exploring your interests and making new friends, sometimes being unapologetically you just means showing up to school without being embarrassed about your interests or passions. The simple act of asking a question or cracking a joke to someone you’ve only just met could be the start of a fruitful friendship. No matter how nerdy or niche your passion is, I guarantee you there’s someone on campus that would be happy to chat with you about it. 

The next few years that you’ll spend in university can be incredibly formative and help develop the person that you’re destined to become, but to do so, you can’t allow this time to pass you by. To fully enjoy your time on campus, you need to let go of any shame that might hold you back from letting your true colours shine. 

So, as you enter this new chapter of your life, don’t be ashamed of who you are. Cherish the many experiences that make themselves open to you, and you’ll make strange yet indisputably valuable friendships that will last a lifetime. 

That’s what university life is all about. 

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