Senior Column: Being authentically me
Staying true to myself brought peace
May 13, 2021
Before coming to Binghamton University, I made a list of things that I wanted to do in college. Some items were simple, like “develop a taste in music.” Another goal I had was to publicly “come out.” I grew up in a small conservative town with a religious family, and so in high school, I was afraid to tell people I was gay. However, I remember mentioning my boyfriend to an acquaintance during my first week at BU and being surprised by her casual reaction. I quickly came to understand the accepting nature of most people at BU, and I soon stopped hiding who I was. My journey to eventually defining myself as queer was my first step to living authentically. Over my three years at BU, authenticity is the first thing that I learned leads to the most fun, memorable and intense moments in life.