Entering first-year can be overwhelming. From the first day you arrive at Laurier, you are inundated with people who are passionate about their purple and gold pride encouraging you to get involved, to try new things, and to take advantage of all that Laurier offers.
It’s no secret that Laurier holds a pretty specific stereotype amongst other universities — Golden Hawks like to party.
When I first came to Laurier, I didn’t feel as though I fit the Laurier stereotype. I wasn’t involved in orientation week activities and as an off-campus student, I didn’t have roommates to bond with and do the typical “Laurier” stuff that most first-years do.
As someone who was highly involved in high school, not feeling a sense of school spirit was something I had never experienced. I didn’t expect to be so disinterested in all that Laurier and my fellow golden hawks had to offer.
For a long time, I thought being a “Laurier kid” meant going to Ezra on St. Patrick’s Day or being decked out in purple on Homecoming. I was not interested in being involved in anything that was seen as a Laurier right-of-passage.
As a result, I spent a lot of time thinking that Laurier was the wrong choice for me. However, it wasn’t until recently that I began to feel proud to be a Laurier student. Laurier began to feel “right” for me once I realized that fitting in didn’t have to involve doing the stereotypical Laurier stuff.
My advice to first-years would be to take your time when deciding where or with whom you dedicate your time to on campus. You may not find your “place” at Laurier right away — that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that your “home” on campus doesn’t exist.
For me, I found my place and my people at The Cord’s office. It was there that I met people who were like-minded and had the same shared interests as me. It was there that I met friends I will likely be friends with long after our time at Laurier.
Finding The Cord allowed me to see that Laurier was the right choice and fitting in at Laurier can mean a lot of things.
Everyone’s experience at Laurier is different. Laurier can be whatever you want and your experience as a Hawk will be whatever you make of your time here.
So if you’re like me, entering your fourth-year at Laurier, and still have never set foot into Phil’s, fear not — we’re still just as much a golden hawk as everyone else.
For those of you who are first years and don’t feel you fit in right away, give it time. Laurier truly has something to offer everyone. Make the effort to find your place.
Join clubs. Try new things. It might take a few tries; but eventually, you will find a place on campus that feels like home
