“But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates.” - Thomas Szasz (psychiatrist)
Our sense of identity is largely influenced by others and our environments, but leaving home and going to uni means a new set of people and new environments. This provides you with a clean identity slate. None of these people know you got picked last for football teams every P.E lesson or remember that one time in year 7 when you accidentally called the maths teacher ‘mum’. Here, the first time someone asks for your name is a powerful moment. They are asking you who you are. They are handing you a blank cheque, and you are free to write whatever you want. This is the first step in constructing your new identity, and, although this fresh start can be just as daunting as it is exciting, with the right perspective, you can seize this as an opportunity with potential for growth.
“If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.” – Gail Sheehy (author)
Change is inevitable, and, in a new environment, you’ll need to build new traits to adapt and thrive. Change is just a part of progress. Everyone’s probably told you that university is full of opportunities, but the opportunity to find new ways to grow is one of the most important. Though, like many opportunities, the choice is yours whether to do everything you can to make the most of it or to let it go. Sure, there’s no law that says you have to change at all, and uni isn’t the only place that this can be achieved, but this is a perfect place to start. Being unshackled from the watch of everyone who knew you before may help you to feel free to explore yourself without fearing their judgement or feeling obliged to be the person they expect you to be.
This reinvention can happen in many ways - small or large, personal or academic. Were you ‘the quiet one’ back home? Maybe you want to finally be heard and come out of your shell a bit more. Were you known for making it through school just by 'winging it' with little effort? (Lucky you!) Maybe you’d like to try harder and reach your full potential with a dedicated routine. You can finally embrace your nerdy side by joining an anime society. Or maybe look into that sport that you thought would be fun but were too embarrassed to try. Reinvention can even start from as small change in mindset, like being more open to trying things that you would’ve stopped yourself from considering before. When you forget what you already know about yourself, the possibilities are endless.
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” – Carl Jung (psychiatrist)
University is not just a place to learn about your degree field; it can also be a place for learning about yourself and becoming who you want to be. Nevertheless, caution should be taken. Change is healthy - growth and reinvention can be rewarding - but it is important to be avoid the trap of forcing unhealthy change upon yourself. For your own good, it’s important not to reinvent yourself merely for the sake of it. With the opportunity gained from this fresh start, there is a risk of creating an persona that isn’t you. What’s even worse about this is having to maintain this false persona, which is actually quite exhausting. You may even find yourself surrounded by people you can’t be your true self around. Trust that by using this as a chance to be yourself, without any influence from the past, healthy change will occur naturally. Letting go of what others once established about your identity will let you see yourself through your own lens, rather than through the lenses of others. You will be free to grow into a new version of your old self.
