Learning to Live Authentically

I always tell folks that the No. 1 reason I loved and continue to value Smith is the people I met during my years as a student. Most importantly, meeting people who were living authentically as themselves exposed me to ways of being that resonated. By getting to know them, I found ways to describe my own identity, ideas about how I want to live my life, activities I would come to cherish as meaningful hobbies, and values that continue to guide my actions.

As a small but powerful example, in my early years at Smith I met another student who identified as nonbinary and used they/them/theirs pronouns—this was a first for me. Getting to know them helped me realize that my own experiences with myself and my gender identity were not an isolated thing but that I am, in fact, part of a larger community and that language exists to describe who I am. Years later when I came out as nonbinary, I thought about how essential my connections with other folks were in helping me begin to live authentically, too.

This is just one of the many love stories we've received in conjunction with Smith's 150th. Submit your own using our love story submission form.