With such expectations, it can feel impossible to stay afloat when attempting to balance community with individualism. University is a time when you are trying to find your people whilst simultaneously developing your own independence.
You do not need to suppress your individual quirks in attempts to ‘fit in’ - instead, these communities centre around acceptance.
Immersing yourself in societies and clubs provide a space for self-expression and exploration; you can find your true passions and uncover hobbies within a collective group. Whether you are a member of NUTS, English Society, the debate team, or running club at Newcastle University, your unique interests are celebrated amongst like-minded people. You do not need to suppress your individual quirks in attempts to ‘fit in’ - instead, these communities centre around acceptance.
On campus academic communities are formed in a multitude of ways; yet there is a stark contrast between feeling like an anonymous face merging with hundreds of others in a lecture theatre and being one of ten in a seminar room, faced with directed questions and discussions. Study groups offer a valuable means of connecting with peers whilst interacting within the discourse of your subject. In a similar way, seminars provide a safe space to share your pioneering perspective and distinct outlook, promoting your individualism within a shared academic community.
Community arises in the form of shared spaces, boundaries, and group events.
Student accommodation supplies the foundations for a student community, especially in first year when you are absorbed by a particular liminal space and trying to navigate it from the outset. It is an unparalleled synthesis of an individual experience of self-reliant living and connecting with other individuals in similar circumstances, and in this whirlwind, endeavour to establish a social life with a secure group. Community arises in the form of shared spaces, boundaries, and group events. Your accommodation is one of the most influential aspects for community and individualism to blend.
Throughout your time at Newcastle University, individualism and community fuse and co-exist providing the opportunity for self-development in respect of individualistic progress, and thriving within communities.