“Am I going to fit in?”

This is a question that everyone has asked themselves multiple times in their life, whether that be on their first day at a new job, at a party with unfamiliar faces or sitting in their freshman dorm.

We all ache to feel that we belong. Socially, academically and even physically — everyone wants to fit inside that comfortable box of societal acceptance. We gravitate toward people who feel familiar, who have common interests and beliefs. And oftentimes, we gravitate toward people who hold the same political views.

In such a polarized time in America’s history, the Wake Forest University campus is not immune to the division that politics creates in social settings. 

I will admit that I did have the fear of not meeting anyone who shared the same political beliefs as me when committing to Wake Forest. Something I noticed prior to starting my freshman year is that every time I mentioned to someone where I was going to be going to college, they made a comment about Wake’s conservative reputation. Being a democrat in West Virginia, I have plenty of experience interacting with people who have opposing political views to mine. However, this continuous comment made me feel isolated, and that I was already extremely different from my peers. 

During my time here, I’ve observed that this conservative reputation isn’t entirely accurate. I’ve also observed people drift toward others who have the same political views as them. 

Just as I’ve watched these divisions occur, I’ve noticed the lack of political discussions that happen in daily life. I know this is true in my daily conversations. I do not believe that I was seeking out people who have the same political views as me, but somewhere along the way, we connected over that shared trait.

I don’t think that connection is a bad connection. But I do think that it creates educational limitations in a place where we’ve all come to learn. 

The only time that I’ve had a true, structured conversation about politics since I’ve been at Wake is during my American Government and Politics class freshman year. That class was the first time I’ve ever truly thought critically about politics in my life. That class alone helped me to gain insight into different views, and even reconsider some of my prior beliefs. College is the time to foster new beliefs, make your own decisions, and challenge yourself. Wake Forest needs more spaces to engage in eye-opening political conversations. We have a politically diverse campus, and we as students and administrators need to take advantage of this opportunity to have structured political discussions consisting of people from all walks of life. We shouldn’t worry about “fitting in.” We should worry about staying stagnant.

The question should not be “Am I going to fit in?”It should not be “Will I feel uncomfortable?”

The question should be “What can I learn?”