Higher Education and the LGBT Student


  • Explore opportunities for involvement outside your campus  Your college experience will be much more rewarding if you have a chance to give back to the community. Look for opportunities to volunteer with the local Pride parade, mentor LGBT high school students, work on publications, or get political advocacy internships. By the way, even if you have no interest in doing these types of activities, their presence and absence can be a good indicator of the local area.
  • Think about your willingness to return home during vacations  This may be the last thing on your mind right now, but it will matter a lot in the future. Schools have breaks - Thanksgiving, spring, between semesters, and summer. If you are on bad terms with your family, make sure your school offers housing over breaks and resources for acquiring volunteer and internship experiences in the summer that keep you away from home.

    When you do choose your school and are faced with the prospect of moving to a strange place alone, remember again that a little careful work can make your life much easier. When you fill out paperwork about getting a roommate, mention on the form that you would like to life with an LGBT-friendly person. Many schools take this request very seriously. If the option is available and you are worried about roommate problems, request a single room. When you get to school, be open and honest with the people around you. Remember that some students who come to college have never known an LGBT person before. Give them time to become educated. However, do not become so enraptured in your newfound freedom that your behavior disintegrates into that of a middle-school child. Also remember that many students may have had more experience than you and do not naively assume that the tight-knit community will protect you. Finally, even if you do not plan on being involved, attend the first meeting of a campus LGBT group and get on the mailing list. That way you can get a sense of the activities that will be offered and the resources that are available if you need help.

    Enjoy your first years of freedom and the self-exploration that they can bring. And remember - if you do not get it right the first time, you can always transfer after a semester or a year.

    The copyright of the article Higher Education and the LGBT Student in Higher Education is owned by ML Arthur. Permission to republish Higher Education and the LGBT Student in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

    Go To Page: 1 2

    Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic