Not to get deep or anything, but it is the truth. As much as we encourage people not to judge by appearance – we all fall victim to taking part in stereotypes. The reality is that there is a lot of truth to stereotypes. I may categorize someone by the way that they act, the way they dress and who they hang out with, but in my mind that isn’t a negative thing. At Christopher Newport every student has a stereotype. It’s unavoidable. The stereotypes we gain on campus are our traits that stand out the most to others. In society, stereotypes are seen as negative because they are seen as a judgement of another person. In film and literature, stereotypes are often used to alienate or humiliate someone who is different from the majority.
But, here at Christopher Newport, stereotypes take on a new form. Most of us embrace the stereotypes that fall upon us. We accept them because we identify with them as a part of who we are. Everyone knows that a person cannot be defined by just one description so while we all have stereotypes we also know that is not where a person’s personality ends. Because we choose to embrace these stereotypes, they are not used in a negative fashion. I have never felt left out or alienated by anyone here based on who they thought I was. The Christopher Newport community is one that is indescribable. We blur the lines of stereotypes. At Christopher Newport, we will not limit you to one description. At Christopher Newport, students identify themselves in many different ways.
I am an athlete. I am a sorority girl. I am a business student. I am a leadership dork. I am campus leader. I am active volunteer in the community. I am a youth development advocate. I am an intellectual. I am all of these things together. Christopher Newport has given me the opportunity to be all of these things – just as it will give anyone the opportunity to be anything they want to be.
