After I committed to Chapman in May, I joined a Facebook page for incoming students. I wrote the standard introduction post: where I’m from, what my major is and what my interests are. Still, I wanted to get to know people in the LGBTQ community.

I saw posts where people made group chats based on things they had in common, like their majors or what state they were from – but I couldn’t find a group where I felt like I fit.

It can be difficult to find friends as a freshman. I knew I couldn’t find my own group by being stagnant – so I had to become a leader and create my own, and I’m so glad that I did. I made a post asking my fellow LGBTQ students to contact me if they wanted to be part of a group chat, and about 20 students responded.

We talked all summer long. We confided in each other about our pasts and our hopes for the future. For some of us, it was our first time talking to a large group of queer people. It was a huge comfort to know that I wouldn’t be alone at Chapman.

I even planned a video chat in which many of us took part. Seeing the faces and hearing the voices of people in the same situation eased my stress and soothed my fears about starting a new chapter in my life.

As an Orange County native, I’ve never been worried about homophobia. I have never had a problem telling people that I am bisexual, despite how conservative much of the area is. But some of the people in the group chat told me that they were wary of posting their sexual orientation on a public forum due to their past experiences.

Together, we have built a community where we do not need to be scared, and where we can be ourselves, free from public judgment. It is our hope that this positive attitude will grow within the next four years.

I’ve already made fast friends with many of the queer people in the group chat since arriving at Chapman. We’ve shared meals, sat next to each other in classes and spent late nights talking. Because of this group chat, Chapman already feels like a second home to me. I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to connect with anyone, but I feel so close to these people because of our shared queer experiences.

I’ve only been at Chapman for a few days, but already, I am so happy that I chose this school. There are so many ways for me to become involved in the LGBTQ community, with clubs and resources like the Queer-Student Alliance, the LGBTQ minor and a Chapman-sponsored web page dedicated to LGBTQ students. I realize that I haven’t been here long, but I’m ready to grow this accepting community, and I can’t wait to see what Chapman has in store for me.