On Friday, I was walking down Broadway, rushing to get back from an errand towards the end of the workday, in typical NYC fashion. Knit brow, moving at a fast clip, thinking about how many more steps it would take back to my building. As I approached my destination, I saw a man cleaning the street. But he wasn’t just sweeping, he was straight up singing to himself.
Seeing him rocking out to nothing but the rhythm of his broom and the tune stuck in his head put a huge grin on my face that I couldn’t hide. I am sure the people walking past me saw that smile and either thought I was crazy, or smiled to themselves too.
This got me thinking – giving people the space to feel comfortable enough to be themselves is so important to building a community. When one person feels secure enough to sing while he works, this feeling is infectious. More people feel welcomed and connected because they are lead by his example of feeling this way. If he feels comfortable enough to have a great time like that, well then, I can too!
This is why we talk so much about building campus culture. Once you put the work in, once at least one person performs a community building action, the snowball effect happens. That man doesn’t know it, but he reminded me how awesome New York City can be, and how connected we all are.
So how can you do this on your campus? Easy!
- Don’t be afraid to be you. This doesn’t need to mean anything huge, it just means don’t try to stifle yourself. If you feel like humming a tune, go for it. If you like to talk with your hands, talk with your hands! If you snort when you laugh, snort away (I do…)! Letting your guard down shows others it’s ok to do the same.
- Celebrate when someone else is themselves. When you see someone else doing something silly, you have 2 possible ways to react: roll your eyes/make them feel weird for it, OR reward them for not holding back. Is someone dancing alone a little over to the side of the event? Go over and join their solo dance party, it might make them smile, and you might end up with a new friend.
- Recognize that everyone is “comfortable” in different ways. Don’t forget that some people might not want to dance or sing by themselves. Maybe their natural state is quietly listening and observing. The most important thing is to convey to everyone you meet that they are welcomed as they are. We might push boundaries and help people open up, but we do not force neutrals on the dance floor to be 5s in one shot.
Did you ever make a friend because you or that person was doing something out of the ordinary? Let us know in the comments!
