So, you’re an imposter. Someone is bound to, at any time, jump out of the shadows and say: “Ha, ha! Caught you! You have no idea (in the grander scheme of things) what you’re doing in university! Or, for that matter, what you’re doing with your life, ha ha!”

Okay, that’s probably not going to happen, but that’s what it feels like.

Of course, you could be one of those few, rare, smarty-pants people with the entire course of your life planned. More likely you’ve just kind of found yourself here at Trent, somehow, and maybe you’ve got a fairly good idea of what you want to do, but there may still be that prevailing paranoia that someone (ambiguous and imaginary) is going to accuse you of

faking it.

You need to ignore that imaginary person.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in university is to not feel enough entitlement. I know that sounds strange, given the resentments of Baby Boomers towards young people, but it’s true. All the changes someone has to go through coming to university can make a daring person timid.

You’re never going to get enough information about what’s going on around you to make completely wise choices. If you’re sitting and waiting to take it all in, you’re never going to catch up with the pace reality sets. The only answer is to go boldly forth, madly, and in all directions. Through the course of it you find your place here.

One mad course I will shamelessly shill is: “Trent Radio”, your own student & community radioland, at 92.7 FM or on the internet at trentradio.ca. You might imagine: “The radio is not for you!” as said by the ambiguous and imaginary person jumping from the shadows: “that’s for people who have more important things to say! You’ll make a fool of yourself!”

You need to ignore that imaginary person.

Think of it more like a podcast. Except you have to show up on time. And we have all the equipment and know-how so basically you just get a little training then you’re away to the races.

Maybe you have no idea (in the grander sense of broadcasting) what you want to do on the radio. That’s okay--we can help you with that. In fact, Trent Radio is holding workshops on the first week of class throughout campus and downtown to help you develop your ideas.

The take-away here should be that it’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do at university. That’s normal. It’s even okay if you don’t know what you want to do on the radio. If you’re interested, and just a little daring, Trent offers many vague but wonderful opportunities, and so does Trent Radio.

Ignore the paranoia of imaginary people.

The deadline to hand in a programme proposal for your own show is Friday September 16th at noon at Trent Radio House. Proposals are available online or at Trent Radio House, 715 George St. North. For more information or with questions you can always email me, the Programme Director James Kerr at jkerr@trentradio.ca.

Have the entitlement to seize this opportunity; it’ll get you farther than a plan ever could.