It’s only been 7 months since I came out to my parents with my boyfriend by my side, so expressing myself fearlessly is still a new experience for me. Like many people I denied it for a long time, but this past year has transformed my life. It’s easy to be afraid of joining a new group of people, but Loughborough’s LGBT+ Association really made me feel welcome. On my first ever meetup, they pulled up a chair for me and we all started talking. I’ve made so many amazing friends, and I’m glad to be in this amazing community.