Authentic Orange

submitted by Lorena Colcer

At Oregon State University, “Be Orange” means a lot more than what appears on the surface. “Being Orange” requires people to examine themselves and determine what “living authentically” means for them.

As defined by Merriam-Webster, “authentic” means “true to one’s personality, spirit, or character.” Here are some tips on how a student at OSU can strive to authentically “Be Orange.”

Tip #1: Choose your major authentically – but don’t sweat it

Ultimately, a college education is the reason people choose to be students at OSU. Therefore, it is important to be choose an undergraduate major authentically.

Sartre’s advice to students when choosing something is that, “When we say that man chooses himself, we do mean that every one of us must choose himself; but by that we also mean that in choosing for himself he chooses for all men. For in effect, of all the actions a man may take in order to create himself as he wills to be, there is not one which is not creative, at the same time, of an image of man such as he believes he ought to be” (Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism, pg. 5). Essentially, when one chooses something, they should choose something which they believe everybody should do. People should form not only their own lives with their choices, but also “an image of man such as he believes he ought to be.” This ensures that people make the choice which aligns with their beliefs – the most authentic one.

However, your undergraduate major does not define you. It is included in the definition of you, but it does not make up the entirety of someone – especially since there are many cases where people have careers in fields that are completely unrelated to their undergraduate major.

This is an example of denying one’s transcendence, similar to the example of a waiter trying to convince someone that they are only a waiter and nothing but a waiter (Lecture 5/26/15). This is just silly – people are more than just their jobs or their major. So, if you’re having trouble deciding what you want to major in, that’s okay. Do what feels right, and seek opportunities that sound exciting – that way, you’ll start to get experience in what interests you.

Tip #2: Choose your illicit activities authentically (and responsibly!)

Okay, I personally don’t prefer illicit activities, but the typical college student will engage in them from time to time.

First of all – be safe in your illicit activities. Don’t let people drive while intoxicated, don’t leave your drink unattended, and stand up for people if someone is taking advantage of them.

Be mindful of your long-term goals. A way to help this is to think about Kierkegaard’s three spheres of life: the aesthetic, seeking immediate desires, the ethical, adhering to universal moral duties, and the religious, an individual relationship with the Christian God and religion. (Lecture 4/23/15) I’m not advocating that one is better than the other (in fact, I’m not even religious), but that you should spend time pondering which one you fit in currently and whether or not you think it is best for you.

Tip #3: Choose your licit activities authentically (and responsibly!)

Make sure to prioritize what needs to be prioritized – avoid procrastination. Turn off your phone and use a browser extension that does not let you access social media websites while you’re studying. It will help you focus on what needs to be done, along with help you staying authentic to yourself.

You might be thinking – “but, everyone procrastinates at some point, so why should I bother?” That example is one full of bad faith, or the denial of the facticity/transcendence duality of human existence. This is specifically denying transcendence, because it is denying your freedom to branch out from your peer group and be different (and responsible!). (Lecture 6/2/15) Do what you need to do. Your life will be much less stressful if you avoid living near the end of the deadline.

Ultimately, as Ortega would say, causa sui^2: you are self-caused and self-defining (Lecture 4/9/15). You accumulate being, and it is your choice for who you want to be and how you want to “Be Orange.” Take this advice and use it to be as successful and authentic as you can be. Go Beavs!