By Zina Nguru

On November 20, the Counseling Center, in collaboration with the office of Gender Equity and Protection, and the Strategic Marketing and Communication Division, held a women’s meet-up event dubbed under the theme, “Authentic Femininity! Becoming who you are, not who you’re told to be.” The event featured a carefully curated panel discussion by distinguished speakers from the university community who graciously and authentically shared their experiences in relation to careers, boundaries, self-care, and emotional maturity.

The event featured a panel discussion with the conversation centering on career growth, boundary-setting, emotional maturity, self-care, and redefining femininity beyond societal expectations. They discussed that boundaries are quintessential for the feminine woman, and although setting and enforcing them may be uncomfortable and met with resistance, they should be set anyway, as they promote well-being and success.

The second is that softness is strength! The feminine woman can still lead and influence with softness. The participants also noted that femininity comes from within and expresses itself differently for each person. It is about recognizing what makes one uniquely herself, healing from past wounds, and embracing authenticity without apology.

They also noted that emotional maturity entails balancing your listening and talking ratio, and people should learn to discern when to listen more and talk less. Lastly, they discussed that self-care is non-negotiable in becoming the person you want to become. Individuals should intentionally set out to nurture their mental, physical, and emotional well-being daily, as the price of not doing so is far too great to bear.

The event served as a platform for networking, allowing attendees, who were mainly comprised of students, to engage in meaningful dialogue, peer interaction, and community-building. This was more than an event; it was a call and movement for women to arise and embrace their authentic selves.