By: Fatin Rahman, Francis College of Engineering Well-Being Leader

It’s easy to blend into the background, to be just another face in the crowd, sticking with a group and avoiding attention. It feels safer to stay quiet than to risk saying something imperfect. And when we do speak, we pressure ourselves to be polished to perfection, every word meaningful, every gesture intentional.

As I embark on my co-op next semester, I keep thinking back to the moment that started everything: the fall career fair. I was terrified of saying the wrong thing and stumbling over my words. So I had my friend go first to the recruiter at the company I had my eye on. I followed her “pitch,” echoing her general goals because I didn’t trust myself to stand on my own. I walked away knowing I didn’t stand out. The recruiter was kind, but I wasn’t memorable, and I knew it.

But I also knew I really wanted that job.

By pure luck, that same recruiter visited two of my classes in the days that followed. After each presentation, I walked straight up to her. No overthinking. No rehearsed pitch. Just me showing up, again and again. Polished? Absolutely not. But I was determined.

The interview process ultimately came and went, and then, in the middle of another career fair,  this time at a conference with over 10,000 people, I got the email: I got the offer.

Standing in that crowd with the job secured, something shifted. I walked into the conference career fair with a confidence I’d never felt before. I spoke openly about what I wanted. I didn’t try to sound perfect or impressive. I didn’t memorize lines or mimic anyone else’s goals. I just showed up as myself.

That was more than enough. I made connections for future jobs I’m genuinely excited about, not because I was polished, but because I was present.

What I’ve learned through all of this is simple: the courage to be seen doesn’t come from perfection, it comes from showing up anyway, even when you’re scared. Even when your voice trembles. Even when you think someone else could say it better.

You don’t need to sound like you’re in “Suits.” Real life isn’t about the perfect quip. It’s about being clear about what you want and standing in that truth.

And the best part is, you don’t have to do it alone. I leaned on my friends, their encouragement, their presence. And the more I let people support me, the braver I became. The courage to be seen grows from trusting your voice and allowing others to stand beside you as you step forward. Because once you choose to show up as yourself,  unpolished, imperfect, and genuine, doors start opening in ways you never expected.