Visible Difference Campaigner Laura Mathias, (BA Film and Literature, 2013) shares the challenges she faced with alopecia when starting university, and how her time at The University of Warwick helped her overcome her anxieties and fully embrace her true self.
When I started at Warwick, I wish I could have given my first-year self this one crucial piece of advice: alopecia doesn't have to be a secret.
Your difference, whatever it may be, can be a unique selling point. You're surrounded by smart, engaged, and passionate peers who are all talking about what's next in their lives - career goals, personal dreams, and everything in between. In that environment, the things that make you stand out can become a source of strength rather than something to hide.
University is not just about academic studies. You're building so much more - social skills, confidence, and what I now understand as your 'personal brand.'
I'll admit, it took me a while to realise that I needed to be my own advocate and embrace what made me different; to recognise that going to university is about learning to self-advocate and discover who you are, not just trying to secure the best grades.
My Early Anxiety Around Alopecia
I was incredibly anxious about my alopecia when I started at Warwick. In those first few weeks, all my energy was absorbed by hiding my hair loss from the countless new people I was meeting.
I had lost my hair at 13 years old but, all these years later, I was no closer to feeling confident about my condition and remember going to great lengths to keep it under wraps. I had asked my doctor to write me a letter to ensure I was allocated an ensuite room my first year. In the letter, he explained I needed privacy to live comfortably as a wig-wearer. It gave me a sense of control over how I presented myself to others.
But it wasn't always that simple. Friends would knock on my door at night wanting to go out, and I'd panic because I wasn't "ready" with my wig and makeup on.
Even when the fire alarm went off, I'd throw on my wig and draw on my eyebrows before I dared to leave my room. I was so overwhelmed with anxiety around my appearance that I remember calling my mum, telling her I wasn't sure I could handle it anymore. I seriously considered leaving university altogether because I was so mentally drained by disguising my visible difference.
Fortunately, the joy of meeting great people, exploring a whole new place and starting my course in Film and Literature meant I started to settle in, and I'm so glad I decided to stay. But looking back, I can see how much of my early university experience was dominated by my fear of being 'found out.'
The Turning Point: Learning to Share My Alopecia
When I started university, I was still going through random phases of hair regrowth and hair loss, which made it even more challenging to deal with. One eyebrow would be there one day, then gone the next. It felt like I was constantly managing my hair loss rather than finding a way to embrace it.
I kept my alopecia a secret for almost the entire first term, and it was exhausting. My confidence dipped because I was carrying the weight of this secret, unsure how or when to share it.
But I'll never forget the moment I finally opened up. I told two of my closest friends in halls about my alopecia at the end of that first term. The relief I felt was incredible. It was as if a huge burden had been lifted.
Interestingly, when I recently caught up with some of my Warwick friends, they told me they had suspected I was wearing a wig back then, but didn't say anything because they thought I wasn't ready to talk about it. Clearly at university I was still learning to understand my own needs. I hadn't yet figured out how to advocate for myself, let alone embrace my alopecia openly and even my new friends could sense that.
Advice to My First-Year Self
If I could go back and give advice to the version of me starting out at Warwick, I'd say: It's time to stop hiding- embrace your difference.
University is the perfect place to test out who you want to be and where you want to direct your energy. You have this incredible opportunity to not only learn academically, but to develop socially and personally. Don't waste it trying to blend in when you're meant to stand out.
I also wish I had known that being bald—or having any visible difference—doesn't define who you are unless you let it. If I had embraced my alopecia earlier, I would have realised that it's just one part of who I am, not something that needed to be hidden or "fixed." Your differences can become a real strength if you learn to accept them.
So, to anyone feeling like their difference is something to hide, please know that it doesn't have to be. It can be a powerful part of your story, something that sets you apart in a positive way. At university, you're not just building your academic resume—you're building your identity. And that includes embracing all parts of yourself, even the ones that feel scary to share.
As you start your university journey, don't let fear hold you back.
This is your time to explore who you are and to be unapologetically yourself. Trust me, there is nothing more liberating than finally owning your difference and realising that it's not something to hide—but something to celebrate.
