Outside the confines of

[Bassim]

I have tried to use "outside the confines of" in a sentence. Would you please correct my mistakes?

Michael wore a mask of formality and reserve at university, but outside the confines of academia, he was outgoing and liked to spend evenings in the pub, chatting with everyone.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It's good. In the US, we'd put the or his in front of university. But I'm not sure the British would.

 

[emsr2d2]

We wouldn't. "At university" means "being a student at a university".

 

[Bassim]

I am just wondering if Michael were a professor working in university what preposition should be used.

Could I say this.

Michael wore a mask of formality and reserve in the university, but outside...

 

[jutfrank]

In BrE we use the term at university to mean 'enrolled on and participating in a university course'.

I think the sentence is better with the. The point is that at the university means 'on campus', as opposed to in the pub, so it's okay to specify.

It does sound okay without the article, too, though. at university suggests 'while in class or lectures', rather than simply 'on campus'.

So if he's a student, you could use either, depending on what you want to say.
If he's a lecturer or professor, it's better with the.