By: Maddie Schmidt
Home is often thought of as a place—a house, a bedroom or a familiar street. But for college
students, our picture of “home” can look a little different.
As we grow older, our world expands beyond the familiar walls of the home in which we grew
up, introducing us to new places, people and experiences. What once felt like our entire world
eventually becomes only one small part of it.
With each new place we enter, our idea of home expands. We begin to realize that home is not
always defined by an address, but by the people who make us feel known, welcomed and like we
belong. In college, those people can be the difference between simply having a place to live and
truly feeling at home.
Bryson Baird, a senior construction management major, shared that when he first came to
Southern, his friend, Kristina Bermudez, who later became his girlfriend, was a big part of what
made college feel like home for him.
“When I first started here, I wasn’t taking good care of myself,” Baird said. “I wasn’t getting
good meals because I was so focused on homework and everything else I had going on,
but Kristina texted me every day to make sure that I ate something and that I was taking care
of myself, even before we got together.”
Baird went on, saying that beyond his girlfriend, his friend group was there for him to lean on as
well.
“My other friends were there for me too and formed a community around me,” Baird said.
Having close friends who care about our wellbeing and surrounding ourselves with genuine
people can help us to remember that we are not alone and that we have an outlet to turn to when
we are discouraged or struggling.
Lily Sakata, a senior nursing major, shared her experience with a fellow student that left a lasting
impact on her. Through her nursing classes, Sakata formed a friendship with Georgia Tankersley,
who is now a recent graduate of the School of Nursing.
According to Sakata, Tankersley had many things going on in her life during the time that they
were classmates. Yet she always found ways to pour her time and love into Sakata and her faith
and love for Jesus left an imprint on Sakata’s heart.
“I knew she valued our friendship,” Sakata stated, “but the wildly intentional and generous love
from her was more than I could ever understand.”
Sakata shared a memory of one of the many instances where Tankersley showed her that her
well-being mattered.
“I remember feeling absolutely defeated—on multiple levels—the night before a bulky nursing
exam,” Sakata stated. “But before I could wallow in self pity, I felt the buzz of my phone in my
pocket. It was Georgia calling me to study. I had no academic zeal to offer her—just exhaustion.
But instead of hanging up, Georgia proceeded to explain all of the test content over the span of
an hour or two… By God’s grace working vivaciously through ‘mama Georgia,’ I passed the
exam with flying colors.”
If we keep our hearts open to the people around us, we will find that we are surrounded by love
and support. Sometimes we find that love or support in the friends we make, and other times it
will be through teachers or staff members.
Ashly Avila, a senior elementary education major, shared her experience with her advisor.
“Professor Michelle Adams, from the School of Education, was a really big help during my
sophomore year,” Avila said. “I had a stressful family situation happening at the time, and she
offered a lot of guidance and support. I was struggling academically because of those
family issues, but because of her help I was able to finish the year with good grades.”
Avila went on to explain that she attributes her success to Adams.
“I would have been at a loss of what to do if she hadn’t been there for me,” Avila said. “Thanks
to her, I feel stable and sure of my goals and my future.”
Baird also shared an experience he had with a professor that made an impact on him.
“I took a calculus class from Adam Heck,” Baird said. “He always opened his office hours
before class, and one day I went to his office right after my brother was in a motorcycle accident.
He stopped what he was doing and asked everyone to pray for my brother. That was a huge
moment for me.”
These seemingly small interactions leave a wake behind them, slowly building a sense of
familiarity and belonging. Through the people we spend time with, we can realize how valued
we really are.
College may be where we live for a few years, but the people we meet are what makes those
years feel like home. Long after we leave Southern Adventist University, those small moments—
and the people behind them—are what we are likely to remember most.
