Preparing for Exams…What is it Like?

By: Andie Alsgaard

Everyone approaches Exam Week a little differently in college. It depends on where you like to study, how you like to study and what you’re doing for your final grade. As a STEM major, specifically an engineer, I rarely write papers. Instead, I’m studying for final exams.

Exam Week is a unique time of the year. Everyone wants to be home and the only thing holding them back from being reunited with their family (and pets!) are exams. There are no more lecture classes, no more labs; in fact, the only time you’re in class is to take your final. 

Personally, my days are devoted to studying and reviewing all of the content that I learned over the semester. Additionally, some professors allow for cheat sheets – a way to compile whatever you want on a set amount of paper. I love to make cheat sheets. I spend most of my study time looking through my notes and old test in order to create a master cheat sheet to use on my final. 

This was a cheat sheet that I made for my Freshman Level Introduction to Engineering Lecture Class

In classes where cheat sheets aren’t allowed, I find it best to study with friends! Some of my friends and I all invested in good whiteboards (I would definitely recommend this to anyone of any major coming to college). When exam time comes around, we’re able to rework problems with each other on the whiteboards. This is an essential tool for Exam Week for me.

Studying Sophmore Year for Statics with Friends!

While finals are extremely stressful, Hope does an amazing job incorporating stress-free fun into the crazy week. There are activities such as meditation/deep breathing, yoga, therapy dogs and Brinner throughout the week. Brinner is by far my favorite Exam Week tradition. The Hope Dining staff flips Phelps Dining Hall into breakfast chaos from 9-11pm one night of Exam Week. The salad bar turns into a donut bar, with more donuts than I have ever seen in one place at one time. The Globe has faculty and staff mixing up smoothies. Every other station, composed of professors, the president, and RDs, serving breakfast (pancakes, sausage, eggs, waffles, bacon…etc.) to students. Phelps is so busy there is barely anywhere to stand! I love Brinner and so does the rest of the student body!

Brinner with Drew and Abby who were goofing off as I was trying to take a picture of my very yummy Gluten-Free donut

I would be lying if I said that Exam Week was not stressful and busy. Thankfully Hope acknowledges that and provides so many incredible activities to reduce our stress. Without these stress-relieving activities, we would all go crazy. The atmosphere on campus is stressed but playful and excited that the semester is close to finishing up!

How I knew Hope Was The Right Fit

I remember very vividly getting asked multiple times about which school I was going to choose and attend. In fact, I recall that question coming at me in about eight different forms for at least a year. It is a stressful time of life, and deciding on a college is probably the biggest decision a lot of us had to make up to this point in our lives.

However, looking back, choosing Hope College was the best decision of my life. It is easy for anybody to say that about the college they chose, however, Hope College is different than every other college. At the time of deciding on a college during my senior year of high school, I thought I knew why attending Hope would be great. But, after being here for over a year, I can now say that Hope embodies so much more depth and teaches a significantly larger number of life skills than I ever thought I could and would receive from college.

Initially, my reasons for considering Hope included the small school size, and therefore, the reduced class sizes. Along with that, the faculty to student ratio is small, allowing for strong relationships with professors. The academics also include incredibly strong programs, setting us up for great futures. The research is among the top in the nation, pushing us outside of our comfort zones, in which I am learning, is very important for personal growth and preparedness for great lives after our time at Hope. The liberal arts aspect of the college is also beneficial, creating well-rounded individuals. The rate of acceptance into graduate schools and into the workforce is also extremely high. I also knew Hope has kept some old traditions, which I thought would be meaningful to be a part of. Those facts alone initially sparked my interest, but I was wondering what else Hope had to offer.

My friends and I enjoying a Hope College event: Winter Fantasia 2019.

The second I stepped onto campus for my visit day, a feeling rushed through me and was unlike anything I had experienced before. Everyone, and that is not an exaggeration, said “Hi!” or acknowledged me as I passed them on the sidewalk. Further, walking into each building, the friendliness continued. It was not just a normal friendliness either — it was extraordinarily genuine, and the glory of God was certainly present. It was so unique that I still am unable to put it into words. Hope’s community is phenomenal. 

Community. Hope’s tight-knit community is as special and unique as they come. In fact, I do not think I will ever be able to describe it. My sister is an alumni of Hope College and is now at Arizona College of Optometry (again, Hope prepares extremely well for life after college). She was on a hike there and her group ran into two ladies at the top of the mountain who had a question regarding the trail. My sister heard one of those ladies say she was from Michigan. To make the story short, both were alumni of Hope College as well, and one lady said something that stuck out to my sister: “What a special place Hope is.”

All the way in Arizona, people are talking about the special place that Hope College is. I cannot help but think how true that statement is — and how beautiful that, on top of a mountain across the country, positive conversations about Hope College are being had, continuing to connect people, and furthering the excellence that Hope has to offer. This story exemplifies that the magnificence of Hope is part of every past, present, and future student.

Choosing Hope was the best decision I have made thus far in my life, and it is still something that is nearly impossible to put into words. I am confident that in my lifetime I will be able to approach and think through situations more efficiently, work with a wider variety of people, be able to listen and communicate better, and be comfortable with being uncomfortable — pushing myself each and every day, better than I ever would have without my time at Hope College. I cannot say enough great things about this special school and I hope that everyone has the opportunity to attend Hope College.

Finding My People at Hope

Finding your “people” in college was one of the most intimidating things about college. It was a fresh start for me, a fresh start for everyone. I had a lot of questions, things like: 

  • Will I find people who like me and have similar interests?
  • Will I grow in my faith through my friends?
  • Will I find someone who I enjoy living with…(roommates are scary)

It all started the first weekend that I arrived on campus – Orientation Weekend. Right away I was playing games, going on scavenger hunts and meeting as many people as possible. On Sunday of Orientation Weekend, all of the incoming freshmen went to Convocation, a celebration welcoming us into the Hope community. This was the first memory I have of having friends in college. We all lived in the same dorm and the five of us went to Convocation together. Three years later we have made so many memories, just because we walked to Devos for Convocation!

The Convocation Squad

Just by being active in the dorm life in Lichty Hall, I made so many friends during my freshman year. We would all participate in dorm events put on by Residential Life Staff (our RA’s and RD) such as exploring downtown Holland, late-night donut runs and decorating Christmas cookies. 

Exploring Downtown Holland

Flash forward to Sophomore year: a new dorm, new roommates, and harder classes. As an engineering student, I wanted my friends to have similar workloads and still be social. I got the privilege of living in Cook Hall with the three girls that I met as we walked to Convocation. Who knew that the first picture I ever took at Hope would result in three of the best roommates I’ve ever had. The four of us were all busy with school as we were STEM majors but we enjoyed hanging out too. One of my favorite memories was around Halloween. The four of us were employed through Admissions as Overnight Hosts and at one of our group events, we had to wrap each other up in toilet paper like mummies! It was a race against all of the other Overnight Hosts…if you ask me, we totally were the quickest! Even through employment at Hope, I have been able to meet so many amazing people and grow my already existing relationships.

Here I am…wrapped up like a mummy!

Another amazing thing at Hope is getting to meet people from all over the globe. For example, most of my friends are not from Michigan. In the picture below everyone is from a different place. One from Kansas, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and two international students. Within this small group, there are so many incredible stories, ideas and viewpoints to be discussed. This is applicable throughout all of Hope. Everyone has a unique story and you grow together through your stories.

My Friends with Big Red at the Beach

Meeting people from other places allows for fun trips, too. For example, I went home with my roommate Abby for a spring break! Home for Abby is Kansas…and it was way more than cornfields and cows. I loved exploring her home, living her life for a week and it only grew us closer together. 

Kansas – It’s more than cornfields and cows!!

College is the time to explore and sometimes that means sending friends off to study abroad. Sweet Emma studied in France for a semester and this was us saying goodbye to her for nine months. While in the moment we were laughing through tears, hearing all of her amazing stories as she came back was incredible!

The final hugs before Emma headed to France

Hope has not only given me a close friend group to live life with but additionally given me a wide variety of friends. I love going off-campus and running into Hope students. One of my favorite spots is a climbing gym right off of campus. All of the Hope students in this picture share the same hobby as I do, bouldering! We climb together and grow together. We hold each other accountable and have a fun time while getting stronger! 

Bouldering is fun!

I could go on and on about the amazing communities there are at Hope. Everyone finds their people at Hope whether it’s through dorm life, employment, clubs or hobbies. The best part of Hope for me is always meeting new people and hearing their stories. While in this article I have highlighted some of my favorite people, I have left out so many, each with a unique and incredible story.

A Healthier Me At Hope

I came to Hope as a freshman in the fall of 2018 with unbelievable expectations and hopes for what my first year in college would be. I would meet my roommate and become best friends. College, how hard could it be if I managed to get through high school. I thought about the free access to an exercise facility and how I would take advantage of that daily, without excuses. These ideas were some of the ones that laid a foundation for what I thought would be the best year of my life. Needless to say, nothing turned out the way I imagined it to. 

In the process of learning about what my new home could offer me, I came across struggles I didn’t expect. The first came early on in my first semester. 

During my first week as an official college student, the girl who I hoped to share the next four years with, decided that Hope College could no longer be her home. She surrendered the opportunity to pursue an education and although I was supportive of her choice and wished her the best, it was very discouraging. For someone who had traveled a thousand miles away from home in pursuit of her faith and a greater education, I felt guilty for not being homesick enough to make a decision like my roommate’s. Due to her decision, I was alone in a room meant for two for the rest of the year. Both my emotional and social health were at risk. 

Taking classes that were tailored to my interests was something I looked forward to. I would work hard and study harder to be the straight A student I always wished to be. Spoiler alert: this was not the case. Although I dedicated as much time as I could to my classes outside of the classroom, it was not enough. The first grade I earned on an exam was disheartening. The second, was a greater disappointment. In addition to this, I was also neglecting my physical health by feeding into habits that seemed the most convenient. My mental and physical wellbeing were deteriorating. 

As the year went by, I began to be aware of the different resources at my disposal. Attending events hosted by the Student Activities Committee, like Coffeehouse on Thursdays, and seeking out friendships in my residence hall and classes fed into my emotional and social needs. Pursuing academic assistance from the Academic Success Center and making the healthiest choices I could contributed to my mental and physical wellbeing. Once I made the choice to play an active role in what Hope had to offer, I felt myself working towards a healthier version of myself. 

Last day of living in my room in Gilmore Hall before going home for the summer.

Since opening my eyes and heart to the community that once welcomed me, I’ve found the emptiness I once felt, be filled. Since then, I have connected with two amazing girls who I now call roommates, worked alongside a professor as a teacher assistant, and volunteered as an orientation assistant to welcome a remarkable group of freshmen. My journey to this point has only enriched my college experience and I could not be more thankful. 

Are You Asking These 6 Questions on Your College Tours?

By Kristin Diekevers ’07, Associate Director of Admissions

Ahhhh, the changing of the seasons. We are less than two weeks from the official start of fall (it’s September 23 if you were wondering), and colleges are back in session. That means many of you are doing yourself the awesome favor of scheduling college visits — seriously, there is nothing you can do to get to know a college better than by visiting.

Colleges are ready with their welcome mats and most tour guides are ready for the typical questions (and if they aren’t, be skeptical). How many students go here? What’s the average class size? Are freshmen allowed to have cars? How are roommates determined? What do students do on the weekends?

Hope College students are on a campus tour.

But you want to be a savvy consumer, right? Dig a little deeper into the college experience and consider asking these 6 questions on every college tour.

  1. What aren’t you showing me? There might be good reasons for limiting what you see — time length of tour, spaces reserved for faculty/staff, building hours, etc. However, it’s worth asking because you might also uncover areas of deferred maintenance or areas of concern for the college. In either case, you might consider circling back to these areas by yourself before you leave the campus.
  2. Take time to smell the flowers. Yes, this is a statement, not a question, but it’s important. Pay attention to your surroundings at all times. How are students interacting with one another? With faculty or staff? With you? What is on the bulletin boards and what signs are hanging up on campus? Are there literally flowers you can smell (hey, there is something to be said for well-kept grounds)?
  3. What faculty or staff member helped you the most your freshman year? How so? People matter. Connections matter. Connected people are generally happier and more successful both in college and in the long-term. Asking this question will help you learn if students make an early and lasting connection with an employee of the college.
  4. How is conflict recognized and addressed on campus? Given our current political climate, I think this is a fair question. College is an important time for young people to further develop conflict resolution skills. We hope they have good examples of people doing this on their college campus at all levels. Is there dialogue or dogmatism? Are there forums or fear?
  5. What was your favorite lecture, arts performance, guest speaker or chapel message this past year? “Bueller?…Bueller?…Bueller?” (If you have not watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, please do so the minute you are done reading this blog. You’re welcome.) Lots of students can listen and comprehend, but are they being inspired? A lasting impression made by a lecture fuels a student’s learning, development and success as a human being.
  6. What would you miss the most if you graduated tomorrow? Why? Make sure you add: “You can’t just say your friends.” This all goes back to how connected to their eventual alma mater they feel. Do they swell with pride in talking about their school and show enthusiasm? Do you get those feels when they share their experience? It’s a good signal you’re making a connection too.

I’ve said to ask these questions on every college tour, but really, these questions could be repeated over and over to any person — faculty, student, staff, administrator, coach — you meet on campus. Your tour guide will have one experience, but if you’re really interested in the college, talk to everyone you meet!

Ready to ask these questions within the Hope community? We’re ready to welcome you! Attend one of our upcoming Anchor Days.

An Anchored Life

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
—Hebrews 6:19

Hope College: a name itself founded in faith, illuminating the hope we have in Jesus. Faith is an evident and encouraging part of life on campus, from weekly services, to Campus Ministries, to student-led Bible studies. The beautiful part about faith on campus is that nothing is stifling or obligatory, but an open invitation for students to either explore or grow their faith. Whether you’re a new believer, a long-time believer, or just looking at possibilities, the conversations you encounter are filled with respect and curiosity. Students at Hope enjoy meeting new people and learning their stories. You’ll probably be asked, “Let’s grab coffee!” at least once a week. Head on over to (the best) coffee shop and you’ll hear discussions like so. Spend 5 minutes in LJ’s and the murmuring buzz will erode into conversations, and you’ll begin to pick out the subjects. “I’ve seen the Lord working in my life this week…” “I’m really struggling, but I trust the Lord…” “Let’s pray over your time there…”

A morning at LJ’s

If you want to grow in your faith, there are numerous ways to get involved. Campus Ministries empowers students to lead Bible studies. You can audition to be on chapel band, or if you’re more tech inclined, you can run sound. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:30—10:52, a service is held in our beautiful, castle-esque, Dimnent Chapel. There are no classes during this time, and it’s always so packed that the chapel walls are lined with students and professors. On Sunday nights, the Gathering, our on-campus church service, is held. This is at night so that students can get involved with a church in the community. If you stay an another twenty minutes, you can take part in after-worship, a powerful, energetic, extra time of praise.

Dimnent at Christmas

There are three cottages on campus that are sponsored by Campus Ministries: Pancake House, Waffle House, and Mouw Cottage. The first two houses hold events every month or so filled with pancakes, waffles, fun music, dancing, and good conversation. They are a Hope College staple. Mouw Cottage houses Delight Ministries, a ministry focused on encouraging women in their faith and reminding them the “delight” that the Lord takes in them. To live in one of these houses is an honor, as you are taking on a leadership role on campus.

These are just a few of the ways faith is prevalent on campus, and there are many more pockets of individuals gathering to worship the Lord or encourage and walk alongside each other.

How to Find Outside Scholarships to Help Pay for College

Paying for college is a big concern for many families, but fear not: as you may have heard, there’s lots of free money out there to help you pay for college. You just need to know where to look and then make the time to go after it!

If you’re a high school junior or younger, this is the prime time for tracking down outside scholarships. Let’s get to it.

Start at Your Counseling Office

First things first — drop in or make an appointment at your high school’s counseling or guidance office to ask about local scholarships. You can also check for a directory of local awards in the guidance section of your school’s website. These awards are typically sponsored by local businesses, community foundations, or area chapters of groups like the Lions Club, Rotary International and others. Maybe your school even holds an awards ceremony in the spring where these scholarships are doled out to the senior class. Don’t miss these!

Yes, Check the Internet

By far the largest source of information about outside scholarships is, you guessed it, online. Scholarship and college search sites like Fastweb, Cappex (one of Hope’s partners) and FinAid.org make it easy to find scholarships for which you might qualify. You can even filter for opportunities that match your demographic and academic background.

As with anything online, be vigilant — make sure you’re only taking the time to pursue scholarship opportunities from reputable companies and organizations. And don’t spend any money to access scholarship directories or hire a company to do the search for you, either. There are plenty of reputable (and free!) resources out there.

Now, Get to Work!

Of course, it’s not enough to simply find these outside scholarships. No, you actually have to apply for them, and this is where my best advice comes in. If you can, make searching and applying for outside scholarships your part-time job (or one of them!) during your junior and senior years.

It seems like every year there’s an inspiring story about some high school senior who applied for hundreds of outside scholarships. Sure she got turned down for most of them, but she was awarded the other 20, and they added up quickly. What if you spent 30 minutes a day working on scholarship stuff? You might be surprised at what you can earn by investing the time and showing up every day.

Getting Paid

So you’ve received some outside scholarships! That’s awesome. Most organizations will want to be in touch with your college or university of choice to find out where to send the award money. Others will write a check made out to you that you can use for books, tuition, or even a new computer for school.

Leave No Stone Unturned

And finally, make sure you’ve maximized all of the internal scholarship opportunities available at your schools of choice. Have you applied for academic scholarships? What about auditioning for an artistic award? Lastly, be sure you’ve filed for need-based aid.

So there you have it! Some quick ideas on finding outside scholarships to pay for college. As with anything, what you get out of this has much to do with the time you spend doing it. Good luck!

Spring Semester at Hope

Hope is a school filled with both goofy and revered traditions (which is part of the reason I was so excited to become a student here!) Many of the big, competitive traditions take place in the fall, such as The Pull or the Nykerk Cup, but there are many more events that happen every year in the winter and spring. The first snow marks the beginning of many traditions. Students scramble into the Pine Grove for a peer organized snowball fight. The Durfee boys gather and carol to Dykstra and Gilmore… in their boxers. They are always freezing cold, but have to keep that tradition alive!

In February, SAC, or the Student Activities Committee, holds Winter Fantasia at a beautiful location in downtown Grand Rapids. This is a chance to pull out your heels or tie and spruce up for night of dancing. From hors d’euvres to photo booths to elegant fountains and chandeliers, this is a chance to get whisked away from studies for a night.

Dance Marathon takes place in March and is a major part of life on campus. This fundraiser for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital holds events to raise money beginning in the fall semester, but the big event is the 24 hour extravaganza of dancing and fun mixed with the stories recounting the reality of some of these kid’s lives and reminding participants why they’re on their feet for 24 hours. There are countless ways to get involved: you can be a part of the “Dream Team” that plans the event, be a moraler for the dancers, or be on a team and dance for 24 hours.

Enjoying the sun at Spring Fling.

Spring Fling is the big end of the year hurrah. Planned by SAC, students join together in the Pine Grove one last time. There are bouncy house obstacle courses, mechanical bull riding, a zip-line, good food, and more.

This team put two shopping carts together.

Another event that takes place during Spring Fling is The Push: a shopping cart race around the Pine Grove. Teams of around 5 take turns pushing members in the shopping cart, then switch every lap. It’s a fun element added into this end of the year event.

Hope You Go Greek!

Fraternities and sororities are a huge part of going to college in America. No matter where you go there are different ideas, stereotypes, and myths about Greek organizations. I am here to give you a glimpse into the amazing, diverse, and fun-loving lives of greek members at Hope College. Greek Life at Hope aims to enrich the lives of students by fostering lifelong relationships and connections through leadership, academic, and social accountability. Each organization is unique and brings something completely different to the Hope community.

About 20% of the campus is a member of a Greek organization. From this group of people, you will find students that are involved in nearly every activity on campus.

One thing that is special about the culture of Greek Life at Hope is that it is not exclusive and it will never inhibit you from experiencing other parts of campus. I have found that in joining a sorority I opened up connections to nearly every pocket on campus and was able to meet people outside of my dorm, class, major, and even interests. Nearly every campus activity that you join you can count on a Greek member being there. To be Greek at Hope is a great way to have a presence in Hope’s community and to be able to see a familiar face no matter where you go.

There are a couple of things that make Greek Life at Hope a little different. For one, we have rush in the spring as opposed to many schools that recruit new members in the fall. This allows freshmen to get settled and meet people from every organization without any sort of pressure. In addition to that, our rush process is a little over two weeks long. This allows for rushees — students rushing a fraternity or sorority — to actually get to know the actives and vice versa. What I really appreciate about our rush process is that it is designed so that rushees are given multiple opportunities to explore every single organization before finding which one would best fit them. When I rushed, not only did I find a sorority I love, but I met so many people in different organizations all around campus.

Once rush is over rushees will receive a bid, a formal invitation, to join an organization. At this point, Greek Orientation starts — a 3-week orientation process that all new actives will go through after choosing an organization. These 3 weeks are filled with learning about the history and traditions of each organization. It was during this time that I created hilarious memories and bonds with my pledge class, the same people that rushed with me.

After those three weeks are over, you are welcomed with open arms to be an active member of your sorority or fraternity. This is when the real fun begins. There are countless social events that will introduce you to members of nearly every Greek Organization on campus. Not only will you grow socially but each organization participates in fundraisers that will benefit the community. Fun fact: Did you know that Dance Marathon was brought to Hope by Greek Life? Since then the Greek community has been a pivotal part of the success of Dance Marathon at Hope.

Once joining this community you will find that there are a couple of things that differentiate Hope Greek Life from the Greek communities you may hear about at other schools. For instance, apart from one national fraternity on campus, every other organization is local. The only difference is that local organizations do not abide by any national laws regarding dues. Another thing you will find is that organizations may not be referred to by their letters. For instance, there are Dorians, Emersonian, Sibyllines, and Cosmos. May feel tricky but you could easily get the hang of it. Another difference is that not every member lives in the organization’s house. At Hope, only about ten members live in the organization’s cottage.

I rushed Delta Phi because I wanted to be a part of something at Hope. What I found is that I entered a community that stretched me to experience college in a completely different way. I found friends that make me laugh for hours, are up for every kind of adventure and are committed to supporting each other in all kinds of ways. I love carrying on traditions and values that began before I was even born. I became part of a family line of amazing women that remind me to work hard and live life to the fullest. I am incredibly thankful for being a part of Greek Life at Hope College and the ways that it has enhanced my time at Hope. I know it may sound like a lot but I encourage all students to explore the opportunities that this community can bring!

You can find out more about Greek Life here! For another, more detailed, blog about Greek Life at Hope check out this blog!

Why Your Freshman Year Roommate Experience Doesn’t Define Your Hope Experience

I love residential life on Hope College’s campus maybe just a little too much. Over the last three years of living on Hope’s campus, I have enjoyed spending the last two being a Resident Assistant (also affectionately known as a R.A.) to the women of Phelps Hall and Mayor’s Cottage. Living on-campus has shaped me to be a much better person than I was when I entered college. However, I never would’ve expected that to be the case during my freshman year.

Abigail Brummel is a junior and former resident of Phelps Hall.

When I decided to attend Hope my senior year of high school, I didn’t really know anyone else who was planning on attending. Because of this, I decided to come in without a roommate, otherwise known as ‘going potluck.’ I filled out my housing form and prayed that the Lord would lead me to a lifelong friend and the most amazing roommate ever. I pictured us decorating our room in corresponding colors and staying up past midnight sharing secrets. As you can tell, I was pretty naive to how the real world works then. That was not what happened.

I want to preface this story by saying that I still occasionally see my freshman year roommate. If she is reading this, I want her to know that I appreciated our time together and that I think she is an amazing person. We just weren’t amazing people for each other.

Our first semester living together was one of barely speaking and living two very separate lives. I loved our quaint little dorm room in Phelps Hall; she didn’t really like being their very much. I enjoyed being on campus 24/7 and didn’t really see my family very often; her mom is her best friend and she went and slept at home a couple nights a week. I didn’t particularly mind our arrangement. I thought it was okay. However, I don’t believe that she did.

About a month into our second semester, my roommate sent me a text asking if we could chat that evening. She hadn’t been sleeping in our room for the past couple nights, so I thought she just wanted to catch up when she got back. When I arrived back at our room, she asked me to sit and explained to me that she had decided that she no longer wished to live in the dorms and was moving back home. She said that being in a dorm gave a bit of anxiety that she couldn’t shake. I had no idea that she had felt this way. I was shocked. She said she was leaving and wanted to give me my space to process and understand her decision. After she left, I went and bawled in my friend’s room for the next hour.

Once she had moved out, I lived alone for the rest of the year. Being unsure what I was going to do for housing the next year, one of my good friends set me up with a girl also looking for a roommate. We hung out a couple times and found we really liked hanging out with each other, enough to live together. Now, she is one of my best friends and my roommate of two years. Having seen both sides of the spectrum, the loneliness of not having a roommate to someone who I can talk to about anything, has truly made me into a better R.A., friend, and person.

If you’ve made it this far in my story, stick with me for a moral. No matter how your roommate relationship goes, I want to let you know what I didn’t then. What I didn’t understand was that her decision to leave had nothing to do with me. It wasn’t that I was a bad roommate or a bad friend; she just needed to find a space where she could be comfortable. My space was the dorm; her space was at home. Going our separate ways made me better and I cannot thank her enough for that.