Leaving my Home Life at Home

Living on campus is my favorite part of being a college student. I personally have a single-room dorm, so I love this little space I call home. The mini fridge in my dorm is actually the first adult appliance I’ve bought, and so I’m pretty proud of that. I remember how excited I was to get magnets for it. Right now, I have a bunch of alphabet magnets where I spell out inspiring words of affirmation. In the corner of my room, I have a wooden picnic basket filled with stuffed animals. I like to call it my “plushie mountain,” mostly because I have so many that they practically spill out of the basket. 

There are so many things I like about my dorm and my space. I go out of my way to make myself comfortable here. This stems from not really having many positive spaces in my life growing up. 

I live in a house with my mom and her husband. My mom and I are really close, but her husband and I are definitely not. If anyone can relate to the “evil stepparent” analogy, this blog is for you. Even so, I wouldn’t even use the term “stepdad” on this man. He’s not worthy of any title relating to being my dad. On that note, he’s been in my life since I was 10. He and my mom got together very early on after my dad’s passing when I was 9. I think when I was a kid I really wanted a father figure, but as the years went by, I began to find out that the man my mom married was never going to be that. 

You can imagine what it’s like living in a house with someone you despise. He and I don’t really speak much, or at all. I am usually in the places he’s not. So if he’s in the kitchen, I’m in the living room. So you can probably imagine that living in my house can feel like walking on eggshells. Though, it makes me think about my dad a lot. 

I never got a chance to fully know my dad, but he was such a loving presence. I wish he could be here to see me at Arcadia, he would’ve been so proud of me. I think the idea of my mom and dad moving me into my dorm Freshman year would’ve been so lovely. I often think about the ways he would contribute to my education here at Arcadia. 

Living on campus has given me a taste of what it’s like to live in a place where you don’t have to walk on eggshells. I don’t have to avoid my mom’s husband, and in fact, he’s never set foot on this campus. It’s like an entire radius that is ick-free! Almost like a protective shield. 

Overall, living on campus has done wonders for my mental health. I’m happier, and I feel safer. I feel more like myself than I ever did at home, and that feeling of security is something I never want to let go of. 

When it comes to the housing department on campus, they are the best. I’ve been able to work with them each year to find a living arrangement that fits my needs. It’s fabulous that the needs of the student are something the housing department takes seriously. So, I never have to worry about what the next year will look like. If you ever find yourself with questions pertaining to the housing options on campus, definitely email them to housing@arcadia.edu!

So, if your home life isn’t the best, that doesn’t mean you can’t make the best of the situation with your time here on campus. I know my Dad would’ve loved how much I’m enjoying my life here on campus. I look forward to my future here at Arcadia, and I know he is too.