A Walkabout Campus

By Thomas Ansell, Class of ’15

You can feel it in the air, unfamiliarity, and for some this may even be the first time feeling it. As you casually stroll across the grounds, you begin to familiarize yourself with the layout of this new area. You think to yourself, “Ok ‘Crawford’ is over there, and that has classrooms and the Humanities and Communication department, next to that is ‘Skurla’…” trying to memorize the map and all of its details trying to not seem like a tourist, trying to seem like you already know, trying to… fit in.

You make your way to all the places, you feel like you know where everything is but now you’re faced with a challenge, where to go to get forms signed. A test to see if you do belong here, so you don’t feel like an outsider. You know you need to find a “Robert Taylor” to sign off on your class change but where would he be? You think “Well, it’s a COM class so he’s probably over with the HUM/COM department… That’s over in….. CRAWFORD!” You remember and feel as if you truly belong, like you fit in.

As you walk around your new campus strolling along, a woman and her son approach you looking as if to ask you a question. At first you feel surprised, but you collect yourself as she asks you, “Who do I talk to for more information on the Communication majors at this School?” You smile and simply respond, “Big building across the street, go to the sixth and they will get you to Dr. Taylor, he’s the head of the department.” As she leaves you almost chuckle to yourself, realizing you truly do belong here.