September holds a lot of stress for Calvin students, whether it be juggling new classes, figuring out which clubs to commit to, or adjusting to new practice schedules. However, if you’re headed into your second year in the dorms, you may be especially worried about finding housing off campus.

It’s not that there aren’t houses or apartments available — it’s the anxiety about figuring out who to live with, determining what a reasonable rent rate is and also finding the money to pay for furniture, somehow. It’s thinking about commuting, about buying groceries, and about cooking dinner. Last year at this time I was trying to find a fifth person to live with, reading through different contracts, and spending my afternoons going on house tours. 

Now, three months into my lease, I almost forget the chaos of last September. I love slow mornings of making toast in my kitchen and sitting on my back porch. I love staying up late with my housemates in our living room, decorating and redecorating our shelves. I love the freedom of our house, and I love the space we’ve carved out for ourselves. 

But not everything is perfect. There’s the arguing over dishes and the extra costs for utilities and the stress of getting rent paid, sure, but there’s also a pervading sense of isolation. I no longer run into my friends in the dorm lobby. I don’t get invited to ice cream socials or cereal nights. I hear about events on campus far less often, and I feel a sense that I’m missing something. I don’t have an RA who leaves her door open and asks me how my day is going. I have to drive for at least five minutes to see any of my other friends. I can’t just walk into Knollcrest on my way back to KHvR to grab a bite to eat. I don’t have a roommate, and I don’t have suitemates, and some days I forget that I’m even in college, which is strange. 

Any of my housemates will tell you the same thing. We feel this gratitude about our housing situation and are so happy to be living together, but Calvin often feels far away. It’s not that we want to go back to the dorms —- that time has passed —- but our underclassmen years are already tinged with nostalgia. After all, at what other point in our lives will we share a space with hundreds of other people who are all our age and are all going through the same experiences? 

Calvin is a community that is far-reaching and not tied down to a specific place. I firmly believe that. But change often brings a newfound appreciation for how things used to be. I am sure that, over time, my housemates and I will discover what it truly means to be a part of the Calvin community even if we are no longer physically there. For now, though, we will continue to adjust to everything that is new with cautious optimism. The dorms were brand-new to us two years ago, after all.

So, for any underclassmen who are caught in the housing scramble this September, know that it will all be figured out eventually. Enjoy the spaces where you are now. Look forward to where you are going. And remember that community can be found wherever you end up.