Article by: Zoey Brookbanks    

For three years now, I have had the opportunity to watch new first-year students move into their dorm rooms in the Michigan Research and Discovery Scholars Living Learning Community. It’s my favorite part of continuing to work with MRADS. I love the energy coursing through the halls of the Mosher-Jordan dormitory. In particular, I love watching students meet their roommates and fellow MRADS scholars, because finding community is so important for first-year students. The transition from high school and parental supervision to a large university without guidance is overwhelming for many students. Creating a network of relationships and support is integral to a student's success.

This autumn, I have been considering the importance of this, and curious whether MRADS students truly found the meaningful friendships I always assumed I was observing. After asking this year’s MRADS first years about their friendships, it became clear that MRADS fosters strong and impactful friendships. 

When asked about her friendships through MRADS, Eve Rudy’s deep admiration for her friends was palpable. Eve met her now best friend Aylin through her peer advising group. She shared that, after meeting each other, they decided to go to Artscapade at the UMMA, after which they have been inseparable. While they take different classes, participate in different clubs, and live on opposite sides of the dorm, they have spent many evenings visiting one another’s dorms and making other friends to add to their group.  Eve commented on how easy it is to make friends in Mosher-Jordan:

Eve’s story reflects what we know to be an integral component of MRADS: community She felt that she would not have made friendships quite as quickly without MRADS. She stated, “I would say I am a pretty outgoing person, but being in MRADS has genuinely made making friends so much easier, and I do not think that I would have had such a fun experience thus far if I was not in an MLC [Michigan Learning Community]”. Eve wasn’t the only first year meeting friends in the dorm. Another MRADS student, Aditree Sahu wrote, “my first friend was my roommate… [W]e realized we had very similar likes in books (also in the AC temperature and sleep schedules). Slowly, I made more friends around my room, (basically my neighbors)...because we all talked to each other randomly outside of our rooms one night at 11pm.” 

After their first year, many students look to continue their involvement in MRADS by becoming a student leader. This opportunity allows them to to support new students in building community and to maintain a strong community with fellow student leaders. One student leader, Sinna Oumer, explained that becoming a student leader allowed her to continue rooming with her first year roommate, Anika. She stated that, “We’ve had so many good times together; I really looked forward to rooming with her again this year. It’s never lonely with her around, so I’m super grateful for everything.” Since becoming a student leader, Sinna and Anika have become even better friends through their participation in MRADS.

If I could bottle the energy from these students while they discussed their friendships and community I would. Hearing about so many friendships through MRADS reminded me of my own first year experience, when I met some of my closest friends to this day. They were my first support at the University of Michigan through each other's best and worst moments. From watching each other secure research projects, to taking care of each other while we all had the flu, I have met what I expect to be some of the most influential people in my life. MRADS provided me with a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the best people I know. What is truly remarkable is that this story is not unique; as I have heard from Eve, Aditree, and Sinna, MRADS is unparalleled in its ability to create friendships and community amongst its students.