About a year ago, during my U of M campus day, I stumbled upon the MRADS Learning-Living Community. It sounded awesome, yet I found myself hesitating as I compared it to other MLCs. I was caught up in the rigid stereotype of what a “researcher” is, fearing that the environment would be strictly academic and lacking in social interaction, which my outgoing side craved. This couldn’t have been further from the truth; I didn’t fit my own narrow stereotype of what I thought a “researcher” was, and it turns out that no one else in MRADS did either.
I started realizing just how wrong my assumption was on move-in day. I was immediately met by student leaders wheeling a snack cart down the hall, with big, bright smiles and genuine interest in being there, eager to get to know me. They didn’t just offer me snacks, but stopped and chatted with me, not hesitating to help me loft my bed. I instantly felt included, and it didn’t stop there. Once my parents left, I peeked out into the hallway, and within minutes, I was caught up in a rowdy game of UNO. We spent the rest of the day knocking from door to door, introducing ourselves to everyone on the floor, many of whom remain my closest friends to this day.
The camaraderie didn’t peak during welcome week; it continued to grow throughout the entire year. On the fourth floor of MoJo, the hallways are a constant hum of activity. On any given night, you’ll find us chatting together, sharing hilarious stories, or diving into the nerdiest depths of quantum mechanics. With MRADS, I didn’t just find a research program, I found my people.
What makes the students in MRADS so unique is that, on the surface, it seems the thing that connects everyone is research; in reality, we’re connected by something entirely different: we all share that same passion and curiosity that drives us to learn and understand the world. Everyone in MRADS carries this spark that is infectious in some way, shape, or form. When you combine that with the fact that everyone is coming from vastly different backgrounds, carrying different experiences and perspectives, you end up with a harmonious blend of personalities, ambitions, and energy that all come together to create a vibrant community. I have had the most enriching conversations and experiences with this group of people in my entire life. Ever since I stepped foot into MoJo, I have been non-stop growing as a person and having an absolute blast along the way.
Whoever you are, you will find your people here in MRADS. I have found people who not only love going to sporting events and having chill nights in, but who also have this effervescent side, ready to go on any adventure. From piling into a car and watching a movie in a Ypsilanti theatre to a spontaneous trip to the Detroit Observatory to playing ghost in the graveyard at 1 am, I’m confident that I found my people in MRADS.
MRADS has been integral to my first year here at the University of Michigan, and I can’t wait to return next year as a student leader to help others find their place in the same tight-knit, supportive community I call home.
