Sara Zahn and her roommate are lucky to have a spacious corner room on the first floor of their dorm at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a room most residents have to pass to reach the stairs. But the homey atmosphere of colorful posters, Christmas light decorations, and comfy couches is their own creation. Whenever they’re in, they keep their door open, a bucket of candy on their coffee table, and a vast array of movies ready to pop in.
“Last year my roommate and I decided that since we had such a big room we wanted to make it feel like a home to people that needed a place to get away,” said Sara. “Even if you’re doing homework or watching TV, you never know when someone is going to need a friend.”
The Lonely Places
Sara knows firsthand the need for friends and familiar places away from home. When she started college, she realized she was far removed from her Christian community and the support of people who had known her most of her life. It had been a long time since she needed to make friends, and she was out of practice. On top of that, adjusting to the heavier academic load of college was stressful. She turned to alcohol and the party scene for help.
Then Sara met some InterVarsity students, people who loved her and encouraged her to grow in her faith. “I had tried to replace my support with drinking, but once I found InterVarsity, I realized that was real community,” said Sara.
As they prepare to head back to school this fall, Sara and her roommate will continue offering their room as a home away from home. For InterVarsity students, living alongside peers in the close quarters of a dorm offers unique opportunities for building deeper relationships and bringing the hope and love of Jesus into lonely places.
A Change of Address
In search of these opportunities, twenty InterVarsity students at the University of Nevada—Reno are giving up the privacy of apartments and the luxury of real ovens and homemade cookies to move into the dorms.
Amy Zeller and Laurel Cooney, two of those students, will be roommates in Argenta Hall, a dorm generally known for its quieter, more reserved atmosphere. The year before, Amy had lived off campus, and Laurel, then a freshman, had expectations of a typical college life—join a sorority, get a campus job, and work hard for her degree. But the InterVarsity chapter challenged them both to consider how their faith affects each area of their lives, including where they lived.
“I believe we are being called into this dorm to pull people out of their shells, make friends, and show God’s love to the incoming freshmen,” said Laurel. Though Reno has a reputation for being one of the most unreached cities in the western United States, Laurel believes that the actions of InterVarsity members can change the community. “The best time to start that change is now, on our campus,” said Laurel.
Amy’s year off campus gave her a better grasp of the city—where to find good coffee and what to do for free. She’d like to serve students in another way. “Reno has a lot to offer, and I’m excited to show new freshmen around!” said Amy.
A Renewed Home
A junior at Montana State University, Jake Clairmont’s experience in the dorms this fall will include leading a small group Bible study for the first time. Though he’s a little nervous, he’s been exchanging letters about faith and religion with a friend throughout the summer, and the experience has taught him how to approach leadership. “It’s not what I am personally doing but what God is doing to show my friend God’s glory,” said Jake.“All I can do is pray and be there when my friend has questions.”
He and his co-leader want to influence the party mentality of the dorm where they’re leading a Bible study. Through one student, one room, and one floor at a time, they hope to share Jesus’ love and grace with these students.
For anyone moving into the dorms this fall, it will be the little things—an open door, brushing teeth together in the bathroom, the same TV show echoing from a dozen rooms—that create a sense of community rarely found in the library or classroom. When Christian students join this community with hearts to serve, they bring fresh life to the dorm, a godly perspective, and a sense of home.
