Roots & Wings
Mud Bowl from the early 2000s
Stepping onto a college campus for the first time generates a kaleidoscope of emotions鈥攅qual parts hope and hesitation. Students may feel the ache of leaving home even as they yearn to plant new roots. They reach for independence yet face the uncertainty of charting their own course. While academic pursuits anchor the undergraduate experience, university life extends far beyond the classroom. Residence life lives in our collective memory as equally formative鈥攁n incubator for growth and belonging. On Calvin鈥檚 Knollcrest campus, dorm life plays a vital role in helping students spread their wings.
Traditions
Throughout the year, there are plenty of reasons to spend weekends on campus, including the fun of participating in Calvin traditions. Fall introduces students to Chaos Night (formerly Day) full of competition between dorms and a healthy dose of the absurd.
Growth
The ultimate living and learning experience, students living in the dorms explore faith, identity, relationships, and the joys and challenges of their newly gained autonomy.
鈥淢y time in the dorms was when I started figuring out the whole 鈥榓dulting鈥 thing. You start to manage your time, do your own laundry, set your own curfew, and decide what your values are. I also figured out how to get along with people鈥攐r not鈥攁nd then how to deal with differences in ideas or values.鈥 Kim Brower 鈥93
Welcome
鈥淎s an international student, I really enjoy living on Calvin鈥檚 campus. I love how people are so welcoming and friendly here. I also love spending time with my roommate, Emelyn鈥攚e get along so well鈥攁nd I value how close our relationship has become.鈥 Esther Lan 鈥29, member of the 150th class
Relational Ecosystem
To live in the dorms is to become part of a vibrant relational ecosystem, filled with all the highs and lows one might expect.
鈥淚 was surrounded by peers who were experiencing many of the same things I was鈥 first time living away, hard classes, exploring faith. I felt seen, heard, and known.鈥 Jeff Meitler 鈥16
鈥淐hallenges that come to mind included telling a student that his father had committed suicide, helping a student get the mental health resources needed, at- tending funerals for student leaders that I had, but most of the challenges were just day-to-day operations and relationship development.鈥 Dave Rozeboom 鈥91, Beets Veenstra resident director 鈥94鈥撯96
Memories
Each day presents the possibility of a memory-in-the-making鈥攖he impossible prank pulled off with finesse, the advent of a lasting relationship, an ordinary moment that becomes a core memory.
"Most of my core memories at Calvin revolve around life at KH. I met my wife at Calvin鈥攕he was on first Kalsbeek; I was on first Huizenga." Minwoo Heo 鈥09
Home Away from Home
鈥淵our floor is your first community on campus. It鈥檚 where your home is. Your stuff is there. It鈥檚 where you sleep. And it鈥檚 often where you make your first friends.鈥 John Witte 鈥91, dean of students
鈥淥ver the first weeks, months, year, the dorm became home. It was our place.鈥 Jan Stouwie Bode 鈥72
This story features a variety of images from residence live through the years that can't be accommodated on this webpage. of this article to enjoy!