WHAT’S CARE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

Tell us a story about a time in your life when you needed and received care. What did this look and feel like? How did SYSTEMS play a role in your story--how were institutions caring or uncaring?

When I was starting my journey as a college student, I recall the moment I felt like I couldn't do it anymore, if I didn't go home for a moment. One of the many reasons why I chose Bates College was because of the distance from home. I knew staying close to home would be a distraction and even more challenging, so I chose to go out of state. While I knew this would be hard on my mother, I knew it would be good for me overall. Your first year of college is hard, but second semester things seemed to be getting even harder. My mother was once again dealing with family situations and it was getting the best of me. I was also feeling mentally weak, and as if my academic preparation in high school had not been enough for college. I kept doubting myself and didn't seem to have a way out.

Very early into the second semester of freshman year, I was walking on campus, when I was stopped by Carmita, a staff member on campus whom I had seen before, but never had the opportunity to interact with. If I am honest, until this day I don't know what her role was, but I was walking on campus when she stopped me, and just simply asked how I was doing. I responded with a fast and long response. She looked at me, as if she knew something was going on and asked me what I was doing tomorrow. The question threw me off and I couldn't even respond. She said, "How can you be thinking about everything that you are going to do in the future, when you don't even know what you are going to do tomorrow?" I froze and just starred at her, so she simply said, why don't you come see me tomorrow in my office. I hesitated, but agreed. The next day, I arrived at her office and just purged it all out. On this day, Carmita became my Bates mom.

All I remember is that after that conversation and about two days later I had roundtrip tickets to RI in my hands. I don't know how she did it, but thanks to that interaction I was able to visit my mom in RI to let her know that I was there for her, and then return to Bates and focus on my education. Carmita knew the importance of me going home, and even though she asked me multiple times what she could do to help me, I didn't know how to respond, because I wanted to go home and be with my mom, but I also knew I didn't have the money and needed to save the money I was making from work, so that I could go home for Thanksgiving & Christmas vacation. That trip saved my life for many reasons, but mainly because it became the focus I needed to get through college and earn my degree.