RLC and student grow up in dorms While most incomingsrudents spem the fustweeks of school acclimating dlemselves to dle dorm lifestyle, getting used to their loud neighbors, the beige walls and the nighdy room checks, for others it was just home. Freshman Jacob Martin was one who was used to the dorm life, having grown up in the women's dorm Pattie Cobb where his modler,Joetta, was a dorm mom. Martin lived in the women's dorm for 11 years before beginning his college career at Harding. "It'd be really fun to grow up in the dorms. When people who are older than you give you attention, it's a great I"';ing." 8En::r i"ooth9r N3M::aly NoahOamell AJrhough li\rlng in a dorm mighr have seemed for some like an opportunity to stay up late and have fun with the crazy dorm antics, Martin said there were some things he felt he missed out on during his childhood. '1 never grew up in a neighborhood with other families and kids, but 1 was still able to have friends over often," he said. "High school was never a problem because I was able to drive to do dUngs with people." AJrhough his mom \VtIS also a mother 10 over 130 girls, Martin said he never felt like he had to share her all of the time. Along with spending time with his mom, Martin said he spent time widl the girls in the dorm, although not until he was older, talking mostly when he was younger to the resident assistants in the dorm. As he grew older though, Marcin said he began (0 appreciate me friendships he made with the other dorm residents. ''1 t may sound strange, but I've always viewed the girls living in the dorm as my 130 sisters," he said. As time approached for Martin ro begin looking ar colleges to attend, he said he looked elsewhere but then chose to stay at Harding where he already felt at home. "1 received enough scholarships to pay my way through college [at Harding], and because this is where home is, home nOt just meaning my family, bU[ also my Christian brothers and sisters that 1 know who attend, reach or work here," he said. "It would be so neat growing up around college kids. You'd always have tons of people to play VoJith you. n FrEffimlI-ffi"ffl Stsv.at Noah ilimeIl Martin said the biggest adjustmem about moving from tlle women's dorm to Armstrong Dorm was the noise level. Never having left the men's dorms was Debra Nesbitt, who grew up in Gradu.1te Hall and Allen Dorm as a child before mov~ ing on to be a Residence Life Coordinator in Keller Hall. 86 people ~ '1 pursued the donn because we were wanting to move Joetta Martin and her son Jacob p-epare the table fo" a meal n the lamf(s Cruse n P_ Cobb Dorm Sept 26 00y Sunday. .kJena pre. pare::J ,., afierr=1 ~ so tre IM'de I,.,.." couI:J be togetrer Nick Michael Freshman Jacob Martin and his mother sit cuside arc:! reaj 00 the S8CO"d IIx:f baIcal,< of Patte Cobb Dorm Sept 26. Gr"",ng LP 10 ths clam as a ch*:I. Jacobs latrer used '0 take hm oot on tre baIcal,< ard read to hm Nick Michael Debra Nesbitt and her family take a walk aro...rd carnpJS Sept. 25 Sh3 gfNV LP 10 tre roof)'S dams Graduate Hal ard AI\3n Dorm ard tren became a clam room 10 i<9Ilr Noah Darnell Nesbitt talks to a student OJtside of Keller Sept 25. Ha\IIrg grCNvll up In tre dams roost of rer Ille. sre knew tVIV Important rt was to ha", g:xxJ retatcnships vvith the 'yO...f'g men Noah Darnell back to Searg( Nesbitt said of becoming a dorm mom. ' ''To me, the dorm was a natural dloice for a job for my family. We felt like Goo had opened a door for us to get back to Searcy. 1 never really thought aoour doing any orher job while my kids are at home; it is perfect for raising a familr" Nesbitt said she moved out of rhe men's dorm during her freshman year at Harding when she stayed in Cathcart Dorm and then her entire sophomore year before moving back to Allen. Nesbitt said she missed the dorm atmosphere rhar she was familiar with and that it helped her save money by living at home. Nesbitt said her favorite times living in the dorms were during the summer and holiday breaks when the rooms \vere empty and she and her brothers were free to play ragor hideand-seek through the halls. Raising her own dUldren in Keller, Nesbitt said she was able to relive many of the memories of her own chilqb.ood. During the school year thougl\ Nesbitt said she enjoyed talking to the students as they came in and out of the dorm. "1 thought every guy walking through the quad was there to play with me," she said. "1 think I probably drove them nuts." Besides the friends and memories she made, Nesbitt said there were other mctors she loved aoour living in the dorms that she took with her. ''1 also developed a love of Harding," she said. ''Working with Christians in a Christian environment is worth any 'sacrifices' made. ] was always involved in missions at Harding and strongly believe in going into all the world, bur 1 also know there is a lot to do right here in Searcy. I f my family can reach one srudent, then my job is worth it." For both i'vlartin and Nesbitt, and for manyocher srudents who were far from their hometowns and families, the dorms became their true home. ' "Technically, I could have lived in Pattie Cobb this year, but I chose to move into the dorm to begin to learn how to live away from home, even though home is only three m.inutes awa);" ~1artin said. "I really enjoy living away from home now because I get to make the most of the choices that affect me, and I have begun to appreciate my family just a little more." Bethany Loftis and Katie Ramirez
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