I always knew I wanted to come to Davidson College. Growing up in Mooresville, just a fifteen-minute drive from campus, Davidson always felt like a second home. My connection to the College was ingrained in me from a young age because of its proximity and the memories I’ve built here over the years. My high school is only about two miles from campus, which meant that Davidson was more than just a college town—it was part of my everyday life. At the time, I did not realize that going to college in my hometown would shape my experiences in unimaginable ways. Looking back, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that Davidson has provided.
Some of my favorite childhood memories took place right here on campus. I can still feel the excitement of sitting in the stands at basketball games, decked out in red and black, looking up to the students in Section 30. I remember watching my sisters perform as Junior Wildcat cheerleaders alongside the Davidson cheerleading team at football games, feeling a sense of excitement at every first down, hoping that one day I would be a part of this community. I spent countless afternoons playing pool in Union, walking around Main Street and enjoying the same beautiful campus we all do today. These moments shaped my perception of what it meant to be part of a community built on trust, connection and belonging.
Arriving on campus in the fall of 2022 was the moment I had spent practically my whole life looking forward to. Despite my excitement, though, my first semester was much harder than I had anticipated. I faced the same challenges that many first-year students experience: adjusting to a new academic workload, trying to make meaningful friendships and figuring out where I fit in. But for me, there was an additional layer of discomfort. For the first time, I felt like a stranger in my own hometown.
Being so close to home should have comforted me, but in those early months it only heightened my feelings of isolation. I felt torn between two worlds: the familiar town I had grown up in and the unfamiliar environment of being a college student. I worried that staying so close to home had been the wrong choice, that maybe I had sacrificed the opportunity for a fresh start by choosing a place I already knew so well. It was a strange and unsettling feeling to walk down Main Street and feel out of place.
Over time, these feelings began to fade. As I settled into life at Davidson, I formed deeper connections with new friends and began to open up more. I learned to trust others and, in turn, was rewarded with the best friends I could ask for. I realized that creating a meaningful college experience wasn’t about how far I was from home: it was about building authentic relationships and embracing both the familiar and the new.
As I grew more comfortable at Davidson, I began to appreciate the unique experience of being able to share my hometown with my new friends. I have enjoyed showing them my favorite local spots like Fresh Chef and Brookyln South or inviting them over to my house for a home-cooked meal. Another unexpected benefit of being so close to home was the opportunity to stay closely connected to my family. I come from a large family of seven, so being able to celebrate birthdays, holidays and other milestones with relatives while still enjoying myself at college has only made us closer. I can stay involved in my family’s life while still pursuing my goals at Davidson.
Going to college in my hometown has given me a profound sense of responsibility and purpose in the work I do on campus, especially in my role as SGA president. Every initiative I undertake, whether advocating for student needs, collaborating with administrators or promoting our campus values, feels deeply personal because it extends beyond the boundaries of the College. I’m not only working to improve life at Davidson: I feel committed to invest in the town that shaped me.
In many ways, my experience at Davidson has been a full circle journey. I came to college eager to continue a lifelong relationship with a place that had always felt like home, only to realize that I needed to intentionally carve out a new space for myself in that familiar setting. It took time, growth and the support of friends and family to recognize
that I didn’t have to choose between what I had grown up knowing and who I wanted to become. Instead, I could embrace both. Staying in Davidson has allowed me to build a college experience that honors where I come from while preparing me for where I’m going.
If there is anything I have learned from my time at Davidson, it is that living in my hometown during college has deepened my understanding of what it means to be part of a community. It’s not enough to just be familiar with a place. Being part of a community like Davidson requires investment, contribution and finding connection with the people who also call it home. Davidson has given me the chance to do exactly that, and I am deeply thankful.
Connor Hines is a political science and history major from Mooresville, NC and can be reached for comment at [email protected].
