Transfers Find Support at Garden Lunch

Recent transfer students attended a lunch held in the campus garden on October 30, hosted by librarian Sarah Morgan.

This was the 2nd time a new student lunch was held. At the prior lunch, which took place in August, the students introduced themselves and socialized.

Morgan, who hosted both events, said she was inspired by teacher Michelle Alessandria and college and career counselor Joan Batcheller. “Both she and Ms. Alessandria know of a lot of students who are uncomfortable about coming to school, and so my daughter [sophomore Shanna Hallihan] being 1 of them because she was brand new, the 3 of us came together and thought, ‘Oh wouldn’t it be fun to do something fun for these kids who are uncomfortable being at school.’ And so I offered to host it. So I was just the person who hosted it, but it was really their idea,” Morgan explained.

According to Morgan, 25 students transferred in to Campolindo this year. 2 are exhange students from foreign countries, 5 are kids from different states, and a few are kids from neighboring cities.

Junior Olivia Strout moved from Austin, Texas this year. Strout said, “My friend [junior] Maria [Först], who is from Finland, and I are pretty close and we think that these meetings are fun and they’re cool and you get to meet the other kids who are in the same situation as you and you feel like you kind of belong. Like you’re not the only one in this position.”

“I just thought it’d be a fun experience, you know, just to feel like you’re not alone, you’re not the only transfer. It’s cool ‘cause everyone’s new, so same situation,” said sophomore Yusra Khan, who moved from Maryland.

Strout and Khan felt the lunch helped them transition to Campolindo. “Meeting these people, and then you see them in the hallway, like, ‘Oh yeah, I know you, you’re the other new kid!’ And so you smile and wave and you recognize them in your classes. And that’s the hardest part: recognizing people again. You see them in one class and then you’re like, ‘Oh wait, you are in my other class.’ So just seeing them and being like, ‘Okay, I know who you are, I know what your name is, and this is cool,'” Strout said.

“You’re not alone ‘cause you get to know people. It’s cool to be with somebody else,” Khan said. “The first few days of school you’re like, ‘Oh it’s so awkward, I don’t know anyone.’ But when you go to the club, you’re like, ‘Oh, ok. We’re all in this together.'”

Morgan said, “I think this little group that we’ve created allows them to have more social interaction in a safe place.”

The group plans to meet next in December. Morgan said, “As long as they are excited to keep doing it, I’ll keep hosting.”