College as a Safe Haven: A Student from the University of San Franscisco
Medina Šuta is a sophomore at the University of San Francisco studying International Relations. Her interview is the third in the College as a Safe Haven series, however instead of conducting a phone interview, she chose to write the response below.
My college experience has been a unique one to say the least. Unlike many of my peers, I was not able to live on campus; instead, I had to commute four hours a day to my school of choice, the University of San Francisco. My father did not allow me to live on campus and thus, I had to take two trains and 4 buses a day to get to and from class. On top of the commutes and school work, I also had to work on the weekends to buy myself my train tickets, food, and clothes.
My home life was not stable either as my dad refused to work and grew increasingly controlling and possessive over us. However, in spite of everything, I flourished at the University of San Francisco. My peers and professors were incredibly kind and intelligent and I genuinely enjoyed all of my classes.
Once I got on campus, the stress from home, work, and the commute was suddenly relieved.
Additionally, having all of my classes on the same day allowed me to stay on campus longer and thus away from home. Right now, I am writing this from my new apartment in the Central Richmond district of San Francisco and I can hear the church bells of the local Russian Orthodox church ringing. Although I wasn’t able to enjoy my freshmen year as fully as I wish I could have, nonetheless, I am excited for my upcoming junior year and take advantage of all of the opportunities in front of me.
Medina’s interview is the third in this series aiming to raise awareness about the ways in which colleges serve students. Know a student I should interview? Email me! Want to learn more about access & affordability? Read the Student Bill of Rights.
