Senior Year at Amate

The following is a reflection written by Lexie Purcell, one of this year's North House Volunteers.

Changing diapers, singling lullabies, living in community, moving away from all my family and friends and surviving the coldest winter of my life-these were things I never envisioned happening all in one year, let alone during what was supposed to be my senior year of college. As everyone I've ever gone to school with graduates this month, I've started to reflect on what my life with Amate House has meant to me during this time in my life. I was blessed with the opportunity and option to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree one year earlier than the majority of my classmates. When this option was presented to me, I felt I was ready to graduate, but I wanted to make sure I took advantage of this rare situation in a special and unique way. I decided to take my ‘senior year’ and perform a year of service with it. I wished to serve others in need, contribute to a vibrant community of volunteers and grow in my faith life. Little did I know, I would be changed forever by so much more by joining the Amate House community.

As my classmates started student teaching, writing their senior capstones or attending their last semesters of classes, I was moving to a much larger city with 11 strangers from across the country. I had little time to think about the life I had left behind because the Amate experience was already at work. I was now part of a household and family of young adults, I was a teacher to infants and toddlers and for the first time, I realized I had a vital role in how and where I was living my life. What I did and how I reacted to situations not only affected me, but my community at home and at work. I was finally part of a true community-something I deeply desired to be a part of during college.

There is no doubt I would have grown in college by completing another year with my classmates. Yet, I now can’t imagine my life without Amate. Living in an intentional community challenged me, it allowed me to look inward in order to know myself better. It also gave me the opportunity to build lasting relationships with people I would have never been able to meet otherwise. My fellow community members have been with me on this journey every step of the way. They have laughed and cried with me; they have discussed social justice issues, faith journeys, work experiences, hopes and dreams about the future with me. In college I would have never imagined I could grow this close to people in a few short months; but now, I can no longer look back without thinking about my Amate experience.

I decided to spend my ‘senior year’ of college dedicated to a service oriented experience. Instead, I gained a new appreciation for life, a new love for all the children at my work site, invaluable knowledge about myself and what I want for my future, a community of supportive, energetic and loving housemates, a great leap in my faith journey and memories and lessons that will last a lifetime. I wouldn't trade my ‘senior year’ for anything in the world.