It’s not her grades I’m worried about

A few nights ago, I spent almost an hour on the phone with one of our Scholars, curled up in a chair in my backyard.

We talked about connection. Community. Finding your people.

She told me she often feels alone. She carries family obligations that don’t disappear just because she went away to college. And sometimes, there just isn’t much time, energy, or money left to invest in building a life of her own.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that conversation.

Because there’s a difference between getting a diploma and getting an education.

The diploma happens in the classroom.

But so much of the education happens outside the classroom. At dinner with friends, in the club meeting, on the intramural field. It happens when she finds her people and starts to feel like she belongs.

She worked too hard to get there to ever feel like she’s standing on the outside looking in.

Because sometimes, belonging costs money.

It’s dinner with friends. Club dues. Coffee after class.

Things that seem small, until you’re the one who has to keep saying no.

And I’ve been sitting with that.

So, we’re going to try to do something about it.

I’m calling it the Friendship Fund.

I’ll tell you more about it soon.

But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if belonging isn’t the extra part of a college education.

Maybe it’s one of the most important parts.

Ginny