Omoefe Ebhohimen

I like to compare NMH to a snow globe. There are lots of things going on, and sometimes it gets chaotic, but it always settles down and goes back to its peaceful self. Also, being here is like living in a bubble, but in a good way. Though we’re totally aware of what’s going on in the world, we can keep it at bay a little bit and focus on what we’re here for, which is to learn and truly discover ourselves.

We learn about each other better here, too. I think it’s easy when you don’t understand someone to just walk away rather than to attempt to communicate and really solve problems. You can’t do that at NMH.  So I became a Peer Mediator. I see what kind of conflicts we have and I see how we resolve them. I know that it is possible to talk things out and find good compromises. I’ve always been the type of person who tried to bring people together, but as certification for this job, the school gave me extensive training. So now I know more methods to use and I can help people other than my friends.

Of course NMH isn’t simply a sanctuary. They make sure you get as far outside the snow globe as you can. For example, my junior year, I spent three weeks in Costa Rica as part of an environmental studies class. We stayed in the rain forest and slept on a beach with no electricity or running water. Being from New York City (talk about bubbles), it was quite a shock for me. But I got to do a project on Black Piperacae, a plant with flowers pollinated by bats. I got to touch the plant, collect samples from it, draw pictures of it, smell it. I learned things on that trip, both academically and personally, that I never could have in a classroom.

As a sphere in which to live and grow, NMH is a great one, especially for adolescents. Most of the time it’s wonderfully nurturing and protective. But every once in a while we have a blast shaking it up.