School of Communication first-year Helen Davis grew up in Evanston, Ill., just a few minutes away from Northwestern’s campus. But when the time came for her to move down the street into her freshman dorm this past September, Davis was still “in her feels.”
One of Davis’ biggest supporters during the move was Lamby, the cleverly named stuffed lamb her parents gave her when she was 3 years old. Lamby is now a bit scrunched and faded, but Davis said she wanted to bring to campus some reminder of her home on Orrington Avenue.
“I was feeling very sentimental as I was packing,” Davis said. “I was being so dramatic due to the fact that I was moving two blocks away from home.”
Davis has slept with stuffed animals since childhood, and knew she wanted to bring one with her. She said they help her remember that time.
“As we’re coming here, we’re all kind of wanting to go back to childhood because we’re faced with the fears of leaving home and doing new things,” Davis said. “It’s easy to look in the past and say, ‘Things were so great when I was a kid, I wish I could have that childlike innocence again.’ Your stuffed animal is a reminder of all those feelings.”