By Meredith Lyverse
Kamryn Horne started out as Reagan Hardy’s Week of Welcome leader and mentor. Now, the two are an inseparable pair of best friends.
First-year students are often overwhelmed by the transition into college, but WOW is a way for them to form genuine friendships with their mentors.
Every August, first-year students gather on Bellarmine’s campus for a week of introductions and activities, acquainting them with campus life. “WOW, to me, is more of the social acclimation,” said Director of Orientation Jessica Lynch. “It’s connecting with your peers and finding your community.”
When orientation week is finished and the school year officially begins, WOW leaders lose their titles and go back to being regular students. Horne has been a part of WOW for two years and said WOW is one of the most important parts of her college experience.
“Bellarmine is known for their hospitality and WOW is the first experience that opens you to that,” Horne said. “I want first-years to feel like they’re accepted.”
Horne said her perception of college changed drastically from the time she was a first-year student going through orientation to being a WOW leader. “I kind of felt alone,” Horne said. Once she found her place at WOW, she said she was thriving.
In 2019, WOW took place at camp. Hardy, now a sophomore, was a nervous Bellarmine first-year student in Horne’s orientation group. “I didn’t know anyone here, so I was really stepping out of my comfort zone to try to make friends,” Hardy said.
Hardy said she wasn’t excited for WOW because of the camping, dirt and bugs. “I was fine with everything else, but camping was just not it for me,” Hardy said.
Horne said this is one of the reasons she loves Hardy so much. “She’s like, ‘I’m an environmental science major, but I hate the outdoors,’” Horne said. “I’m like, ‘Are you serious?’”
However, Hardy said she ultimately enjoyed her time at the camp because of the friends she made. “When I look back now though, all I see are good memories,” Hardy said.
When WOW ended, Horne made sure to keep in contact with her first-year mentees by having lunch with them every Tuesday. “As the semester went by, less people came,” Horne said. “But Reagan was always there.”
A year and a half later, the two are still the best of friends. “Our friendship just stuck,” Horne said.
Hardy said Horne is one of the most important people in her life. They bond over their love of Disney, go on shopping trips to Target and hang out whenever they just need a friend.
“We keep each other balanced,” Hardy said. “I make sure she eats three meals a day, and she makes sure I get all my schoolwork done.”
Lynch said being a first-year’s friend after WOW is not a requirement of the job, but it usually ends up that way. “The people who are WOW leaders just naturally want to help others,” Lynch said.
“Without that expectation, they do it on their own.”
Lynch said the 2021 WOW team consists of 90 people who are looking to help and befriend the next class of first-year students.
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