If you’re reading this, you have probably watched one of my favorite shows Good Trouble. As you may know, the main character, Callie, lives in a place called “The Coterie.” And to my discovery, there is a place similar in Tallahassee, otherwise known as the Scholarship Foundation. While living here, I have gotten many questions: How does living in a house of 20 girls work? Are there a lot of fights? How do bathrooms work?
- It just works.
- None that I have seen.
- Same as any other bathroom.
To further explain, currently, I live at the Southern Scholarship Foundation (SSF). One of the largest founding principles of SSF is community living.
What is the Southern Scholarship Foundation?
The Southern Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit organization that seeks to serve low-income individuals of good academic merit through free-rent housing and cooperative living. This saves families over $6.2 billion dollars to date. The Southern Scholarship Foundation relies solely on donor support, so if you feel so inclined, please go onto the website at Southernscholarship.org and place a donation of any amount. If you are interested in applying, the applications have opened for the Spring 2023 term!
What is community living?
In any given house, there will be around 15 to 20 other individuals living with you. You need to know that you will meet others with a variety of personalities. Community living is acknowledging that although others will be different, you need to be accepting. Although this is a community, this is also a home, not just a set amount of square footage. Community living also means helping out and learning how each person can contribute to maintain the house in its cleanliness, safety, and function.
What is an average day like?
An average day for me is pretty much like any other student attending FSU. I get up, get ready for my day, and rush out of the house when I finally check the time. After classes, I will engage in conversations downstairs with whoever is there when I walk by. Later in the night, I will retire to my bedroom to complete any residual studying or any assignments that must be turned in that night. I might even go into the kitchen and make some dinner.
How has community living affected you?
For one, community living affected the way I think. It is very easy to simply only consider yourself, but being around different people makes it more natural to think of how others would be affected by any actions. Community living has also taught me to be more self-sufficient. The people here have taught me so many things related to cooking, studying and overall, just being strong in myself.
The Southern Scholarship Foundation has also helped me with my confidence. Through SSF I was able to attain leadership roles as a social chair, media coordinator and an SSF ambassador. These experiences not only aided in my experience with leadership but also with communication and my public speaking expertise. All of these skills are job transferable. SSF prepares you for the real world through cooking, cleaning, collaboration and so much more.
Quite honestly, living at the Southern Scholarship Foundation made it hard for me to think of living anywhere else. I always have someone to talk to at any turn. I have people to share laughs, memories and create a new family away from home with. That is SSF.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest!