The best thing about going to a large university is all the stories that people bring with them, the bonds they make, and the memories that will be cherished for many years to come. The stories of others not only expose the similarities amongst UGA’s student body, but it forms identity and a strong sense of self. Samrin Martin has her own story, and a unique perspective that taps into what it means to be a student at UGA. She does not go to UGA, she is UGA. She is a third year student pursuing a degree in Public Relations with a minor in communication at Grady College of Journalism. But, this is simply the the surface of Samrin, as there is an entire story filled with paint, peer pressure, and polychromic procrastination that brings her to where she is today and where she plans to go after the bonds have solidified, the memories have been made, and she embarks on the new post-graduation chapter of her life.
Samrin Martin grew up in the diverse metropolitan suburbs of Atlanta, in Gwinnett County, Georgia. She is the middle daughter of Bengali-American immigrants. The walls of her childhood home were adorned with beautiful paintings created by her mother and aunt. She recounts a painting of an Indian wedding with the bridegroom and bride being carried on their doli surrounded by houses. This pianting still arrests her attention today, and brings back memories of the joy and vividness of the paintings that consumed the walls of her home. At the time she knew little about how painting would be a tool she, too, would use to create her own masterpieces — just as her mother and aunt did before her. Through some challenging times during her childhood and being the victim of bullying, she gravitated to something familiar, comfortable, and embraced painting as her own therapeutic escape and her gratification so, she went to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store, picked up some painting supplies, and began to paint. At the time, it was more than just a hobby for Samrin, it was the way she chose to express herself. She continued to paint on and off throughout middle and high school. Close friends and strangers requested paintings, so she launched her new gig, Paintings by Sam, as an upperclassman in high school.
So how did Samrin arrive at UGA? She was emboldened by her older sister, Naomi, whom is a UGA alumna and graduate of Terry College of Business. Being the younger sibling of a UGA student does have its perks and Samrin was able to observe the most undeniable characteristic of UGA. “I have never heard of a school that loves itself more than UGA. UGA is the Kanye of Universities,” she exclaims. Samrin admits that when she first came to UGA, “I came in very naïve… I feel like I let people walk over me, people doubted me and I steered in a different direction… Later, I realized to always listen to myself.” Being a student at a large university does have its pros and cons, so when asked how she was able to find her group at UGA, she replied, “I feel that there are so many different cliques in the university population. Then you have your cultural cliques and I always feel like I am in the center of it all.”
On the other hand Samrin admits, “There is so much peer pressure in college and sometimes people get swallowed into it.”
During her time at UGA, she took up several jobs, and became a staunch Bernie Sanders supporter. In the whirlwind called life, Samrin managed to rediscover and redefine herself by listening to her creative voice, and utilizing the academic resources at UGA to guide her. As time has passed, Samrin has evolved from a naïveté student to a mature young adult. She currently works as an intern for RIZZARR, a millennial-oriented online newspaper. So, at the threshold where the end of semester buckles at the beginning of the new year, I asked Samrin what her plans are for next year, she says she has committed herself to her academics, as well as being the PR chair of UGA’s Hispanic Student Association (HSA). And what about after graduation? When asked where she sees herself in post-graduation, she replies, “I want to have my own start-up. My dream job would be to work for BuzzFeed.”
Overall, through all the twist and turns of life and college-life, Samrin is here. A student amongst many and UGA by her own terms.