Pin Your Home Project shows Mavericks exist the world over

This week students and faculty will be able to pin where they call home on three large maps in the Centennial Student Union as part of the Pin Your Home Project, run by the Student Events Team. The purpose of Pin Your Home Project is to show the variety of places Mavericks hail from.

Sophia Lee, chair of Educational Entertainment for the Student Events Team, said, “I think it’s good to showcase how big our student body is and where people are from. Not everyone is from the Midwest.”

Three large maps have been placed in the CSU by the food court, with pins provided on a rail below.

“One is more centralized on Minnesota and Wisconsin and the surrounding states. And then we also got a USA map and then we have a world map as well,” said Lee.

According to Lee, even those who have multiple homes are still encouraged to participate.

“I want to open (this) up to military families if they want to pin multiple places, because those families really travel a lot. If they are from multiple places, they can choose where they feel at most home or pin everywhere they’ve been,” said Lee.

Home can mean many different things to people.

“Home means anywhere you feel comfortable, confident,” said Lee.

On Monday students had already started pinning their home locations on the maps.

Imke Meeuwis pinned the Netherlands as her home.

“I think now that I am here, I now really see that home is where your family is at, because I am trying to make it home here, but I still miss them,” said Imke Meeuwis.

Gaomong Xiong calls both St. Paul and Maplewood home.

“Home is a safe place where I can go to and spend time with those I love and care for and who also love and care for me,” said Xiong.

What constitutes home can elicit complicated feelings in many people. Mavericks are no exception.

Jeremiah Revere calls Miami, Florida home.

“I just know that ever since I’ve been here, it hasn’t really felt like home,” said Revere, “this past summer I went home and just the air smelled different. You can smell the saltwater in it.”

Header photo: Pin your home project runs through Thursday and you can go pin your home there. (Alexis Darkow/The Reporter)

Write to Jermey Redlien at jeremy.redlien@mnsu.edu